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highfantasy-soul · 8 months ago

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NATLA Episode 5 - Spirited Away (1/3)

[Masterlist of my NATLA thoughts]

An explanation of what I'm doing here and my history with ATLA.

Of course, full spoilers ahead.

This episode shifts from taking several episodes from season 1 of the animated show and weaving them together to even drawing from future seasons/shows! I saw elements of The Winter Solstice: part 1, Bato of the Water Tribe, The Swamp (season 2), The Storm, Siege of the North part 2, that episode in Legend of Korra season 2 where (spoilers) she meets Iroh in the spirit world and sees the people lost in the Fog of Lost Souls, and honorable mentions to The Waterbending Scroll, The Fortuneteller, and The Great Divide. While that might seem like a lot to combine into one episode, I think the writers did well to pick and choose the thematic elements of each episode that would naturally condense into a Spirit World trip as well as add to Zuko's story.

This was a characterization-heavy episode that really let us delve deep into several characters - namely Katara, and Sokka, but also Azula. I feel like because Zuko has soooo much to delve into, he gets really impactful character moments every episode, but episode 6 is really his time to shine, so that's why I don't include him in that list and Aang is similar - he gets a lot of his backstory examined all through the season while Katara and Sokka don't get a chance for flashbacks.

The intro does a great job letting us know that some time has passed - and the Gaang is getting better at working/surviving together. Love the detail that Katara is learning waterbending by experience and observation rather than just being naturally good at coming up with her own forms: she saw earthbenders do the earth disks, so she made her own ice ones! The burned forest is pulled almost directly from the animated show and I like how they're tying it to not only the themes of responsibility, but also of forgiving yourself for past mistakes and planting seeds for the future.

I like the choice to have Sokka interacting with a young girl in the forest who was looking for her stolen brother rather than an old man just randomly showing up and asking for their help. The active choice for Sokka to turn on 'big brother mode', drop the Pipenpadalopsikous easter egg, and the group to CHOOSE to go to the village to help all on their own gave the characters a lot of agency rather than just being tugged along with the plot by other characters. Since they cut the Imprisoned storyline where the Gaang took that agency in the animated version, I like that they gave them that same agency here in the live-action. The included detail that the forest didn't burn due to a battle, but just because the Fire Nation wanted a clearer path to march through just shows how devoid of care Israel is - sorry, The Fire Nation is - for the natural world. While at war, just destroy everything in your path - even centuries old orchards - sorry, forests.

The change in camera focus as Aang senses the issues in the Spirit World was a really cool cue for the watcher - makes it very other-worldly. Live-action Aang already understands that he can interact with the spirit world rather than in the animation when the villager has to prompt him 'yeah, you can do that stuff' and Aang reluctantly and with a great deal of apprehension says 'right, that's me'. While I like how Aang has no idea what he's doing as he hasn't had anyone to teach him about the spirit world, he goes about things differently in the live-action. He still doesn't know exactly what to do, but he does know meditation, so he tries that - and it takes awhile and does it funky, bringing Katara and Sokka in with him.

It's great to see Zuko on the old-school hunt for the Avatar and being a dick to his crew - these two episodes in Zuko's POV draw heavily from The Storm and Bato of the Water tribe and it's a great dynamic to see between him and his crew. Then we jump to Azula laying on the flattery thick with her father and dropping the 'water the most promising seed' line! Again, reinforcing the theme of future growth - and it might not always be positive growth. Linking the themes to both sides is just soooooo goooddd. Love too, how Azula gives her suggestion for what to do and Ozai agrees, an inverse of when he'll be so disparaging of Zuko's suggested tactics in the next episode.

But oooooohhhh the sly dressing down he gives Azula, her conflicted and angrily embarrassed reaction, and then Ozai's little smirk as he pokes and prods in JUST the right way to get Azula pitted against Zuko - love love love what they did with the royal family in season 1. It'll give SO much more depth to Zuko and Azula's rivalry next season!! It is heartbreaking though that Azula was so clearly angling to get some sort of approval from her father - some praise for her abilities - praise that with Ozai is probably very rare. The two children are just so desperate for positive reinforcement from their father and while Azula's sly remarks are, of course, underhanded, you see that she's doing it because she's just a child desperate for approval - not that she was just 'born a monster'.

The Gaang's dynamic is so cute here!! Like in the animated version, Katara having complete faith in Aang even though she's no idea how he's gonna do it, Aang desperately trying to do something he knows he should be able to do but no idea how, and Sokka complaining that he's hungry which is distracting Aang from his super serious business. Their interactions are almost a direct pull from the Siege of the North Part I from the animated series when Katara and Yue are talking behind Aang as he's trying to enter the Spirit World at the oasis. Instead of stumbling into the Spirit World on accident as he chases after Hei Bai, in the live-action, Aang has to meditate for a long time before finally reaching the point where he can cross over. The detail of Katara continuing to practice her forms as they wait is really great as we don’t actually get to see animated Katara practicing much - it's just The Waterbending Scroll, and every other time, she just does the waterbending form perfectly. Yes, her skills improve, but we really miss her practicing.

It's an interesting choice to bring Sokka and Katara with Aang into the Spirit World - I can see how, with the themes they're looking to explore with these episodes, that's how they chose to do it. The main ideas being that you need to come to terms with the past so you can look forward to the future, and a great way to do a flashback sequence is through the Spirit World. The animated show didn't really show Aang much in the spirit world through these episodes - he just met Fang and was given the Spirit message to get to Roku's temple - but nothing else really Spirit Worldy happened. And we just left Sokka and ignored the fact he was there. I like them combining Aang's jaunt into the spirit world during the Siege of the North episodes here because I think it's a great story beat to hit, but the siege episodes are already a LOT, so adding even more with the spirit world journey to meet Koh would probably be too much.

Won Shi Tong was an amazing addition to the spirit world. Instead of a random monkey (that costs tons of money to CGI), they've created a model for a character we'll see in season 2. I don't really understand people confused about his presence here - like….y'all, he's a spirit? He can float around wherever - probably can be both here in the spirit world and the library at the same time? Idk, it just seems like an odd thing to be confused over. Like, why would an ancient spirit not be able to jump over into the spirit world while also holding down their presence in the material plane? It really felt like manufactured outrage trying to FORCE an issue that’s…not an issue at all.

#natla #avatar the last airbender #natla positivity #netflix avatar

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atlabeth · 2 years ago

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everything happens for a reason part 16 - zuko x fem!reader

I miss you more than anything

part 15 | masterlist | part 17

a/n: SO. it has only been a minor 116 days since the last chapter. lol. i am so sorry for the delay, my inspiration to write for this series has been pretty low lately but all the sweet comments you guys have left abt this series has brought it back and it's finally here !! thank you to everyone that's kept with this throughout the constant month-long waits, i love you all and your support means the world<3 this chapter jumps around in pov quite a bit but hopefully it works out alright

wc: 5.9k

warning(s): angst, a lot of angst, katara, zuko, and yn's inner turmoil lol, prisons and bad conditions, and some more angst

chapter title comes from francis forever by mitski

The flowers were in bloom.

Camellias, roses, peonies, fire lilies, silver wisterias. Their aroma was almost overwhelmingly sweet, but it signaled the change of seasons, the slow descent into the notoriously torturous Fire Nation summer. While Zuko would normally be reluctantly preparing for a trip to Ember Island or engaging in rigorous training to fill the hours in the absence of school lessons, his days instead consisted of politics and meetings.

He was — once again — the crown prince. The Fire Lord’s heir, the next leader of the Fire Nation, the one who would have the honor of leading a fully united world after a century of war with the Fire Nation at its helm. It was what he had been fighting for all his life, what he had spent the past three years in exile for, what he had cast aside everything for. This — the life of the prince he was supposed to be — was what Zuko was meant for.

And yet he couldn’t even look himself in the mirror.

When he did, he was met with a person he hardly recognized. Dark circles underneath his eyes, prominent cheekbones, shaggy hair that constantly fell in his line of sight. To anyone that asked he simply cited hard work, the excuse of all his new duties more than enough to get someone off his back.

Zuko didn’t understand it. Everything was perfect. He had the title, the honor, the respect — for Agni’s sake, he even had the girl. He and Mai got together shortly after his return to the Fire Nation, and she was everything a noble son could have wanted.

He should’ve been happy, grateful, ecstatic to have the life he’d always wanted after so long, but the only constant in his life seemed to be unrelenting anger. He snapped at every guard, every servant, Mai, Ty Lee, Azula — everyone that went farther than a greeted nicety that wasn’t his father.

How could he have everything he had ever wanted but still be so miserable?

“Zuko? Did you hear me?”

Zuko was jarred from his thoughts by Mai’s voice, and he blinked a couple times as he met her eyes again. In all the years he’d known her, he didn’t think he had ever seen her smile. In a weird way, he was thankful for the lack of emotion. He didn’t have to worry about the seemingly ever-present scowl he bore most days when Mai was the same way.

He shook his head. “No. What’d you say?”

Mai sighed. “Ty Lee won’t stop talking about going into town to see the lanterns and the barges they’re setting up for the festival, and she finally managed to wear me down. I was wondering if you wanted to come with us tomorrow night.”

Zuko frowned. “There’s a festival coming up?”

“The Festival of Szeto,” she responded. “You haven’t been to one in a while, so I thought it would be…” Mai rolled her eyes a bit, “…nice.”

He swallowed the sudden lump in his throat, barely managing a nod. “Yeah. Sure.”

Mai nodded as well then stood up from the chaise, walking over to the door frame before she turned to face him. “I should go. Azula requested Ty Lee and I join her for something tonight; I need to get ready for whatever she’s planning.”

“You’ve been talking a lot about Ty Lee lately,” Zuko said, not looking back at her as he got up as well and crossed over to his desk, the furnished wood covered by heaps of papers.

There was something heavy in Mai’s silence, and he felt the weight of her gaze on his back. “She’s one of the only people I can tolerate in this place. You’re not exactly easy to be around these days.”

Zuko clenched his jaw, his hand tightening into a fist on the table. “It’s not like you’re any better.”

“You don’t really inspire happiness,” Mai retorted. “At least I can talk to people without them being afraid I’ll explode if they say the wrong thing. You’re a walking fire hazard Zuko, and it’s so painfully obvious that it’s because of her.”

He whipped around, a familiar fire blazing in his irises. “What are you saying?”

“You know exactly what I’m saying.” Mai crossed her arms. “You refuse to eat fruit tarts, you hate silver wisterias, you snap at every servant, and you can’t even look me in the eye some days. I can’t even mention her without you losing your temper. You have everything you could ever want, but you’re still stuck in the past.”

Zuko glared at her. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

She just shook her head, the same deadpan expression as ever. But there was something else in her eyes, something he couldn’t place. “Azula was right. You really aren’t over her.”

Before Zuko had a chance to say anything, Mai left, shutting the door behind her. He stewed in a suffocating silence until it became too much, his rage manifesting in a frustrated roar as he slammed his fist into his desk. The pain didn’t faze him, his breathing slightly ragged as he lifted his head and stared out the window.

Y/N. Mai didn’t mention her by name, but Zuko knew. He always knew; he knew her, and it was— she was— the source of every problem in his life. He hadn’t seen her in weeks, not since he had made the misguided decision to visit her in the prisons, and yet she managed to consume his every waking thought without lifting a finger.

Everything in his life was perfect except for her. Except for Y/N, the girl he never should have fallen for and had no reason to feel anything else for, especially not now. What he said, he wanted so badly to be true. He wanted to hate her, he wanted to banish her from his mind, he wanted every part of her erased from every part of him.

But every Agni-damned thing in the Fire Nation reminded him of her.

The silver wisterias that grew in the gardens. The fabrics the servants used to mend his clothes, the servants themselves. The fruit tarts in the kitchens. He nursed any injuries on his own, unable to even think about stepping foot in the infirmary.

Zuko pulled away from his desk and sat against the side of his bed, burning holes into the floorboards with the heat of his glare.

Mai was right. If he didn’t get rid of this guilt, if he didn’t let go of the past, he would never be free. And he wasn’t going to give up everything he had fought for over a childish crush.

His hands once again clenched into fists, the loose fabric of his tunic bunching up underneath. He had to forget his uncle, he had to forget Y/N , he had to forget every memory of the Avatar and his team and the disappointment and anger that each of them looked at him with that night in Ba Sing Se.

He just had to figure out how.

So this was the Boiling Rock.

It truly was deserted. An island in the middle of a boiling lake surrounded by rock that rose miles above the water, a sight that never failed to instill that feeling of worthlessness that was growing all too familiar.

She did not belong here, isolated from everyone she knew in an inescapable prison with only the worst criminals for company. It instilled a sick sense of dread in her, that this was what the Fire Nation, or at least those in power, thought of those fighting against them to bring back peace.

Y/N realized that Princess Azula had certainly made good on her promise the moment she was loaded onto the airship, one in a line of many other prisoners. With her spine ramrod straight and features tightened into a trained mask of stoicism, she was almost able to fool the others into thinking she wasn’t absolutely terrified. She got good looks at her fellow inmates on the gondola ride over to the prison, and saying she was intimidated was an understatement.

