#sokka: that feels a little old-fashioned for you suki

[discordiansamba]

zuko: I don't actually have any problem with Sokka dating Suki, but it's also really funny to watch him sweat.

suki: I should stop him. but also. he's right. it is funny.

[elkian]

What I'm getting from the "let Marcille be conservative" and Netflix erasing Sokka's misogyny discussions is actually a piece of pretty helpful character building device.

I have a hard time letting characters mess up - let alone make mistakes that impact the story as a whole - and I think I'm starting to grok why.

A lot of my characters' flaws fall into Anime Badass Flaws range, and that's not in itself a bad thing, *but*: what I've also done is planed smooth some smaller flaws to satisfy an audience I don't even actually have yet. Kill the cop in your brain etc.

My characters don't just need Angsty Brooding On The Rooftop flaws, they need Regular People Flaws. I'm talking shit that makes people go 😬 and suck air between their teeth, like Marcille's old-fashioned views and Sokka's sexism.

I'm actually gonna veer and talk about ATLA's character writing and how crucial it is to the story because I totally missed it until I started thinking about this very specific thing.

Sokka being sexist is crucial to the story. It's how he pisses off Katara until she accidentally frees Aang, bringing him back to the timestream and kickstarting the entire show! Speaking of kickstarting the entire show, Aang's avoidance tendencies are what put him on ice in the first place. The story would be wildly different if he hadn't run away, and he might not have run away if the elders he'd once depended upon had made their concerns more accessible to him, instead of trying to control his life and take away his most important guardian.

Sokka absorbing feminism and changing his ways is his first, and possibly biggest character arc in the show. Sokka being sexist impacts his actions at Kyoshi Island. I have to wonder - the Kyoshi Warriors seemed to enjoy a certain level of popularity on their isolated home island. Sokka crashing in and disrespecting them might have lead them to realize that the outside world didn't have the same veneration and views as they held. This might have lead to Suki and her gang heading out into the Earth Kingdom, which has impact in several later episodes, to say the least. Suki's presence is the reason Sokka and Toph survive the finale.

Every character in the show has little human flaws like that - not just Epic Anime Flaws, but stuff that makes them a little bit unlikeable, just like real people have. (And being unlikeable makes them more likeable because they feel more complex and real in turn.) Everyone's flaws affect the story in some way - Zuko's flaws motivate an enormous chunk of the plot and have substantial impact on the Gaang well before he joins up.

Iroh is so likeable that it's easy to forget that he spent months sieging a city and presumably letting hundreds of soldiers to die, only to pull out when his son died. He's wise and friendly to Zuko and the Gaang, but he has done some pretty selfish stuff that has affected the course of history (and that's not even getting into his casual sexism). He could have been written as totally flippant, or Angstlord Extrordinaire, but instead he's a complex and hurting old man who still has the time and energy to try and help the people in his life.

What I'm realizing is that to really drive a plot, and make characters feel alive, is they gotta be a little Problematic. I shaved off Ray's chivalry bc it was problematic, not thinking about how that means that trait causes Problems, or in other words, generates conflict that drives a story. If I want my characters to feel complex and alive, I think they need to suck a little bit! I think sometimes you gotta let your character be a True Believer in Astrology, or is rude to the waitstaff, or will walk 2 miles rather than pay for a cab, or what have you! They gotta be a little dumb and messed up! Sure, this character has no self-esteem, but how does that affect others? How does it make them uncomfortable and change their actions, and not just in a platonically perfect way to 'fix' him?

It's pretty interesting to chew over implications like that - I've read and absorbed "let your characters have flaws" over and over, but only recently come to realize that means they need to suck a little bit. They need to be kind of uncool. They need to have traits that would make you wrinkle your nose at if they were real people. Etc.

[discet]

Since we're bringing up potential cartoon crossovers, how about if the Calamity trio ended up in the Avatar The Last Airbender world, maybe Anne with Aang, Sokka, and Katarra, Sasha with Zuko and Iroh, and Marcy with Suki and the Kyoshi warriors (if you have better ideas on where the girls end up with, you can change them up)?

So if I was going to do an crossover AU I, personally, would not go for an isekai angle. Avatar, like the Star Wars AU I was asked about a while back, would be one I would want to have the characters to be born into the setting naturally instead of being dropped into it.

Mostly because I don't know how much their entering into the plot of ATLA itself would change things. Avatar already has a chosen one character in Aang. While Marcy might be all for a big heroic adventure, Anne and Sasha would be less inclined.

If I was going to set them all up I actually would probably set them up in the time period of Legend of Korra. Cause man what a fun setting and a mixed bag of concepts.

For this AU Anne Sasha and Marcy all grew up in republic city together.

Girls, Before Timeskip

Anne: Gonna buck convention here, Anne's family is from the fire nation, specifically the outer archipelago around the Ember Isles. As to why, its cause ATLA's designers took a lot of inspiration from thai culture for the architecture and fashion on the island. The next incarnation of the Avatar, as her family has roots in some of the water benders who had been captured and brought back as prisoners to the fire nation (like Hana). Does not realize she's a bender at all until she is 12, extremely late bloomer. Discovers she's actually the Avatar on her 13th birthday when she peforms airbending on accident.

Sasha: Comes from an old established colonial family that helped establish Republic City back when it was a fire nation colony. Ethnically I think she'd be half Fire Nation half Earth Kingdom, mostly because this comic about Sasha being Wasian lives rent free in my head since I saw it months ago. She'd probably be a brunette since I don't think blonde hair would be a... thing in Avatar world I think I would make her an earth bender of a fire bender. Mostly cause I like how it would play into her role as the defender of the group and also so she can pick up lava bending in later seasons. Sasha as the only bender for most of their life was also the group protector on the rough and tumble streets of Republic City. Idolized Toph as just a top tier ass kicker.

Marcy: Comes from a family who immigrated to Republic City from Ba Sing Se around the time it became republic city. The only truely nonbender of the group, Marcy spent child hood always a little envious of Sasha. This only grew worse when it turned out Anne was also a bender and Marcy started to feel like the odd one out. Marcy is absolutely obsessed with the technological advances being made in the city. Once Anne is recognized as the Avatar, Marcy throws herself more ardently into her studies of engineering

Plot: So at the start we get a similar set up as canon. Sasha see's herself as the protector and boss of the trio who, even after Anne has had a year with her water bending. On Anne's birthday, Sasha convinces Anne and Marcy to break into the construction site. Things are going alright until some cops show up. Sasha calls for them to run, but Marcy being her clumsy self ends up almost falling off a girder. Anne narrowly manages to pull Marcy back, but at the cost of her own balance and falls. Sasha tries to do something, but there isn't much earth to work with and she doesn't know how to metal bend. Anne in full view of these cops and some onlookers shoots out a jet of air from her hand to save herself.

Anne is made an instant celebrity. Republic cities first Avatar! The people of the water tribes are resentful since culturally Anne is fire nation and one of them were expected to have the next avatar. Anne is stressed and would do anything to put this genie back in the bottle. She didn't want to be the avatar. That was a lot of responsibility! She wasn't even a good bender!

Sasha has a bit of an identity crisis and Marcy is excited for Anne but also nervous that her friends are going to leave her behind.

The white lotus + Tenzin approaches Bee and Oum, insisting Anne be taken into hiding until they can train her. They are hesitant as Anne is already overwhelmed by all the changes and expectations placed on her. However, when a red lotus attack almost kills their daughter they accept.

So in an interesting twist for Amphibia Fanfic, it's Anne who is moving away for a while. Sasha and Marcy both beg the White Lotus members to let them come and keep Anne company but are refused. Sasha argues they should at least take her because she's a talented earth bender and could be a sparing partner for Anne. This argument also doesn't work but does deeply hurt Marcy, since if it had worked it would leave her alone in Republic City.

So Anne is taken away, tearful goodbyes and promises of letters.

Girls During Timeskip

Anne: Anne is deeply resentful of her position of the Avatar and the expectations set upon her shoulders by the world and white lotus. She gets passively adequate at all 4 elements but isn't particularly talented in either. However, in theming with her position as the heart in Amphibia, she does seem to have an extremely natural talent for dealing with spirits which will pay dividends over the course of the series. Anne stays in close contact with Sasha for the entire time skip. However, after something terrible happens to Marcy, and Anne fails to sneak out to go see her, Anne sends letter after letter sending her sympathies and apologizing for being unable to come, but never gets any letters backand so loses contact with Marcy. Though she's determined to rebuild that connection upon her return.

Sasha: After Anne left Sasha fully threw herself into practicing bending, wanting to turn herself into a pillar Anne could rely on once her adventures as an Avatar truly begin. In the process however she kind of turned her back on Marcy. Without Anne as the glue of their relationship, Sasha starts to see Marcy as a social anchor around her ankle as she tries to put together a 'squad' strong enough to support Anne. However she secretly comes to regret this, as without Anne or Marcy be her side, Sasha's only 'friends' are those who are obsessed with their image and reputation, so she no longer has a refuge where she can just act herself. Way too proud to try and make up with Marcy, especially after the incident.

Marcy: A bit lonelier and overworked, Marcy is a prodigious inventor that was scouted by Sato corp right out of school. Once Sasha distanced herself, Marcy threw herself into her studies not making many connections with others. 3 years after Anne leaves Marcy has the incident. Some bending bullies from the girls past who grew into members of the triad. They try to corner Marcy one night when she was alone and without friends. Marcy runs but ends up in an accident and loses her arm as a result. Marcy writes Anne a tear stained letter, begging her to visit cause she feels hurt and alone. We learn that Anne tried to sneak out back then but was caught. Anne wrote back apologizing and promising she did everything she could, but the white lotus intercept the letter and it never gets to Marcy and vice versa. Leaving Marcy to believe she's been abandoned by both of her friends

Story Start

As Anne's 18th birthday rolls around Anne is officially done with life in the compound and enlists the help of dozens of spirits to help her break out this time. They sow chaos and give Anne the time she needs to get to a village and book passage to her home in Republic City. Anne first seeks out Sasha, since they still have an active connection and knows Sasha has a championship match coming up. Sasha is of course super happy to reunite with her and introduce her to her Probending Team. I don’t have a lot of details for these two but they are both pretty insufferable as people. They clearly see Anne as a way for them to boost their reputations. 

After a night with them Anne asks Sasha if she knows where Marcy is so that she can visit. Sasha is reticent, clearly ashamed of how she left things with Marcy, and encourages Anne to move on. Maybe even tries the ‘end of discussion’ move. However in this AU Anne has spent the last half decade being told what to do by every adult in her life, so she’s not going to just meekly ascent to Sasha’s command and seeks out Marcy anyways. 

She eventually finds Marcy still living in all of their old neighborhood, and just teary eyes sprints to her and pulls her into a big bear hug. Marcy is shocked, both that Anne is there and cares about her. They talk through the misunderstanding pretty quick and reform their connection and spend the night catching up. Marcy proudly shows Anne the steampunk as hell prosthetic arm she developed for herself and talks about her job at Sato Corp. Anne confides in Marcy about her insecurities and resentment about being the Avatar. Marcy becomes the first person in five years to agree with her that it is an unfair burdan she has been saddled with, rather than insist that its one she needs to take up anyways. Which is in retrospect will make a lot of sense when part way through season 1 its revealed that Marcy is an equalist and is the one developing their weapons for Mr. Sato. 

So I think that pretty much sets the stage. Giving Anne a friend who both represent flawed ideas of the equalist conflict. Sasha having fully embracing the status quo of ‘Benders are superior and should be treated as such’. And Marcy representing the sympathetic but flawed ‘Some benders abuse their power so all benders must be neutralized for society to progress’. 

and maybe I’ll flesh it out more later but the scene that I think is really cool is when Marcy is revealed as an equalist. Cause Marcy isn’t working against Anne in this AU. Or using their bond to betray her. She eventually tells the truth on her own and tries to get Anne to join her. Insisting that Anne is right, it isn’t fair that everyone has these expectations of her. She shouldn’t have to be the avatar if she doesn’t want to be. And wouldn’t she like to go back to the way things were before all this happened when they were on even footing with each other. 

Which is a really juicy dilemma for Anne to chew on. Cause she’s not a great bender and she doesn’t want this job. 

[firelxdykatara]

You’re doing a LoK rewrite, correct? Would be really interested in hearing how you plan on fixing Suyin’s character and the Lin-Suyin conflict because……. oh boy. Man there’s a lot to unpack there. This is what happens when we don’t let Toph just raise her fucking kids for the sake of pushing a stupid as hell narrative about working women and single motherhood.

I am indeed!

In... you know, the way I'm doing most of my big potential projects, in that I have a folder with some documents that have plot notes and... some day I may actually get full, finished fics out of them (h2o AU is in there, as is my voltron!atla fusion AU, and uhhhh my book 3 atla rewrite, and a few other things), so... but I will say that the docs I have for my LoK rewrite so far amount to roughly 4.2k words of just Plot and Character Notes, which may some day turn into words of Story, hopefully.

ANYWAY, POINT IS: yes, this exists, and I have Many Many Thoughts.

Including how the Gaang kids would shake out! Cause I know I'm doing Zutara, and maybe Tokka???? Although I don't wanna just leave Suki out either... maybe a throuple??? Or Sukka having an amicable breakup before Sokka and Toph get together--maybe she already has Lin by then, and Sokka helps support her through the grief of losing Kanto???? Idk honestly, I haven't actually figured any of that out definitively yet except that Aang was perfectly happy to settle down with an Air Acolyte from one of the rebuilt temples because he grew up and out of his crush on Katara pretty easily once he hit puberty and matured a bit.

UHHH none of which is actually an answer to your question, because it's a valid one! Which is why I've been sitting on this a while (10 days I'm so sorry) bc I haven't made any solid decisions but I've been letting it percolate around my head a bit. And the more I think about it, the more I really like the Sukka -> Tokka idea (and I don't want to kill off Suki since the kids all deserve their awesome Kyoshi warrior auntie in their lives, and also I want a Sukka kid to be besties with Iara [zuko and katara's youngest] so maybe she gets with someone else after she and Sokka split? I could be talked into Ty Lee/Suki actually, the more I think about it....), but obviously having a stable father figure and a Toph who is... not what LoK made her out to be will dramatically change the Beifong family dynamic.

That said, I think I actually have a solution. (I'm so sorry for what I'm about to do.) Toph has Lin with Kanto--and he passes away when Lin is two or three, which is why she has very few memories of her father. (Although none of this 'she doesn't even know his name until she's 50+ cause Toph didn't tell her daughters about their fathers' bullshit.) Sokka is there for her through it all (all of the gaang is, of course, but you know that it sometimes just hits different when it's someone you're also starting to fall in love with, especially when there are older and much more deeply buried feelings there that are now resurfacing, because at least in my version Toph was deeply in love with Sokka when they were teenagers, but he was in love with Suki and she also loved Suki so she didn't want to mess up anything about their family or the group dynamics by making her feelings anyone else's problem), they fall in love, get married and have Suyin.

(Sokka may jokingly refer to it as a shotgun wedding, but the truth is he wanted to propose well before he found out she was pregnant, his attempts just kept getting messed up in increasingly comedic fashion.)

Throughout all of this, Republic City has been established, Sokka is Chancellor, Toph is something of a defacto police chief--mostly because, at the time, no one else was willing to volunteer, and she jokingly offered to whip the law enforcement, but unfortunately everyone else at the meeting took her seriously. However, she is also the founder of the probending league, and basically her feelings about law enforcement are complicated and she actively discouraged her kids from joining the force which is part of why Lin did. How else do you have a teen rebel phase with a parent like Toph? (Which, in this instance, means tough and firm but fair, with a 'you break it, it's up to you to fix it' attitude and very little desire to actually control her daughters and their behavior.)

Ah, but here's the rub.

