#toph: you *bite* should *bite* have *bite* been *bite* in *bite* bed *bite* THREE *bite* HOURS *bite* AGO!!! *bite*

[wisegirlandseaweedbrainforever]

Definitally need to intentionately train the next cat as a service animal, so it is less bitey.

[the-badger-mole]

For the Days When You're Not Yourself

The day began disastrously. First Katara woke up later than normal, which meant she was scrambling to get breakfast started before Zuko and Aang finished their morning meditation and training. That task was interrupted by the frantic arrival of Sokka to tell her that Suki was sick and needed to be seen to immediately.

Fortunately, Suki wasn't in any serious danger. She would be bed ridden for a few days and the others would have to stay away from her to keep from spreading whatever she had. Excepting of couse Sokka, who had volunteered to care for her, and Katara, who would inevitably be called in to alieviate Suki's physical symptoms. Suki had also thrown up in her bed during the night, so Katara gathered the soiled sheets, adding a surprise laundry pile to her to-do list.

Once she had Suki settled and left her to the care of Sokka, put the sheets in the wash basin to soak, and gotten herself cleaned up, she returned to the kitchen to find Toph, Aang and Zuko finishing up thier breakfast. There was barely enough congee left for half a bowl. She stared at the nearly empty pot in shock.

"What happened?" she asked turning to her friends. "I made double what I normally make." Toph gave a sheepish shrug, and Katara saw that both she and Aang had taken the largest bowls they could find.

"We were hungry," Aang said apologetically. Zuko's brow drew down in consternation.

"Sokka said that you had set aside a bowl for yourself already," he told Katara. She sighed and rolled her eyes hard. She had set aside some breakfast for Sokka and Suki, having decided that congee would be gentle enough for Suki's sensitive stomach. Sokka had helped her carry the food to Suki's room in fact, but somehow had missed the fact that his sister had only made two bowls, not three. He must have spoken with the others while Katara had been busy and told them to help themselves to breakfast. Katara took a deep breath and squeezed her eyes shut against the sudden stinging. It was a misunderstanding. Her friends hadn't meant to be inconsiderate.

"You can have the rest of mine." Aang shyly held up his bowl. From where she stood, Katara could see the syrupy sheen of the sugar he'd dumped into his bowl. Katara hid a grimace. How he could stand to eat something that sweet, Katara would never understand. She sighed and shook her head.

"It's fine," she said, gesturing towards the pot. "There's enough for me until lunch." Speaking of which, she would have to make a stop in town if she was going to make sure there was actually something to make for lunch and dinner. And Suki would need medicine. And while she was out, she should see if she could find something for Momo's fleas. The lemur didn't seem to mind a readily available supply of snacks in his fur, but they were beginning to attack Appa and it wouldn't be long until they made their way into the rest of the villa.

"Hey." Katara was surprised to find Zuko standing in front of her. He frowned with a concerned look. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Katara nodded. "It's just been a hectic morning."

"I'll handle the dishes," Zuko offered. Katara smiled gratefully and accepted the offer. Zuko found a bowl and scraped the rest of the congee out for Katara. It was even less than she thought, but, she reminded herself philisophically, she'd gotten by with much less. Toph and Aang finished their meals and then Toph dragged Aang away for his earthbending lesson. Katara managed to get two bites of her own breakfast down before Sokka rushed in asking for a bucket or pot or something in case Suki got sick again. Her breakfast was laid aside and forgotten in her scramble to make sure that she made it to the market before she had to train Aang that afternoon.

Lunch was as big a hurry as breakfast. Katara realized she'd forgotten about Suki's sheets, and she wanted to see that them before they got mildewy. After she'd thrown together a quick lunch and saw to the sheets, Katara went to train with Aang. To her utter frustration, he was messing up on basic techniques. Techniques she had spent weeks correcting him on. Today he seemed to have forgotten everything and needed her to adjust his stance and show him how to hold his arms. She tried to be patient, but her irritation bled through anyway.

"Are you practicing on your own?" She snapped somewhere through the second hour. "The comet is less than a month away. This is not the time for you to be lazy."

"I-I am practicing," Aang stamered, his face bright red.