Fellow inmates. It was strange to think of it like that, but it was her reality now. Back in the Fire Nation, she was completely alone. Here, she was surrounded by criminals, all much older than her and likely far more grizzled. She was out of her league in so many ways — one of the guards had warned the others about her waterbending (or lack thereof) and it only served to make her more vulnerable.

Y/N had a feeling that the prisoners here didn’t care for outsiders.

After becoming the not-so-proud owner of an ill-fitting red jumpsuit and going through a very blunt orientation warning them of what would happen if they were even a step out of line, she was introduced to her new home for the foreseeable future.

The cell was cramped, dry, and uncomfortable in every way. Boasting no windows, a single cot with a blanket so thin she could have torn it herself, and absolutely nothing else, she was truly living the life of luxury.

She sat on the sorry excuse for a bed and pulled her knees up to her chest as she backed against the wall, and the slow, methodical breathing she had learned from Aang was the only thing keeping her somewhat calm.

This was it.

Y/N was in a Fire Nation prison with no means of escape, her friends were on the other side of the world with no idea of what had happened to her, Aang was really and truly gone with no chance of rebirth, and the world’s last chance at peace was foiled with the fall of Ba Sing Se.

There was no second chance. There was no ‘sleep on it, try again tomorrow’ — they had lost everything. She had lost everything.

She was going to live out the rest of her short, pitiful life as a non-bending, traitorous prisoner, completely separated from everyone and everything she’d ever loved.

In the darkest moments of her life, Y/N had always been able to look to the sky, at least comforted by the notion that Yue was watching over her. No matter where she was, Yue was always there. But here, surrounded by concrete and not even granted the luxury of barred windows, stargazing was not an option.

She no longer even had the moon to turn to.

She had lost.

And she was purely and truly alone.

“I honestly thought I wouldn’t be able to deal with the Fire Nation weather, but it’s actually pretty nice.” Sokka cleaned his machete as he spoke, needing something to do with his hands while he waited for dinner. “Don’t get me wrong, I love the South, but it’s nice not having to worry about freezing to death all the time.”

Aang gave him a strange look. “You worried about freezing to death all the time?”

He brushed his question off with his hand. “You get used to it after a while. I like not having to wear parkas everywhere, especially at night. This seaside breeze?” Sokka smiled as he inhaled the salty scent, gesturing towards the water with his machete. “Almost makes up for the Fire Nation chasing us everywhere.”

“You have very low standards,” Katara said dryly, glancing over at him as she stirred a pot of soup with her waterbending.

“Hey,” he shrugged, “low standards means that you’re never disappointed. It helps with your cooking.”

She rolled her eyes at his remark, but she couldn’t hold back her smile. “Keep that up and you’ll be hunting for food on your own.”

Sokka held up his hands in defense, but Toph just groaned from her spot on the ground, her blank gaze aimed at the night sky. “Are you gonna be done soon? I’m starving.”

“You’re in luck,” she said, and she started bending their pitiful excuse for a meal into the wooden bowls they had picked up a hundred villages ago.

They didn’t have much after their loss in Ba Sing Se, the sum of their journey having been reduced to the few possessions each of them kept in their bags after they were forced to flee from the city.

There wasn’t much in terms of food where the four of them had been staking out lately either — the rations Hakoda had provided them before they left the Water Tribe fleet ran out despite their best efforts to make them last, leaving Sokka to scrounge up what he could on his usual scavenging trips and Katara to cook something up with the little ingredients and tools they had. It was a con to camping out in the middle of the Fire Nation, but underneath Sokka’s and Toph’s complaints, they would agree that it was a small price to pay to avoid anyone from the Fire Nation.

Katara finished filling all of the bowls and she started passing them out, but when she got to her own she froze in place. “Oh.”

Sokka had already started digging in — the broth might’ve been largely flavorless, but it was better than nothing — but he looked up from his bowl at his sister. “What?”

She sat down with a solemn expression, but he could see the emotions warring on her face. “I… I made five.”

The three words drained all of the earlier lightness out of the atmosphere, leaving the four of them in a heavy silence at the indirect mention of their lost companion.

“It just…” Katara sighed as she set her bowl on the dirt, her appetite suddenly gone. “It just doesn’t feel right without her. I’ve always known we were friends, best friends, but I never knew how much I would miss her until she wasn’t here anymore. I always end up wanting to tell her things, and then I remember she’s not here, and I…” She trailed off, her gaze falling to the ground, but Toph nodded.

“She could actually take a joke,” she said with a smile. “She looked out for me and she took care of me, but she never treated me like I was a child. I could tell that she cared in her own way, and that was special.”

“You are a child,” Sokka said.

“You know what I mean.”

“I do,” he chuckled. “And I miss her too. We have this— this kind of bond that you guys can’t understand — I think it has to do with Yue, but she just always got me. She got all of us.” Sokka looked at his sister and shrugged. “You’re right. It feels wrong without her.”

“I feel like it’s my fault,” Katara muttered. “I was down there when she sacrificed herself. I should’ve been faster, I should’ve been able to help her somehow—”

“You can’t do that to yourself, Katara,” Sokka interrupted. “You did everything you could— she made the choice to stay down there.”

“Do you blame me for not helping her?” Aang asked. “Do you blame me for going down in the Avatar state?”

“Of course not,” she said with a frown. “You saved us all — we had no idea what Azula was going to do.”

Toph nodded. “And do you blame Sokka and me for not being down there?”

“No!” she exclaimed, her brows creasing even further. “How could I blame you all?”

Aang gave her a knowing look and she chuckled lightly as she nodded. “Oh. I see what you’re doing.”

“If you can’t blame us for it, then you can’t blame yourself for what happened to Y/N.” Aang gave her a small smile. “She wouldn’t want you to blame yourself anyways. You know that.”

“Just because I know it doesn’t mean it’s easy to accept,” Katara sighed. She fiddled with her hands as she stared down at the ground, a question weighing on her mind that she could barely bring herself to ask.

“Do you think she’s still…?” Katara trailed off again, but the implication was obvious as it hung heavily in the air.

“She has to be,” Aang said, and he sounded so sure of himself it was hard to think otherwise. “There’s no other option than her being okay.”

Toph nodded. “She’s tough. You said she was a servant there before all of this, right? If she’s handled the Fire Nation before, she can do it again.”

Katara nodded as well, offering another soft smile to her friends in thanks for their efforts. “Yeah. She’ll be fine.”

She didn’t know if she believed her words, to tell the truth. But she kept repeating them to herself in her head, hardly paying attention as the rest of the group idled onto another topic of conversation.

“Wherever you are,” she murmured so quietly no one could hear, “I hope you know that I miss you.”

Zuko stared up at the ceiling, his eyes burning from a lack of rest but his mind unable to shut off. It was almost funny, how he dragged through each day completely exhausted, yet once the night came he could never find the sweet release of sleep.

Nights like these had become far more frequent than they should have, his habits becoming so unhealthy even Mai was beginning to worry. He let out a frustrated growl as he sat up, running one of his hands through his unkempt hair, shaggy layers continuing to grow the more he ignored it.

“Guess your lies aren’t helping you sleep as much as you thought they would.”

Zuko’s head shot up at the sound of a voice, his wild eyes darting back and forth looking for the source. When he found it, his eyes widened.

“What?” His voice was low, barely more than a whisper, and for a moment he wondered if this was it, if he was really going crazy.

She was there — Y/N, his waterbender, the link to his past that he was trying so Agnidamned hard to forget—

“Did you think it would be that easy to get rid of me?” She was almost taunting him from her spot, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. Dressed in the grime-covered tunics all prisoners were forced to wear, looking just the way she had the day he visited her in the cells, it was hard to tell himself that she wasn’t really here. “I’ve always been a part of you, Zuko. You know that just as well as I do.”

“No,” he said, already on the edge of rambling, “no, you’re not—”

“Why do you keep trying to deny it?” she asked, her composed features in stark contrast to his own desperation. “You haven’t stopped thinking about me since the day I escaped the Fire Nation. Even when you’ve betrayed me, when I’m supposed to be your enemy, you bring me here like this.”

“I didn’t do anything,” he muttered, his hands clenching into fists around the fabric of his sheets. “I’m trying to forget you, and when I finally do, I’ll be free.”

She laughed mirthlessly. “That’s how you think this will go? That eventually, you’ll forget me, and you’ll be able to move on without the pesky little waterbender weighing you down.”

Y/N stood up from the wall and walked towards the bed, stopping at the foot as she crossed her arms. Zuko knew it wasn’t real, that she wasn’t real, but he could hardly keep himself from reaching out on instinct.

“You betrayed me. You betrayed your uncle. You don’t just get to forget what you did to us, go on and live your happy royal life.” She practically spit her words, and Zuko flinched. “This will destroy you from the inside out. And I hope to the spirits it does.”

“Why won’t you leave me alone?” Zuko was almost begging now, and even though he hated the desperation in his voice he couldn’t help it. “I can’t help you anymore. I have no choice, just— just leave me alone!”

Her lips quirked up in a sardonic smile as she tilted her head to the side slightly. “I’m not even here, Zuko. You did this. You did this.”

Her mockery, her taunts, her being so close and yet completely unobtainable, the fact that everything she said was true. Zuko couldn’t take it anymore, the last of his weakened façade breaking as he felt the temperature rise around him.

“Get out of my head!” he yelled, a blast of fire shooting out from his fists in a desperate effort to end this. She disappeared with the flames, leaving only a small fire in his place. Zuko had been so caught up with his own mind’s creation that he almost forgot the consequences of his rage, and he darted out of his bed to smother the flames with his sheets.

He stood there, panting and staring down at the smoldering fabric with wide eyes. Zuko ran a shaky hand through his hair as he turned around, grabbing one of his bed posts to ensure his balance. He was scared, terrified — could he even tell what was real or not?

Zuko would go insane if he didn’t figure this out, he knew that much. He had to end this— this war inside of his head, and then he would finally be free.

He grabbed his cloak from the chest on the edge of his bed and shoved his arms into it, leaving the mess in his room as he closed the door as quietly as he could. After making sure he wasn’t being followed, he set off to end his turmoil, once and for all.

He needed closure.

“All prisoners from Block C, report to the courtyard.”

Y/N sighed as she pushed herself up from her bed, waiting a few seconds after her cell door opened to walk out and join the flow of inmates. Though her hands itched to do something, she kept them hanging loosely by her side, doing her best to blend in as just another prisoner on their walk to the courtyard.

Everything in her dismal life had blended together, the strict schedules set in place by the guards the only reason she was able to keep track of the days. Even then it wasn’t always helpful, as their block times weren’t set in stone. Some days she would end up in the courtyard in the early morning, other days she would be armed with a mop to fight against the neverending grime the moment she woke up.

It was a torturously mundane existence, but when surrounded by some of the Fire Nation’s worst criminals, Y/N found that she preferred mundane to any other option.

She squinted a bit when they entered the courtyard; despite a few weeks of the same routine, the sun still got to her every day after coming from the dark isolation of her cell. The place might’ve been hot, humid, and miserable, but it was still better than the rest of the prison.

It didn’t take her very long to learn how to survive in the Boiling Rock — she stayed silent, kept her head down, and showed zero emotion. Never show any vulnerability, and stay out of everything. She was an abnormality here as a young girl, even more so with her brand of waterbender — it was a giant target on her back, and she did whatever she could to keep it from being shot at.

“Hey!”

But sometimes, her best efforts weren’t enough.

A gruff voice rang out behind her and she tried to ignore it, hoping that it was directed at someone else. There were hundreds of prisoners, and at least half of the blocks were out at the moment. It was more likely that he wasn’t trying to get her attention—

“I said hey. You listen to me when I talk to you.”

Of course she wouldn’t be so lucky.

Y/N tentatively turned around and had to force herself to hold eye contact with the man in front of her. He looked to be a little older than her, maybe in his late twenties. With a handsome face and a sharp jawline, he was the image of a noble son she might’ve met back home but with the added fatigue from prison life. She had seen him around a couple of times, and she knew that he was nothing but trouble. She wished he didn't have a bone to pick with her.

“You’re that Water Tribe savage, aren’t you?” he sneered, taking a step towards her that in turn caused her to back up. “I heard you worked with the Avatar, that’s why you’re in here.”

“You’ve got the wrong girl,” she muttered, refusing to look away from her assailant as he continued to push forward. Y/N felt her back hit the wall and she bit down hard on the inside of her cheek, willing herself not to show any emotion.

His arm shot out, palm flat against the wall and effectively trapping her in place. “I don’t think I do,” he taunted. “I think you’re the only one who has a chance of getting out of here, but you’re just too damn weak to do anything.”

“You’re lucky I can’t bend out here,” she refuted coolly, still maintaining eye contact. “Otherwise you’d be dead where you stand.”

“Oh, we’ve got a feisty one here!” he laughed, turning and gesturing with his head towards her to get the attention of some other prisoners before bringing his attention back to Y/N, his eyes gleaming dangerously.