Suyin is ten years old when Sokka dies, and Lin is sixteen. I'm not sure how he's killed--maybe by Yakone, to tie it into my plans for Amon and book 1. (Note that I'm not sure when the Yakone bloodbending trial happened in canon, but it doesn't matter. The timeline I'm gonna build will be completely different post-comet, and I'll eventually write it all down so that I can keep things straight.) Which would incidentally provide excellent means of having Katara have a very personal stake in the Amon conflict, and perhaps color the fight between him and Iara, but I'm getting off track. And I think Sokka being killed by Yakone, and Toph being unable to protect or save him, or deliver her own brand of justice to avenge him (because Aang is there to stop her and.... shit probably got ugly, I suspect she didn't talk to Aang for at least twenty years after Sokka's death--and this isn't to say I think Toph is particularly violent or murderous, but in that moment, she absolutely wanted to kill the man with her bare hands, and however much she may have regretted it afterwards, she took a very long time to forgive Aang for stopping her in the first place), is what results in Toph stepping down as police chief.

She didn't withdraw from her daughters or fuck off into the swamp or anything (words cannot express how much I hate that part of her canon history), but she did grieve for a very long time. Lin, meanwhile, felt like it was up to her to keep her family together, while also feeling a desperate need to... prove herself, I think. And because her mother was so adamant that she not join the police force, that's exactly what she does. I think Lin completely misread Toph's intentions, too, and believed that the discouragement was because her mother didn't think she had what it takes, when in reality I think Toph was scared of Lin losing herself in the job like she herself had begun to, and eventually coming up on something she couldn't change or fix and making the same mistakes she had.

(I think Toph and Lin have communication issues largely because they are both headstrong and willful, but where Toph thought she was giving her daughters the room they would need to make their own way, what Lin desperately craved was direction and she felt like that was something her mother simply couldn't understand.)

Suyin, on the other hand, fell in with a bad crowd like in canon. I think that what she desperately needed was attention, similar to Lin craving direction, and Toph was trying so hard not to be her own parents that she went a little too far in the other direction and Suyin began to feel like it didn't matter what she did, her mom wouldn't care, or get angry, or discipline her, or anything. Lin and Suyin butted heads a lot growing up, too, especially after Sokka's death, because Lin tried to rein in her sister's behavior and this was met with resistance and derision because Suyin felt like Lin was trying to be both mom and dad and she was neither but her big sister would never admit to being just as lost as she was and it made her furious.

So when Suyin is sixteen, and Lin is twenty-two and new to the force, The Big Rift happens. Lin catches Suyin and her gang, tries to apprehend her, gets a scar on her face in the ensuing conflict. But instead of abusing her power and sending her problem child off to her mother before fucking off to the swamp to avoid the consequences of her actions, Toph tries to actually fix things. Suyin cools her heels in prison for a while, because she was paralyzed by guilt at the time when she hurt her sister (a few inches lower and she could have slit her throat), and was still there when Lin's backup arrived.

Uhhhhhhhhhhh..... I'm so sorry I rambled for so long, BUT THE UPSHOT IS: I think Suyin learned a bit about culpability and taking responsibility for her own actions, Toph realized that her daughters had different needs than she did at their age (and I think a lot of the problem was that grief clouded her own ability to connect with her daughters, and in trying to not be her own parents she lost sight of how to be the parent her own daughters needed), and Lin, I think, had to realize that she had never fully processed the loss of not one but two fathers and had turned to her job in order to avoid actually confronting the grief that had overshadowed her childhood.

However, she did not forgive Suyin, at least not right away--and she wasn't forced or expected to. Suyin understood that she crossed a serious line, she took her lumps and did her time, and no one shamed Lin for her anger. I think, as a result, she had less reason to hold onto that bitterness, and perhaps by the time the story actually begins, she and Suyin are on much better terms, though I haven't worked it out exactly yet.

UHHH yeah I went on for days lmao. All of this is subject to change, too, depending on the needs of the story whenever I get around to actually writing it all down, BUT these are my initial thoughts, at least.

[tysukis]

Pas De Deux

I'm guessing we could all use a little distraction right now, so I'm coming to you with some good old fashioned hurt/comfort featuring Sokka unpacking uncomfortable feelings and Zuko being a good listener (and also a cuddler). Minor Suki/Ty Lee because I literally cannot help myself. T for swearing and heavy themes.

Pairing: Sokka/Zuko

Words: 3272

my AO3

↳ ID: Text against a plain white background. At the top it reads the title: “Pas De Deux” then underneath it is the author name: “blanchards”. Below that it says “Summary:” with a line underneath, the text below is as follows:

“Through silent, suffocating evenings, kept awake by his thoughts and the dull aching in his leg, Sokka has gotten to know the current weight behind his eyelids like an old friend. It surprises only Zuko when he cries.

It turns out that coronation firework celebrations are the perfect time for facing your traumas, the very ones you share with the boy you once swore to hate. Who knew.” END ID

[just-jordie-things]

hi! could i request prompts #39, #45 and #74 for a zuko x reader fic with a modern au that takes place on halloween, with the gaang and everyone dressing up for halloween? with the reader and zuko already being really good friends and a part of the gaang?

prompt 39: spin the bottle kiss prompt 45: passionate kiss prompt 74: kisses where one person is sitting in the other’s lap ___

You’d been chatting with Katara, complimenting her cute 70′s themed costume, and just blabbering on in tipsy delight.  However in the middle of your conversation about one of your classes, your eyes caught sight of the door opening, and in walked your favorite person.

“Zuko!” You cheered, grabbing your drink off the counter and excusing yourself from Katara so you could be the first to greet him.

He smiled sheepishly as you bounded up to him, the hood of your alien onesie flopping your head.

“I’m so glad you’re here!” You said happily, giggling as you threw your arms around his neck.

He nervously reciprocated the hug, not wanting to spill your drink or overstep his boundaries.

“Did I miss anything?” He asked, glancing around the room, but inevitably looking back down at you, because nothing could capture his attention like you did.

“Sokka and Aang are in a competition to see who can do the most casual backflips,” You said in all seriousness.  “There’s still time to catch up if you want to join” 

Zuko just laughs, and shakes his head, and you’re quick to jump topics.

“What are you dressed as, anyways?” You asked, poking at the leather jacket he wore.

“I’m an emo phase,” Zuko said, looking down at his black clothes and ripped jeans combo.  “Is it not obvious?”

“It’s more of a sexy bad boy vibe,” You giggle.

His face flushes pink at the comment, but you don’t notice.

“I have a great idea though! Come with me” 

You grab his hand and you’re pulling him into the apartment.  He barely had time to greet Suki and Ty Lee in passing before you bringing him into the bathroom.

“How do you feel about eyeliner?” You asked, setting your half empty drink on the counter so you could pick through your makeup drawer.

“Uh...” 

“Sit,” You prompt, softly pushing him down onto the toilet.  “You’re too tall, I can’t reach your face and keep a steady hand” 

He does as you say, and forgets that he should go say hi to his friends while you carefully pull the brush from the black tube.

“Is this really necessary?” He asks, but bites his tongue as you lean in close to him.

You smell sweet, like fruit or candy.  He wonders if it’s your shampoo or your perfume, or it’s both and it’s just your natural splendid scent-

“Absolutely,” You murmur, vote quiet so you could keep your focus.  “Now shut your eyes” 

Again, he complies, and you steadily drag the brush over his eyelid.  For being fairly tipsy, your hand his still, and the liquid applies smoothly.

“Perfect,” You hum, proud of yourself, and Zuko opens his eyes.

You’re so close it’s impossible not to think about kissing you, but at the thought a blush crawls up his neck and he wishes you would move away so you wouldn’t see.

“Now look up,” You direct.  “I’m going to do some under too, make sure the goth-ness really stands out” 

He nods, speechless, and looks as far up as he can.

But then your hand slides over his cheek so you can maneuver his face properly, as well as keep yourself steady, and he’s looking back at you again.

“Hey, up” You scold teasingly, and hastily he’s following your order.

He’s not sure that you’re aware of it, but as you apply more makeup, the thumb on his cheek is caressing him in smooth circles.  It’s somehow calming, while still making his heart race.

You did that to him a lot.

You’re slower this time, worried about getting it in his eye, but it’s over all too soon, and you’re pulling away from him with a grin.

“Perfect!” You cheer again, capping your eyeliner and putting it back into the drawer.  “You look very edgy” 

Zuko stands to look in the mirror, and it’s odd, but he can’t deny that you did an excellent job and it definitely makes him look more emo.

“Do you like it?” You ask, picking your glass up and taking a tentative sip.

He looks down at your hopeful eyes, and smiles before nodding.

“You’re right, it’s perfect, thank you” 

“Great! Let’s show the others!”

And so you’re taking his hand again and weaving through the small crowd in search of your close friends, Sokka and Aang in particular, because you know they’ll get a kick out of it.

“Who are all these people?” Zuko asked after passing too many unfamiliar faces.

“Katara and I invited some people from school,” You told him nonchalantly.  “I didn’t think a halloween party would be such a hit, but I guess people love ‘em more than I thought!” 

“Well if you invited them then I’m sure they do” He mutters.

It’s a vexed comment, but you look up at him with a bashful sort of smile, and the implication in his words has him blushing again.

You giggle, and do him the favor of not saying anything about it, instead finally catching sight of Sokka and quickly pulling Zuko over to him.

“Sokka, look!” You say eagerly, pushing Zuko forward to show the boy the excellent job you did on his makeup.  “I gave Zuko eyeliner!” 

Sokka cheers loudly, and hugs you with pride.

“Zuko, you look beautiful,” He gushes playfully.  “You should be so proud of your date here” 

Sokka’s, well, hammered, but still the comment throws Zuko off, and he begins to stammer.  No real words came out, but luckily you came to his defense.

“Sokka, stop teasing,” You say, and bring your hand up to Zuko’s arm.  “We’re gonna go get a couple drinks and then let’s hang out, okay?”

“Alright, I’ll find Suki and the others, meet in the living room in a couple minutes?”

You agree, and then you’re bringing Zuko with you to the kitchen.

You tended to do this at parties, even ones where it’s just your small tight-knit group of friends.  You stuck by his side and rarely ever broke off from him.  At first he’d thought you were doing him a kindness, because he was award and not always great at small talk.  But after a few parties, he started to get the feeling that you genuinely enjoyed his company, and chose for your own reasons to stick by his side.

“What’s your poison?” You asked him as you reached the kitchen, which was littered with every alcohol known to man, as well as dozens of red plastic cups, some used, some new, Zuko wasn’t sure it mattered.

“I’ll just have whatever you’re having” He says, and you grin.

“Suit yourself” 

He realizes quickly as you pour a generous amount of shots into a cup that you’re making your drinks strong, and he takes over for you.

“Why don’t you let me do that?” He says, taking the bottle from your hands and setting it down, before pouring half the alcohol in your into a second cup for himself.

You make a face, but don’t protest while he adds in the soda, and hands you your weaker drink.

You take his hand again as you both make your way to the living room, where most of your friends have already gathered.

Sokka and Suki share one corner of the sofa, Aang and Katara on the other, both couples hogging the whole space.

Ty Lee had claimed the recliner for herself, sitting in it sideways, her legs thrown over the arm rest.  Mai was at her feet, the girls sharing their drinks and whispering amongst themselves.

That left the loveseat, if you could call it that because it was so small, but you didn’t mind as you dragged Zuko along and plopped down onto the cushions with him.

Without a second thought, you moved in close to him and threw your legs over his lap.  You did it so casually you’d think that you always sat this way.  But that wasn’t the case, in fact Zuko’s not sure you’ve ever been this close to him before, and his heart does a somersault.

“So what are we playing?” You asked, taking a sip of your drink, and then a longer more dramatic drink while making eye contact with Zuko because you could barely taste the alcohol.

He rolls his eyes and playfully flicks your arm, before turning his attention back to Sokka, who’s deciding on a game.

“Let’s play something old fashioned,” He decides, and he’s smirking at everyone as he raises his beer bottle, before pausing dramatically.

Suki nudges him, prompting him to continue his thought since no one knew what he was talking about.

“I say, spin the bottle!” He declares loudly, enough to get a few other people’s attention, and now the group grows a little bigger.

“Really?” Suki mutters, glaring at her boyfriend.

“Well I won’t be playing, I'll just be moderator” Sokka argues.  The girl rolls her eyes, but goes with it anyways.

“Spin the bottle? Isn’t that kinda immature?” Aang asks.

“I think it’s fun!” Ty Lee chimes in.  “I’ll play!” 

With that, a couple more boys come to sit around in the living room.

You stifle your giggle in your hand at the way Ty Lee so effortlessly had men flocking to her.  You always admired her for it.

“Fine.  I’ll play” Mai sighs, leaning back against the chair Ty Lee sat in.

“You guys in?” Sokka asks, looking to you and Zuko.

“Oh, no,” You shake your head and put your hands up in defense.  “It’s not for me, I’m spoken for,” 

Zuko perks up at this, turning to you with a confused look because since when did you have a boyfriend? Or a girlfriend? You were seeing somebody and didn’t tell him?

He’s about to ask you a multitude of questions, probably all at once in a messy fashion, but you’re speaking up before he can.

“But you’ll play, right?” You ask him eagerly.

He wants to say no, because games like these are stupid and the only person in this room he’d actually want to kiss just said that she was spoken for, but you give him an encouraging nod, so he shrugs his shoulders.

“I guess” He mutters.

As Sokka goes over the rules and sets the bottle in the middle of the floor, you notice Zuko practically deflating into the sofa.  When you give him a worried look, he doesn’t meet your gaze, so you’re not sure what his issue is.

You decide to wiggle in closer, your legs bent at the knees and resting against his chest comfortably, and your head laying on the sofa cushion right next to him.

At your close proximity, he can’t help but look over at you, only to find your eyes already set on his.

“It’s just a game, Zuko,” You whisper cheerily.  “Lighten up a little, have some fun” 

You give him a sweet smile, and he doesn’t have the heart to tell you that some old school kissing game isn’t what’s eating away at him.

He returns your smile, albeit faintly, before putting his attention back on the game.

A couple of strangers kiss, Mai and Ty Lee share a kiss, and Aang spins the bottle once, using his airbending to make sure it lands on Katara.  That gets a laugh out of everyone as the waterbender gives him a dramatic smooch on the cheek.

The game is dumb, but it’s amusing to Zuko because you keep giggling and cheering for everybody, and everytime you laugh, the sound vibrates through him, and he forgets that his window of opportunity for asking you out had been shut.

He’s kicking himself, but he knows he shouldn't be.  Deep down, he knew that he never would have made a move, no matter how affectionate you were, or how much time you spent together.  The fact of the matter was he was too anxious about ruining a great friendship to make his feelings for you known.

But still, his heart ached a little as you rested your head on his shoulder.

He can’t help but wonder why you’re so cuddled up to him if you’re spoken for, but he’s not so big of an idiot that he’d ask you such a thing.

You whisper something, but he doesn't catch it because he’s so lost in thought.

“What?” He whispers back, eyes flickering down to you.

“You should stay over,” You repeat yourself.  “Katara and I thought it’d be nice to have everyone stay over for scary movies- not everyone, just, you know, us,” You tell him, and he knows what you mean.  “But you should stay” 

His eyebrows furrow in the slightest, and you lift your head to ask what’s wrong.

“What about your boyfriend?” He asks, quietly, and although it’s subtle, you can hear the venom in his voice.

Despite the comment, you giggle quietly, shaking your head at him.

There’s a crease between his brows now from how much tension he has in his face, and you fondly reach out to rub your thumb between them, easing them from their furrow.

There’s no time to ask you what is so funny, because suddenly Sokka is snapping in his face.

“Hey! Lovebirds! You spinnin’ or not, Zuko?”

Your hand falls from Zuko’s face, and you sit back into your comfortable position now that the whole room has their eyes on you.

Not, he wants to say, but he grumbles in agreement as he reaches his leg out, kicking the bottle into a spin with his boot.  You, among a few others, are giggling at the action, and while Zuko is distracted by the sound, Aang sends a little burst of wind at the bottle.

A couple people notice it, but they keep it to themselves as the bottle slows to a stop.

It’s pointed back at you and Zuko, and he flusters.

“Okay, s-someone else’s turn” He stammers.

“What? But it’s pointed right at (y/n)!” Sokka shrieks, gesturing wildly at you.

Zuko turns to you for a quick moment, almost apologetic, but as soon as he meets your eyes, he does a double take.

You’re smiling at him, and you lean up off the couch and straight your posture.

