#oh lee. you'll never know that azula is mocking you.

[discordiansamba]

lee loves his new job.

lee loved his job at the middle ring tea shop too, of course. he'd been happy there. he still missed his coworkers. missed the owner. missed his regular customers. he wonders if lin ever managed to attract the attention of that cute bookshop girl. he hopes yukio got into ba sing se university. he's a little sad that he won't get to see toshio's third child.

but serving princess azula is everything he could have hoped for- and more. there is a simple honor in his status as her personal tea server. she calls upon him twice a day- once in the afternoon, and once after the evening meal. sometimes lady mai will visit the kitchens in the morning, to have a cup of tea with him. lady ty lee is friendly, often congregating with the servants in a casual way.

(lee is never casual with her. it would be unbecoming of a commoner.)

if there's anything he's sad about, it is that he does not see father every day anymore. he misses the routine they had back home- misses cooking dinner for him each night. sometimes the kitchen staff will allow him to help with their daily meals. the first time princess azula eats his cooking, she is impressed. she is a kind employer- never hesitant with her praise.

when she returns to the fire nation, she plans to bring lee with her. you'll be the fire lord's personal tea server. won't that be wonderful? lee tells her that it is a greater honor than he deserves. the princess merely smiles and says that she cannot think of anyone more worthy than him for the position.

(he does not see the pitying look lady mai sends him.)

living and working together with jin almost makes up for not seeing father every day. when lady ty lee finds out that they haven't gone on a date in awhile, she insists to princess azula that she give him some time off every once in awhile. the princess smiles at his flustered face and apologizes. how silly of her not to notice. of course you can have some time off, lee. even the servants deserve time for romance.

they celebrate his eighteenth birthday together by visiting the theater. they each put on their best clothes- and lee cannot help but stare at himself in the mirror. he looks like himself. it's an odd thing to think. of course he looks like himself. who else would he be? he mentions it to his father, and the man smiles at him and lays a hand on his shoulder.

"you've grown into a fine young man, lee," he tells him, "-a proper man of earth. i'm so proud of you. your mother would be too, were she here."

his father embraces him. lee returns it, burying his head in his shoulder. all he has ever wanted was to make his father proud.

his date with jin is wonderful. the other servants tease them about it when they return. it makes him flustered, but it also makes him happy. in fact, lee can't think of a time he's been happier.

"i hope," he tells jin, "-i can stay like this forever."

[waterfire1848]

Deadpool Anon here!

Could I get #1 Soulmates AU for Zutara please?!

Hello, deadpool anon!! Of course you can!!

This is in the regular universe but in this universe I'm going with a classic tattoo AU where everyone has a tattoo describing their soulmate

Every since Zuko could remember he had this annoying blue ribbon with a light blue pendant tattoo on his neck. It was there the day he was born and it would be there the day he died as well. Zuko would often step in front of the mirror to see if it had changed at all, maybe into something more closely associated with the Fire Nation, but it never did.

"An even greater shame on the Royal Family." His father grumbled.

"You don't know it's someone from the Water Tribe." His mother argued back.

"It's a blue ribbon!" Ozai yelled.

"The color blue doesn't mean it's guaranteed to be a tribeswoman! Think of Fire Lady Ilah!" Zuko shuttered at the mention of his grandmother. She was the only reason he was alive. When he was born, his father was sure that his soulmate would be someone from the Water Tribe and wanted him killed for it. Azulon, who hadn't said a word, spoke up for the first time.

"Your mother had blue in her hair as her mark. A rare mutation of a soulmate mark, but one that led me to her. It was blue not because she would marry someone from the Water Tribe but because she would marry me: someone with blue fire." Ozai never said a word about Zuko's mark after that in front of Azulon.

This wasn't to say Zuko could flaunt his tattoo as he wished. His teacher, schoolmates and even family, including his mother and grandfather, still looked at it with disdain whenever they saw it. Which is why Zuko had taken to covering it up as best he could at every possible opportunity.

"Do you really think your soulmate could be a tribeswoman, Zuzu? Would that mean you have to move to the North or South Pole?" Azula asked, jumping on his bed.

"Go away, Azula." Zuko mumbled.

"I'm just asking questions. Oh! What if your soulmate is a prisoner in the Fire Nation?" Azula asked, "I wonder if you'll be able to marry-"

"At least I'm not a confirmed disgrace to our grandfather's law!" Zuko snapped.