“You think you’re better than us, don’t you? Because you’re all about your fancy waterbending, and working with the Avatar, and being a hero. But you ended up in the same place we did, so I guess it wasn’t worth it.” He closed the distance between them, the proximity so near she could feel the heat from every exhale. She forced herself not to look away, despite every nerve in her body screaming at her to back down. “I think I gotta take you down a notch.”

He launched his fist at her before she could blink, and Y/N recoiled instantly as she took the blow to the right side of her face. Her hand immediately flew up to nurse the injury, letting out a strained gasp at the sudden pain.

“Doesn’t feel so good, does it?” the man snarled as he reeled back for another. She screwed her eyes shut, already bracing for the impact, but it never came. She heard a grunt and slowly opened her eyes to see another girl, one that couldn’t be any older than her, holding his fist in place with an iron grip. She had appeared out of nowhere, but she had saved her.

“Go pick on someone your own size,” she threatened. Y/N could see his face contorting in pain with the hold the girl had on him, and as soon as she released his hand he backed up.

“What’s your fuckin’ problem?” he snarled, squeezing his hand to regain feeling in his fingers again. “No one ever taught you how to mind your own business?”

“It’s my business when you pick on innocent people,” she countered. “Now, are you gonna get out of here, or do I have to do something a lot worse?”

The man grit his teeth as he glanced around him — no one would come to help him if he took her challenge. As he started to back away, he glared at the girl. “You’ve just made a powerful enemy.”

She rolled her eyes as he walked off, then turned to the group of prisoners that had gathered around the scene. The girl drew herself up, acting much older and intimidating than she appeared.

“Well?” she yelled, enhancing her stature as she took a step forward. “Get out of here!”

In yet another fantastical feat, the girl managed to scare the crowd off. Y/N couldn’t help as her jaw dropped, amazed at how easily she had gotten rid of not only her attacker but everyone else. She was ready to thank her savior, but when she turned around giving Y/N a full view of her face, she gasped.

“Suki?”

Warmth blossomed in her chest despite the instinctual disbelief. Y/N had always wanted to meet up with Suki again after she left to go help her warriors, but the Boiling Rock was the last place she thought they would find each other again. Was her friend really here?

“Hey.” Suki grinned as she casually leaned against the wall, taking a second to shake out her hand. “Talk about a reunion, huh?”

Suki didn’t have the chance to even breathe before Y/N lunged at her, wrapping her in the tightest embrace she could muster and relishing in the warmth of another, of someone she could actually trust.

“You’re here,” she breathed, close to tears. “I’m not alone. You’re here.”

“I’m here.” Suki responded in kind after a moment of hesitation, reciprocating the hug with the same intensity. Once Y/N pulled away, she gave her a sideways smile, though her coyness was lessened by the softness in her eyes. “How’d you get unlucky enough to end up here?”

Y/N rubbed her injury, already able to feel the swelling, and shook her head. “Tui’s gills. There’s… a lot to unpack.”

She shrugged and gestured to her surroundings. “We’ve got time.”

She managed a small smile of her own and mirrored Suki’s lean against the wall as she sighed. “Well… It all started in Ba Sing Se.”

Zuko was familiar with the Capital City prison by now. He’d visited Y/N once before and his uncle far too many times after, but after Azula caught him one night, he decided to play it safe. Despite her promise not to tell anyone, he didn’t trust her. He had his childhood mantra for a reason.

The guards were familiar with his disguise, allowing him in without any trouble, but once he reached the block he remembered Y/N to be in, he was met with a guard he’d never seen before. He looked young, far too young to be on guard duty in a prison like this, but Zuko didn’t really care. It meant it would be easier to get what he wanted.

“You can’t be here, sir,” the guard said, snapping up to attention as he finally sensed his presence. “This block of the prison doesn’t accept visitors—”

Zuko took off his hood and the man’s eyes widened, an apology tumbling out immediately.

“I’m so sorry, Prince Zuko! Please, forgive me— I’m new and I was never told that you—”

“Save it,” he grumbled, but as he got closer to the cell, a frown twisted his features. The inhabitant was a large, muscular man, and in the moment he was thankful he was asleep so he wouldn’t have to deal with it. Zuko turned to the guard and glared at him. “Where is she?”

“Who?”

“The waterbender, the prisoner that worked with the Avatar!” he snapped, that wild desperation in his eyes growing once again. “Where is she? This is her cell!”

“She isn’t here anymore!” the guard rushed out, his hands raised up slightly at his sides in some sort of defense. “She hasn’t been here for weeks— she was transferred out with the last block of prisoners to make room for the rioters.”

“Where was she sent?” he demanded.

“I don’t know!” he practically whimpered out, and when Zuko grabbed his collar, ignited a flame in his free hand and held it up to his face, his eyes widened even more. “I swear, I don’t know! Princess Azula authorized it herself; she didn’t tell anyone about the specifics!”

Azula.

Zuko let him go with a growl, already beginning to stalk off before he stopped and turned partially. “I was never here. And if you spread word of it to a single person, I’ll make sure you—”

“I promise, Prince Zuko,” he said, still terrified, “it won’t leave this room.”

He all but stormed off, his hands clenching into fists at his side as his feet carried him to a place he was far more familiar with. Zuko was back in the palace soon enough, and he didn’t even bother to knock as he barged into his sister’s room.

“What is your problem?” he seethed, barely contained rage simmering just below the surface.

Azula frowned as she sat up, and she brushed her loose locks out of her face as her eyes settled on Zuko. “How kind of you to wake me up like this.”

“I don’t have time for your games,” he spat. “Why did you transfer Y/N out?”

She rolled her eyes as she glared at him. “This is really what you choose to bother me with? You don’t even try to hide it anymore, Zuko. It’s pathetic, truly.”

“Why did you transfer her out?” he repeated.

“I’m doing you a favor,” Azula snarled, the interruption starting to get to her. “You’re not strong enough to let go of her by yourself, so I’m trying to help you get rid of her. Anyone with eyes can see that you’re still holding onto her — the only way for you to truly thrive is for her to be out of the picture.”

“That’s not your decision to make,” Zuko seethed.

“It may not be, but you refuse to make any of the changes necessary of your position.” Azula shook her head, something genuine in her eyes. “You were made for this life, Zuko, not one with that Water Tribe peasant. Don’t throw it away because of her.”

Zuko couldn’t find anything to say to her, like his anger had fizzled out after a night of burning red hot. She didn’t seem to care.

“Now,” Azula laid back down on her pillows, “don’t bother me with this talk anymore. Especially not in the middle of the night.”

Zuko fumed as he stormed out of her room, quickly finding his way back to his own. The second he stepped past the threshold, he nearly lost it.

He wanted to scream, he wanted to shout, cry, do anything, but all he felt was unwavering numbness. Zuko settled on the edge of his bed and took the headpiece that kept his topknot together out of his pocket, and he pressed the pad of his finger against the point of one of the flames. All it provided was a dull pain, and suddenly he could barely even stand the sight of it. He didn’t deserve the mark of a prince.

Zuko opened the drawer on his bedside table, about to throw it in without a care, when he noticed the only other belonging in the compartment.

A simple children’s book, the edges rolled up and the spine broken in from a loving owner. His heart stopped as he took it in.

Keiko and the Koalaotter. A wilted and dried petal from a silver wisteria. A scribbled heart done with Zuko’s own ink, now old and faded but undeniably from her.

Something inside of him broke at the sight, and he stared at the ground as his fist tightened around the headpiece. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks, and it made it hard to breathe as his chest tightened.

This was a mistake. All of it, the life that he thought was his destiny— it was all a mistake.

How the hell was he going to fix this?

perm tags: @dv0412 @siriuslyslyslytherin @maruchan77 @simonsbluee @kwyloz @masteroperator

ehfar tags: @chandies-sideblog @zacatecanaaaa @anzanity @randomthingssss @escapingthoughtsandsecrets @shanksfav @shephard17895 @ilovespideyyy @carisi-sonny @selfship-mishaps @ilistentotayswifttocope @i-make-questionable-choices @3leni @thatobsessedreader @lostgreekgod @oriontingz @zerode-unhinged @badpvn @mimi-sanisanidiot @adhdhufflepuff @aquaamethyst96 @hollyismentallyillhelp @holypoetrygarden @islandgayneery

#zuko x reader #zuko x you #zuko x reader fic #zuko #zuko fic #avatar #avatar the last airbender #atla #avatar fic #atla fic #avatar the last airbender fic #atla x reader #avatar x reader #sadie writes #ehfar

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scarletemeterio-thesecond · 4 years ago

Note

hello, I'd like to request a zuko imagine with an earthbender reader, i was thinking maybe like he likes them but he thinks there's something between reader and sokka so that's why he doesn't say/do anything? and I'd love it if reader was toph's older sibling

I really liked this request! I wanted to try and do something different so it's written from Zuko's pov. It took me like three days to write this and it's pretty long, hope you like it!

-Mica :)

•••

Heartfelt Confessions (Zuko x Reader)

Warnings: None

Genre: Fluff

Fandom: Avatar, The Last Airbender

Summary: See request

Word Count: 2553

Zuko's POV:

Here I was, in front of the people I once tried to defeat, trying to make things right. I really wanted; I needed this to work out. I knew I was destined to help the Avatar.

"Hello, Zuko here" I said. Why did I say that? Of course they knew who I was; I had followed them for a long time!

As soon as I said that, they all got ready to attack and to be honest, I didn't blame them at all. I explained myself as best as I could, which wasn't actually very good at all, and then I waited for their response.

"You can't possibly think that any of us would trust you, can you?" said the waterbender girl.

"One of you has already! And I've done some good things" I said.

"What do you mean by one of us?" asked the little earthbender girl.

I immediately looked at the other earthbender in the group, whose eyes now were full of despair. And as I did that, everyone else did too.

"Back in Ba Sing Se, we ran into each other once" I began, now looking directly at them. "I knew you could tell who I was, I figured you were with the Avatar but you never told them that I was there when you faced Long Feng, did you?"

"What!?" said the earthbending girl. "How could you hide something like that? We could've known Zuko was in Ba Sing Se? I'm your sister, (Y/N); I thought we told each other everything!"

"Just tell us what happened, (Y/N)" said the waterbender, a bit strongly.

"The Dai Li had opened some kind of tunnel to get me away from you. I tried to come back as soon as possible but I found him instead" they said, looking at me. "I never said anything because so much had already happened... between Jet and the entire Long Fend thing I- I'm sorry, I should've told you. I didn't think he would do what he did later in the cave, he had freed Appa and I thought that maybe... He had some good in him. I'm sorry".

"That's right, you should've told us" began saying the guy from the Water Tribe, "but we know you didn't mean any harm, (Y/N)". After that the boy put an arm around (Y/N)'s shoulders.

"S-See! I could've stolen your bison but I set him free! That's something" I said, still trying to get them to trust me.

"Appa does seem to like him" said the little girl.

But they still were suspicious, and things got even worse when I admitted that I had sent an assassin after them. They rejected me and told me to leave, so I did. Thankfully, the following day, after so many mistakes they allowed me to join them and teach firebending to the Avatar.

Aang and I started practicing as soon as possible, but shortly after we were forced to stop; for some reason I couldn't firebend.

"Hey, jerks" suddenly said Sokka. "Mind if I watch you two jerks do your jerk bending?"

"Sokka, don't say that!" said (Y/N) while passing by.

"Get out of here, Sokka!" I screamed, clearly annoyed.

Sokka left while laughing a bit, but the earthbender decided to get closer to us.

"Hey, what's going on, guys?" Is everything okay?" while saying that, they sat right next to Aang.

"I think Zuko lost his firebending".

"I didn't!”

"Well, I think someone's a bit on edge right now. I'm gonna go and do some earthbending with Toph. Maybe I'll be able to annoy Sokka a bit, too" (Y/N) said as they let out a little laugh.

I couldn't avoid looking at them and think about how sweet their laugh was until Aang snapped me out of my thoughts. I really had to do something about my firebending.

After going back to the Western Air Temple with Aang, we quickly got back to training. Although that didn't last long since this time I was going on a trip with not only one but two members of the group.

"I still don't know why you came".

"You have to understand, Sokka, there's no way I would've let you do this by yourself" said (Y/N), still slightly arguing with the boy.

"I wasn't! Zuko was gonna come with me".

"And now I am too. I couldn't just stay there and lie to Katara and everyone about your trip, and I couldn't just do nothing!"

"I just don't want anything to happen to you, (Y/N); I care about you, okay?"

"I care about you, too, Sokka. But we're in this together. All of us" after saying that, they both made a pause, and when I turned around to look at them, they were already looking at me. "We're all on the same side now".

We all nodded in agreement and suddenly there was silence in the air.

"You know, a friend of ours designed these balloons" Sokka said, starting another conversation.

I paid attention to him but I could tell (Y/N) was lost in their own thoughts before drifting off to sleep while sitting next to Sokka. It felt so weird to have a crush on someone who was with another person. It even felt wrong. Ever since I joined the group I've tried to get them off my mind, I've even tried to stay away from them, but it just didn't seem to be working out. I sighed before turning my gaze back to the sky in order to distract myself from my own feelings.