There’s whispers around the room, as well as music blasting and the chatter of the party goers who weren’t playing the game, but Zuko couldn’t hear anything over his heart pounding.

You get closer to him, your eyes noticeably flickering down to his lips before you’re wrapping your arms around his neck, painstakingly slow.

You pull your bottom lip between your teeth before you glance back up at Zuko, a nervous blush dusting over your cheeks.

For once, you’re the one blushing over him, and it brings him so much joy.

So in a quick move, his free hand reaches up to your face, thumb proving your lip from your teeth, instantly, you shoot forward, meeting his lips in a heated kiss.

All thoughts and reason flew out the window, and Zuko could barely set his drink down before taking you in his arms and bringing you as close to him as you could be.

Whoops and hollers surrounded you both, mostly from your friends, but a few bystanders were just happy to see someone getting some.

When you pull away, you’re winded, and Zuko’s hair is all over the place, but neither of you care.

As soon as the kiss ends, the game picks back up, and your peers go back to their meaningless conversations and dancing.  It gives you a sense of privacy, even in the crowded room.

“I just didn’t want to kiss anyone else,” You explained yourself in a murmur, your hands cupping around Zuko’s face.  “That’s why I said I was spoken for”

He chuckles, pushing the hair out of your face and bringing you in close again.

“Why didn’t you just say that?” He asked, and you shrugged your shoulders.

“Cause I didn’t think you’d kiss me if I’d asked you to” You replied.

“Well, you must have had more to drink then I thought,” He says teasingly, making you laugh as your forehead rests against his.  “Because I don’t want to kiss anyone else either” 

Your lips curl into a smile as your eyes flutter shut so he could kiss you again, this time softer, as you both took your time getting used to the new and exhilarating feeling.

You spent most of the rest of the night on that little sofa, lazily making out and drinking, as well as being made fun of by Sokka for it taking so long for the two of you to fess up your feelings.

Of course, you wouldn’t have had it any other way.  ___

xoxo ~ jordie

[stitch1830]

stitch! vine buddy! how's it going?

got a question - what are the gaang members' (+ kanto's) favorite drinks?

and who's most likely to go all "ain't no laws"?

sending love <33

Blue!! Hi blue hope all is well :) couple things: I look so cute in this gif, not even ashamed to admit it, and the fact that you want me to include Kanto warms my cold heart you have no idea. *sniffles*

This is a good and difficult question… but I will do it for the vine (“ooo!”)

For the purpose of this question, I will stick to mixed drinks, no beer or wine or claws… they’d all drink claws so you know… let’s mix it up! Also, I’ll have you know I did extensive Buzzfeed research for this question. Hope it’s up to your standard.

Aang: Frozen margarita. It tastes like a slushy! He loves it. But he often forgets there’s alcohol in it and well… it only takes half a drink to really get him drunk.

Sokka: He tries to be a “cool drink” drinker, but he can’t help but have a fruitier beverage and he’s not ashamed to admit it. dirty shirley, mai tai, daiquiris, and others he loves to drink while out and about.

Suki: She seems like a vodka cranberry drinker to me. When she goes out, she wants to have fun and a vodka cran will get her there!

Katara: Hmm. She seems like a vodka soda (for my midwesterners, POP)/vodka tonic. She goes for something chill, tame, refreshing. It’s also something she can casually drink without feeling like she’s gonna get plastered. Sometimes her friends get her to drink more/drink other drinks, that’s when things get a little crazy.

Zuko: He’s an old fashioned or whiskey sour kind of drunk. It looks like he likes to drink fancy drinks but really those are the only names of drinks he remembers.

Toph: Long island iced tea. She basically asks for all the alcohols in a cup to get drunk as fast as possible. If she’s looking for a casual drinking situation, whiskey, neat is a vibe. She also buys tequila shots for everyone to take.

Kanto (lmao): Jack and coke. He looks like he’s wanting to start a fight, and he totally is. After that, he’ll just drink whatever Toph is drinking lol.

And it might come as a shock to some, but ALL of them go “Ain’t no laws.” Toph and Kanto may be the face of the law, they don’t care LOL.

Those are my thoughts, but I am happy to hear other people’s input! Thank you kindly for the ask, blue. Truly a pleasure to answer this for you :) Have a fantastic day!

……

Ask me anything, but most ask about my ATLA ships: Taang, Zutara, Sukka, and Kantoph (Toph and Kanto lol).

[middleofnowhere92]

Ranking all ATLA Villains/Antagonists from worst to best (by someone who loves villains)

This post was inspired by this ask 

Warning: I swear quite a bit in this post and I’m a dumbass, not an ATLA scholar, so take this with a grain of salt. Also I have no idea wtf my ranking criteria was. I assigned arbitrary and meaningless points like Dumbledore giving all the points to Gryffindor at the end of the year. 

Iroh

 I have a secret for you...Iroh is an antagonist.... Say it with me... Iroh is an antagonist. For the people in the back, IROH IS AN ANTAGONIST. He’s not particularly good at at it, but he belongs on this list. Primary reason being, his siege on Ba Sing Se, which was a major battle in the 100 year war and all the other things he did in the war to become a general. If he was good at being a villain, he would at least have the decency to conquer the city, but as Ozai points out, Iroh excels at tea and failure. When we see Iroh in Book 1, He’s a very chill antagonist for the same reason a lot of our other antagonists are (June, the Yuyan Archers, Combustion man etc)-they are helping a villain achieve their goal. In Iroh’s case, he does help Zuko in many ways ( like sneaking him onto Zhao’s ship) and these in turn help Zuko get closer to his goal of capturing Aang. I love Iroh as a character, but he’s not good at being an antagonist, which is why he is ranked the worst. 

Circus Trainer

This man is straight up, evil. I like villains, but I do not like this man. He’s cruel and not in a fun way, which is why he’s near the bottom of the list. The whole point of being a villain is to be cool and do bad things, but he’s not even a little fun to watch. He’s the least interesting to look at... 

Yon Rha

This man is a coward. Like how did he lead the Southern Raiders? He went soft when he got old. He was more savage back in the day. Like this man is a firebender, but he cowers from Zuko before Katara even pops up. He needs to grow a pair. Like Katara said man is pa-thet-ic. 

The Rough Rhinos (ignoring the comics)

They get points for creating my favorite antagonist, Jet. But the first time we see these clowns in the show, the gang just rides away on Appa, easily avoiding them. And then the gang easily defeats them in their next run in. These clowns are good at destroying things, but not really fighting or pursuing others. 

Ozai

I expected more from this man. He was hyped up for three seasons and I just didn’t feel like he was smart enough to be the bad guy for the whole ass show.  The man clearly doesn’t think for himself or show up throughout the series doing  menacing things. The final agni kai overshadowed Ozai and Aang’s showdown. That’s the theme, Azula outshines a grown man as the star villain of the show. He does get some points for his fashion and flair for the dramatic. 

Mai's Uncle (Boiling Rock Warden)

This man, is a dumbass with the reflexes of a sloth. Suki overpowered him in 2 seconds flat. How is this grown man getting defeated by a little nugget like Suki? She was only holding his wrist. He could have just kicked her? Like you are a prison warden, look alive man! And he should have captured Zuko’s little ass and sent him right over to Ozai to get some street cred, but instead he just gets pissed cause Zuko broke up with Mai? First lesson in being a villain/antagonist- power over everything (including family). He does get points for ordering them to cut the line. That’s straight savage. 

Xin Fu and Yu

Toph gets it right, these are two dunderheads. How did they not hear Toph bending metal? They react almost as slowly as the Boiling Rock Warden, letting Toph easily overtake them. They are two skilled benders and they didn’t even stand a chance. 

General Fong

This man gets points for being a bat shit crazy. And I think he’s one of the first non fire nation antagonists we see in the show, so points for him. He’s an underrated antagonist. He does cool bending and his emotional manipulation to get Aang into the Avatar state is A+ villain work. 

Azulon

Azulon gets villain points for keeping the war going. He didn’t fuck it up like Ozai. But Azulon gets his villainness handed to him on a platter, he didn’t really do much, besides maintain status quo. We do get the scene where Ozai asks for the throne. But I don’t think Azulon assumed Ozai was going to kill Zuko. Azulon was trying to make a point, that Ozai’s request was absurd, but he obviously didn’t know Ozai well enough...

Koh

Koh almost didn’t make the list. I don’t really consider him to be an antagonist. Aang came to him asking for information and Koh was trying to do what he does..steal faces. He was just vibing. I included him on this list, because he antagonized us (the viewers). Dude is easily the most terrifying part of the show. 

Ghashiun

He muzzled Appa! He’s not ranked high on this list, because he didn’t know Appa was Aang’s so he wasn’t intentionally trying to fuck with the Avatar. I do like the sandbenders as a whole. They just run around causing chaos with their cool bending. This character, however, loses points, because when he is confronted about stealing Appa, he gets defensive and tries to lie. If you do something bad, at least have the balls to own up to it. 

Wan Shi Tong

Gets points for his flair for the dramatic a la Ozai. I did like Wan Shi Tong’s logic around not giving the gaang information: “You think you're the first person to believe their war was justified?!” He had more brain cells than some of our other villains/antagonists, but was also dumb too? Sokka pretty easily outsmarted him. This Spirit has been alive forever, he shouldn’t be outsmarted by a child. 

The Old Man

Oooof. I almost put him in the number one spot tbh. He did us and Haru so dirty. Like he could have died,but he turned in the person that saved him??? He gets points for shock value and pettiness. I personally think Jet should take him out...

June

June gets points for being a bad bitch. I like her vibe. She’ll do anything as long as you’re paying her the right price and I can respect that. She isn’t higher on the list, because she is executing someone else’s plan, not her own. 

The Yuyan Archers

Speaking of bad bitches, the Yuyan Archers are so cool and I wish they got more screen time! We see very few antagonists that can keep up with Aang the way that this group does. They add a bit of spice and a different flavor to what we know about Fire Nation fighting styles, which I approve of. I hope we see more of them in future ATLA projects. They aren’t higher up, because they are still doing someone else’s bidding. If they had their own leader and their own agenda, that would be some cool shit. 

Combustion Man

This man gets points for giving the gaang a lot of trouble. As viewers, we really worry about whether they will be able to defeat him. I like that he has a different style of bending, which in and of itself is terrifying. He still doesn’t make it up higher on the list, because he’s still doing someone else’s (Zuko’s) bidding.

Rig Warden

On second thought, I may have him ranked a little too high. But oh well, fuck it. He gets many many points for being voiced by George Takei. This man also gets points for having general villain swag. He is sassy and I am here for it. He’s highly effective at crushing the souls of the Earthbenders on the rig. Also, he does not stutter when Haru throws those rocks at him.Came at him full force which is what all the other himbos on this list should have been doing when these children played them! He outright told Katara he was gonna kill her “You’re one mistake away from dying where you stand.” Loses points for begging as he’s dragged off the rig. Go down with some dignity!

The Southern Raiders

So the Southern Raiders get ranked separately from Yon Rha, because he led them towards the end of their conquest. I think they started under Sozin’s reign. This group gets ranked fairly high, because they were very effective at their task. They came, they saw, they decimated-leaving the SWT defenseless and barely able to sustain itself. 

Mai

I like Mai and wish I could rank her higher. I like her knives, they are very cool form of defense that was unique to her. I also love how she just immediately flung arrows at Aang, no hesitation. She does get style points, her aesthetic is everything. Her one liners are pretty funny, “You’re so colorful, you’re making me nauseous.”  She lacks in her commitment. Anytime anything inconveniences her she’s just like eh, no thanks. Hardcore antagonists need to be have some dedication to their cause, which Mai does not.  I feel like she would eventually run out of weapons in a longer battle, which would be a big issue for her. 

Long Feng

Gets instant points for villain swag, creepy vibe and sass. This man kept news of a whole war from Ba Sing Se, even though the city was filled with refugees? Long Feng had his work cut out for him. He loses points, because he lets the children get away with too much. He should have locked down Aaang and co immediately, because they were trouble as soon as they rolled up. Also, he should have fought Azula. He let a fourteen year old take his whole career away. He was never even a player.

Sozin

Sozin gets a  large amount of hypothetical points from being the one to start it all. He’s the one who initiated the 100 year war. He did not play around. He used that comet to its maximum potential. Also he has a dragon, which is fucking cool. He gets bad bitch points for leaving Roku on the exploding island. Like that’s a power move right there. He wiped out the air nomads and invaded the Southern Water Tribe, which is why his successors  are ranked much lower on the list. They really didn’t do shit.

Hama

Gets points for being a waterbender, which is something cool that we hadn’t seen in a villain yet. She also gets points for executing her own deranged agenda. I would love to see her and Jet link up, cause that would have been chaos. She also gets heaps of points for inventing bloodbending. Many of the villains of this list can barely think and homegirl has big brain energy. She is cunning and quick, like when she utilizes Sokka and Aang to attack Katara. I like her general bruja (witch) vibes. She gets more points because she does not motherfucking stutter when Katara figures her out, she just starts bloodbending immediately. She really enjoys her power and I can’t blame her for it. She’s a baddie and she knows it. More points for Hama, because she gets Katara to carry on her legacy (whether she wants to or not) and goes off to jail with her dignity. She’s an all-star villain and I love to see it. She loses a few points, because her bloodbending is limited to the full moon, but she still has her waterbending which is terrifying enough...

Dai Li

Like the rig warden, I probably ranked these himbos too high, but I love them as henchmen. Their bending is amazing, they are sneaky and they can brainwash you? Like fuck me up man. They really are just a joy to watch and their betrayal of Long Feng is so unexpected. This group really creates the creepy/ominous aesthetic the creators were going for in Ba Sing Se. Don’t think their bending is good? They one upped Toph and almost had her, but Jet saved her at the last second. 

Zhao

I feel like Zhao’s characterization is inconsistent (sometimes he has a bad temper, sometimes he doesn’t?) which makes him hard to rank, but let’s do it anyway. He gets points for being voiced by the guy that played Lucius Malfoy, like yaaas work that Slytherin aesthetic. Gets points for using the Yuyan Archers. Loses a lot of points in his fight with Aang, like that child was obviously baiting him. He has a lot of ambition and actually has to work to his rise to power, which he obviously relishes. He’s the perfect antagonist for Zuko. He accomplished his goal of frying the fish/moon and he actually captures Aang. I think the writers added in his hot temper later on, because they realized he was too competent and had to give him a flaw. 

Zuko

Ohhh my morally confused prince, Where do we even start? Zuko gets a lot of points for his sheer determination. I would love to see an unhinged Zuko without Iroh. Zuko’s tenacity and unpredictability make him a fantastic antagonist. Iroh and Azula try to control Zuko, but they never really know what he’s gonna do next and neither do we as the viewers. He’s near the top of the list, because even with so many struggles he kept Aang on the run for two seasons. I like that he actually struggled to be good. He obviously loses points for joining the good guys, but we still love him. 

Jet

Speaking of morally grey, cue up Jet’s theme music. He gets instant points for swag and cool swords. Like the Yuyan archers, Jet is one of the few antagonists we see that can keep up with Aang. Like Zuko, Jet’s dedication to his cause get him high on this list, because he will defeat the Fire Nation at any cause. The creators lose points for being cowards and killing him off. We saw plenty of other people (Sokka) get hit with similar rocks and not die. Jet is a fantastic antagonist with a backstory that the audience can sympathize with. He loses points for not being more versatile in his tactics. I’ve written more on this here. 

Ty Lee

Katara is terrified of her, do I need to elaborate? Ty Lee by far has the scariest skill set on the show. It’s too easy for people to underestimate her. Katara and Suki make that mistake once and then never do it again. Like Toph, Ty Lee knows to wait for the right time to strike, making her highly effective at taking out our favorite benders and whole groups of benders (The Terra Team). Her betrayal of Azula is ICONIC and unexpected, but as always, Ty Lee knows just the right time to strike. I think Ty and Mai were perfectly capable of getting away at the Boiling Rock and I’m disappointed they were captured so easily. 

Azula

Look down, you’re talking to your highness. Can’t see her? She’s the reason for your blindness. 