"Oh, it's very apparent how much work you're putting in," Katara snorted sarcastically. "I can't teach you any of the advanced forms until you get the basics down. Just because you've technichally mastered waterbending, it doesn't mean you don't have to practice. This is the last time I'm going to go over stances with you. Now, put your dominant arm here, and you opposite foot here!" Katara stood behind Aang and moved him into the correct position. Aang flinched at her unusually rough handling, but he did as he was told, and by the end of their training session, Katara was nodding in approval as he went through the foundational stances. Her face was set hard, though, and Aang hurried away from her with his shoulders hunched and cheeks flushed in exertion and embarassment.

Katara's anger didn't fade after the training session. If anything, everything seemed to be conspiring to aggravate her further. Toph and Aang were laughing too loud. The sun was too bright and too hot for this late in the day. Suki had kicked Sokka out because his overly enthusiastic care was making it impossible to sleep, so he decided a better use of his time would be to pester his sister about medicine and teas. Zuko had offered to make dinner, which rubbed Katara the wrong way, as if he didn't think she couldn't handle something as simple as getting dinner on the table. The final straw, though was when she went to go gather Suki's sheets from where she'd left it to finish drying and found that Momo had decided they were there to play with. They were in a heap on the dusty ground and Momo was frolicking in them in all his flea-ridden glory. Katara startled all of her friends to the porch with her enraged shrieks and demands for Momo to stop ruining everything. Aang hurried over and gathered his frightened companion into his arms.

"He was only playing, Katara," he said, reproachfully. "You don't have to be so mean!" Her anger spiked with a frightening flash and momentarily stole all power of speech from her. She pointed to the sheets now in a heap on the ground.

"You're washing those," she hissed at Aang. Then she turned on her heels and stormed inside the villa. A moment later, her friends heard her bedroom door slam shut.

Katara could sense the others tiptoeing around. She couldn't explain how she knew with such certainty that that was what they were doing, except maybe there seemed to be less noise than normal. It didn't matter. She would spend the evening in self-imposed exile as much to give herself space to calm down as to not further subject her friends to her touchy temper. Guilt was a distant, but distinct presence in her mind. She would feel the full weight of the shame of her outburst later, but right then she was just tired. Her limbs felt heavy, and her head throbbed at her temples. She had been fighting tears for the last quarter hour, but she didn't know why. A good cry actually sounded pretty good just then. She had just decided to run a bath and let her emotions out in the priviacy of the luxurious tub when she heard a gentle knock at the door.

"Zuko." Her brows shot up in surprise. She had been expecting her brother, or maybe Aang, but Zuko stood in front of her with a sheepish smile.

"I just wanted to check on you," he said.

"Wanted to make sure I'd finished my breakdown, you mean?" Katara sagged against the door frame with a sardonic smile. A faint wash of pink colored Zuko's neck and face and he shook his head quickly.

"N-no!" he stammered. "What happened out there...listen, from where I'm sitting, it was totally warranted."

"Yeah?" Katara's brow shot up in surprise. "Even yelling at Momo?"

"He knows better than to play in clean laundry," Zuko shot her a smirk. "Aang's washing the sheets. I told him he can't have dinner until he's finished. I figure he should be done by midnight. Oh, speaking of dinner-" Zuko motioned down with his eyes and Katara noticed for the first time that he was carrying a plate of dried fruits and a couple of pieces of toffee.

"This is dinner?" Katara asked, wrinkling her nose dubiously.

"No," Zuko said. "But dinner might take a while to finish and..."

"And?" Katara prompted him.

"It's probably none of my business, but have you eaten today?" he asked. The concern in Zuko's eyes almost staggered Katara. He must have taken her silence for annoyance because he scrambled to add, "I just mean you only had a couple of bites of breakfast, and I didn't see you have lunch. And I know when I'm hungry, I can get a bit...tense." The day passed through Katara's mind, and she realized he was right. She hadn't eaten.

"Thank you." Her voice was unusually small as she accepted her pre-dinner meal. No one ever noticed when she got too busy to eat. She barely noticed. The knowledge that Zuko not only noticed, but thought to do something about it-

"If you want," Zuko started hesitantly, rubbing the back of his neck, "I can handle dinner. You know, just so you're not doing all the chores every day."

"Dinner?" Katara repeated.