When we got to the Boiling Rock, we decided to pretend to be guards. Shortly after that, Sokka got sent to take someone to the 'cooler', leaving (Y/N) and me behind. On lunch time, we tried to get some information about the prisoners, trying to find out if Sokka's father was here, but we weren't lucky. When we reunited with Sokka, I told him that there were no Water Tribe prisoners.

"What? Are you sure? Did you guys double check?"

"We did, Sokka. I'm afraid he's not here" said (Y/N) while taking his hand, trying to calm him down.

"I'm really sorry, Sokka".

"So we came all this way for nothing? I failed... again".

"Ugh, what would uncle say?" I wondered, trying to be positive. "Sometimes clouds have two sides, a dark and a light, and a silver lining in between. It's like a silver sandwich! So when life seems hard, take a bite out of the silver sandwich".

"Maybe we haven't failed after all" Sokka said, now a lot more hopeful.

"That's the spirit! I can't believe that worked, I didn't even know what I was saying".

"No, what you said made no sense at all".

"Yeah, Zuko, for real" said the earthbender, laughing at me.

"But look... It's Suki".

"What? I can't believe she's here!"

Sokka left quickly to wherever this girl was.

"Who's Suki?" I asked a bit confused.

"She's a friend of ours, and she had something with Sokka a while ago" they explained. "Come on, we have to go!" they grabbed my hand and took me out of there, going to wherever Sokka had left. I couldn't help but blush, thankfully it wasn't noticeable because of my helmet.

(Y/N) and I decided to keep guard outside of the cell, letting Sokka go inside.

"You seem pretty chill about this" I commented, without fully understanding the reason why.

"What? I'm completely terrified; we could get caught in any minute! I'm just trying to remain calm".

"That's not what I meant, I-" I realized a guard was coming towards us, so I stopped talking and knocked on the door, letting Sokka know that we had company.

To say things didn't go well was an understatement. We couldn't just let her get into the cell, so we had to fight back. Now, (Y/N) and I had been arrested for being impostors, which wasn't wrong of course, but it definitely wasn't what we had planned. I was sent to my cell, where Mai's uncle threatened me and then we were told to clean the floors.

"Listen, I think I have an escape plan" said Sokka once we were all together. "I checked out the coolers again. The whole point of them is to keep firebenders contained, right?"

"Yeah…"

"So they're completely insulated and sealed to keep the cold in. Well, to keep the cold in it also has to keep the heat out, right?”

"Just get to the point, Sokka" said Suki.

"Yeah, my brain is starting to hurt" agreed (Y/N).

"I'm saying it's a perfect boat for getting through the boiling water".

It wasn't going to be easy, but we had no other choice; we had to get out of here no matter what.

Once I was sent to the cooler I started taking out every single screw. Sokka came to take me out and we overheard some guards saying that some new prisoners were coming in tomorrow. Some war prisoners, specially.

“It could be your father” I said.

Sokka nodded and I asked what we were going to do.

“I don’t know. Is it right for me to risk Suki’s freedom- all of our freedom- on the slim chance that my dad is gonna show up?” he asked. “What if we get hurt or caught? What if something happens to (Y/N)? Oh my god, Toph would literally kill us!”

“Hey, calm down, Sokka. It’s your call; we’ll do whatever you say”.

We decided to go to the shore after all, it’s not like we could keep the others waiting.

“Are you sure you want to go? You’re the one who said you wanted to redeem yourself, redeem your honor” I said, still not sure about Sokka’s choice. “Rescuing your dad is your chance”.

“What do you mean? Is Hakoda here?” (Y/N) asked, looking at us.

“No, but we heard some war prisoners were coming in tomorrow” I answered.

“I’m going to stay, you guys go. Suki, you’ve been here long enough”.

“I’m not leaving without you, Sokka” the girl said.

“Yeah, there’s no way we’re gonna do that!”

“I’m staying too” I said. (Y/N) was right: we’re all on the same side now.

The others ended up getting caught, and quickly we were in a lockdown.

“The gondola’s moving” said Sokka. “If my dad’s not here we risked everything for nothing”.

“We had to” as Suki said that, she grabbed his hand. I couldn’t help but look at (Y/N); not only because I wanted to hold their hand too, but also because I was afraid that little action could hurt them. Still, they didn’t seem to bother.

Sokka’s dad was in the gondola after all, and we speedily went back to our cells. Not much later, I was taken out of my cell and sent somewhere else, where I saw Mai. I didn’t think I’d see her again, at least not until all of this was over. I guess I was wrong. We had a talk about me leaving her, but when I had the opportunity, I ran out of there, I had to go and meet the others.

“Great, we’re all here. Now all we need to do is grab the warden and get to the gondolas”.

“Good, how do we do that?”

“I’m not sure”.

We started arguing about him not thinking this through but we were cut by (Y/N)’s voice.

“Could you just shut up? Suki’s taking care of it!”

And they were right. Suki was heading towards the warden, successfully making him our prisoner. We ran to them and then we started running to where the gondolas were.

It was difficult, but we managed to escape, mainly because of Mai. I figured Azula had to get there somehow so we took her airship and left.

We had been travelling for a few hours, and everyone had fallen asleep, except for (Y/N) who was looking at the sky.

"Aren't you tired?" I asked.

"A bit, but I like looking at the stars".

"Be careful, I wouldn't want you to fall off".

"I'm fine, dummy, you don't have to worry about me" they said before giving me a soft smile. "The girl who helped was Mai, right? Your girlfriend?"

"My ex-girlfriend, and yeah. I wish I could thank her".

"Was it difficult seeing her there?" I stayed silent for a moment, trying to figure out why they were asking me this, but when they spoke again, it seemed like (Y/N) had read my mind. "I'm asking you this because you're with us now, and I care about you, Zuko".

"Its was… weird, but not difficult. I did feel a bit bad for getting over her and liking someone else, though".

"Ooh, who is it?"

"I'm not telling you".

There was a brief silence between us before (Y/N)'s voice cut it.

"Well, if any of us looks tired then it's you" they said, changing the subject.

"Yeah, well, I'll sleep once we get to the Air Temple" while I was saying that, I saw (Y/N) getting closer to me. "What are you doing?"

"Sorry, it's just that- You're pretty warm and in case you haven't noticed, it's cold". I didn't say anything, I just stood there. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to annoy you or anything, I know you don't really like me".

The last words were said in a soft mumble, but I still heard them. I raised my head, looking at the earthbender's eyes with confusion.

"What do you mean? Of course I like you".

"It's just that, you know, you kind of avoid me so… I figured you didn't like me".

"No, I- I didn't want to come in between you and Sokka so I just stayed away, you know?"

"Between me and Sokka? What do you mean?"

I took a deep breath and turned my gaze away from theirs, trying to think about what I wanted to say.

"You and Sokka are really close so I thought you were dating or something so I stayed away from you in order to not come in between you guys because I kinda like you and I know that's wrong and I- What are you laughing at?" I cut my own words once I started hearing them laugh.

"You really thought that Sokka and I-?" they kept laughing and I had to tell them to be quiet, we didn't want the others to wake up. "Oh, that was funny, I really needed that".

"Yeah, you're welcome" I said under my breath, hoping that my little confession had gone unnoticed.

"Wait, did you just say you like me?" they said, processing my words. "I-I didn't know you liked me like that" I closed my eyes, clearly not ready for the rejection.

"Look, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that, I know you probably don't-" I was cut by a pair of lips on top of mine, giving me a soft kiss. I didn't have any time to react before I felt their lips separating from mine.

"I like you too, Zuko… like that" I smiled cheesily at their words before pressing my lips against theirs again.

#prince zuko fic #prince zuko fanfic #fire lord zuko #zuko imagine #zuko x reader #atla #avatar the last airbender #atla imagine #atla fanfic

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jasmine-tea-latte · 4 years ago

Text

(Some of) My Favorite Zutara fics

Warning, looong post ahead!

Zutara Fanworks Appreciation Week snuck up on me, so sadly I haven’t had time to properly contribute anything. I’d love to participate next year or maybe even before then (I play by my own rules, folks!)

Still, though. I wanted to at the very least pay tribute to some of my all-time favorite Zutara fanfics that I’ve enjoyed and have inspired me over the years.

(Click here for my post on Self-Love Saturday, where I shamelessly promote my series The Phoenix and the Dragon and share a bit of backstory behind how it came to be in the first place.)

I’ve shipped Zutara ever since Fall 2006, and I have been fortunate to read so many excellent fanfics since then.

Some have made me laugh, others made me sob, others straight up made my heart burn like it was shot full of lightning:

So in honor of @zkfanworkweek, below are 13 of my favorite Zutara fanfics, in no particular order:

~*~*~

Rated G(eneral)/T(een)

Engulfed by Luaburachid

Zuko finds himself engulfed by love.

A sweet one-shot of our favorite firebender discovering how deep his feelings are for a certain waterbender. It’s just pure fluff and always brings a smile to my face.

we hold our hearts in silence by psychedelic_aya

Seventy years later, Korra tries to figure out Zuko and Katara.

Oh, this one is so bittersweet but oh so good. It alternates between flashbacks and Korra’s POV watching an older Zuko and Katara interact. Just… ugh. My heart.

Day 6: Found by SooperSara

When Sokka comes up with an idea to get rid of Joo Dee, Katara finds herself in the Lower Ring of Ba Sing Se with a tea server she did not expect to meet.

I love a good Jasmine Dragon AU where Katara / the Gaang actually interacts with Zuko while he’s undercover as Lee from the tea shop instead of what happened in “The Guru.” This is so much fun to read, and my only complaint is that it’s not longer.

Celestial by SooperSara

An unexpected dip into the koi pond at the North Pole brings Zuko in contact with the spirits and grants him insight to his destiny. A destiny he isn’t sure he wants.

Another by the talented SooperSara! Actually, you should check out all of her stuff. It’s all so good, and I absolutely adore this one. It’s pretty canon-compliant and the ending… oh, the ending makes me tearbend. Ma’am, I’m still weepy.

this little fuse we lit made something in you by SecondStarOnTheLeft

There's a secret door in the wall of Katara's room. Things go a little further than planned, once she opens it.

What happens when Katara discovers a secret tunnel (secret, secret, secret tunnel, yeah!) that leads directly to the Fire Lord’s bedroom? Reading this fic is like settling down to drink a hot cup of Iroh’s tea – it’s soothing, sweet, and thoroughly warms the soul.

Dancing in the Dark by damagectrl

Post-Season 2 AU: While in Ba Sing Se, Katara and Toph hear a rumor about two tea servers in the lower tiers of Ba Sing Se and sneak away go to investigate only to have their suspicions confirmed. On her personal time, Katara tries to teach herself to dance and fails so badly, a masked man takes pity on her to try to help.

This is one most OGs will probably remember. It’s also one of the first ZK fics I ever read, back when I was a wee lil bb Zutarian! It was originally posted in Oct. 2006 and takes place between “Appa’s Lost Days” and “Lake Laogai.” One of my all-time favorite Bluetara AND Jasmine Dragon AUs. Heck, all of damagectrl’s works are fantastic reads, for that matter. I highly recommend checking them out, especially this classic.

such selfish prayers by andromeda3116

Katara's ambition, so long set aside for the good of others, breaks free and sets fire to her soul. Or, Katara has a vision of her canon future, casts it aside, and becomes a world-changing politician instead.

There’s a reason why this fic is one of the highest rated on AO3, if not THE highest. It does right by Katara and gives her the ending she deserves. 10/10 would recommend.

better than things dreamed of in the forest by catie_writes_things (SERIES)

As a child, Bumi knew: his mother was a waterbender, his father was an airbender, and he was a firebender. Something about these facts did not add up, but it would take him a long time to understand.

Hands down, one of the most heartbreaking fics / series I’ve ever read. The author describes this as the adultery fic for people who hate adultery fics, and it certainly packs an emotional punch in the gut. Personally, I’m not one for the “Zuko and Katara have an affair while she’s with Aang” fics in general, but this one examines the fallout caused by a single night of passion and all of the consequences that stem from it, especially how the ripple effect of their choices impacts everyone. Even though it breaks my heart all over again every time I reread it, I can’t recommend it highly enough.

~*~*~

(More fics, several with high ratings, are listed below the cut)

Rated M(ature)/E(xplicit)

Moonlight and Sunshadow by GrapefruitTwostep

The dragon offered Katara a deal: protection for her family and tribe if she lived with it for a year and a day. And she said yes. Because what other way was there to save her people? But there was more to the dragon than Katara bargained for. An "East of the Sun, West of the Moon" retelling.

A fairy tale AU in which Zuko is cursed to live as a dragon and Katara is certainly no damsel in distress. You’ve probably heard some version of the original fairy tale before that this fic is inspired by, and it’s such a delight to read.