To the surprise of absolutely no one, Azula is the baddest bitch in the game. PERIODT. She is ruthless, cunning and powerful. Her lightning bending is at a whole other level. She is the smartest person on this list. She takes Ba Sing Se from the inside out, utilizes the Da Li perfectly and has antagonized Zuko from the beginning. As far as I’m concerned, she was made to be Firelord. 

[army-of-mai-lovers]

Flamey-O

fic request from @shrinkthisviolet: Aang-centric fic with the prompt “Rough day? Can I make it better?” 

(Lavi I love and appreciate you and I hope you’re okay with me using my Flamey-O Noodles hc as a springboard for this fic but if you’re not just say the word and I’ll write you something different) 

fic under the cut!

Aang was sulking in their room when Katara walked in. 

“Rough day?” she asked. Aang nodded, and she sat down beside him. “Can I make it better?” 

“Can you make ‘flameo hotman’ accepted modern Fire Nation slang?” Aang muttered. 

Katara frowned. “I’m sorry, what?” 

Aang pouted. “Okay, so Zuko invited me to go to that meeting with the Fire Nation council, right? Well, when I got there, I introduced myself and said ‘flameo, hotmen!’ And they all just stared at me like I’d grown a second head.”

Katara rubbed his shoulders. “So you’re upset because ‘flameo, hotman’ isn’t catching on?” 

“It’s real Fire Nation slang!” Aang insisted. “Or at least it was, a hundred and twenty years ago. I don’t know why it fell out of fashion.” 

Katara shrugged. “It’s been a long time, Aang. Sometimes things die out.” 

Aang stared at her with wide eyes. “Do you think...” He took a deep breath. “Do you think maybe things that die out can come back?” 

Katara wasn’t entirely sure what the real question was, never mind what the actual right answer to it could be. But she nodded. “If it’s meant to come back, it will.” She squeezed his hand. “We thought the Avatar was gone forever, and then we found you.” 

Aang smiled and kissed her cheek. “Thank you, Katara. I love you.”

“I love you too,” she said, smiling back. 

___________________________________________________________________

That night, Aang lay awake, thinking about the past. This wasn’t an uncommon occurrence for him; the first few weeks traveling with Sokka and Katara, he’d barely slept, thinking about how everything and everyone he knew was gone, and he was alone in a world that didn’t understand him. But he wasn’t alone, and he never had been. Sokka and Katara had made sure of that, and then Suki, and then Toph, and Zuko. 

Zuko. 

Flameo. 

He remembered it clear as day. The monks had just told him that he was the Avatar, and they wanted him to train in etiquette so that he could meet with dignitaries from other nations. Aang didn’t really understand what more he needed to learn, considering he had friends from all over the world, but the monks had insisted. So there he was, reciting from an etiquette book while Monk Gyatso made a pot of Aang’s favorite noodles. 

“A popular informal greeting among Fire Nation citizens is ‘flameo, hotman.’“ Aang giggled. “That one’s good. I’ve got to use that on Kuzon next time I see him.” 

Monk Gyatso scooped up the noodles and vegetables and put half a hard-boiled egg on top of Aang’s plate, with the other half on top of his own. “I like that one too,” he said, handing Aang his noodles. “I had an old friend, when I was just about your age, who really enjoyed that greeting.” 

“Were they Fire Nation?” Aang asked, his mouth full of noodles and vegetables. 

“Eat slower, Aang. Savor your food. And yes, he was Fire Nation” Gyatso said, a little sadly. “He came to stay with us for a while, and we became great friends.” 

Aang shoveled more of Gyatso’s noodles in his mouth. Spirits, this is so good. “Gyatso,” Aang asked. “When we’re done with the lesson, can you teach me how to make noodles?” 

Gyatso laughed. “Not exactly the most necessary skill for a young Avatar.” 

“Well, what if the Earth King wants a good meal? I want to have something to make for him,” he said. “Come on, please? I’ll be good, I promise.” 

Gyatso looked at Aang fondly. “You already are good, Aang. You always have been.” He rubbed Aang’s head affectionately. “i think you know quite enough about how to talk to foreign dignitaries. Come on, let’s make some noodles.” 

So Gyatso took Aang through the steps of making the noodles: making a well in the flour to put the eggs and water in, mixing it with his hands, kneading them, rolling them out, slicing them. Gyatso cut up some more vegetables while Aang was slicing the noodles, and they put all the ingredients in a pot to boil for a couple minutes. When it was done, Gyatso gave them each second and third helpings. 

“Flameo, hotman,” Gyatso said slyly. 

Aang grinned. “Flameo.” 

Katara snored beside him, snapping him out of his memory. The moon hung high in the sky, and Aang could practically feel Yue scolding him, telling him it was long past time to go to bed. He turned on his side, trying to clear his mind. And then he turned again, and again. But nothing worked. 

Finally, he sat up. He wanted noodles. 

It had been over a century since that day, but Aang still remembered. His technique was a little clumsier than Gyatso’s had been, but it was a simple recipe nonetheless. He hummed as he chopped up his vegetables and sliced the dough into noodles, before tossing all of it in a pot and waiting for it to boil. 

As he set the pot over the fire, he saw Katara, groaning as she rubbed her eyes. “Aang, what are you doing?” 

He smiled at her. “I’m making noodles.”

She frowned at him. “In the middle of the night?” 

“I just--” He sighed. “I’m sorry for waking you up, but I, um.” He scratched the back of his neck. “I wanted noodles.” 

Katara rubbed at her eyes, and smiled blearily at him. “Can I have some?”

So Aang pulled out two bowls, one for him, and one for Katara, and scooped some noodles and vegetables into both of their bowls. He sliced a hard-boiled egg in half, putting one half in his noodles, the other half in Katara’s, and set the bowl in front of her. 

She raised an eyebrow. “All right, let’s see if these middle of the night noodles are any good.” 

She gingerly ate a little bit, and her eyes went wide. “Tui and La,” she breathed. 

“What?” Aang asked. “Do you like them?” 

“Do I like them? Do I like them?!?!? Aang, this is almost as good as Bato’s sea prunes.” 

Aang raised his eyebrows. “Oh, that’s... that’s great!” 

Katara kicked him lightly under the table. “They’re really, really good Aang. You know,” she said, stuffing more noodles in her mouth, “If you ever get sick of the whole Avatar thing, you could be a really great chef.” 

“Thanks, Katara,” he said. “I can make them for you again. Any time you want.” 

Katara nodded vigorously. “You’d better.” 

_____________________________________________________________________

He ended up making them quite a lot, actually. A few weeks after middle of the night noodles, Katara found out that she was pregnant, and there was many a night where she poked at his side and mumbled, “Noodles?” His technique improved every time he made them, and he loved watching her face light up every time he made them for her. 

Bumi was born, and for a while he was too wrapped up in figuring out how to be a good dad to think about the noodles. But he thought of Gyatso, often. Wondering what he would think of Bumi, of Katara, of the life that he’d made for himself. Of how he’d handled being the Avatar. Of how he’d survived the unsurvivable, and held onto the memory of the Air Nomads while he did so. 

When Bumi turned a year old, Katara decided they should invite everybody over for dinner to celebrate. “You can make those noodles!” she suggested excitedly. 

Aang laughed. “I would think you were sick of those.” 

“Oh, I am,” she said. “Just a little bit. But everybody else hasn’t tried them, and it is so hard trying to figure out something that Zuko and Suki will both like. But I don’t see how either of them could not like the noodles.” 

Aang agreed, and so he served the noodles to all of his friends, to their absolute delight. “You really can cook, Twinkle Toes,” Toph said, whistling. 

“This is amazing, Aang,” Suki said. “Almost as good as sea prunes.”

“This is way better than sea prunes,” Zuko said, holding out his bowl. “Can I have some more?” 

Somehow, every time Aang and Katara went to go see Suki and Sokka, or to the Fire Nation to see Zuko, or to the Earth Kingdom to visit Toph’s metalbending academy, they always managed to bring up the noodles. “You should have brought some,” Toph grumbled. “Could really go for some Twinkle Toes noodles right now.” 

“I wouldn’t call them ‘Twinkle Toes’ noodles,” Aang scoffed. 

Toph raised an eyebrow. “Really? Then what would you call them?” 

And before Aang could even think about it, he said, “Flamey-O. Flamey-O Noodles.” 

Toph burst out laughing. “You’re really never going to let that go, are you, Twinkle Toes?” 

Aang shook his head. “Nope. I’m bringing it back.” 

“Well, you know, if you ever wanted to turn ‘Flamey-O Noodles’ into something real, one of my students’ moms is in the restaurant business.” 

Aang stared at her. “You mean you want me to make this into... a business? I don’t have time for that.” 

Toph shrugged. “All right. Just something to consider.” She smirked. “You know, if the name Flamey-O was plastered all over Ba Sing Se, saying ‘flameo, hotman’ might come back into style. And not even just in the Fire Nation, either. All over the world.” 

Aang’s eyes glinted mischievously. “What did you say your student’s mom’s name was?” 

____________________________________________________________________

“I must say, it’s not every day the Avatar is approaching me for a business venture. I’m quite honored to be in your presence, your grace.”

“It’s nice to meet you too! You can just call me Aang, though. In fact, I’d prefer it.” 

Bao was a short, stout woman, probably twice Aang’s age (without considering the time he spent in the iceberg.) She had a warm presence that he liked immediately, although she did seem to be making a lot of the whole “Avatar” thing. 

“Spirits, I’m on first name basis with the Avatar,” she breathed in awe. “Come, come, sit, please, tell me how I can serve you best, your-- Avatar Aang.” 

“Just Aang,” he said quickly. “And I’m more interested in serving you... some of my noodles!” He set a bowl in front of her. “They’re not fresh, sorry, but I think they’re still really good.” 

She frowned. “Noodles? Av-- Aang, don’t you have Air Acolytes waiting on you hand and foot? Why would you make your own noodles?” 

He laughed nervously, scratching the back of his neck. “No, they don’t wait on me hand and foot, although I’m sure if I gave them the opportunity they’d jump at it. But, um. Well, I learned how to make these noodles from the monks, and my wife and my friends seem to really like them, and my friend Toph knew you from the metalbending academy, and she said that you could get these noodles out to a lot of people. So I wanted you to try them, and maybe we can talk about going into business together?” 

Bao stared at him. “You do realize that what you’re proposing is absolutely preposterous, right?” 

Aang’s eyes widened. “But you haven’t even tried them!” 

“It’s not about the noodles, Ava-- Aang. Aang. Look, I am absolutely wonderful at the food business, but I had certain values instilled in me from when I was a child, and one of those values was absolute and total reverence for the Avatar.” 

“But can’t you just try them?” 

“The Avatar is supposed to bring balance to the world, manage international conflicts, mentor all of us in the values of wisdom and serenity, and you want me to eat your noodles?”

She stared at him expectantly, and Aang shifted in his seat. “Well. Yes.” 

Bao narrowed her eyes at him, and looked down at the bowl. “All right, then. If that’s what you wish, Avatar.” 

“Just Aang is fine.” 

She ignored him and stuck her chopsticks into the noodles, chewing very slowly. Savor your food. There was no expression on her face as she kept chewing, just a furrowing of her brow. 

“Have you made this dish often, Aang?” she asked. 

He nodded. “I made it a lot while my wife was pregnant, and then my friends kept asking for some, and--”

“Stop,” she said. She took another bite and continued chewing. “If I were to go into business with you, you would want to call the company what?”

“Um, Flamey-O Noodles, ma’am.” Her expressionless chewing had suddenly made him feel very small. 

“Well, it’s certainly distinctive,” she mumbled. “Though I don’t know how well it would go over with people in the Fire Nation.” 

“Are you--are you saying you’ll go into business with me?” 

“Aang, those noodles are quite simply the best I’ve ever eaten,” Bao said matter-of-factly. “And I’m not saying that because you’re the Avatar. In fact, I would say that even if you were a toad-pigeon. And I hate toad-pigeons.” She smiled, finally, and Aang let out a breath he didn’t even know he was holding. “I would be absolutely delighted to help you in creating Flamey-O Noodles.” 

He got up from his seat and wrapped her in a hug. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” 

“Avatar Aang, this is rather improper,” she said, but it was somewhat muffled by his chest. When they pulled apart, she shook her head at him. “In business, we shake hands.” 

“Right.” He took her hand and shook it. “I promise, you won’t regret it!” 

“I imagine I won’t,” she said. “Now, let’s talk packaging....” 

___________________________________________________________________

Zuko and Mai were on their evening walk through the city, disguised so that no one would recognize them as Firelord and Lady. As they moved towards downtown Caldera City, they stopped in front of a large poster with the words “Flamey-O Noodles!” in bright neon yellow, beside Aang’s smiling face. 

As somebody passed by them, they raised their hand in greeting. “Flameo, hotman!” 

“What? What are they talking about?” Mai asked. 

Zuko groaned. “I hate him.” 

[guileheroine]

a zuki ficlet for @willoghby’s birthday!! (ao3)

Zuko talks to Suki one-on-one for the first time in years, reminiscing about the time she spent as his bodyguard.

Beneath the cloudless night sky, Zuko leaned against the rampart and lit up. His thumb and forefinger sparked under the shoddily constructed cigarette. It was a bad habit, so they said, but all too easy to maintain for a firebender. Uncle would put his feet up with a barrel sometimes when they traveled together—and all the crew back then, and ministers now, smoked like drakes—but Zuko only took to it on occasion. And their get together today was a very special occasion.

He coughed unexpectedly. The smokeleaf was strong and cloying in his throat, something Sokka had harvested near Kyoshi Island on his way up. Aang and Katara accepted his little engagement gift with uproarious giggles and claps on the back. But the back of Zuko’s throat was tingling unpleasantly now and he puffed smoke through his nose. 

Behind him, there was a snicker in the night. 

“You look like Druk,” Suki said, climbing up onto the rampart from the shaded roof beyond. “Give that to me.” 

Zuko didn’t mind the comparison: his new dragon hatchling was adorable, an improbable and incredible discovery on his recent visit to the Sun Warriors after he had come of age. What he did mind was choking to death before he ever had the chance to ride Druk, so he passed the leaf to Suki without a word, hoping she wouldn’t hand it back.

“That’s strong stuff,” he coughed by way of greeting, at last.

Suki turned her head to scoff sympathetically at him once she had taken a draw. “Some of us on Kyoshi like it,” she said, adding “not the Warriors,” with a glimmering wink. She blew out a long and steady puff. Her face was bright in the moonlight, and she bore herself with casual mastery even in moments of repose like this. Suki had always been self-assured, but she had grown even more at home in herself with a couple of years back on the road. 

She had been travelling wide. Zuko was only grateful that Aang had decided to round everyone up for a palace staycation to celebrate the engagement, before he and Zuko made their temporarily-permanent move to the United Republic. Last Zuko heard, Suki had been guarding the important new trade routes from the south against bandits, so it was partly to her credit that the foundations for the United Republic weren’t even longer in the laying than they already had been. The Kyoshi Warriors were fierce mercenaries that let their principles guide all their assignments, vigilantes after a fashion, and for that he sort of envied them. Meanwhile, it felt like the role of Fire Lord required you to be an avid waster of time. He felt a wistful pang for Suki’s new world, and it focused into his gaze on her now.

Suki graciously placed the cigarette on the rail before her. Her attention was on another habit.

“I see you still like to escape up here. Are you about to run into the night without the rest of us?”

Zuko smiled inwardly at the memories those words rustled. “I’m not escaping—”

Suki held her hands up, laughing. “Oh, I’m not your bodyguard anymore, you don’t have to explain a thing to me.” She turned her nose up slightly. “And thank Kyoshi for that. No offence, Fire Lord.” 

“None taken,” Zuko said, though he felt a little petulant. Only then did he realise that he had anticipated concern or relief or something like that at his statement, but instead his words seemed to have just slid off Suki’s shoulders. He enjoyed her humour, and regretted it, feeling between them the distance of an irretrievable friendship—a missed opportunity, even—with years on top of it to boot. “Well, I was going to say that I’m not escaping today. But I still like to see the city from time to time...”  