"I'd offer to take breakfast, but training Aang ends too late-"

"Zuko." He stopped mid-sentence and bit the inside of his lips. Katara set her plate aside and squeezed her eyes shut against the sudden sting of tears. Then she threw her arms around Zuko's midsection and buried her face in his chest. He stiffened in surprise, but quickly gathered himself and wrapped his arms around her. She was shaking a bit, and he tried not to notice the light sound of sniffles coming from her.

"Thank you," Katara said finally. She pulled away, wiping discreetly at her cheeks and smiled at Zuko.

"Any time," he found himself smiling back. He rocked back on his heels and cleared his throat. "I should- uh- I should go get started on dinner. I can bring you a plate."

"I can join you guys," Katara protested weakly. Zuko shook his head and waved her off.

"If you don't feel like it, it's fine," he assured her. "Besides, it's good for us to miss you every now and then. Remind everyone how much we need you and all."

"Oh..." Katara felt her cheeks heat up. The thought of spending an hour or two in that gorgeous bathtub instead of dodging her friends' awkward silences and tiptoeing sounded wonderful. "Yeah, I'll think I'll hang out in here. Thanks."

"I'll be back later with your plate." Zuko turned and started heading back towards the kitchen. Katara leaned against her doorframe and watched him leave.

"Hey, Zuko," she called when he was halfway down the hall.

"Yeah?"

"I hope you know," Katara's mouth slid into a grin. "You're stuck with me now. If you keep being this helpful, I'll never let you go." Zuko grinned back at her.

"Sounds okay to me."

[trashmouthnerd]

Just dudes being dudes...

Fandom: Avatar, Zuko x Sokka

Summary: Inspired completely by @firebendcr “Zukka are the gay friends who constantly flirt “as a joke” but would say yes in a heartbeat if the other asked them out” Yes so he is the absolute genius that came up with this. Follow him please :)

A large, drawn out sigh escaped the not so new but still incredibly inexperienced fire lord. He ruled over the entire fire nation with confidence and grace but evidently could not face a social event with even a fraction of the same attitude.

"Relax would ya? The whole gang is going to be back together for the first time in a year. You should be excited" A familiar teasing came from Zuko's bed. Sokka had let himself in earlier this evening, already dressed in his best attire, and dropped theatrically on Zuko's freshly made bed.

"How can I relax? This outfit looks ridiculous Sokka, and what if they don't like me anymore? Spirits this is dreadful, maybe I can call it off-" Zuko rambled, hands patting down the red fabric frantically.

"Alright seriously, chill. They love you and you know it so shut up, and hey that outfit is barley different from your usual"

"It's tighter" Zuko complains. Sokka groans, pulling himself off the bed reluctantly to stand behind Zuko - who was glaring into the mirror as though he were waiting to grow a second head.

"Just shows of your rocking bod more" Sokka winks, slapping Zuko's ass playfully before turning his friend around and flattening the collar properly.

"Shut up, like you know what looking stupid feels like. You look ridiculously hot in anything it isn't fair" Zuko pouts, his head falling in defeat to rest on Sokka’s shoulder.

"Hey, that's just my natural charm, can't blame me for that" Sokka grins, it only widening as his remark earns a groan from Zuko.

"Seriously though, you look great alright? Now stop being such a baby" Sokka said, rolling his eyes when a glare was sent his way. Zuko made his way to the mirror once again, prepared to compulsively check over his appearance when a rather loud knock sounded at his door.

"What is it?" He called, making his way over to the doors, barley keeping himself from tripping over his robes when an excitable Sokka shoved ahead of him.

"Oh ambassador Sokka, please could you inform Fire Lord Zuko that the guests are arriving now" A soft voice came from the doorway and Sokka nodded his head triumphantly.

"You hear that Jerk-lord, party's starting" Sokka winked, grabbing Zuko's hand and dragging him out of the comfort and isolation of his room.

"Fantastic.." He muttered as he allowed himself to be pulled around corners and through hallways.

They reached the main hall moments later and were utterly flabbergasted at the outcome of the last few days. Rows of brightly lit lanterns were hanging from the ceiling, tables of the finest food lined the back walls. It was completely decorated with Fire Nation scrolls and paintings in any areas that might have looked uninviting had they not been there.