The Blackfish and the Dragon by ama

Katara grew up in the Southern Water Tribe under the tutelage of Hama, the only waterbender ever to have escaped Fire Nation captivity. When Zuko arrives at the South Pole, seeking the Avatar, they are more than ready to defend him. Then one day, the Southern Water Tribe receives a petition for peace, and a proposal of marriage.

One of the best arranged marriage AUs I’ve come across. Iroh is crowned Fire Lord after defeating Ozai, and Katara must find some way to peacefully coexist with her hotheaded new husband as she also finds a place for herself in the Fire Nation.

Confused by thispieceofwork

Zuko stood. "You told Aang you were confused. Are you confused because of me?" Katara was silent, arms crossed in front of her. "Don't make me answer that."

Starts during “The Ember Island Players” where Zuko overhears Aang and Katara’s private conversation on the balcony. This is another fic that will shatter your heart into a million pieces but it’s oh so worth it in the end.

A Heated Exchange by Smediterranea (SERIES)

Katara had not considered herself to be someone who would have earth-shattering sex with a guy whose name she didn’t even know. But here she was, certain that she had never made a better decision in her life.

An AU two-part series of Katara getting familiar with a certain handsome guy who lives down the hall in her college dorm. It’s funny, cute, and cuddling while watching Planet Earth has never been hotter.

Bonus day: Tea Shop by cincilin

"Hello and welcome to the Jasmine Dragon. Today's special is—" he cut himself of with a sharp intake of breath, at the same moment that Katara placed the voice and looked up.

'He has hair.' was her first thought. Then the rest of her brain caught up with her and she started to get up, sending Momo scrambling to hide under the table. Season 2 AU, during "The Guru."

I told y’all, I *LOVE* a good Jasmine Dragon AU fic, and this one-shot checks all the boxes: heart-to-heart conversations? Witty dialogue and banter? Bending match that turns into a makeout and something steamier? It’s got it all.

~*~*~

This was only going to be a list of maybe 5-7fic recs, but well… oops. I also kept the above list to completed works only, just because this post is already long enough.

Several of my other favorites that get honorable mention include:

Thinking Out Loud (WIP)

The Summit (WIP)

Sparrowkeet (Series)

Purr

The Nature of the Blue Spirit

Rhythm of the Rain

Fault Lines

Clarity

Seriously, there are just SO MANY good Zutara fics out there. I had to cut myself off from adding even more, because I could go on and on and on. Much like Admiral Zhao, I have no. self. control.

I love you all, my fellow Zutarians ❤️💙💜 Mwah! Happy ZFAW!

#Zutara Fanworks Appreciation Week #zkfanworkweek #zutara #zuko x katara #zuko #katara #zfaw2020 #also i apologize if the formatting is being weird on mobile #it looks fine on desktop but that's tumblr for ya

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radishaur · 4 years ago

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hi can I also request a Fire Lord Zuko x reader based on a scene from Mulan where she asked Shang “would you like to stay for dinner?” and then her grandmother shouted “would you like to stay forever?” except the grandmother is Uncle Iroh in this story and Zuko is the one who asked her the question (I have the link for this scene from the Mulan movie and I can send it to you via message if you don’t know which scene i’m talking about) Thank you!

OMG I would love to. Mulan is still one of my favorite Disney movies of all time. I’m so happy I got this request. I hope that I do it some justice!

In order for this to make sense I’m going to explain what happens previously to this scene in the fanfic. Basically, Y/N did what Mulan did, taking her father’s place in the war, except it’s taking his spot on Zuko’s ship. Zuko finds out etc, plot goes on as normal for the show, and then when Y/N returns home after helping defeat the Fire Lord, Zuko comes to find her.

(Also, I hope you don’t mind the small bisexual Zuko theme I threw in there. Because honestly Zuko gives off major bi vibes on his own in my opinion and so did Li Shang. He liked Mulan way before he found out he was actually a she.)

- Zoe

•••

Stay For Dinner (Zuko x Reader)

Warnings: None

Genre: Fluff

Part: 1/1

Summary: See Request

•••

Reader’s POV:

The cherry blossoms flittered in the quiet breeze that past by. I simply enjoyed the feeling of being under the tree with my father again after 3 long years. I knew he was probably furious with me, but I didn’t regret my decision.

“I’m sorry, father. I know you must be mad,” I said quietly, refusing to look at him.

He chuckled slightly which caused me to glance cautiously over at him. He smiled and took my hand in his.

“I’m not mad. In fact, I’m incredibly proud of you,” he said, his eyes filled with the love only a father could have.

“Y-You’re not?” I asked hesitantly.

“I was mad at first, but then I realized that you only did what you thought was right and stood up for what you believe in. You fulfilled your destiny and helped being peace to the Fire Nation. I just missed you dearly while you were gone,” he assured me, pulling me into a hug on the bench.

I hugged him back and allowed a smile to break out on my face.

“I missed you too,” I said softly.

•••

Zuko’s POV:

The carriage was quiet as we finally pulled up to the house. I grabbed the helmet off the seat next to me as I gathered all my courage. I looked up and saw the Gaang’s eye’s on me.

“You’re gonna be fine,” Katara assured me.

“Yea, she’s totally in love with you!” Sokka exclaimed, clapping his hand against my shoulder.

“I can feel your heart rate increasing by the second,” Toph teased before adding, “Don’t be so nervous.”

“Just be honest with her about your feelings,” Aang said with his signature smile.

I rolled my eyes and told them all to wait out here before coming to greet their friend. I wanted a moment alone with her to apologize and tell her how I felt.

I gripped the helmet tightly in my hands as I approached the house. It had a quiet beauty to it that I enjoyed as I slowly entered the courtyard. I saw two ladies bickering by an opening in the wall and cautiously approached them.

“Great. She brings home a sword. If you ask me, she should have brought home a man!” the older lady scoffed.

As if on cue, I cleared my throat to catch their attention.

“Excuse me. Does Y/N L/N live here?” I asked nervously.

Both women stared at me in shock before pointing through the opening. I thanked them as I walked towards where they had pointed.

“Woo! Sign me up for the next war,” I heard the older lady say.

I ignored her words as I scanned the area. There was a beautiful cherry blossom tree on top of a small hill. Under it stood who I knew from Fire Nation politics growing up to be Y/N’s father. I approached him as he noticed my presence.

“General, I-“ I began, only to see her walk out from behind him.

I was caught off guard by her sudden appearance and stumbled over my words.

“Y-Y/N!” I exclaimed in surprise.

She looked equally as shocked to see me. She stood beside her father and looked up at me expectantly, certainly waiting for an explanation as to what I was doing here.

“Uhhhh, you forgot your helmet!” I explained, holding it out to her before shaking my head and saying, “Uh w-well it’s actually...your helmet. I mean-”

I was cut off by Y/N stepping forward and lightly grabbing the helmet from my hands. She smiled up at me and it caused a swarm of butterflies to flutter in my stomach.

“Would you like to stay for dinner?” she asked politely.

“Would you like to stay forever?” I heard her grandma call out.

She laughed and shook her head, shooting her grandma an amused look before looking back up at me. I blushed and smiled sheepishly.

“Dinner would be great,” I answered.

“Great, I-“ she began before getting cut off.

“Did you tell her already?” Aang called out.

I turned around to see Aang and the rest of them all standing through the wall’s opening. My face went red immediately and I furiously signaled for them to cut it out.

“Oh, we’re too early then. Sorry,” Aang said innocently.

“You guys!” she exclaimed happily, running over and giving them each a hug.

She turned around and looked at her family who were watching on in a mix of shock and amusement. Her father walked to her mother’s side as she smiled.

“I guess I should introduce everyone. Mom, Dad, Grandma, these are my friends I was telling you about,” she said, turning to start introducing us, “This is Aang, he’s the Avatar. This is Katara and Sokka, the Southern Water Tribe siblings. This is Toph, the greatest earthbender of all time. And this-“

“We know who he is,” your father interrupted.

She giggled slightly, realizing that they definitely knew who I was already.

“Right,” she said, sending a pleasant smile my way.

I waved awkwardly at her family, causing Sokka to snicker at my embarrassment. I shot him a glare as I walked down to introduce myself properly. I bowed in front of her family and they did the same.

“Prince Zuko,” I said politely, looking at the three of them with a smile.

“The future Fire Lord. It is an honor to have you at our home,” her father said before turning to Aang and bowing, “You as well, Avatar Aang.”

The Gaang went inside with Y/N’s family to help with dinner while I stayed behind with her. She brought me to sit next to her on the bench.

“So, what was it that you had to tell me?” she asked.

I took a deep breath before turning to face her. I grabbed her hand hesitantly and looked up to meet her gaze. Her E/C eyes were brimming with life as she looked at me.

“I’ve been meaning to tell you this for quite some time, but I...well at first I thought you were a man. Which was weird. And then I found out that you were actually a woman and I was really confused. B-But anyway,” I stuttered, realizing I was getting off topic.

Y/N squeezed my hand lightly as she held back a giggle. I felt my cheeks color slightly before continuing.

“I really like you. I mean like real genuine feelings. Even before I knew who you really were,” I explained, my heart racing as the fear of rejections grew.

“Wait, you liked me when I was a man? A-And you still like me? Like actual girl me?” she asked curiously.

My red cheeks grew hot as I grimaced, expecting her to criticize me as I nodded. Great. Not only was I coming out to her but I was also confessing my feelings.

I was shocked when I felt her lips pressed against mine. I let my free hand come up to her cheek as she knotted her own in my hair. I didn’t stop kissing her until I was out of breath. I rested my forehead on hers and smiled.

“So, you’re not weirded out or anything? You still like me?” I asked quietly.

“I don’t care at all. I like you for you, Zuko,” she mumbled against my lips.

She kissed me once more and I pulled her closer to me in a hug as she did. After so long, I was finally able to be with her.

“We’d better get inside before my father wonders what’s taking so long,” she said, a teasing smile on her face.

I stood up and held my hand out for her to take. She smiled at me and I pressed as kiss into her hand as she took mine. She held my hand as I began walking towards the house to help with dinner. Her warm hand in mine assured me that everything would be just fine.

#zuko #prince zuko fanfic #prince zuko fanfiction #prince zuko fic #zuko imagine #zuko x reader #prince zuko #prince zuko x reader

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hauntedfalcon · 4 years ago

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I was tagged by @flightsofwonder to post 10 favorite female characters from 10 different fandoms! thanks friend!

1. Nile Freeman - The Old Guard. she’s. so good. so full of moral conviction and her conflict is so real and beautifully handled

2. Mako Mori - Pacific Rim. what even is there to say. the queen the goddess my inspiration

3. Naomi Nagata - The Expanse. The Expanse is a tight race for favorite ladies. there isn’t a single weak female character on it (please please watch The Expanse). Naomi wins for sheer compellingness which is a word that exists now. this most recent season was undeniably Her season from start to finish. please please watch The Expanse

4. Tanya - Arthdal Chronicles. Arthdal Chronicles has a metric fuckton of great character arcs on it (please please watch Arthdal Chronicles), but Tanya’s is unquestionably the finest. prophesying death? grabbing power for herself out of the hands of the rulers and the gods themselves? walking on the people’s hearts and bringing shoes to the children? what is the phrase--queen shit. please please watch Arthdal Chronicles

5. Katara - Avatar: The Last Airbender. your honor I love her and we are only talking about teen!Katara and not how she was shafted and robbed in Legend of Korra, lest I be here fuming all god damn day

6. Leia Organa - Star Wars. every day I miss her and wish she got the heroic send-off she deserved

7. Omera - The Mandalorian. we’re gonna pretend this is a different fandom because 1) it kind of is, tbh, and 2) in THIS house we love and respect MILFs. #BringOmeraBack2k21

8. Captain Jang - Space Sweepers. she stole my entire heart AND the movie AND a lot of money, good for her

9. Hawke - Dragon Age II. the fightiest pro-mage-est polyamorest HBIC

10. Eddis - The Queen’s Thief. she did EVERYTHING for her people and it’s a CRIME she didn’t get a book from her pov, FIGHT ME

tagging @cactusdragon517, @nevermindirah, @communistkenobi, @sayfahtmah, and YOU

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nights-legacy · 4 years ago

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Over Time- Eventual!Zuko

+ Kira is an airbender a few years ahead of Aang in training. Her and Aang are as close as siblings. She goes with him into the storm and is there when they are forced down, joining Aang in his journey 100 years later. Unlike Aang, Kira notices there is something different the moment she gets her barrings outside the ice. The first kicker to be something wrong is the size of the Southern Water Tribe. The second being a prince of the Fire Nation was certainly not Azulon.

Note: This will be a slow burn romance. This was a scenario that has been in my head for a bit and the name stuck when I was imagining it, so the reader (you! lol) is Kira.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kira’s POV

“Aang!” I ran through the halls looking for the boy. “Aang, please! Where are you?” I called. I stopped, exasperated. I sighed after catching my breath but paused halfway through. On a feeling, I look right and saw a running figure. I followed until I saw Appa and knew it was Aang. I ran and vaulted myself onto Appa’s back.

“Kira! What are you doing?” Aang turned toward me surprised. He looked like he had been crying. “Go back!”