When Suki was here, she had insisted on accompanying him down into Caldera City when he couldn’t sleep, or just to the gardens so he could stalk the place long enough to wear the anxiety out of himself. They had made a habit of it, wandering into the city under cover of night a few times a month. In spite of the odd hours, it had proven one of the better ways for Zuko to see firsthand how the capitol was really changing; who was patronising the taverns that had once been nationals-only, and how the people on the night shift spoke about the war. 

“Are you trying to wind me up?” Suki narrowed her eyes. “You’re not very good at that, Zuko. At bluffing,” she considered the cigarette and inhaled again.

“I’m not bluffing, actually. There’s a tavern down there with the most incredible fire flakes, but they’d make a scene if I showed up during the day.” 

None of the others back inside knew that. They thought Zuko was well adjusted to palace life now, his vagrant days far behind him. And they were, but old habits died hard. And it seemed like he could catch Suki off guard with this one, so there was no harm in embellishing it, although his cool manner lost some of its effect to the intermittent coughs.

“Yeah, I go down there all on my own, once or twice a week sometimes.”

He watched her turn this information over. Finally, Suki said, “I suppose there’s no harm in that. I mean, Aang says you’re not such a lousy fighter anymore, though I’m not sure I believe him.”

Zuko would concede that much. “Well, I would rather not test that, since I have no doubt you’re still sharp as ever…” 

That drew a smile again; as they both relaxed into a laugh, Zuko found the moment to ask, “Do you ever miss this place?”

He doubted that more than anything. In the year or two after the war, the capitol had transformed for sure, but erratically. The atmosphere had been hot and restive, the city teeming with officials feeling enervated and opportunistic in equal measure, reeling against the upended status quo of Ozai’s reign and eager to ensure they could have their hand in carving the new one. Every tribunal and court appointment carried the threat of violence, and Suki at his back had admittedly been one of the few Zuko trusted without reservation.

Suki sighed through her teeth, but her voice was bright. “Not really, to be honest.” 

Well, she was nothing if not honest—still a standout trait in the Fire Nation court.

From the corner of his eye, Zuko saw Suki uncross her arms, her shoulders slumping and softening. “I missed you, though.” 

The heat and tingle crept back up Zuko’s neck. There was another beat before he realised he should reply.

“I missed you, too.”

They had made all the same sweet, excited exchanges earlier with everyone all together—and meant them. So why did it bear repeating? 

Maybe things would always be different with just the two of them… Zuko had had his great adventures with all of the friends currently under his roof. But the only one that hadn’t left to attend more pressing matters after the war had been Suki, and in the end she was the one who kept company with him on the most humdrum, unremarkable days. It was an odd, minor shame that the last few years had separated them, just as their coming together had been unlikely and quiet back then. 

But he had a loyal guard now, and they were on different paths. He hoped, despite himself, that some of the new denizens of the United Republic would cause enough trouble to garner the attention of the most elite Kyoshi Warriors.  

Suki turned to him, without pretense this time. “There’s a couple more things I miss, actually. That beer at The Crimson Tiger, uff!.... I wonder,” she said, taking her time, “are they still open?”

Zuko’s own grin unfolded at hers. A little midnight rendezvous wouldn’t hurt, for old times’ sake. 

“They’ll be open till morning, if you want to check it out,” he said, but he was already rising. “I could use a little something to clear my throat.”

“You definitely could.” Suki tossed the cigarette over the rampart and rose with him, bouncing on her feet.

[gloves94]

Kingdom of the Sun [Fire Lord Zuko] 2

Chapter Warnings: Steamy smut, thigh grinding, cursing Rating: M Pairings: Zuko/OC - I have written a NSFW tollbooth so you can skip that part if you want :) Kingdom of the Sun MASTERLIST Last Airbender MASTERLIST My MASTERLIST

The air grew colder and dryer as a large metal trade ship approached the Southern Water Tribe, sailing through dark waters and dodging every odd iceberg and glacier on the way.

Tsai hugged her body closer gripping the fabric of her beige parka, she brought her cold palms into her mouth and breathed into them. Her breath visible before her eyes in white puffs.

Her brother had encouraged her to come to this ceremony. Her mother had strongly opposed against it.

“Tsai, I have repeatedly told you over and over again,” Her mother warned. “Mom I’m going, no matter what you say-“ “It’s not about the boy- it’s not about him…” Her mother sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. “But you have to understand that it is not safe. Is it not enough to wake up to riots and protesting? Tsai someone could hurt try and hurt you and by hurt you I mean kill.” Her mother had almost begged her not to go. However, the guilt trip was not enough. She had promised to keep a small profile to give her mother some peace of mind and took a small ship with a matching crew of less than ten people.

Despite never having been to the Southern Water Tribe the nation was similar to its northern sister, the ice desert seeming just as cold, yet not as desolate the bay crowded with numerous ships that were docked in from different parts of the world. It was almost nighttime when she arrived. Just in time for the celebration.

Despite having spent most of the trip self-consciously analyzing her imperfections in a mirror and nervously doing her hair over and over again, it was quite never perfect. She hesitated before getting off the ship, unsure if she would run into her ex-boyfriend or not, yet the nervousness still lingered, uneasily twisting her stomach into knots.

She had a feeling she would see him. She’d never admit it out loud, but she had in part come in hopes of running into him.

The party was lively and filled with plenty of familiar faces from all corners of the world. Pleasant ambiance music was being played. The celebration was being hosted outdoors in a snowy plaza covered under a massive tarp from which colorful lights and decorations hung down from. It was a beautiful set up. Very beach, wonderland wedding vibes. The plaza was near an icy ledge which allowed guests to a lovely view of the horizon. She glanced around the crowd and saw no sign of Zuko. Sighing, almost in relief, she walked around looking for the newly engaged couple to congratulate them. It took a while before she spotted them standing with some other members of the Water Tribe.

“Tsai! You made it!” Aang said excitedly embracing his friend. Katara also hugged her and introduced her to Kanna, her grandmother and her husband, a waterbending master, whom Tsai was already acquainted with, Master Pakku.

“Welcome to the Southern Water Tribe,” Chief Hakoda, Katara and Sokka’s father, said welcoming her to their land. “Hope it’s not too cold,” he added with a slight smile noticing how the girl kept her cold hands hidden inside of her parka’s sleeves.

“It’s bearable,” She said with a tight smile. “You’ll get used to it. Just stay away from the water. If for whatever reason you fall, you’ll go into hypothermic shock and be dead within minutes.”

‘Geez, well that’s comforting…’

“How was your trip?” Katara asked. “No assassination attempts or bombings so I guess you could say successful. I’m just happy to be here.” She laughed nervously.

“Tsai, there was something else that we wanted to ask you,” Katara began and exchanged a look with her fiancée. “It’s just that, well, when we visited you last time. We fell in love with the palace and we were wondering if we could have the wedding in the former Colonial Palace?” “We also think it would be safer. Considering the political climate…” Aang added.

The girl from Yu Dao blinked twice in surprised. They had a point it would be safer; the palace was basically impenetrable. She couldn’t decide if her mother would have a stroke or would be thrilled to having a wedding there.

However, how could she say no?

“We understand if you can’t or don’t want to-“

“No,” she said quickly. “I mean- yes. Yes! Of course, you can have it there! Aang’s right, it would be safer. Whenever you want.” She smiled at both of them.

Again, Katara threw her arms around her hugging her tightly. Who would’ve thought the two would grow to be so amiable considering the turmoil the two had had in the past.

“Hey Zuko!”

Her eyes shot wide open in panic as she saw Aang waving at someone behind her. She swallowed a heavy lump that had formed in her throat and exchanged a panicked look with Katara who nodded her head to the side. Tsai very indiscreetly ran away from the approaching Fire Lord and from her friends approaching the bar for some plum wine a delicacy around these parts. Carefully, hoping not to be noticed, she darted her eyes back to where the Fire Lord was now standing chatting with Aang and Katara. He looked absolutely regal, he was taller, impossibly more handsome than the last time she had seen him. His black hair was longer, worn in a half top knot Fire Nation fashion. He wore his royal head piece and he carried himself well as a nation’s leader should. He stood out like a sore thumb how was it that she hadn’t spotted him in the crowds? She was lost in thought when he suddenly turned, and his eyes met hers.

She almost spilled her wine when she rapidly turned back to face the bar. Face burning from the embarrassment of having been caught starring so boldly.

“Hiding from someone?” She felt a nudge on her side.

She turned to see Suki standing next to her also leaning on the bar. “Suki!” She greeted almost tackling her friend into a hug.

Suki explained that she was here as a guest and also an undercover along with Ty Lee. Both were keeping an eye on the Fire Lord as his personal bodyguards in case there were any assassination attempts. Years ago, Tsai had suggested to Zuko that he hire the Kyoshi Warriors as his personal guards since the Fire Nation’s were practically useless. Seemed like he actually took her advice. “He’s lonely,” Suki said as both girls walked away from the bar with their drinks. “He misses you. Do you miss him?”

Tsai lowered her eyes and took a distraught sip from her wine. Of course, she missed him. How could she not? She thought about him on the daily. “Yeah,” She admitted. “But I’ve been seeing other people. Or at least trying too… Do you know how hard it is to date when the Fire Lord is your ex-boyfriend?” She half rolled her eyes. Suki laughed. “Well, are you going to talk to him?”

“No!” Tsai responded a little louder than intended as panic filled her. “What would I even say?”

“What would you even say to who?” A manly voice asked loudly.

“Sokka!” She turned and gave her old friend a half hug. Tsai was about to ask Sokka a question when Suki interrupted with a sharp whisper. “Tsai, he’s coming,” She hissed lowly not breaking eye contact with her friend.

‘Fuck… fuck… fuck!’ How obvious would it be if she untangled herself from Sokka’s arm and made a run for it? She wondered if she could manage dodging him all night. She had to put herself together. Act normal. Stand up straighter, maybe a little taller. “What do I do? What do I do?!” She asked panicking shifting uneasily on her feet fidgeting with the sun stone necklace she always wore around her neck. “Pretend like Sokka just said something funny!” Suki whispered. Sokka looked beyond confused. When both girls threw their heads slightly and let out a loud laugh.

“Hey Suki-“ Zuko said as he approached the trio with that looked to be a pretend excuse. Despite speaking to the Kyoshi Warrior his golden eyes were locked in on his ex-girlfriend’s. Hers were noticeably fixed on him as well. A familiar tension suddenly becoming evident between the couple. Sokka removed his arm from his friend’s shoulders. She didn’t hear what he said to Suki. Much too struck by his presence, it was almost like seeing a ghost. She looked at his high cheek bones, his sharp jaw, even the scar on his face made him more enticing. His lips…

‘Oh no…’

She swallowed the wine she was drinking with a loud gulp.

‘He was hot.’ “You know, I always thought it would be you two first,” Sokka said bluntly referring to the marriage. She snapped her out of her trance. ‘Great. Way to add salt to the wound Sokka.’ She almost spit out her wine, slightly choking on it. The expression on his face unreadable as she avoided his eyes. She didn’t want to think about that. The last time they had touched the subject had been the day they broke up, it was a painful enough memory…

“Ty Lee needs you to untangle her braid,” Zuko said to his bodyguard in a serious tone.

“Sounds serious,” Suki said in a faltering tone. She made eye contact with her friend who lightly nodded as she was keeping her lips busy still sipping on the wine. “Come help me Sokka,” she said to her boyfriend. “But she’s right there! She’s fine!” Sokka pointed out dumbly. Girls were an enigma he’d never be able to figure out. Suki hissed at him to shut up and dragged him away leaving the ex-lovers alone and to themselves. There was a heavy awkward silence between them. The heavy tension seemed to linger. They hadn’t been in the same room in years. She couldn’t help but wonder just how much he had changed. Hell, how much she had changed. ‘Say something, say something, say something,’ she racked her brain for anything she could say or ask to him. ‘SAY ANYTHING.’ “Nice weather we’re having.”

Oh dear, he was still so painfully awkward. She couldn’t help but laugh a little at his comment. Something so simple which lightly eased the growing tension between the two. “Are you kidding? It’s awful,” she said glancing around at the icy tundra. “Everything is wet and cold and covered in snow. I wonder how Toph can walk around barefoot like that,” she responded her eyes drifting to the blind girl in the crowd. The thought of being barefoot in the snow made her feel even colder. “Well, it’s Toph. She’s tough you know?”

Again. That uncomfortable silence between the two.

Should she ask how he has been? How his mother and sister have been? Should they talk about something other than the New Ozai Society or the Anti-Revolutionary Movement? Maybe the fact that he gave her half of his lands?

But that was a story for another time… “So Aang and Katara huh?” She managed. “Yeah.” “They’re really cute. I’m happy for them.” “Yeah, same,” he said nervously holding the back of his neck. “They’re so cute- it’s kind of gross?” He gave her an odd look. “I mean they call each other sweetie,” She cringed and downed the rest of her drink seeking for some liquid courage. “I mean, we-we were never that corny.” She said addressing the elephant in the room.

This was really not going well. “Yeah,” seemed to be the only word of agreeance he could manage. He let out a weak scoff. “Never.” Both looked away awkwardly. Just in time, as it became night and the sky darkened the party progressed the music’s beat changed and they both noted how the people in the crowd started moving in unison either in groups or in couples. Swaying to an upbeat tune. “What are they doing?” He asked confused. “I think they are… dancing?” She responded just as confused.

Both being Fire Nationers the concept of dancing was completely foreign to them. The art of it had been outlawed for the past one hundred years, both never having witnessed or partaken in the activity. Everybody looked happy dancing, lightly swaying holding each other at a close distance. He looked at her from the corner of his eyes working up the courage to ask her to dance. Maybe it had been years, but the spark was still there, hidden, but he knew it, he could feel it and she looked- just wow…

“Uh, I don’t know how to.”

Zuko snapped out of his daydream to see that guy from the Earth Kingdom, what was his name been, Haru, asking her to dance. “That’s okay. I’ll teach you!” He said encouragingly stretching out his hand to her. She looked at it hesitantly, but he didn’t give her a moment to think it over. “Come on,” he grinned grabbing her hand and dragging her away to dance to an upbeat cheery dance that involved a lot of twirling.

Tsai looked back at Zuko’s who’s eyes had narrowed as he glared daggers at the back of Haru’s head. He glowered with his arms crossed over his chest starring with jealousy as the two danced, even if she was stepping on Haru’s feet the whole time.

“Ty Lee!” Zuko barked at his other bodyguard. Meanwhile said girl was busy flirting with some Water Tribe boys and turned to give her boss an irritated look. “Let’s dance,” he commanded grabbing her hand and pulling her to the dance floor not even giving her a chance to say no.

At first, he moved awkwardly unsure of where to put his hands or how to move his feet. Ty Lee, however, was more graceful; all eyes were on the acrobat as the music continued getting louder and faster. The dance shifted into some type of traditional Water Tribe dance where everybody danced in a circle spinning their partners into the arms of others.

Tsai continued stepping on Haru, profusely apologizing. She felt awful about it. Regardless he was nice and continued dancing, giving her a twirl and a spin, letting her go for a moment. Sokka caught her and did the same, as it seemed part of the dance was switching partners. He did the same and twirled her to Aang who twirled her to- “Y-You’re supposed to twirl me!” She protested with a nervous stammer to Zuko who was now holding her at an arm’s length. However instead of twirling her he was greedy and kept her away all to himself. She felt vulnerable under the intense way his eyes were locked on her face. Her face felt warm.  

“Oh, I guess I forgot,” He said sheepishly letting her go. The song was over, and people stopped dancing. People around clapped and the band suddenly began to play a slower tune. Both looked around and saw couples starting to get together and sway to the slow music. She looked away from him and began to walk away when she felt she was being held back. She looked back and saw his hand holding hers. “Dance with me.” It wasn’t a request. It didn’t sound like he was asking either. She scoffed a little at his sudden demanding nature. Yeah- right. What would he do if she refused?

“You don’t even know how to,” she couldn’t help but laugh at his demand. He arched an eyebrow giving her a meaningful look. She sighed and joined him. After all, what was one dance right? She held him at arm’s length a hand on his shoulder the other in his. His other hand snaking around her waist and resting on her lower back. She swallowed nervously when he pulled her to him completely pressing his body against hers.