It all looked so official Zuko had to take a deep breath.

He never would've hosted a party if Sokka hadn't been so spirit damned adamant about it. But maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all...

Sokka smiled, nudging his friend before taking it all in himself. Crowds of people who were well aquatinted with each other were beginning to form in small circles. All sorts of people, there were friends from past adventures, officials of every kingdom and special guests Zuko had invited from the fire nation villages he'd visited.

"Will uncle be coming?" Zuko turned, his eyes trying to submerge the hope until he received an answer. Sokka smiled sympathetically.

"Not tonight, but in his letter to me he said.. never mind" Sokka stopped, his eyes widening as though he'd said something he wasn't supposed to.

"He said what, Sokka?" Zuko glared, staring ferociously to encourage an answer.

"Oh alright.. he's planning on surprising you this week but I wasn't supposed to say anything.." Sokka frowned, knowing he'd missed the chance to see the light in Zuko's eyes upon Iroh's sudden arrival.

Zuko smiled anyway, thankful he'd see his uncle again soon.

"Oh.. Well good, it's about time the old man visited"

"Sokka! Zuko!" A familiar voice called from the crowd. The pair turned to see three smiling faces running towards them at full speed. Aang got there first, nearly sweeping the two off their feet as he jumped into a sudden hug. Katara following soon after, engulfing them further into the warmth of their friends.

"Guess I'll join in on the sappy reunion too" Toph smirked, her arms wrapping around the group as her cheeks squished against Katara’s back.

"I missed you so much, even if you are a pain" Katara smiled to her brother warmly as Aang told Zuko a long winded tale of his adventures on the way to the fire nation.

"Ha ha, you too sis. Keeping this one in check isn't an easy job" Sokka sighed, punching Zuko in the arm playfully.

"Speaking of which, spirits look at you Zuko..." Katara started, looking him up and down.

"Yeah, tell me about it.. You look so.." Aang trailed off.

"Handsome? Hot? Flaming Hot?" Sokka rambled, doing his duty of helping his friend in finishing his sentence.

"I was going to say fancy" Aang laughed.

"You look the same to me" Toph shrugged. Sokka laughed, touching her arm gently. It felt nice, right, being all together again.

Hours passed and the party was still going strong. Sokka had eaten most of the buffet but everything else had gone according to plan. Zuko had met with a few officials to greet them, doing his absolute best to win them over.

Other than a few short conversations Zuko had spent the entire night in a spare room with his friends, sending Momo every now and then to retrieve some snacks - which never worked in their favour.

"So come on then Zuko, spill the beans" Toph teased but Zuko only raised a brow.

"Oh come on, you're telling me you're the Fire Lord and you haven't gotten any" She went on, her own brows furrowing together in disbelief.

"Huh? Oh no, I guess I haven't" He shrugged, it's not as though he'd really thought about. Yeah there's a few cute boys but he's busy enough ruling the fire nation and rebuilding what Ozai broke to think about dating.

And by a few cute boys he means that one cook that works mornings, the guy he met down the market place once, and his painfully perfect best friend.

"Lame" She finished, stretching her feet out onto the table.

"Why do I need a relationship when I've got hot stuff here to help with me everything anyway" Zuko smirked, eyeing the boy beside him mischievously.

"It's an honour, Fire-Jerk" Sokka smiled, biting his bottom lip suggestively while maintaining eye contact. The two were so absorbed in their teasing they failed to see the confused glances their friends were sharing.

"Get a room!" Katara said, turning her nose up in fake disgust.

"We have one" Sokka winked, Zuko seemed to have found this amusing as he nudged his shoulder against his friend’s, scoffing slightly.

"So have you two been like this since we left or...?" Aang asked, sitting forward as he snatched a carrot from the bowl in front of him. Tilting his head as he awaited the highly anticipated answer.

"What do you mean 'like this'?" Zuko asked, turning to Sokka for some sort of assistance.

"Acting like you're married" Katara provided to the dumbfounded idiots sitting directly ahead of her.

"Dunno what you're talking about sis, this is completely normal bro behaviour" Sokka shrugged, his hand resting on Zuko's thigh. Katara looked at said hand suspiciously and rolled her eyes.

"Yeah.. sure.. friends always flirt with each other non stop" She said sarcastically, eyeing her brother knowingly.