“No, I am not letting you do this alone.”

“You’re…you’re not going to make me go back?” I shook my head and hugged him.

“No I know you need to get away but I won’t let you go alone.”

“Thank you, Kira. I don’t know what I would do without you. Get settled, a storm is coming.” I nodded and settled myself in the saddle. We flew and the rain came. We kept going until it was too dangerous.

“Aang we need to land! It’s getting too dangerous!” I yelled over the wind. Aang looked back at me and I saw worry and fear in his eyes. He nodded and tried to land Appa but a lightning strike scared Appa, him to jerk and stall.

“Appa! Kira!” I heard Aang yell barely over the ringing in my ears. I couldn’t see anything but all of a sudden, I felt the cold of the water below before I didn’t. Air surrounded me before I blacked out.

*Time Skip brought to you by Katara and her Water Magic*

“Kira! Kira! Wake up please!” I groaned before opening my eyes. I quickly moved my hand to block the sun. “Thank the spirits.”

“Aang?” I saw him and two other people standing over me. I sat up slowly. “What’s going on?”

“We crashed into the water. I was able to create a bubble that froze and we fell asleep.” He scratched the back of his neck in guilt. “I’m sorry, Kira.”

“It’s okay, Aang.” I hugged him. “Where are we?”

“You’re in the Southern Water Tribe. I’m Sokka, this is my sister Katara.” The boy held out his hand for me and helped me up.

“Are you an Airbender too?” Katara asked. I smiled and nodded.

“Yes. I am Kira. I am 16 years old. We are from the Southern Air Temple.” I held out a hand to Katara. She smiled and shook it.

“Kira is like an older sister to me. She is the closest friend before Monk Gyatso.” As they talked, I looked around. Something felt different. The air felt different around me, heavier. Not long after, we made way to their village. It was a lot smaller than I remember.

We were greeted warmly. I was enjoying the tranquilty and the people. The food not so much but it was alright. It was nice until the Fire Nation showed up. The feeling I got from earlier intensified.

“Something is not right.” I said as Aang boarded the ship. He turned and shared a look with me before disappearing into the machine. I held Katara back by the hands so she wouldn’t use her bending. She looked at me surprised. “You are not trained enough to fight them yet.” They left on the ship

“Why did they not take you two?” Sokka looked at me confused.

“They didn’t think I was a bender. I do not have the tattoos and I dress with a different color then the normal Air Nomad colors.” I said motioning to my blank skin and the purple wrap around my waist. “Not tell me…” I looked at them intently. “How long has it been since Avatar Roku disappeared?”

“It’s been over a hundred years.” Sokka told me while rubbing his arm. I closed my eyes and took a big breath. “How did you know? That more time had passed then Aang thinks?”

“I could feel a change in the air. I have had more spiritual training then Aang and I have always had a knack for sense on a different spectrum. Also, when we feel asleep, there were a bountiful amount of benders in the Southern Water Tribe and the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation’s name was not Zuko.”

“Oh…” Katara and Sokka shared a look. I ran towards Appa as he grew antsy. I turned back and saw the two were gone. I sighed and set my head against Appa.

“Those two are going to go after him.” I looked over my shoulder at Gran Gran. “They are good kids and they will go try and save him.”

“They won’t be going alone.” I turned completely toward her.

“Please watch over them I know they won’t be back for a long time. Their destinies have intertwined with yours and the Avatar’s.”

“I give you my word.” She smiled before she pulled something out of her sleeve. It is small trinket with a small white lotus. I gasped.

‘This was given to me by my mother. She said her friend from the Southern Air Temple gave it to her just before she disappeared. Her friends name was Kira.”

“Mira…you’re Mira’s daughter.” She placed the comb in my hair before she hugged me and sent me on my way. I wiped the stray tear from my eye as I found the two. “What do you to think you are doing?” I said, spooking them.

“Ummm…” Sokka looked down at the canoe and them back up at me on Appa. “Going after Aang?” He said unsure. I chuckled and looked ahead where the ship was a ways away.

“Not in that you’re not. You would never catch them.” I clicked and told Appa to land. “Get on. I’ll give you a lift.” I smirked as a smile spread across both of their faces.

*Time Skip*

“Who even are you?” Zuko asked me harshly. I sat with my arms tied behind my back on the ground. He was currently circling me like a predator. I had stayed behind, stalling Zuko so Aang and the others could escape. Aang didn’t want to leave me but I gave him no choice. “You dress in the clothes of the Air Nomads. You act like one and you are protective of the Avatar as if you know him.”

“Because I do.” I said simply. Also, he didn’t know I was Airbender.

“He is over a hundred years old. You can’t!”

“But she does, Zuko.” The older gentleman I came to know as Iroh stepped up. I smiled and bowed my head. He did as well. “Because she is as well. If my guess is correct, you’re older then the Avatar.”

“Yes.” Zuko was looking at me intently. I sighed before standing. He got into a ready position. I jumped and flipped around to bring my hands in front of me. “I’m sorry.”

“What?” He asked confused. I brought my hands up before kicking into the air, forcing a gust straight towards him. He flew back. “You’re an air bender.”

“That I am.” I flipped a dropped blade from the ground and caught the ropes, cutting them. Zuko darted and shot a blast of fire at me. I pushed it aside before grabbing his arm, blocking him. “Why do you fight?”

“To regain my honor. To regain my father’s favor.” He pulled out of my hold and fought me. I blocked each attack.

“The only person who can give and take you honor is you. No one else has that authority over your life but you. Not your father, not your sister, not even your uncle, only you!” I told him before I hit him in the chest. He flew back into a tree, getting knocked out. “I am sorry, Iroh.”

“It is okay, my dear. If only he would listen.” Iroh handed me my staff.

“He will over time.” I smiled at him. I bowed and so did he.

“The White Lotus. A flower of beauty, truth, and philosophy. People who bare the flower usually ones who share ancient knowledge despite divides.” I reached up and brushed my fingers across the comb. “Maybe we can speak over tea sometime?”

“I would love that.” I said. I walked over and knelt beside Zuko, brushing a finger across his scarred cheek. “One day things will fall into place.” I stood and walked to the edge of the cliff. “Good evening, Iroh.”

“Good evening.” I dove off the cliff and fell through the air. I opened my staff just a few yards from the ground flying off into the night.

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e-e-e-s-the-avatar · 4 years ago

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Do you think the Spirit Oasis water would've healed Zuko's scar?

Hmmmmmmmmmm

I'm gonna go with yes.

I mean, it brought Aang back from the dead, basically. But then that begs the question: If Katara removed his scar, would Zuko have joined Team Avatar?

The show kind of implies that would be enough to get Zuko on Aang's side. The “crossroads of destiny” sets up the divergence of paths: one that has him healed and siding with Aang, and one that leaves him choosing Azula and his father.

I love Zuko. I think he’s an excellent character, and I believe in his inherent goodness. But I'm not sure that healing his scar would be enough to make him change sides in this war.

At that point, I think he would have taken Katara’s offer of help, and I think the later decision to side with Azula would be incredibly difficult for him. But I think he would still side with Azula.

Over the course of Book 2, he’s seen that the Fire Nation has caused pain and suffering. He’s seen that Azula is ruthless. But he hasn’t seen his father since he was banished. Don’t forget how the season opens - on the anniversary of his banishment:

In The Avatar State (fave. ugh. such a good ep.) Azula says this to Zuko:

“I've come with a message from home. Father's changed his mind. Family is suddenly very important to him.... Father regrets your banishment. He wants you home.

and Zuko’s response is:

“Father regrets? He... wants me back?”

And later to Iroh:

“Did you listen to Azula? Father's realized how important family is to him! He cares about me!”

“You don't know how my father feels about me. You don't know anything!”

I wrote a little about this in a post on my favorite eps, but The Avatar State and The Crossroads of Destiny both have Zuko grasping for the exact same thing. Because despite everything he’s learned, his last memory of his father is one in which he’s desperate for his father’s mercy, approval, and love.

The language of his speech to Ozai in S3 is so telling. I usually get swept up in the moment and the emotion of it, but the actual words he speaks are incredibly important:

“...all I wanted was for you to love me, to accept me... I was just trying to please you.”

And earlier, in The Crossroads of Destiny, Azula’s final, winning argument is:

“At the end of this day, you will have your honor back. You will have Father's love. You will have everything you want.”

That last holdout, the last hope that his father still loves him, or that he could win his father’s love through some action of his own, is still very powerful for Zuko at the Crossroads of Destiny, and I don’t think that erasing the symbol of his father’s brutality would change that. I think Zuko would always side with Azula, and his father, up until the moment he can face Ozai and see how he himself has changed.

(Also, from a storytelling and character POV, it would be much more difficult to write an arc in which Zuko accepted Katara’s offer and then sided with Azula. For a Y7 show, to explain to kids that Katara did so much for Zuko and he still helped to basically kill her best friend, would have been too much. I have so much respect for the writers of ATLA. They just really really knew what they were doing, leaving that tension and that question unresolved and upping the stakes just enough.)

One other thing about healing his scar - I’ve been saying “sided with Azula” rather than “betrayed Katara” because I don't think Katara was offering it as a reward, or in exchange for his loyalty. I think she would have offered it to anyone who was in pain. She will never, ever, turn her back on people who need her.

She’s the best.

#atla #zuko #katara #iroh #crossroads of destiny #tw: abuse #i don't mean to hurt anyone with this post #it's just my thoughts on Zuko's arc.

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ao3feed-zukka · 4 years ago

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All You Have Is Your Fire

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2PBMhj2

by Winterdearest

His grip tightened on the old piece of paper in his hands, and he stared her down, his ugly scarred eye never once looking away. Azula had thought about his scar quite a few times in her life. It was hard to miss. When it had happened, she had thought he had deserved it. When he was banished she knew he had deserved it, and when he turned up at her coronation insistent that he would become the Fire Lord instead of her, she wished she had been the one to cause it herself.

But now, as he sat in front of her, barely seventeen with the weight of the entire world on his shoulders and nothing to guide him but the ramblings of an old lunatic and the goody-goody feel good teachings of a twelve year old monk, Azula wondered if maybe... just maybe, Zuko hadn’t deserved the treatment he had gotten from their father, either.

Or; Azula's downward spiral from her pov

Words: 4033, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Avatar: The Last Airbender

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Characters: Azula (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar), Mai (Avatar), Ty Lee (Avatar), Katara (Avatar)

Relationships: Azula & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), Mai/Ty Lee (Avatar)

Additional Tags: Azula is.....unwell, it's the child abuse your honor, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, angst with a sort of happy ending?, POV Azula (Avatar), azula deserves a redemption but I do not know how to give it to her so I made this instead, background Zukka and Mailee if you squint, yes azula is in love with Ty lee yes she's homophobic keep scrolling

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2PBMhj2

#IFTTT #ao3feed #fanfic #zukka #avatar: the last airbender #atla #zuko #sokka

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cmrp7 · 4 years ago

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FANFIC Sozin's Comet- Katara POV (zutara begins)

Hello there, I have always wanted to rewrite the story as I wish it would happen, I figure I share it for those Zatura shippers out there. This is the turning point for me, so this is when everything begins. Also, in my mind the gang is not the same age, add up three years to everyone. So Katara is 17, Zuko 19, Sokka 18, Suki 18, Azula 17, Aang and Toph 15.

The sun was already rising and I barely had some minutes of sleep. Today was going to be the day, by nightfall we either will be dead or we will have defeated the fire lord. I feel so tired and I haven't even fight yet. Where was Aang? Was he okay? He must be having a very hard time thinking he has to kill a man, he is very young, I know he is the avatar but it breaks my heart that he is facing such difficult choices alone.

"Katara, are you awake?" Toph whispered behind me. "I am" I answer letting out a breath, turning to face her.

"What are we supposed to do without Aang?" she asked, her arms behind her head, her empty eyes facing our tent's ceiling. We were given a tent by the Order of the White Lotus just for girls, Suki was here too but I heard her leave during the night, I am sure she is with Sokka, Zuko must be with his uncle.

"He will be back, but until then we must keep going. Let's hear what Iroh have to say before anything else, Zuko seems to think that he can help."

..............................................

"Today, destiny is our friend. I know it." General Iroh claimed I watch my brother one last time, Toph hugging him and Suki behind her. I nod, he nods back. I love you, brother.

Tears run down my cheeks as the Eel hound carry them away and Zuko pulls Appa's reins and we took to the sky.

The clouds seem to be tainted with blood, the air was hot and tick. Sweat running down the side of my face, I swallow a tick knot of feelings.

"What is going on thru your head?" Zuko asked to my left. I turn to face him, his golden eyes shining as never before, the air making his long hair move around his sharp edges.

I felt the need to touch his face, as I did once before…

"I cannot believe how many things have happened this year, here I am with you of all people, on Appa flying to your home to fight your sister." I said, turning my head to see the devastating landscape in front of us.