Why was he so warm? Why did he smell so good? Why did her heart pace quicken like that? “See? Easy?” He said as they danced right before stepping on her. “Right,” she said in a strained voice, wincing slightly at the pain. He mumbled a painful apology and despite the ache she couldn’t help but laugh a little. She looked up from her feet and saw the way he was looking at her and she couldn’t help but melt in his arms. And just like that. It was almost as if no time had passed in between the two of them. She relaxed, smiling a little, returning the endearing look. She sighed before resting her head on his shoulder. She missed him. She missed him so, so, much. His expression mirrored hers as he let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. “Tsai, I’m ready,” he suddenly said. “For what?” She asked perplexed, continuing to lightly sway against his body, barely lifting her feet off the ground hoping not to step on him. “For the next step,” he said decisively. “As long as you don’t step on me again,” she sniggered playfully. “I’m serious,” she saw his lips were drawn into a sober thin line. “I’m ready to take out relationship to the next step.” She swore she could hear a needle scratch on a record somewhere in a loud sound in her head that made her snap out of her daze.

“Our relationship?” She pulled away looking at him startled. “We don’t have a relationship.” She was about to let go. She was about to run away and hide in the crowd, but he held her in place. “Tsai, look at me,” he spoke in a low tone holding her closer. “Look at me and tell me you don’t feel it.” She struggled but met his warm, honey colored eyes. Her eyes moved down to his lips which suddenly looked extremly inviting. She wanted to kiss him, she wanted to do it right here, right now. Yet- she remained silent, slightly shaking her head attempting to pull away from his touch. She couldn’t be with him. They shouldn’t be together. Not when- “Don’t. Run away.” He whispered in her ear, hands firm on her body, planting her on the spot. His hot breath against her skin sent chills down her spine. He pressed his forehead against hers. “It wouldn’t be fair…” She whispered back to him in a voice filled with pain. “I don’t want to make you…” She shook her head again slightly, alluding to one of the main reasons why they had broken up. The song was over and they both pulled apart when they heard clapping. She cleared her throat and joined in on the clapping.

“I need a drink,” she said nervously returning to the bar. What was this her third, maybe fourth drink?

Zuko’s eyes trailed after her, watching from a far. He sighed to himself.

It was then that the ground trembled violently. Some lost their balance collapsing as a massive explosion blew up in the docks erupting in a massive cloud of smoke. Snow going up in the air and falling like hail.

BOOM! There was another explosion and another, dark snow and flames blowing up in the air in the plaza around them. The music stopped. The crowd scattered unsure of where to go.

Tsai looked turning her attention to the plaza where everybody was when she suddenly felt a blade being pressed against her neck from behind. She gasped lightly at the surprise attack and elbowed the figure in the stomach before ducking. She turned to face her assailant, the bar tender, who held two blades one in each hand.

She reached into her sleeves and pulled out a pellet that when cracked against the floor became a smoke bomb. Her attacker coughed and swatted at the fog, she ran opposite of the explosions towards the ledge. The attacker emerged from the smog coughing loudly and ran towards her with his blades up. This time however, she stood her ground and pulled out the two hidden blames she always wore under her sleeves.

“Who sent you?” She demanded to know as both engaged in a knife fight.

Zuko saw Aang, Katara and the rest of the original Avatar group disperse as they divided to check on guests and on the nearby explosions. He turned back and his eyes went wide when he saw the auburn-haired girl under attack.

“I’m going after her!” He said out loud to his bodyguards. “Go with the others! Make sure everyone is okay!” He didn’t hesitate in rushing to her side. He saw her reach for her assailant and drive one of her blades into his torso in a fatal wound. The man bent over in pain, but he held onto her arm as fell back off the ledge dragging her down into the abyss with him.

“No!” Zuko shouted rushing to the edge, he could see the crimson dotted spots of blow staining the snow in a stark contrast. Peering over the ledge he saw nothing but an icy ocean that stretched out for miles ahead. The wind blowing harsher and louder on the edge cliff. In the ice below a dark hole of broken ice from the impact of the crash and fall. He stepped down without caution and slid down the icy slope, running down, almost falling twice. He stepped on the ice which cried in protest to his weight, he removed his long cloak and braced himself for the cold before leaping into the icy, dark waters. The cold didn’t affect him due to his mastery of his fire bending nature. Underwater he could see a dark string of water going up to the surface. It was blood… Looking down he saw the enemy sinking deeper into the ocean, at some distance was Tsai also sinking unconsciously from the terrible shock of the freezing waters which stabbed you like knives. His eyes squinted as he attempted to peer into the dark waters and past the sea salt that itched. It took him a moment to reach her. He held her tight against him and swam up to the surface almost out of breath. He pressed his palms flat on the ice and used his fire bending to break free. He regulated his breathing, spitting out yellow flames, keeping himself warm like his uncle had taught him.

He held her trembling body close, she was silent, remaining mute from the shock of the hypothermia. He picked up his tossed wool cloak and wrapped it around her. Looking up he could see smoke emitting from the top of the cliff. Going up wasn’t safe, it wasn’t a choice. The first priority was getting her warm before the hypothermia or frostbite set in. He spotted a nearby hole in the wall, a possible makeshift cave and took her there. He carried her wrapped in his cloak, she had already been tipsy, which only made matters worse. She was trembling violently, her face was pale, lips were turning blue and her wet hair stuck to her face. Clothes dripping with freezing saltwater. She had a glazed over disoriented look in her eyes and her speech was slurred as a symptom of the shock. He wasn't an expert, but his uncle had once lectured him on the effects of hypothermia and how to avoid it the last time they had been to the north pole. From what he could see she was still conscious and the fact that she was shivering meant that the effects of the hypothermia were thankfully mild. He set her own her feet and she stood wobblily, her knees weak, the disorientation getting the best of her. He saw her stumble and collapse forward barely managing to catch her mid drop. Both falling to their knees. She was soaking, cold to the bone. His thick, wool cloak wasn’t of much use this way. “I have to take off your clothes,” he said reaching for the buttons of her wet parka almost as if waiting for her consent. Agni. It was a life or death situation. “Do it.” She managed to speak through chattering teeth. He undid her clothes quickly removing her parka and bottoms, leaving the poor girl to hug her shaking body only in her undergarments for the sake of modesty. She flinched at the flesh that became exposed to the cold pole’s night air. He was trying his best to be respectful and avert his eyes from her body, but they couldn’t help but wonder. He didn’t waste any time in wrapping the cloak against her completely engulfing her in it. The only thing visible was her face. He pulled her into his dry lap. He leaned back against the icy wall and with fiery breaths warmed his system thoroughly. Heat radiating from his body. She clung to him burrowing deep into his chest desperate for his warm touch, he lightly rubbed her back placing his head on top of hers trying his best to radiate some, but not too much warm. If he fucked up, she’d probably go into cardiac arrest from the harsh change in temperature. A moment passed and she was silent. Panicking he looked down and lightly shook her body.

“Tsai, tsai! You can’t fall asleep! You have to stay awake!” He said lightly shaking her body. She grumbled and let out a shuddering breath at the absence of his warmth. “I need you to touch me,” she whispered in a shuddering breath. He looked at her for a moment his eyes hard with an unreadable expression. With icy hands she reached for his warm ones and placed them on her sides underneath the cloak. She sat on his tight and greedily touched him needing more of his warmth. His hands roamed her sides, her arms and her upper and lower back, the light firebending in them making his large slender hands toasty, warm and inviting to touch. “I never thought this is how I would die,” she whispered dramatically against this skin. “You’re not going to die,” he said reassuringly gently back rubbing her body. Her body was ice cold to the touch.

She was already starting to feel better, the warmth returning to her body little by little, slowly as it should be. “Keep me warm. Please. I need you,” she quivered clinging to him desperately. Fisting the fabric of his coat opening it slightly to palm the bare warm skin of his chest. He saw that look in her eyes. They held in more than the wanting and need for his touch. There was another dark emotion reflected in her eyes. He warmed his breath, knowing that she’d be immune to the fire due to part of her nature which was made up of the Sun Spirit. The same part that made her be able to walk through flames and made her hair unnaturally red. Slowly he leaned in and placed a firey kiss on her neck. On that sensitive, tender spot just underneath her ear. The flames licking her body, sticking to her in a caressing warmth. His hands underneath the cloak sparkled lightly against her cool flesh with elicited flames. He continued kissing every exposed inch of her skin, each touch hotter, wetter, more ardent than the previous one. She stretched her neck to the side allowing him more room to paint in the canvas of her neck and with a deep exhale she let out a low moan. One that shook him to his core. He froze in the spot. Seeing as the two had never crossed that strongly marked line…

“I-I’m sorry,” she apologized and pulled back trembling slightly. She knew this wasn’t the sort of thing he was comfortable with and didn’t want to put him in that undesirable position. His eyes never left hers. “It’s okay,” he said reassuringly, his hands rounding around the back of her waist once again sitting her on his thigh. She looked at him with a tentative expression. After all this had been one of the reasons of their breakup. “It’s okay,” he repeated in a comforting tone. Maybe… Just maybe like he had said he was ready for the next step… He breathed out a tongue of fire and took in a deep breath before diving in and kissing the underside of her jaw. One of his hands held her face, the other held a rough grip on her hip. His fingers digging into her skin. She sighed and her eyes locked on him giving him almost a feverish look. She remained unmoved, instead he moved up and caught her lips in his.

After all this time, it really was the same as before, nothing had changed. The spark lingered. Both felt a familiar warmth spread through their bodies. Her heart jumped to her throat. He stroked her face and she parted her mouth slightly, his tongue softly tracing her bottom lip. Scratch that- maybe it was even better than last time. She unconsciously rolled her hips forward letting out a throaty groan, wanting to ease the demanding tickling that had formed in between her legs. She wanted him. Oh, she had wanted him for years. She could feel him turning hard against her leg. She continued grinding against him, forward and back in deeper rolling motions. His hands like his skin were hot, his breath against hers steaming in clouds of white as she pressed his body against his. He let out a deep groan against her skin before kissing it. God, how he’d missed her. How touch starved he’d been all this time. She reached for his hands and testing the waters raised them up slightly, they trailed her skin, sending shivers down her spine before she placed them on top of her breasts. He grasped them lightly, his hands melting what she felt were hard icicle that had formed on her chest. Patches of her skin now glowing with a rosy glow from his hot touch, the paleness and blue frost gradually waning. Her hair and body now safely dry.

She rubbed her wet core against the rough clothing of his leg riding him as if there were no tomorrow. She strained in her breathing struggling to hold the lewd sounds she was making inside of her throat.

He observed the flustered expression on his face and wanted more. He throbbed for more. Moving a steady hand to her hip he followed her movements, pressing him down harder against her. She rubbed harder and deeper. She was so greedy to please herself, so desperate for that release. Until she let out a small cry her head tilting back slightly, breathing heavily as she reached her release. The knot that had formed in the pits of her stomach fantastically becoming undone. She sighed content. Coming down from her high. Both of her arms were wrapped around his neck, she lowered them to his chest and looked at him with a post haze from her momentary high.

She kissed him hard, harden than she ever had. Leaving absolutely no space between them. If she pressed herself to him any harder the two might’ve morphed into one. Both having forgotten they were in cave, that an assassin had just tried to kill them, that she had almost gone into hypothermic shock. “You’re shaking,” he said with a small smile stroking the inside of her arm.

She let out a little laugh. “Yes, but I’m not that cold anymore.”

He kissed her face while she spoke and again held her tightly against his body.

“I miss you.” 

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[citrina-posts]

I’ve seen lots of earth science/astrogaang posts and whilst I love them... it is time for my Fossil AU because let me tell you, I don’t know shit about anything to do with space or rocks or space rocks but FOSSILS. I love them. oh boy here we go

Katara likes shells. Cone shells and junonia are her faves bc a) they are pretty and b) if they were exposed to the sun they glow under UV light which!! How cool is that!! She has a beautiful ammonite w/ mother of pearl which is her baby. She also likes making jewelery with sea glass/shells/other pretty stuff she’s found.

Sokka likes collecting shark teeth. His faves are megolodon and great white but he’s also partial to little lemon and snaggletooths. He has way too many shark tooth necklaces. His pride and joy is a GIANT meg tooth the size of his face, its root is super curved and it’s named boomerang. Definitely he freaks out whenever he finds something good, he and aang have an entire screamfest/dance routine down.

Toph is a good old fashioned trilobite gal. She loves that you can feel the texture of their shells, the fact that they are so varied in size and age, and also that they are embedded in sedimentary rock. She has a huge collection with a nonsensical organization system that only she can navigate. She way prefers digs to surface hunting bc it’s easier to feel fossils, and also she likes getting her hands dirty.

Aang likes weirdass fossils that nobody’s ever heard of. Give him any random echinoid or mammal tooth and he’ll know the scientific name, bc he thinks all fossils deserve love. He names all his fossils and one of his faves is a nearly fully intact afradapis skull, named Momo. He’s partial to coprolite, fossilized eggs, and other such fun stuff. He and katara go on fossil hunting dates where they try to find each other pretty shells and make jewelery with their finds.

I’m sorry but... zuko is definitely one of those guys who watched jurassic park and then became obsessed with dinosaurs for the rest of his life. He likes birdlike dinos and is a firm ���dinos had feathers” supporter. Uncle iroh likes the bigass herbivores like brontosaurus but zuko likes the little guy. His fave is the velociraptor (ok i know it’s basic but they’re very zuko-ish). Has a minor freak out every time he finds something bc he’s anxious he’ll break these millions-of-years-old fossils... he never does break them though

Suki likes fossilized coral and plants. Tbh I don’t know much about these but she does for sure. She especially likes fan coral (haha see what I did there) and also is very sad that the reefs are dying. Her collection is the most organized. She is the only member of the paleogaang who isn’t absolutely crazy and therefore is the most chill when she finds something cool.

[degrassi-fanatic]

Loved to the Point of Creation

Today was the once-in-a-blue-moon rest day for Team Avatar, which meant that their little group had split off to partake in their own personal de-stressing activities; Aang was using one of the old meditation rooms in the Air Temple, Katara was taking a dip in a nearby lake, Zuko was attempting to gather up some plants for a tea his uncle used to make for him, while Toph was messing around with Momo somewhere. 

Sokka, himself, was busy peering over the soft tufts of Appa’s fur to watch Suki as she rifles through her belongings. His girlfriend must sense that someone is watching her because soon her head snaps up, and Sokka almost pulls a muscle as he lurches downward, in an attempt to avoid eye contact. 

He feels like a complete and utter idiot, which contrary to Katara’s belief, he is not (most of the time). A breath escapes him, as he takes a moment to study the pair of wrist and ankle guards in his hand. 

They were for Suki. Since watching her fight for the first time back on Kyoshi Island, Sokka realized that she had a very defensive fighting style and a large part of her technique involved blocking opponent’s attacks, which meant her wrists and ankles always bore the brunt of a brawl. Usually, her Kyoshi Warrior outfit would offer protection but that had been long confiscated by the Fire Nation sometime during her arrest, and subsequent imprisonment. 

After their latest skirmish with the bad guys, Sokka had noticed the black and blue bruises encircling Suki’s wrist and an ache erupted in his chest, one he was sure would rival the one in Suki’s skin. 

At the sight of her skin all mottled, Sokka came to the decision that he would not let Suki hurt, not if he could do something to prevent it. That’s why he crafted the joint guards, in an effort to keep her safe. 

Well, as safe they could be in the middle of a war, that is. Sokka isn’t so stupid that he doesn’t recognize how utterly useless extra padding will be in keeping her safe from Fire Nation soldiers. Extra padding wouldn’t do anything for Suki in a fight against Azula.

Maybe, this was a dumb idea, after all. 

Sokka might as well not bother putting himself through the humiliation of Suki inevitably laughing at him. 

As he pushes his body off of Appa and away from his hiding spot, he makes his way down to his room only to be ambushed by Suki. As his brain takes a little longer to process that it is his girlfriend in front of him and not some ghostly apparition, Sokka leaps out of his skin and lets out a (manly) yelp before shoving the joint guards behind his back. 