"Flirting? We are not flirting!" Zuko frowned, shoving the hand off of his thigh.

"Yeah! We always act like this!" Sokka added. Raising his hands to drive home his confusion.

"That's completely normal.. just guys being guys.. nothing romantic about it" Aang smiled, looking towards Katara in knowing agreement.

"Exactly!" Zuko shouted. Arms crossing over his chest in realising that touching Sokka right now was off the table, he didn't want his friends to be suspicious about nothing after all.

"So you're saying neither of you would go there with each other?" Toph smirked, knowing her question would give her plenty entertainment.

"Well-" They both said in unison. Sokka's eyes wide and Zuko's cheeks tinted red.

"You go first"

"No you”

"Fine. Well I'm a good friend you know, if my buddy here wanted to do something then who am I to decline the Fire Lord?" Sokka explained, shrugging as though he weren't declaring the tension between them was existent after all.

Zuko's eyes widened at his best friends confession. If he'd known that were the case then for what dumb reason weren't they doing that already?

"Yeah and I mean, have you seen those eyes? I'm not saying no to them" Zuko stated, grabbing Sokka’s chin, tilting it up with his finger as he smirked.

“You wanna go out with me? I wouldn’t mind giving you the pleasure of having such an incredibly good looking boyfriend” Sokka smiled, his eyes glinting as Zuko tilted his chin just a little further to kiss him with a warm smile.

"Idiots, the both of you" Katara shook her head, smiling as she watched Sokka throwing his arms around his totally platonic best friend, planting a soft kiss on his cheek.

[kigozula]

A Sokkla Fic inspired by the Story of Jake Long & Rose from American Dragon. Sokka finds out who is Love really is and an adventure is beginning. Will Azula and Sokka be able to live their love?

Chapter 4

He held the drawing in his hand all night long. Tired eyes, exhausted body, and an aching heart.

The drawing was a small thank-you-gift from Azula. A drawing of two hands holding each other. Since he received the beautiful gift, he wondered if those hands are supposed to belong him and her. He never dared asking but wanted to believe it was.

While he was still laying in his bed, the door swung open on the ground floor.

“Good morning Katara!” Haru waved at her.

“Good morning Haru, good morning Toph, Sokka is still in bed. Come in.” she let the two guests into the house.

Sokka felt his friend’s footsteps reaching his door. They entered his room and saw exactly what they expected.

"Hey, Water boy," he heard Toph saying "get up now! We need to go to our booth."

No reaction.

"Ehm, Sokka?" asked a slightly worried Haru.

"She left me!" Sokka finally replied. A theatrical expression on his face. "She left me guys, she is gone!"

His friends pulled him out of his bed, while he was half crying. Haru tried to be more understanding, but Toph just pulled Sokka on his foot so that he would drop on the floor.

After dressing up, the three friends were on their way to the celebration grounds. Toph grabbed one muffin for herself, as did Haru.

"I hope you're not angry Sokka, but they look too delicious." said Haru. "Want some?"

"No, thanks." replied Sokka.

"Dude, it is not his place to allow us to eat muffins. We baked them remember?" interrupted Toph while taking a huge bite of the muffin.

Haru gave her a meaningful look. "Toph."

They prepared their booth, and some people were already reaching to buy some of the delicious muffins. Sokka watched couples walking around. With his hand on his cheeks, elbows resting on the table and thoughts only of Azula.

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In the Tea Shop, Lu Ten still tried to find out why the portal didn't work. It made no sense. They made everything according to the recipe.

He saw two empty bottles and started fearing the worst-case scenario. He took the bottles in his hands and his fear became reality now. They accidently mixed up the bottles. Haru and Toph used the blue fire lily serum, while he and Sokka took their vanilla serum.

"No, no." he muttered. "Please, no. This is not good. This is horrible!"

The muffins were poisoned. A blue fire lily can cause health problems when mixed with substances it shouldn't come in contact with.

He grabbed all the ingredients for a new portal again and made his way to Sokka.

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Sokka looked at a muffin standing in front of him. It wouldn't hurt to eat one right? He barely ate anything today.

With a still bored and depressed expression on his face, he took the muffin in his hand and was almost about to take a bite. But Lu Ten reached on time.