"I know, I cannot believe it either. So many things have happened. I never believed I would have the straight to fight the need to please my father or my sister, to be one of them, to be accepted." He said, I could feel his stare on me, but I didn't have the courage to face him, every time I think of his sister, I remember what happened in Ba Sing Se.

She KILLED Aang, every time I think in the possibility of what would have happened if I would have used the water of the Spirit Oasis to heal Zuko I want to vomit. Aang would be dead. Dead.

"You know," he said "I've been thinking of what happened in Lake Laogai when we were imprisoned…" that made me turn around to face him, but he wasn't looking at me. "I… I care about you Katara, I respect you, even before we were friends. You are very strong, fierce and at the same time one of the kindest persons I know. You have the power to hurt anyone you want, but you don't do it, even to those who deserve it." My heart was beating so fast, I could hear my blood rushing in my ears. He raised his head, and his eyes looked into mine. "I don't think that I would have been able to betray my uncle if you had been there, watching me do it. You are like a rock to me, a rock of my ideals, and it sounds stupid, and makes me weak I believe, but is the only way I can describe it."

I didn't know what to said so I said nothing, I don't know what he was implying. And honestly, I didn't have the courage to open that door right now.

"When I am with my father or my sister, something overcomes me…" he continues, his expression looks pain and I immediately want it to go away, "they are my family, I want them to love me, and I love them even though they do not deserve it. I don't know why, I want them so bad to accept me, and I believe that is the main reason of my behavior, the way to obtain that embrace, was getting back my honor, by getting my honor back, I would get the love of my family. That is why I asked you to help me, because even after everything that has happened, facing my sister is very hard for me, and having you there will make it way easier." He let out a very sad laugh "I sound like such an idiot."

I reached toward his hand and take it in mine, "You are not an idiot Zuko, you are a good person. Your heart is pure, that could only be a good thing."

He smiles at me, caressing my hand with his thumb. "You see, even after everything I did to you, you take my hand and make me feel better."

"Zuko…" I answered letting his hand on mine because it felt right, "I hated you, you know? I had so much anger after Lake Laogai, for your sister, for you. Aang died because of you, you betray ME, If I would have healed your scar, Aang will be long dead by now." I actually shiver at the thought. "Do you understand it?" I asked forcing all my feeling into my words, his eyes were hurt and he tried to let my hand go but I didn't let him, because I needed it. "Ang was really hurt, he took a long time to wake up, and every night I cry myself to sleep because it was my fault, and I talked to no one about it, it was eating me alive Zuko, everyone believed that I was sad, and I was, but more that everything, I felt guilt. I can't imagine how anyone stands me back then, I even punished my own father for my guilt. It was awful, I felt so useless... "

"I am sorry Katara, I don't know what to say I…"

"But you also understand me more than anyone else Zuko, you know who I am and accept me as such. I discover that when we travel to find the man who murders my mother, I was about to kill him in front of you, and if I would have you wouldn't hold it against me, I thank you for that. You have been to hell and back, turning the way you have is a testament of your kind heart, we are growing and learning, and whatever happened before it let is to this moment. Aang is alive, I am sure he is going to defeat your father, and you and I will defeat your sister, together.

Everything was happening so fast, words tumbling out of my mouth without even thinking of what I was really saying. I wanted to let that out for a long time, I felt lighter, the anger becoming acceptance of my path and a guide to my future.

"Together." Zuko said looking into my eyes, and a new determination was showing in there, we are going to build a new beginning, and today will be the day we will place the first rock.

Appa roar as we descend into the palace. A pit was forming in my stomach, anticipation, excitement…

People were gathered in the courtyard, a loud sound marked the beginning of the ceremony. Appa landed between two walls near the place, but not enough to be seen or heard. Zuko let a breath out and dismounted in one agile movement, I follow him, he looked at me, I couldn't understand what he was thinking.

"I better try this before I can't" he said closing the distance. He grabs my waist with one arm pulling me to him, grab the back of my neck with the other and place his lips on mine. My eyes went wide with surprise, but soon a warm feeling spread to my body and I was aware of his soft and warm lips on mine, I felt like someone punches me in my stomach, it literally hurt. Feelings, a mountain of them. His kiss deepened and I kiss him back, pulling him to me desperately. We pulled apart and look at each other, panting.

"I wasn't expecting that" he said, still so close that his breath caressed the tip of my nose.

Me neither, I was trembling, I am sure he is the one caring my weight.

"We need to go" he said, trying to pull away, but I grab on to him harder.

I didn't want him to go, I wanted to stay like this forever. What if we go and die? Panic begins to overpower my thoughts.

"Together, remember?" He smiled with full teeth, "There is no way we are not coming out of this one after this."

Hell yeah, we are coming out of this one. We smiled at each other like two maniacs, confidence shattering the panic and filling me with anticipation. I feel like I am drunk...

"Together" I reply, with a smile, and we run.

................................................................

"Sorry, but you are not going to become fire lord today. I am." Zuko declares as we arrived.

Azula rise with a scary smile "you are hilarious" she said. Stopping the man who was about to place the crown on her head. "Fine, let's settle this just you and me brother, the showdown that was always meant to be, Agni Kai."

Her hair was messed up, her eyes crazier than ever, something was not right.

"You're on" I heard Zuko answer, to my surprise.

"What are you doing? She is playing with you. She knows she can't take both of us." What about together, idiot?

"I know, but I can take her this time." He said looking at me, and my heart gave a jump of happiness. I smile at him, and nod. I trust him.

By the time the people left the sky was even darker, red shadows dancing above us, Azula looks awful, broken. I took my mother's necklace on my hand, and wait. He can do this, he can do this…

Their power was unbelievable, blue and red flames rising 30ft from the ground, the heat was unbearable. Zuko moved like never before, Azula getting more frustrated by the second, he was winning. Zuko made a fire kick that resonated 20 ft in front of him, making Azula stumble to the ground. I lean forward, trying to run but I stop myself. Not yet...

"No lightning today? What's the matter, afraid I'll redirect it?" Zuko taunted her.

I swallow, I don't think that is a good idea to play games with her right now.

"I'll show you lightning" She promised, her movements like a living nightmare coming to get you.

Zuko breathed, preparing himself to redirect it. His confidence is palpable.

Then I see it, at the last second. She was looking at me, my eyes widened and I prepare myself to move when I see Zuko placing himself in front of it. The monstrous lightning hitting him straight in the chest. I heard myself letting out a horrible scream. His body felt to the ground trembling with electricity, combusting in horrible angles.

I ran to him, but a holt of energy land in front of me. Azula was coming to get me. I looked one last time at Zuko, hold on, please hold on… I need to finish her first.

Fear becomes energy and will to survive, comet or no comet, I will stop her.

I glanced one more time at Zuko, and move just in time to dodge a bolt of blue fire. I could smell the heat roasting my hair. It made me sick.

Azula laughs wildly behind me, a predator hunting its prey. She was having fun. I could only run for now, she was behind me, she had the advantage. I move as fast as I can, bending ice to be faster I glance back at her, she was on the roof. I felt water nearby, move in that direction, and hide behind a pillar. Yes, water. I took a wave and blast it thru the roof, but she was gone already. I glance back once more and she burst out of now where, preparing lighting, that's it, if she hits me, I will die. I raise my hands, she was close enough, the water in her blood was mine and she stops, her eyes widening in complete terror. That's right you idiot. Her power was too great, I wouldn't be able to hold her one more second, the point of her fingers almost touching my nose, I will the water under us to cover us and support our bodies, I let out a breath, letting my body free and hold her with a chain I grabbed minutes before. I needed air. I finally let the water go, and we both fall to the ground gasping for air.

Zuko… I get up and run to him, my lungs still aching for air. His body was facing down, not moving. I was trembling as I kneel and turn his body, Azula was screaming like she was being tortured, his chest was badly burnt, I force the water to obey me and placed everything I have left in me to heal him, my fingers were shaking so bad. The water glowed and I feel his skin, his muscles, his organs… Please, please… I begged.

His eyes opened and looked at me, I let out a cry and hold him to me, I was crying tears of pain and happiness, my heart exhausted and bursting with joy. I kiss him, and our tears met each other.

"Thank you, Katara" he said, very softly.

"You are an idiot, don't ever do that." I threat.

He turns his face, hearing his sister's screams. I swallow and got up cleaning my tears with the side of my arm. I offer my hand and he took it, together we walked toward her.

Watching her like this bring me no pleasant feelings, she was crying with rage, pulling the chains, and spitting fire. Zuko's face was miserable, and my chest hurt for him. I surround him with my arm and place my head on his shoulder. He loves his sister, despite all.

"I am here for you, you will never be alone," I promise, graving his hand with my free hand, he looked at me and smile sadly.

"Thank you Katara," he said raising our hands and kissing mine, "thank you for being here with me."

Note: Hello, I wrote this because lately I rewatch avatar and I love them together. English is not my first lenguaje, if something needs correction please let me know♥

#zutara #fanfic #zutara fanfiction #avatar #katara #prince zuko #zuko #azula #avatar fanfiction #zosin #what would it be like

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bahomogulok · 5 years ago

Text

Your Life's Worth

by Katannaism

GENERAL POV

"No lightning today? What's the matter? Afraid I'll redirect it?"

"Oh-I'll show you lightning!"

Zuko watched as his insane sister started to execute lightning through the patterns with her arms. The electric blue of it danced wildly and dangerously at her fingertips as he stood his ground, readying himself to redirect it. He kept his breath steady, holding his arms out, keeping his eyes constantly fixated on Azula. Lightning arcs buzzed around her violently and dangerously with both its intensity and amount, but still obeyed each and every one of her movements. Sometimes he would be in awe at the way she could control it so easily... But then again...in her mental state...lightning generation probably would be a dire idea.

'I can do this…' he thought to himself, pushing away all signs of fear and doubt. 'Everything will be over…She won't win… She can't.' He'd redirect that bolt at lightning successfully. Either at the sky and finish Azula off through fire... Or use her power against her, and just end it on the spot.

But as Azula placed her hands close to herself with her lightning fully generated, flickering around her;ready to execute the lightning, her maniacal gaze caught sight of Katara. The waterbender. The peasant. She was standing way behind Zuko, slightly to the left-watching the Agni Kai. Her oceanic blue eyes wide with what appeared to be concern.

Why Zuzu had even bothered befriending a bender of their opposing element...why he had brought her along... Azula simply didn't understand. After all, the waterbender could merely act as collateral damage instead of support. Acid churned in her stomach when she thought about the peasant and her brother together... Why had he picked her...

Stupid boy...

An evil grin spread across Azula's face, knowing that destroying the little water peasant would damage her brother greatly. It would emotionally crush him and throw him completely off guard, giving her the upper hand. It was the perfect way to kill two birds with one stone...

Kill... Yes... That was the word...

Satisfied with her decision, Azula pointed her middle and index fingers at Katara; stretching out her right arm swiftly, allowing the lightning to run through, securing its target. The defiant fire bender could feel the intense rush of electrical energy surge out of her body as she let raw power take its course. Even though she'd generated lightning quite a number of times, it felt different this time. More thrilling. More powerful. The comet... The potency of it all...

Delicious.

Die...

Katara realized that Azula was directing the lightning at her, as the electric blue started to fly towards her. Even in her silent, almost frozen state of panic and shock, she knew she had to run. Or defend herself. Something. Anything.

But before she could respond or blink, she heard Zuko yell and saw as he started to jump in front of her, his left arm outstretched, placing him as Azula's new lightning's target. What was he doing!

Everything passed so quickly for Katara at that moment. Faster than light. It was as if she wasn't in control of her mind or actions anymore. Zuko's life was of more worth than hers. He had a responsibility as a prince and future Fire Lord to the Fire Nation. Unlike her, he had crucial duties to his people. She knew she couldn't let him take the fall for her...

With all of her courage and strength mustered inside of her, Katara quickly felt for the liquid blood that flowed through Zuko's veins as she held her hands out, concentrating as much as she could within the extremely short time. Relief washed her over as she felt the hot blood pumping and rushing within his body, but she also felt her energy slip away quickly since it wasn't exactly the most suitable time to bend blood. As she had done once with Hama, Katara quickly fisted her hands as if she was gripping Zuko like a doll and blood-bended the fire bender prince, taking total control of his body, feeling the water and fluids that coursed through his body. Instantly, she threw him aside to the right, away from the lightning's deathly blow.

Despite her sudden wave of exhaustion from the sudden blood bending, Katara looked up and saw the lightning coming at her at neck-breaking speed; she immediately made a run for it, while throwing up a thick ice barrier in front of her from her waterskin.

But it was all too late.

Zuko realized that Azula hadn't targeted her lightning towards him at all. Instead, she had redirected it towards Katara as he saw Azula shift her execution slightly to his right. The lightning travelled from her fingers at a deathly straight line...

"No! Not you!" he thought frantically. He knew that he couldn't just let Katara die because of him or his sister. He couldn't lose her. Especially to Azula. She had friends and family to go back to. Loved ones. She had everything to go back to... Katara had to live on. She just had to.