When he saw Azula's face, he instantly felt bad. Maybe that was too far. Azula, same as Zuko, had also received her mark at birth. The only problem was that her mark were ribbons for circus performers. Ribbons that only female performers used. Azula’s soulmate was a girl.

Zuko didn’t hear the first half of what Azula said but he did hear her mumble something along the lines of, “Not my fault.”

“We both got soulmarks we don’t like.” Zuko said.

“I guess so.” Azula agreed, “What will you do if you soulmate is from the Water Tribe?”

“I don’t know.” Zuko shrugged, “But I can’t be with someone from the Water Tribe. You heard what the tutor said. They’re violent and dangerous. I can’t date someone like that.” Azula nodded, agreeing with her brother’s statement, “If it is someone from the Water Tribe then I guess…I’ll just ignore it.”

It wasn’t unheard of for someone to ignore their soulmate mark but it was incredibly uncommon, “Good idea.” Azula said, “I think I’ll do the same.”

“Even though your soulmate is Ty-“

“Don’t! I-…we don’t know it’s her. It could be anyone. Besides, I don’t even like Ty Lee like that.” Zuko, knowing better, hugged Azula close to him, “We won’t say a word about our soulmates?” Azula asked, holding out her pinkie.

“Not a word.” Zuko agreed, wrapping his pinkie around his sister’s in solidarity.

————————————

Katara always hated her tattoo. It was the mark of the enemy. Orange, yellow and red flames on her wrists mocked her whenever she took her wrist cuffs off to wash or for bed. The told her that she was a traitor to her people, a traitor to her family, a monster for having a soulmate from the Fire Nation.

Her mother had been the only one who was kind to her about who her soulmate was.

“It doesn’t matter what mark you have. The spirit’s never make a mistake. Your soulmate will love you and they will be as kind and as caring as you.” Kya promised, offering her a soft smile.

“How do you know, mom? What if they’re evil? Like in the stories?” Katara asked.

“Honey. Remember a few weeks ago how Ulu’s dad was attacked by a wolf? You were pretty mad at that wolf, huh?” Katara nodded, “Does that mean every single wolf in existence is as bad as that one?”

“No.” Katara answered.

“Exactly. Maybe this Fire National isn’t as bad as the soldiers. Maybe he wants to escape and join us.” Katara allowed herself some hope for her mother’s words.

The hope vanished the moment she ran into her house and saw her mother burned alive. Her mother, the one person who had tried to encourage her to believe that her soulmate was a good person, was dead.

Hakoda found her later that day because Sokka ran to find him, “Dad! Something’s wrong with Katara!” Hakoda was by his eight year old’s side in a second.

“Katara?”

“I don’t want it!” She sobbed, “I don’t want my tattoo! Get rid of it!” Hakoda looked at her wrists, noticing quickly that they were bright red and Katara’s nails had broken the skin.

“Katara, baby, you have to stop-“

“I DON’T WANT MY MARK!” Katara screamed, “They killed mom! They’re monsters! They should all die! They’re evil! Mom-…I want mom.” Katara couldn’t keep up her yelling by the end. She collapsed into her father’s arms as he stroked her hair.

“Shhh. Shh. It’s okay. It’ll be okay.” Hakoda promised.

“Want mom.” Katara sobbed.

“I know. I know.” Hakoda felt Sokka wrap himself around them so he used one of his arms to bring his son into the hug, “We’ll be okay.”

“But…but I’m still a traitor.” Katara whimpered.

“You’re not a traitor. You didn’t choose that tattoo. The spirits did. Katara, look at me,” Hakoda gently cupped Katara’s chin so he had to look up at him, “your mother never cared about the mark on your skin. She loved you. She loved you so much. Never forget that. Never forget that she didn’t care about your tattoo, she just wanted you to be happy. That’s all she ever wanted: both of you happy.”

Sokka took a look at his own wrists which had small fans on them. The fans themselves didn’t indicate much until Kanna claimed that she had seen them before. She took out a book and showed them Avatar Kyoshi’s fans. They matched perfectly.

“My soulmate is a dead Avatar?” Sokka had asked, earning a laugh from the adults.

“I think her wife might have a problem with that.” Kya told him, “But it means your soulmate will probably be from the Earth Kingdom and they might be a nonbender too.” Sokka practically glowed at that realization.

“Or an earthbender.” Kanna added, “Avatar Kyoshi used her fans to compensate for her inability to bend small objects in earthbending. Your soulmate might use the fans for that.”

“I wanna meet them!” Sokka said, jumping up and down.

“You will. When you’re older, you’ll meet them at just the right time.” Kya told him.