"Stop! Don't eat the muffin under any circumstances!"

With a shock, Sokka threw away the muffin.

"Why, what happens then?"

"I know what happened Sokka!" Lu Ten was already out of breath.

"The portal didn't work because we used the vanilla serum instead the blue fire lily. Meaning the blue fire lily is in the muffins. Everyone who eats it, is going to lose consciousness over time. Which can lead to..."

Sokka’s eyes grew big with worry.

"Please tell me you didn't sell any?"

Yet the fear in Sokka's eyes betrayed Lu Ten's hope.

"Haru and Toph ate one. And we already sold some to people Lu Ten."

"Where are they?"

They took a look around and saw some people already falling down. Some people were already lying on the floor.

"What can we do now Lu Ten? I mean, it's all my fault! I shouldn't have made the portal in the same room as Haru and Toph were making my muffins." Sokka paled as he saw them lying on the floor too. Guilt took over him.

"Sokka this is no one's fault. Stop blaming yourself now." Lu Ten reassured him.

"Listen pal, I will mix another elixir and then we will make a new portal. This time right. There is still a little bit left from the blue fire lily. You will have to fetch the milk of a pink goat." he explained.

"Pink goat?" Sokka was a little confused with everything happening.

"Yes, a pink goat's milk is the only way to kill the toxic substances of the blue fire lily in a human's body. The problem is that a pink goat is impossible to find. But with the portal you can." Lu Ten already mixed an elixir while explaining everything Sokka had to do in order to save everyone who ate a muffin.

Everything was ready. This time Lu Ten threw the elixir into air.

Sokka closed his eyes just like yesterday. Only to call another name.

"Pink Goat" he muttered and opened his eyes.

A portal showed up in front of him. The portal showed a pink goat. Just as he was about to run towards it, a second portal showed up. With a confused look, he waited for the second portal to show something.

And he saw her. She sat on a bed, a book in her hands. The second portal would lead him to Azula.

This got to be a joke.

He made some steps towards Azula's portal and his face expression softened when he saw her closer.

Behind him, Lu Ten put a hand on his shoulder.

"Your tongue said pink goat, but it seems like your heart says something else Sokka."

Sokka turned his head to Lu Ten. His eyes teared up a little.

"No matter what your choice is Sokka, never forget, that I will be always on your side!" he told his friend with a warm smile.

Sokka looked around. Some people were laying on the ground. He couldn't be selfish now. This was cruel. But how right was it to go where his heart wanted to and leave all the innocent people, especially his friends who helped him to die?

He shot on last look at Azula's portal. A tear dropped from his eye.

"I'm sorry Azula. I am so sorry."

With that, he turned around and ran to the first portal. Lu Ten looked at him sadly. Then he saw the second portal vanish. He would never give up. Even if it seemed impossible, he would help Sokka to find Azula no matter what.

The day was chaotic, but it ended it positively. Sokka took a bottle full of milk from a pink goat. Everyone gained consciousness again. No one was harmed.

Only Sokka’s soul kept aching.

He was standing alone on the balcony of the tea shop. Azula's drawing in his hand.

What did today mean? Why couldn't he go to her? Was it not meant to be?

"Are you okay Sokka?" Lu Ten came next to him, looking at the drawing as well.

Sokka let out a deep sigh.

"Maybe everyone is right. Maybe it's time to let go." he said and lay the drawing down.

Lu Ten gave him a compassionate smile and took the drawing in his own hand now. Sokka knew exactly that he won't be able to get over her. Why should he?

"Does your heart tell you the same?" he asked him.

"No. No, my heart always wants her." Sokka replied.

"Then don't give up, Sokka." Lu Ten gave him the drawing back into his hand. "Don't give up as long as your heart doesn't let you. Listen to it."

Sokka looked up to him. Lu Ten has always been like an older brother to him. He never missed his support. Especially with the Azula situation, Lu Ten seemed to be the only one understanding and supporting him.

Sokka looked at the drawing again, and then to the sky.

"I will find you Azula. Wait for me Love."

Wasn't hope always there?

Not so far away, there were many young people training in a huge arena. Warrior cries were let out while they were moving in sync.

One young woman stood out in particular. She was at the very front in the middle of the first row.