Uncaring for the fact that she almost gave Sokka a heart attack, Suki simply smirks at him with a glint in her eyes before opening her mouth.

“You okay?” she asks. 

Clutching the guards behind his back, he can feel the details pressing indents into his skin. 

“Yep!” he answers with an unusually high voice, “Now, I have to go—”

Before he can finish whatever excuse was on the tip of his tongue, Suki cuts him off with an arched eyebrow as she crosses her arms in front of her chest. 

“What’s behind your back?” she questions. 

For a second, Sokka helplessly stares at her, wondering if he looks desperate enough that maybe she’ll leave the matter alone. However, the longer he looks at her, the more he realizes there is no way Suki is going to give up on this, not until she gets what she’s looking for. Letting out a dramatic sigh, he reluctantly pulls his hands away from his back and moves them to the front; presenting the wrist and ankle guards to Suki.

As she eyes them up and down, Sokka swallows hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing harshly. His face turning more red with each passing moment Suki scrutinizes the items in his hands. 

“Here,” he says, “These are for you. They’re, uh, they’re wrist and ankle guards.”

“Sokka, you bought me these?” she asks with a disapproving shake of her head that has Sokka’s stomach sinking, “You shouldn’t have. We could have used the money to buy rations, or medicine, or—”

Eager to clarify, Sokka exclaims, “I made them!”

“What?” Suki asks with a tilt of her head. 

Stretching his spine out, Sokka stands ramrod straight now, though the effect is lost as he darts his eyes to the ground. 

The ground sure does look interesting.

“I, uh, I noticed that you would get all bruised up after fights,” he explains as he brings a hand up to scratch behind his ear, “So, I made them for you.”

“For me?” she asks.

“Well, yeah,” he says with a small smile as he brings his head up to look at Suki again, “I don’t like you getting hurt.”

The guards are plucked away from his palms and soon Suki has them in her own hands.

“That’s sweet, Sokka,” she says with a fondness that warms him from the inside out, “Thank you.”

The two of them stare at one another with such adoration and affection that Sokka suddenly realizes what all of those musicians and poets and authors have been rambling on about since the dawn of time and civilization itself. 

A moment passes by and Suki breaks away to duck her head down, a soft smile encompassing her face. Her thumbs stroking the material in her hands.

Sure, the extra padding wouldn't do much in heated battle, but they would serve as a reminder for Suki, that there was someone who loved her enough to go through the ordeal of fashioning guards from their lacking resources, that there was someone who was waiting for her to come back. 

"You want to see something cool?" he asks, after a second.

Right away, Suki nods enthusiastically.

As Sokka wades closer to her, he helps her slip on the wrist guards, gently smoothing them down her fingers to sit snugly at the base of her palms. 

"There's some cushioning to add a bounce back," he explains, prodding the padding of the guard while Suki stares up at him, "So, when you block someone you use less exertion and you get some advantage as..."

[pinky13427]

For zutara week: Day 1 Reunion

Katara's P.O.V

It has been two long years since the end of the 100 year war. Two years have passed since Aang and I tried to have a relationship, but it didn't work out. Two years have passed since Zuko and I kissed after he got injured by Azula's lightning that was meant for me. Two years have passed since Zuko became Fire Lord. The last I heard from him was two years ago, when he told me that Mai and him were going to try dating. Two years have passed since I last saw him face to face. Two years have passed since I realized that I was completely, and utterly in love with Zuko.

The same Zuko that hunted Aang all over the world. The same Zuko who saved me from the pirates. The same Zuko who eventually joined us in defeating his father. The same Zuko who helped me face my mother's killer. The same Zuko who held me as I cried after I faced said killer. The same Zuko who I had forgiven after that trip to face that evil man.

Even now, I think about what could've happened between us, had we decided not to date Aang and Mai respectively. I wonder if he ever thinks about me. About the passionate and relieved kiss we shared. I wonder if Zuko and Mai are still together. I hope they aren't, then maybe I can tell Zuko my true feelings. I am on my way to the Fire Nation right now because I needed to get away from the freezing cold that was the Southern Watertribe. When we were travelling around the world, I found myself wanting to make a permanent home in the Fire Nation. I love the climate it has. Plus, I absolutely adored the fashion of the Fire Nation people. And, I would be closer to Zuko. So I have decided to move here. I left Sokka to lead our tribe. He understands that I couldn't live in such a secluded place anymore. Now, I can only hope that Zuko won't mind me living in the palace until I can find a place to call my own. I make my way up to the palace doors where a guard is waiting to escort me to see Fire Lord Zuko.

Zuko's P.O.V

I'm sitting on my throne waiting for any news about anything really. Being Fire Lord is not what I expected. It's actually quite boring. Since the end of the war there have only been minor inconveniences. Such as a few of my father's old supporters trying to start another war. But we quickly took care of them. They're now in prison alongside my father. My ambassadors keep trying to find me a wife. But I only have one female in mind. And that's Katara. Ever since Mai and I broke up, Katara hasn't left my mind. I don't think she ever left.

Not since that kiss we shared. After Azula struck me with her lightning, I thought I was definitely a goner. But Katara saved my life. Me, the person who has caused her and her friends so much pain, was saved by Katara. After she healed me up a bit, we kissed. And what a wonderful kiss it was. I never wanted it to end. I wanted Katara to be by my side for the rest of our lives. But we had to make sure that the war was finished. And it was. But then I got coronated and we went our separate ways. Without even talking about the kiss.

When I jumped in front of the lightning to save Katara, I had realized that I was completely in love with her. And have been since I saved her from the pirates. I wish I could've told her before I became Fire Lord. But everything happened so fast. And before I knew it, she was heading back to the Southern Watertribe with Sokka, Suki, and Aang. When they left, Katara and Aang we're dating. But she didn't look that happy. Neither of them really did. I think it was just an end of war thing. However, I'm not sure if they're still dating or not.

I haven't heard from Katara in those two years since the end of the war. And I've been too busy to write. Well, not really. Maybe I just didn't know how to put my feelings into words. That's something that I still struggle with. I really hope she finds time to visit me soon. Just so I can see her gorgeous cerulean eyes one more time. I really do miss her.

I told myself that if I ever see her again, that I would tell her my true feelings. Regardless if she returns them or not. I'm roused out of my thoughts when a guard enters the throne room. "What is the meaning of this interruption?" I'm not actually angry. I just didn't want to be interrupted while I was thinking about Katara. Or Kat, as I had started calling her towards the end of the war. I was not expecting the voice I heard next.

"Oh come on your majesty. Even I know that you weren't doing much." Katara says suddenly.

"Kat! Why didn't you tell me you were coming to visit. I would've prepared a special dinner and everything. Is anyone else with you? Where's Aang?" I couldn't help the jealousy that slipped out with my words as I said Aang's name.

Katara's P.O.V

I hide a snicker at his jealousy towards Aang. "Well, Zuko. I came here by myself. Because I've decided to move to the Fire Nation permanently. I've always loved the weather here. As well as the fashion. So I left Sokka to lead our tribe. And Aang and I broke up shortly after we started dating. We decided that we're better off as friends. Plus I love somebody else. And I hope that he returns my feelings." I look up hopefully at Zuko. "Can I stay inside the palace for awhile, until I can save up enough money to get my own house? It would be much appreciated."

I look up and see a strange look on his face. I don't know if it's from what I said about Aang and I not being together. Or if it was me telling him that I'm moving to the Fire Nation. Or if it was from me asking him if I could stay in the palace for awhile. However, his eyes show me that he's most intrigued about what I said about being in love with someone else. I really hope he returns my feelings. I look back to the guards in the room. "Can you guys give the Fire Lord and I a few minutes alone? He and I really need to talk about some things. Please and thank you." They nod and leave us. Soon it's just Zuko and I. Just like it was two years ago.

"So mister Fire Lord Zuko sir. Can I have a hug? I did just travel hundreds of miles to visit." I smile as he races towards me with a big grin on his face.

Zuko's P.O.V

Wait. I had so many thoughts going through my brain all at once. She's moving to the Fire Nation? She's not dating Aang anymore? She loves somebody else? She wants to stay in the palace for awhile? I don't know what question to ask her first. But right now I just need to focus on hugging her tightly. I run up to her and take her into my arms. Hugging her tightly, I also spun her in a little circle. "Kat! I can't believe you're here. Why didn't you write and tell me that you were coming?" After I hug her, I place her back on the ground before leading her up to the thrones. I sit her down in the one to my left and I sit in my personal throne. "We have much to discuss. But first things first. You're moving here? Forever? Cool. Now we won't be far apart. We'll be able to have our talks like we used to." I look down and see her looking a bit scared.

"Katara? What's wrong? You know you can tell me anything right? I know I haven't written these past two years. But I never knew what to say. I've never been good at explaining my feelings and thoughts to others."

She looks at me and asks, "Where's Mai? I thought you two would still be together."

I frown slightly. "She and I decided that we're better off as friends. She's found a lovely soldier to marry. I couldn't be any happier for her. Plus, I love somebody else." She looks a bit sad at that. I wonder why. Unless... "Kat? I want to try something really quick. Just trust me okay?"

She says breathlessly, "Of course I trust you Zuko but what..." before she can even get out her full response I lean my head down and kiss her fully on the lips. She freezes at first, but then she melts into the kiss just like she did two years ago. We kiss for what seems like forever, but we pull away in order to breathe. "Kat. You're the one I love. I've loved you ever since I saved you from the pirates. And I was so angry at myself when I betrayed your trust in Ba Sing Se. I let Azula's manipulations overrule what I really wanted. Which was you. I am so sorry."

Katara's P.O.V

Did he just... Did he just kiss me? I have been waiting for that moment for two years now. I couldn't be any happier. He also just said that he loves me. I can't help the blush that rises to my cheeks. And now he's apologizing again for what he did in Ba Sing Se. "Zuko... you don't need to apologize for that anymore. I forgave you a long time ago. I have a confession to make. I love you too Zuko. I have since you took me to face my mother's murderer. I didn't write to you either, because I didn't know how to express my feelings. So I've just been drowning myself in my work these past two years. Now that I've decided to move here, maybe we could try and make a relationship work."

I blush again, looking down. I feel his warm fingers lift my chin up to face him again.

Zuko's P.O.V

I look at Katara directly in her gorgeous cerulean eyes. "I would love it if you would become my girlfriend Kat. Don't worry about paying for a house. You can live here in the palace with me. And I know you don't like servants, so I won't assign you any if that is what you wish. I love you with all my heart. And I'm sorry it took me this long to tell you."

I kiss her softly one more time before hugging her gently. "This is some reunion isn't it?" I couldn't help but let out a chuckle. "I love you Katara."

Katara's P.O.V

I smile again. So glad that I made the trip over here. "I would love to live with you. Thank you for respecting my views on servants. But I wouldn't mind having one girl to talk to if I need help getting ready in the morning."

I lean my forehead on his shoulder. "Some reunion is right. And I love you Zuko."

[jaxsteamblog]

Home

Click here to read the full fic on AO3

It was weird having other people pack her things. Granted, Katara had absolutely no free time, but it was still odd to be in the middle of a meeting and know that other people were sorting through her clothes and packing up her books.

For the fall, she was going to stay at the Avatar’s residence in Republic City with Thuy’s instructors. While Thuy was still firmly entrenched in her earthbending training, it had been common practice that all of the instructors would live together to oversee all aspects of the Avatar’s training.

Having spoken directly to Kyoshi, Thuy understood that Kuruk’s companions had been very close, so at first she had enjoyed living with them. Katara was optimistic about the situation, since she was at the very least friendly with everyone that would be there.

She was less excited about Thuy’s animal guide though. A giant catgator was not ideal to keep around.

When everything was packed and ready to go, Katara met with Rohan in the library. They still had their head shaved, but wore normal clothes. It was odd to see the blue tattoo run up the back of their head, but mostly it was due to the climate and less to do with their fashion.

“Are you ready to go?” Katara asked. Rohan turned, holding up a heavy tome.

“Can I take this?” They asked.

“Sure. But what is it?” She replied.

“A philosophy book. I think Meelo would like it.”

“Meelo?”

“Hey, me and my siblings are all complex and nuanced.” Rohan tucked the book under their arm with a smile. “Let’s head out.”

Since riding on Dawa months ago, Katara actually preferred it to normal flight travel if she was the only passenger. There weren’t a lot of flights in or out of the Poles, so the environmental cost was hefty each time. So when she could, Katara often asked Rohan for a ride. It helped since they were going in the same direction and Rohan had been staying in the Northern Air Temple.

As they walked out of the palace, Katara watched them in silence for a moment.

“Rohan?”

“Hmm?”

“Did you ever get to meet Aang?”

Rohan’s eyebrows shot up but they still looked forward.

“Well yeah. I was seven when Pop-Pop died.” They answered.

“Is it weird, being around Thuy?” Katara asked.

Rohan sighed and tilted their head from side to side.

“Sometimes. Like at her birthday party and seeing Pop sad. But he was my grandfather, you know? And he was busy with the war. Well, so was Pop. But anyway, my mom says I’m a lot like Pop-Pop so mostly I’m just glad that Thuy likes me.” They explained.

“Does Thuy talk to him?”

“Yeah, but we don’t ask.” Rohan said with a laugh. “That’s just a little too much.”

They then sighed again and rubbed the back of their head.

“Honestly, I miss my aunt Yangzom. She idolized Avatar Kyoshi and married a Kyoshi Warrior, using the excuse of protecting her spouse as a way to wriggle around her monastic vows. She kicked serious Fire Nation butt.” They said.

“Did she?” Katara asked.

“Yeah, she and aunt Jun died when the Fire Nation was taking a mining town.” Rohan cleared their throat before continuing. “Jun’s fans had been wrapped in orange robes.”

“I’m sorry Rohan.” Katara said softly.

Rohan finally turned to her and smiled. “It’s fine. It’s good to speak of the dead. It lets them know we still love and honor them.”

Katara touched her necklace and smiled back.

“Did I tell you that I think Suki and I are related because of aunt Jun?” Rohan asked excitedly. Katara laughed and shook her head.

Rohan talked about their family for the whole trip, and it was interesting to hear. They definitely had a different perspective on the Air Nomads than Tenzin, and it amused Katara to think of the future council meetings.

When they arrived at Avatar Island, Thuy was there to meet them. She had grown since her party and was as tall as Katara now. As they hugged, Katara could smell the dirt in Thuy’s hair. But as she smiled she heard a threatening hiss from the ground.

“Oh stop that.” Thuy turned and put her hands on her hips, glaring down at the catgator. “You’re old friends by now.”

“Mister Whiskers.” Katara greeted with a flat tone.

“Avatar Roku’s dragon was named Fang.” Rohan remarked playfully. “Very intimidating.”

Thuy rolled her eyes and held out her arms as she faced them.

“I was four, okay? And I didn’t have any fancy Fire Nation pride or fun Air Nomad names.” She stated. “She has whiskers and she’s dignified. Her name is Mister Whiskers.”

“How on earth did a toddler befriend a catgator?” Katara questioned.

“Let’s just say if I wasn’t the Avatar and Mister Whiskers was a regular catgator, then she would’ve gotten me and not just Uncle Farid’s arm.” Thuy replied.

“This is bizarre.” Rohan said. Thuy pouted and knelt on the ground, wrapping her arms around Mister Whiskers’ flat head.

“Hey, Mister Whiskers ate two Fire Nation soldiers for me!” She said. Both Rohan and Katara held up their hands.

“Fair enough.” Rohan said.

“Katara!” Zuko called and Katara lifted her head.

Of course she knew that her priority was in handling Thuy’s affairs, but she had been looking forward to this most of all.

“Zuko!” Rohan yelled and ran to intercept him. Katara and Thuy laughed as Rohan launched themself skyward, only to have Zuko crabwalk to make sure he caught them. Landing lightly, Rohan put their arms around Zuko and said something. Zuko only shook his head and continued walking, still carrying Rohan.

“Pop-Pop would’ve really liked you.” Rohan stated when they were all together.

“The Avatar?” Zuko asked, dipping down to let Rohan free.

“I already do like him.” Thuy said and then stuck out her tongue as Rohan rolled their eyes.

“Shouldn’t you be training?” Katara asked.