“I don’t want my soulmate, dad.” Sokka was brought back to reality by Katara’s words.

“You don’t have to make a decision now, Tara. Take some time and think it over.”

So, she did. She thought over her tattoo and what it meant while she buried her mother, while she mourned her, while she assumed responsibility in the tribe, while she watched her father go to war when she was only 11, and came to a conclusion. She put on wrist cuffs to cover her mark and hide it away from the world.

Never to be seen again.

—————————————

The Western Air Temple was certainly a new hideout for Team Avatar. They’d been in temples before, as had Zuko, but it was different to stay and life in one as opposed to just visiting it for a few days.

The first few days in their new makeshift home were…uncomfortable to say the least. It was clear that no one trusted Zuko, no one more so than Katara, and they acted like it. It was subtle but visible how the Gaang would sit in front of Haru, the Duke and Teo to protect them from Zuko or how Sokka always had a weapon with him when Zuko was around or Aang always having a hand on his staff.

Even if they said nothing, their minor actions were more than clear: they didn’t trust Zuko.

Then, slowly but surely, that distrust melted away. The more time Zuko spent with them and proved himself, the more the Gaang slowly grew to trust him.

“To Zuko. Who knew after all those times he tried to snuff us out today he’d be our hero!”

“Hear hear!” Everyone, minus Katara, cheered to Sokka’s toast.

“I’m touched. I don’t deserve this.” Zuko said.

“Yeah, no kidding.” Katara grumbled, getting up and walking away.

“What’s with her?” Katara heard Sokka say.

“I wish I knew.” Sensing that Zuko was following her, she went into her tent. To most people this was a sign that she wanted privacy.

In her isolation, Katara removed her wrist cuffs just as Zuko pushed the flaps of her tent open. Their eyes connected for a moment before Zuko’s eyes landed on her wrists.

“Your tattoo.” He whispered.

“What is wrong with you?!” Katara snapped, “Who charges into someone’s tent?!”

"Sorry. Sorry. I just...your tattoo is fire."

"What about it?" Katara snapped, putting her wrist bands back over her.

"Is your soulmate a firebender?"

"I wouldn't know. I've never met my soulmate. I never really had any want to after their people murdered my mother." Katara's voice cut through Zuko like a knife to his heart.

He had known for some time now that Katara was his soulmate. While there were thousands of firebenders, there was only one person Zuko had ever met with the same blue necklace around his neck. For the longest time, he ignored his feelings because she was the enemy but to know she had a tattoo that symbolized him was incredibly. To hear that she wanted nothing to do with her soulmate was more heartbreaking than anything else.

"Maybe you should give your soulmate a chance. He or she could surprise you and-"

"I don't want them! With my luck they're probably some firebending soldier working for Ozai. The last thing I need right now is to go looking for someone like that." Katara grumbled, "Now, if you have nothing more to say, can you leave my tent?"

Zuko's hand grabbed at his collar that kept his tattoo covered, "I...ummm..." He took one final look at her wrists before sighing, "I want to talk about why you don't trust me." He went with.

Zuko and Katara never spoke about soulmates after that. It just wasn't really a topic that ever came up. However, it never left Zuko's mind that Katara was his soulmate. Whenever he could, he sat next to her at dinners, laughed at her really bad jokes, helped with chores. But the biggest moment would always be the lightning strike. Zuko didn't even think during that moment. His legs acted before he did and he jumped in front of the bolt.

His vision going dark.

-----------------------------

The next time Zuko woke up, he was still in the arena and the sky was still painted red with Sozin's Comet. Was he dead? Is he a ghost now? No, no he felt very much alive, in incredible pain, but alive. Suddenly, Katara's smiling face was looking at him.

"Your tattoo." She whispered.

"Surprise." He tried to smile at her even though everything in his body hurt.

"How long have you known?" She asked.

"Since the earthbending prison when I found the necklace. It matched perfectly with my tattoo." Zuko explained, "I should have told you but I-"

"It's okay. I understand why you didn't. You didn't know how I'd react." Katara took her hands away from Zuko's injury and undid her wrist cuffs, "I started wearing these when I thought no good could come from the Fire Nation. I wore them as a reminder everyday of what I was fighting for. Now...now the war might be over and I don't think I need them anymore."

"If the war is over...do you think you'd want to try going on a date?" Asking his soulmate out on a date while she was healing a life threatening lightning injury was not how he imagined asking out Katara would go but he had a feeling that taking after taking a lightning bolt for her was probably as good a time as any to ask.

"That sounds great."