"NO!" he screamed, the word ripping from his throat as he threw himself in front of Katara, stretching out his left arm, preparing to attempt to redirect Azula's lightning-it was either try that or take the deadly hit… Either way... He wasn't going to lose Katara.

But then suddenly, Zuko felt something odd within his body. It was as if someone had halted the blood that flowed through his veins. It felt cold... Ice cold. The feeling was instantly followed by a kind of numbness, as if he couldn't control his limbs anymore despite his desperation. Every single muscle within him constricted, as if there were a pair of frozen iron hands gripping his body tightly with no means of escaping it. He couldn't even speak. His outstretched hand shook rigidly and his body froze in mid-air.

What...

Within a millisecond, Zuko felt himself being roughly thrown aside. His body crashed painfully against the ground as he grunted at the sudden impact. He tried to push himself up with his hands, ignoring the throbbing pain of his scratched up knees and arms, and saw Katara run while sweeping a large ice boulder in front of her with the water from her waterskin.

The scene in front of his eyes then unfolded too quickly. It was almost overwhelming... At that time Zuko could only register a few things in his mind clearly.

Azula's deadly lightning destroyed Katara's ice boulder effortlessly, shattering the crystal-like water. The tiny shards of ice rained all over the place, melting and evaporating with a harsh hiss when it hit the smouldering heat of the ground. He saw the lightning pierce through the air and slam into Katara, throwing her back in mid run. Horror and shock filled his body when he saw the water bender get flung back, her body hitting one of the pillars. Katara's then limp body crumpled onto the ground without response as if she was a mere rag doll. At that moment he instantly felt something shatter inside of him. His heart ached painfully at her unmoving form and all he felt was just pure agony. Both emotionally and physically.

"KATARA!" Zuko screamed, his voice filled with anguish as he immediately pushed himself up onto his feet. The stinging pain of his wounds no longer stopping him. He then ran towards the water bender, fear and worry churning inside of him. He even forgot that Azula was still there, laughing maniacally.

Please don't... Please don't... No, no, no, no, NO!

Azula felt satisfaction wash over her as she watched Zuko run towards the fallen waterbender. It worked... she thought as her body swayed slightly. The firebender quickly gathered her footing, her laugh echoing throughout the area. I did it... I did it... I did it... The three words rung in Azula's mind non-stop. It's over...Zuzu...

But before Zuko could reach Katara, a large wall of blue flames blocked his path, causing him to stumble back and fall. The vicious flames licked at his skin, burning him slightly.

"Oh no you don't!" Azula cackled gleefully, quickly moving into her next stance. "You can't possibly care for a water peasant now, Zuzu?"

"Shut up!" Zuko yelled at her, and quickly threw his fists forward, and a gust of bright, orange-red flames burst from his knuckles towards his sister. But Azula zipped away from it quickly, propelling herself with a jet of blue fire.

Ignoring Azula, Zuko attempted to run towards Katara again. He had to save her somehow. He just had to. He had to know if she was still alive. But Azula was like a flash of electric blue, zipping around, throwing streams of electric blue flames at him, and stopping his chances. Zuko answered her hits full-forced, immediately throwing her walls and slices of fire at Azula with quick sidekicks and leg sweeps.

Azula's crazed laughter continued to echo throughout the courtyard. Flashes of orange and blue flared around, clashing into each other violently...and the sounds of flames engulfing each other were deafening. The crackling and smoke from all the fire stained the air thickly like a fog. The flames nearly brought down the nearby buildings of the Palace.

"ENOUGH!" Zuko shouted, when Azula had stopped to catch her breath. Smoke and heat surrounded them. Zuko panted heavily, growing more and more tired by the second. But he couldn't keep his mind off Katara, who still remained unconscious and unmoving on the ground. He feared the very worst of the water bender.

"No. She's not dead. She's not dead." He told himself sharply, trying to be hopeful.

"What's wrong Zuzu?" Azula taunted at him, shifting into another fighting stance, her knees bent and her hands at the ready in front of her, her eyes flaring with anger and taunting. Her wide-lipped smile was evil and crazed. "Worried that the little water peasant's dead? Ha! You've grown soft for the little thing! That's hilarious! Whatever happened to your precious honor brother? Oh Mai would be so heartbroken! Father would be so disappointed! Not like he wasn't already to begin with... He was right to banish you, you worthless prick! You're nothing! Only extremely lucky to be born!"

Zuko felt his blood boil. His knuckles turned white and felt scorched while every fiber of his being felt as if it had been set aflame. The scar that marred the left side of his face felt as if it was burning hot. It felt as if it was the day he got it. Pain stabbed at his heart heatedly. A deep frown and an icy glare marked his face, all aimed at Azula...

How could Azula be so callous? So void of compassion? He then realized that he used to be just as bad… No. He had changed. He wanted peace. Azula… Ozai… They meant nothing to him by that time. Katara and her friends, even the Avatar had helped him. His Uncle Iroh had helped him. He had gotten more than closure. Katara had understood him. She'd been there for him... Trusted him... Believed in him... Showed him kindness and compassion he didn't deserve and that Mai never truly offered... Katara had forgiven him...

And she'd stupidly taken the lightning bolt for him.

At that moment, Zuko knew that Azula would always be Azula. Crazy. Power hungry. Callous. Deceiving. Murderous…

"Azula always lies..."

His hands then felt extremely hot. Hotter than he had ever felt before. Flames started to dance around his arms as he saw a grinning Azula perfectly poised, her stance ready to defend herself. And to strike.

"You know what Azula?" he snapped, walking slowly towards his so-called sister, glaring coldly at her. "I pity you. You never felt friendship. Or care. Or love. You don't know the meaning of any of them. Loyalty. Trust. They're all just words to you. Honor. You know nothing about it. Nothing. No wonder you got abandoned by your friends... If you were in his way, Ozai would've disposed of you as well as he did me. There are always dead weight..."

Azula frowned as her smile dropped into an ugly grimace. "Watch your tongue, brother," she spat. "You know what I am capable of."

But Zuko didn't stop. Instead he advanced on faster.

Azula then let out a raging scream, and started performing the patterns that would execute her deadly lightning again. But before she could strike, a tall and large wall of orange, vibrant fire surrounded her. Enclosing her.

Shocked, Azula quickly struck the walls with the prepared lightning. She tried to burn it off with her own blue flames. But nothing happened. The fire wall barely made a hole. Her fingers then grazed the fortification out of curiosity before quickly withdrawing her hand, screeching through her teeth. Blood dripped off her burnt fingers.

Slowly, she saw her brother emerge through the wall of flames easily unburned, as if the wall parted for him. His arms and hands were on fire. But they weren't burnt as well. The flames simply danced around his arms and collected at his hands. The expression on his face was cold and hard. The molten amber of his eyes were dark yet fiery at the same time with the light from the fire wall illuminating the gold there. Azula had never seen her brother like this before. A tiny part of her felt...scared.

"What're you doing?" she shouted harshly, throwing a ball of blue flame at him. But Zuko easily dodged it just by moving to the side. The blue flames then disintegrated into his wall of fire. As if it had been engulfed.

Azula growled and flung her right fist forward for a fiery punch to Zuko's face. But his flaming left hand quickly caught it by the wrist almost effortlessly. It was as if her punch held no impact whatsoever. She then punched with her other hand, and he caught that as well. The expression on his face frozen with rage.

Suddenly, Azula felt herself burn. Her wrists felt scalding hot as the flames on Zuko's hand bit into the skin there. She let out a painful scream as the wall of fire flared viciously. Whips of fire growing from the wall then grabbed her by the waist and ankles, pulling her down. Zuko let go of her wrists and stepped away, the fire wall vanishing instantly.

Azula's wrists were then bound by fire whips, as they 'chained' her to the ground. She struggled, trying to break herself free. Escape was the only thing on her mind, not the fact that her fiery chains were slowly eating her clothes, trying to burn into her skin. Tears of pain started forming in her eyes as her wrists continued to burn...slowly...

Zuko eyed his sister, and held out a flaming fist. The orange-red fire glowed against his scar, casting a dark shadow over the right side of his face.

"Good bye, Azula," he hissed at her sharply. Zuko then prepared to strike...

"Zuko! No!" he heard a familiar voice cry from behind him. Extinguishing his fire immediately, Zuko quickly turned around, and saw Katara by the pillar. She was still on the ground, with only her left arm supporting her as her right arm held her side. Her eyes were barely open...

Forgetting Azula instantly, who was still struggling at his fire whips, Zuko quickly ran over to Katara, immense relief washing over him the fact that Katara was still alive. He immediately fell to his knees at the water bender, not minding the scrapes.

"Katara! You have to heal yourself now!" he said to her quickly. Zuko held Katara gingerly by the shoulders, worried at her condition. Horror replaced his relief when he saw Katara's abdomen had been burnt and was bleeding badly. The singed tunic there stained with bright crimson. Her arms were scalded and scratched with her cloth arm braces falling off.

"I-I'm… Exhausted… Water… You... c-can't...be...a k-kill..." Katara whispered, her eyelids dropping heavily and her words trailing off. Zuko shook her slightly.

"Katara? Katara! Wake up! You can't!" he pleaded, worry and panic stabbing at him. He couldn't even say the word… Die… You can't die…

Katara then reopened her eyes and painfully reached for her waterskin, but then suddenly, a blue flame struck her hands and the waterskin. The skin was destroyed instantly, and the water was burnt away. Evaporated instantly. Katara let out a brief scream as her burned hands shook mercilessly, tears of pain streamed down her cheeks as she curled up into a ball, shivering. Her arms hugging her abdomen weakly.

Zuko whipped his head around and saw that Azula had broken free from his fire whips. Her clothes slightly burned off and her wrists exposed of burned flesh. She ran towards them, blue fire illuminating her speed and her hands. Her eyes set ablaze with fury and insanity.

With a scream of rage, Zuko slammed his fists as hard as he ever could against the ground. All of his pain, rage, sadness and strength poured out and nearly shook the ground as a large fire wave of tsunami proportions blazed off the ground, heading towards Azula.

Time passed faster than Azula's lightning at that as Zuko's fire wave immediately engulfed Azula. It wrapped around her like a fiery ribbon, swallowing her up instantly. The sounds of a roaring fire was then followed by Azula's glass-shattering scream as the blazing inferno closed in around her. The chaos of it lasted for a while, until the flames disappeared and Azula fell limply to the ground. Unmoving and unresponsive. Smoke wafted off of her body thickly.

When Zuko had confirmed to himself that Azula wouldn't be waking up anytime soon, he turned back to Katara, who had fallen unconscious again.

"Katara?" he called. Softly, at first. But when she didn't respond, Zuko quickly scooped her up into his arms. He could feel her weakened heartbeat and assured himself that she was still alive. As quickly as he could, he ran to the pond near the Fire Nation palace away from the 'battlefield'. But on the way he tripped over a crack, making him fall forward. Zuko then quickly turned around so that he would fall on his back instead of Katara. But by doing so, he had sprained his right ankle. Ignoring it with a loud groan, Zuko continued to run limply and painfully towards the pond, constantly stumbling over his feet. He then knelt down and settled Katara gently next to the water and tried to rouse her awake, keeping her on his lap.

"Katara! Wake up! There's water here! You can heal yourself here!" he said, all the while panicking. Zuko gingerly grabbed one of Katara's singed hands and held it close to his chest as he felt his eyes water. His chest felt constricted and his heart throbbed painfully with each passing second. Before he knew it, his tears spilled over and ran down his cheeks.

Why was he crying? For her? Of all people... They had hated each other so much in the beginning… But then they grew closer… Became friends. The hate slowly dissipated into the past... He even personally asked her to be at his side to face Azula instead of any of the others. But why was he getting so emotional about it? Sure, he had cared for her… Probably a little more than that ever since the Crystal Catacombs in Ba Sing Se...and when he'd helped her look for Yon Rha in hopes of gaining her forgiveness...

Zuko bit his quivering lower lip till he drew blood. Yes. He did care a lot for her. More than he actually should have.

Enough to throw himself in front of a lightning bolt to save her. To keep her heart beating…

He would've died saving her life. In fact, he should've. She had so much more to go back to...

"Katara…" Zuko whispered huskily, gazing at the water bender, his tears falling quicker as he stroked her hand gently with his thumbs. "Please… Wake up… You have to heal yourself… You-You can't leave me now…"

Zuko then looked around, trying to search for somebody. Anybody. He didn't want to leave her. He couldn't…

"SOMEBODY HELP ME!" he yelled out into the air desperately. "PLEASE! I NEED HELP! SOMEBODY! ANYBODY!"

Zuko's voice had gotten more and more hoarse the more he yelled. His throat felt scratchy and raw. He then turned to face Katara again, relieved that she was still breathing. But only light, shallow breaths… He assumed that since she was a water bender and had healing abilities, she wouldn't give up so easily… Heck, she shouldn't.

"Katara please…" he choked, swallowing a lump in his throat. He then bowed his head slightly as he pulled Katara close to his chest, mentally berating himself for being so helpless.

"It should've been me, Katara… Not you… Not you…"

p.s: i didn't own this i just posted this in here so that you guys not find it difficult.

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