Her movements and her beautiful face were just admirable.

The outstanding pretty eyes and that smirk exuded pure confidence. Azula was one of the Huntsclan's finest students. But what did her future look like? What did the Huntsmaster plan for her?

[carnistirs]

retrouvailles

↳ @taangweek 2020 Day 4: Future

This one could go for past as well, but I’m dropping this today because the setting’s technically in the future. Here’s 7k+ words of Aang and Toph being soulmates.  

Read it on ao3 or under the cut

retrouvailles {French} the happiness you feel upon reuniting with someone after you've been apart for a long time

‘

“Are you alright, miss?” a voice asks, soft in the clamor of the snack aisle—

It’s violent, the way Toph’s ripped away from her little daydream, and her body’s still flinching as her eyes and ears slowly readjust to the people around her. There are no flying bisons and wingled lemurs here because they don’t exist, because she’s in a goddamn grocery store.

She tiredly lifts her gaze up – all the way up – to an angelic figure leaning over her, what with the lovely features and the bright light brimming around his shaved head. He’s all broad shoulders and lithe muscles and effulgent tattoos, and even though he looks like an incredibly kind person, something about him sets her teeth on edge. Like she should know him by now even if she’s never met this man in her life.

“Was I blocking you,” she replies, unable to help the flatness of her voice. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to.”

Toph moves to walk around him, oddly reluctant.

“No, wait—” the guy blurts out, panicked, his nimble fingers reaching out to curl lightly around her shoulder blade—

And they say it’s like nothing else matters, that touching your soulmate for the first time is like sating a hunger you never knew you had.

She’s always thought that was a fat load of bullshit – what, you meet the stranger that’s supposed to be your other half and it’s happily ever after just like that? – but here she is, a hypocrite to her own thoughts.

Toph hones in on the warmth that’s molded around the curve of her shoulder, feeling a far too pleasant burn smear its way down her spine. She leans away from the stranger by a few inches, just to test it their limits, but fuck, it hurts. She’s met him for a total of three minutes and the sensation of not touching him already leaves her with an ache she can’t even begin to understand.

He makes a hurt noise in his throat when she leans away, jarred by the abruptness of their separation. His hands follow after her, touching the points of her elbows this time, and Toph feels the tremor in his hands, hears the quickness in his breath.

“I’m sorry,” he murmurs, tightening his fingers around her skin. “I know we don’t know each other, but—”

“This is so stupid,” Toph groans, but she’s slipping a palm over his wrist thoughtlessly, touching the thrum of his pulse. “Why a fucking Walmart of all places?”

Her soulmate’s mouth twitches into a smile. “Why not a Walmart?”

Because it’s the lamest place ever, she wants to say, but then she catches his smile and she stutters to a stop. She gazes at his pretty grey eyes and knows them, has seen them in multiple lifetimes.

(It’s you reverbrates in the space of her chest that used to be hollow, that used to be a void tundra.)

There’s a soulmark on her forearm now – long, golden vines with leaves that twist into the complimentary ones wrapped around his own skin, and the longer they touch, the more intertwined their vines become. It’s both thrilling and unsettling since, so far, Toph’s lived through twenty years of her life with a bare forearm.  

“So,” Toph ends up mumbling, because she knows where this is going to lead and because someone has to eventually, “your place or mine?”

‘

“Do you really think friendships can last more than one lifetime?”

“I don’t see why not.”

‘

Her soulmate’s name is Aang, a vegan pacifist whose happiness seems endless, and the while he’s chirping to her about his life like an excited hummingbird, she finds it harder to fathom why the fates specifically chose him for her.

“I’m talking way too much about myself,” he chuckles in embarrassment, pink dusting over his cheeks.

Shrugs. “I asked.”

Aang’s curled up with her on his couch – his apartment had been closer -  idly playing with one of her hands. Their tea sits on the coffee table, cold and forgotten, but she’s too stupidly inebriated with the feeling of his hands on her own to care. Toph doesn’t mind the constant touching, surprisingly. It feels so much better than anything else, and there’s this still moment where they watch his vines crawl from his fingers over to hers.

“What about you?” He’s close enough for his cheek to brush her shoulder. “Tell me about yourself? Pretty please?”

“I’m an art student,” she grins back, unwittingly, at his enthusiasm. “I go to BSSU.”