“Sifu Toph is still asleep.” Thuy said.

“We all know that’s not a real answer.” Zuko countered. Thuy stood still, trying to maintain her bluff, but finally let out a breath and ran off. Mister Whiskers moved frighteningly fast after her.

“That thing terrifies me.” Katara announced.

“Oh yeah. You do not want to run into Mister Whiskers in the middle of the night.” Zuko said and shuddered.

Their days were spent in a leisurely routine. Toph dominated most of Thuy’s time with rigorous training. Earthbenders usually split their time between strengthening their bodies and controlling their bending. Toph, a stout but slender woman, definitely had Thuy lifting weights, but spent more of her time teaching Thuy how to see with her feet.

That was what made Toph an extraordinary Bender, more so than the metalbending. She was so completely in tune with her element that she didn’t need to be a bulk of muscles to do impressive feats of strength. Thuy excelled very quickly and was excited by the prospect of being able to see in the dark.

Zuko still hovered during a lot of those training sessions as he argued with Toph about chi and specific points in the feet and hands that were important to Firebenders. As Thuy ran around without shoes, Zuko worried that she was blocking off part of her chi circulation. Toph argued that Thuy couldn’t continuously have tenderfeet, as that would lead to more injuries. Katara, always having to step in as a mediator, created a simple compromise; after every training session, Thuy had to go to undergo acupressure.

Oddly enough, the best practitioner Zuko could find was one of Azula’s former friends, and there was a bit of awkwardness when Ty Lee arrived. Luckily, she, Thuy, and Rohan were all kindred spirits and she assimilated quickly.

Ty Lee and Rohan got on remarkably well in fact. When they started to disappear, Katara tried not to ask questions.

Katara’s role hadn’t changed much from the duties she had as a queen. Instead of managing the finances and policies of the three tribes, she instead was taking a break to manage the finances and schedule of the Avatar. Gifts had to be sorted, invitations answered, and documents proofread. In the evenings, she, Zuko, and Thuy would sit together and go over various things.

Every single city-kingdom within the Earth Kingdom was upset by this arrangement. Having two heads of state directly advise the Avatar was a terrible concept on paper. And Katara would admit that there were times that she wished she could always act in the best interests of her people instead of constantly being diplomatic. But that was what always rose to the top, for both Katara and Zuko; they wanted to guide Thuy into being the best Avatar she could be.

In this rare time of peace, it was the best opportunity, and they both felt like they had earned this from their time in the war.

Also, the only thing that made Thuy actually sit and listen for the whole time was their promising to talk about their wedding plans with her.

At night, Zuko and Katara had to go their separate ways. Their unification could be a euphemism but was always a very real, tangible thing. If they were going to sleep together, it had to be approved by their people, as it would - on the stage of global politics - be two kingdoms that went to bed.

It took Katara longer and longer to fall asleep the longer she stayed on the island. When the fall ended, she would be taking Thuy on her political visits while Zuko went back to the Fire Nation. Katara would have to visit the Swamp Tribe and leave Thuy there with Toph while she continued onto the South Pole. Then, before the spring equinox, she would have to return to the North Pole.

Never would it feel like going home.

With Katara’s new position, Sokka felt more comfortable closing the shop. It was actually preferable as his business had exploded; many wealthy patrons were obviously trying to buy access to the Avatar but Sokka was smart. He and Suki had visited a handful of times already and brought piles of gifts for Thuy; all of which had been distributed to various organizations or charities and the presenters had been sent a lovely thank you note from Thuy.

Still, all in all the palace was a lonely place. It made Sokka feel weird and he made a point of avoiding the Spirit Oasis. But at the South Pole, everyone treated her differently. Katara had wanted what Sokka had, a quiet life doing enjoyable work. Instead, she ruled a kingdom split over three continents.

With a heavy sigh, Katara threw off her blanket and got out of bed. The light of the full moon trickled in from her blinds and light enough of a path for her to make it to her door.

The hallway felt the same way her body did; dry, warm, and in need of a tall glass of water. But as she made her way down to the kitchens, she heard someone clattering around.

Expecting to find Rohan rummaging through the pantry, Katara leaped into the doorway with a yell.

Zuko dropped a teapot and swore colorfully.

“Oh no! I’m sorry, I thought you were Rohan.” Katara said and rushed into the kitchen. Zuko knelt down and picked up the pieces of the teapot.

“It’s okay. I know how to repair this.” He said and stood up, holding the large pieces in his hands. He looked at them, tilting his hands slightly to catch the light in the outer glaze.

“What I love about Kintsugi is that the beauty comes from the fixing, not from the damage itself.” Zuko looked up at her and Katara suddenly felt embarrassed.

“So, want some tea?” He asked as he walked over to the counter.

“Sure, but why are you up so late?” Katara replied and followed him.

“Couldn’t sleep.”

Katara pushed herself up onto the counter and watched Zuko make tea. There was an electric kettle with settings for different types of tea, but Zuko chose a metal kettle and heated it himself. It was a slow process and Katara flicked her gaze from his face to his hands.

“Why do you bend like that?” She questioned. Zuko looked up at her, confused.

“Like what?”

“Like you’re not a Firebender. You don’t do a lot of, you know,” Katara paused to make quick, jabbing punches in the air. “Firebender stuff.”

“I absolutely still do a lot of that.” Zuko retorted, clearly offended. “I am and will always be a true Firebender.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant, you’re very,” Katara struggled to find the right word and strained over it. “Adaptable?”

Zuko looked down at the kettle, staring at it intensely. After a moment, he decided the water was hot enough and set it on the stove to prepare a new teapot.

“I am going to tell you something I have never told anyone.” He said as he opened up a cupboard.

Gripping the edge of the counter, Katara stayed quiet. Zuko rummaged through the cupboard and pulled out a tea tin, examining its label before replacing it.

“I met Avatar Aang.” He said.

Katara still stayed quiet and Zuko pulled out another tea tin, approving of its label and prying open the lid.

“It was just before he died. He came to the palace to speak to my grandfather. I was nine, so obviously I wasn’t allowed to officially meet him since he was trying to persuade my grandfather to stop the war.” Zuko scoffed and scooped tea into the teapot’s strainer. “I was only the son of the second born prince of the Fire Lord. I was a nobody.”

“And now you’re the Fire Lord, making his own tea in the Avatar’s house.” Katara interjected. Zuko chuckled and pointed the tea scoop at her.

“A vast improvement to be sure.” He said. He then continued making the tea and with his story.

“I snuck out that night while they were all at dinner. I remember my main reason for doing so was because we had to eat vegetarian since Aang was and I didn’t know what that meant.” Zuko poured water into the teapot and slid on the lid.

“Well, they had all been arguing and suddenly out comes this really old guy. I mean, he looked better than my grandfather, but ancient was ancient. He looked really angry and I wasn’t supposed to be out of bed, so I was terrified. I thought he was going to drag me into the dining hall or something.” Zuko shook his head and leaned against the counter next to where Katara sat, crossing his arms over his chest. “But instead, when he saw me, he just smiled. He knelt down and introduced himself to me, looking very interested in what a nine-year-old nobody had to say. And then, I’ll never forget this, he put his hand on my shoulder and looked directly at me and said, ‘Zuko, be better than them.’ And then he got up and walked away.”

Zuko paused for a moment, staring off into space, and then turned around to pour the tea. He spoke as he handed Katara her cup.

“He sent me a gift for my tenth birthday a few weeks later. Aang had written on the inside of the wrapping paper, saying he hoped I’d be friends with the next Avatar. He had died while the gift was in transit.” He concluded.

“How did that impact your bending?” Katara asked, rolling the teacup gently between her hands.

“Azula was always a better Firebender than me. But I could be a better Bender. I could be like the Avatar and respect all of the elements and use their teachings to live a more harmonious life.” Zuko brought his teacup to his lips but hesitated, suddenly laughing. “I mean, as a kid it was all because I thought I had some grand destiny and was a self important idiot. But during the war, my uncle really helped me get my head sorted and I was able to put it together.”

They drank their tea and Katara sighed in contentment.

“What are you going to do when you go home?” She asked.

“What do you mean? I am home.” Zuko replied. He set down his teacup and held Katara’s hand as she set hers down before sliding off the counter.

“I’ve put out the fire wall in the throne room, dismantled statues, and closed up other manors. I have the palace, and I have you. One for work, and one for home.” He continued softly, holding onto her chin. He kissed her and Katara’s breath fluttered in her chest.

A door opened nearby and Katara jumped, making them both laugh even as voices approached. Rohan and Ty Lee walked into the kitchen and stared.

“It’s about time you two got back.” Katara snapped. Ty Lee looked mortified while Rohan just laughed.

“What are you old farts doing up so late? It’s way past your bedtime.” They retorted.

“You’re three years younger than me.” Zuko said.

“And yet you act like my Pop.” Rohan clicked their tongue while shaking their head. “What a waste of youth.”

“Did you want any tea?” Katara asked.

“Sure!” Ty Lee chirped. Rohan went around to rummage through the pantry and found a bag of cookies, turning the quiet moment into a midnight tea party. That woke up Thuy and Toph, making the whole thing an event. They laughed and chatted, mostly about a new video game Rohan and Thuy were playing. At one point, Zuko took Katara’s hand and squeezed it. A gentle reminder that they were home.

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[zutaradreams]

Day 24: You’re in love with her

The final part of this month’s All Along series. 

@zutaramonth

Tea always tastes better when Uncle makes it. He’s halfway through a cup of ginger tea during his lunch break. Sokka is all too happy to interrupt this break. Not that he doesn’t want to see Sokka; he just thought he’d be able to have a minute to think to himself. 

“So how was the concert?” Sokka asks. 

“It was good.”

“Katara called me raving last night. Told me about how much fun she had.” 

He smiles. “Good. I’m glad she did.”

“I didn’t know you bought both tickets,” mentions Sokka with a quirk of an eyebrow. 

Zuko tenses. “It was my idea anyways. I thought it was only right to pay.” 

Sokka laughs. “Yeah, ‘it was only right.’ As soon as she told me that, it all made sense to me.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about all the times you stuck up for her when we were kids. I’m talking about that play you hated doing, how you went to our prom together, all those late night chats when we were in college, the parties, the family dinners, and I can’t believe I didn’t realize it until this damn concert. You’re in love with my sister!” 

Zuko chokes on his sip of tea. “What?” 

“You are!” 

“You’re crazy.” 

“I’m not. Then I talked to Suki about it, and she told me Katara’s been in love with you even longer.”

“She had a crush on me when we were kids,” he corrects. She isn’t interested in him like that anymore. Internally, he’s panicking. Are his feelings becoming so obvious?  

“No, no, it’s more than a crush, and it’s still going on. You guys have even gone all flirty face in front of me, but I thought there was nothing to it! I can’t believe it took me this long to piece it all together.” 

“There’s nothing to piece together!” Zuko argues. 

But Sokka shakes his head and smiles. “So when are you seeing her again?” 

“Goodbye, Sokka. I’ll be finishing my break somewhere else.” 

Behind him, he can faintly hear Sokka calling him back and insisting it’s not a big deal, but to Zuko, the thought of pursuing his feelings for Katara, the accusation that he’s in love with Katara. Then there’s the even more outlandish thought of Katara being in love with him...does he even have reason to be hopeful? 

He reaches for his phone and calls her immediately. “Katara, it’s Zuko.”

She laughs. “I know, silly.” 

“Um, do you have plans tonight?” 

“I was going to study-”

“Oh, well, then nevermind.”

“No, Zuko, it’s okay. What did you want to do?”

“I was thinking we could have dinner.” 

She squeals delightedly. “Oooh, where?”

“Um, does Ba Sing Se sound okay?”

“Ba Sing Se?” He can hear the surprise in her voice and hopes it doesn’t mean she’ll turn him down. “Isn’t that kinda upscale?”

“A little, I think.” 

“A little? Zuko, that place is black tie only. It’s really expensive too.”

“Don’t worry about the cost.”

“Are you sure? What’s the occasion?” 

I’m going to put my entire heart out in front of you, so I might as well get a really good meal out of it. “I just think it’ll be fun to go out.” 

“We went out last night,” she reminds him, with a lilt in her voice that makes him think she’s smiling. 

“And wasn’t it fun?” 

“Yeah, it was. I’ll see you tonight, Zuko.” 

“See you tonight.” 

xxx

Katara arrives before Zuko does. It makes her even more nervous. She looks down at the time on her phone and inhales sharply. Is she really that early? 

She heads over to the restaurant’s bar and slaps her pale blue clutch against the bar’s crystal counter. Since Zuko called her, she has spent the entire day getting ready, to the point that her roommate kicked her out of their dorm, saying, “just go on your date already.”

Is that what this is, she wonders. Two friends attending a crowded concert is one thing, but an intimate dinner in the city’s most romantic restaurant? 

A hand taps her shoulder. She spins around to find Zuko smiling at her. His hair has gel in it, and his suit looks freshly pressed. She catches a scent of his delicious-smelling cologne. 

“You’re early,” she says. 

“So are you.” He glances at the empty spot beside her. “Can I join you?” 

“Of course. You look so handsome, by the way.” 

He takes the chance to look at her head to toe, from her loose curls to the makeup she spent half an hour perfecting, to her off-the-shoulder blue-grey dress she recycled from prom with Toph and Aang. 

“You look beautiful. Drink?” 

“Please. I’d love a sidecar.” 

He signals to the bartender, who had not been able to get to Katara yet before Zuko arrived. “Can we have a sidecar and an old fashioned, please?”  

“Yes, sir.” 

A violinist plays in the background. After a minute, she realizes she recognizes the song. “This is Yangchen’s Sonata,” she tells him. 

He looks down at his hands, folded together on the counter. “You love the arts.” 

“Yeah,” she says quizzically, wondering why he finds it worth mentioning. 

“I do too, begrudgingly. My mom ingrained it in me.”

“I know you do.” 

“And you are so strong-willed. You’re also the kindest person I’ve ever met. You’re always involved in some new volunteer project.” 

Their drinks arrive. They both take sips of them before Katara asks, “Zuko, what are you doing?” 

“I’m listing the things I love about you.”

She feels like she’s going to faint. He looks a little weary himself. “Why?” 

“Do you want me to answer that before or after dinner?”

“What does it matter?”

“The answer may affect whether or not you want to stay. You might never want to speak to me again.”

She shakes her head. “Just answer.”

“I’m listing all of the things I love about you, so it’s less of a shock when I tell you I have feelings for you.”

They pause for a beat, frozen in time. 

“Do you still want to have dinner?” 

She nods enthusiastically, feeling her whole face break out into an unabashed smile. “Yes.”

They both smile as they sip their drinks. For a minute, things remain casual between them to the point that Katara just has to make her own confession. 

“You’re the hardest worker I’ve ever met. You don’t even need to be. Your family could give you anything you want, but you don’t let yourself rely on them. You’re smart, and you’re kind. You are so talented, and I have had feelings for you off and on since I was thirteen years old. I tried to stop because I decided it was never going to happen between us, but then we became such good friends again that I started to think that maybe there was a chance.”

She feels her voice waver with emotion as she speaks. This is the most vulnerable she’s ever felt in her entire life. It is the hardest, yet most natural, confession as she observes the adorable bewilderment in Zuko’s golden eyes. 

Then he kisses her. It’s reserved, too reserved for her liking. Of course Zuko is conscious that they’re in public. When he pulls away, she’s already desperate to have him back. 

“You were my first kiss,” she says, just to say something. She hates these uncertain pauses, though that kiss leaves nothing to interpretation. 

“I know. You were mine.” 

Her eyes widen. “You never told me that.” 

“I was embarrassed.”

“You shouldn’t have been.”

“And that time you kissed me at prom had me so confused that I couldn’t take Mai back when she asked me. I wanted to before then.”

“That’s when I tried to give you up,” she admits. She squeezes his hand. “Tried being the operative word. I couldn’t.” 

“I don’t want you to.” 

They finish their drinks holding each other’s hands. He checks the time and realizes it’s close enough to the time of their reservation. 

“Are you ready for dinner?” 

“Yeah.” 

And after this meal, she plans to kiss him absolutely senseless, this boy loves her, who she’s loved all along.