He positively beams at this. “I go there too! Why is it that I’ve never seen you around campus before?

“Different curriculum maybe?

Toph feels the heat of his gaze wandering everywhere, stiffening slightly only when it drops to the puckered skin on her right leg. “Is there a story behind this?” she hears him ask quietly, his fingers hovering over the scar, but not quite touching it.

“You’re going to think I’m fucking crazy.”

“Try me.” Aang’s isn’t sporting that bright smile anymore, but his face has softened completely. “If you want, that is. You don’t have to tell me.”

It’s strange and new and terrifying, but he’s a gentle breeze in their bond, surrounding her without suffocating her, smoothing over the points of her body that are maybe a little too rough, a little too jagged.

“Well, there’s this forest near the house I grew up in,” Toph starts, drumming her fingers along his soulmark. “I walked through it so many times that I practically memorized it. I really thought I could navigate myself through the forest blind, so I put on a blindfold—”

(The darkness doesn’t welcome her, not the way she wants it to.

Her bare feet press into the earth and she doesn’t feel the vibrations of the earth moving around her, doesn’t hear the songs of squirrels skittering up the old trees, of worms writhing in the dirt. She feels disconnected from everything, small and insignificant.

She carefully glides along the flat surface of the boulders, but misses her next step, falls down and keeps falling—)

“Anyway, now I have a permanent reminder of how much of a dumbass I was,” she says, half bemused, half self-depreciating.

But Aang opens his arms, his face silently pleading, and she hesitates a little. Her soulmate is a stranger wrapped in odd, familiar skin and when they’re pressed together, it’s like they’re speaking an old, sacred language only their bones know.

They should be in bed right now like most soulmate couples their age – or at least kissing, maybe - but she supposes she’ll fail at that too amongst other things.

So, Toph leans in, biting back a satisified hum when his arms coil around her shoulders. He smells like clean laundry and a hint of cinnamon, and when he sighs in content, she feels her muscles relax.

“I like to stand on the edges of high places,” Aang noses against her hair, probably unaware that’s he’s doing it too. “My friends can’t stand it when I do it, but I can’t help it. I never have the urge to actually jump,” he adds in a small laugh, “but I like to imagine that there would be a way for me to somehow catch myself if I do. Then I remember that it’s not possible and I feel this...incredible loss.”

An unexplainable loss you never had in the first place. Yeah, she gets it.

“Thanks.”

“Of course.” His eyes languidly trail after the uplifted bend of her mouth. “Would you like to stay for dinner?”

There’s an anxious spike of hope blooming in the pit of Toph’s stomach and it’s not coming from her. She doesn't exactly know how she knows this either, but it's all Aang she's feeling.

It’s coming from him.  

Which is ridiculous because Toph shouldn’t be able to feel him like that. Soulmates don’t work like that. There’s soulmarks and the constant need to be close, but not this invasion of other people’s emotions—

“Yeah, sure,” she says.

Everything is okay. Everything is fine.

Get a fucking grip.

‘

“Some bonds only need an hour of touching and they’re okay for the whole week,” she says at the threshold of his front door, lingering. “Maybe we’re like that? I mean, it doesn’t hurt to try, right?”

“O-Okay,” Aang stutters, brows furrowed, looking like he really wants to follow after her like an imprinted duckling.

Toph lets go of his hand then and the sharp sting she feels should have been taken as a warning. She takes a step back though, forcing herself to play dumb to his white fingers clenched around the door frame and the sudden pallor of his face.

Her fingers tingle in a particularly awful way as she waves goodbye to him and the discomfort is rudimentary, really. It’s nothing she can’t handle, considering she’s had worse done to her skin.

She makes it as far as the turn of the hallway, right when Aang’s out of her view.

Pain grips at her right arm and the numbness flares outward, careening her into the wall. She can’t fucking breathe because it feels like her lungs are being scraped out by a rusty spoon, like her ribs are being branded by hot iron—

Aang barrels into her at a frightening speed and they go teetering to the floor, but he curls his body around hers protectively, possessively, breaking her fall. He’s mouthing something frantic against the hollow of her throat, but she can’t hear it because she’s too overwhelmed by the sensation of his pain pressing down on top of hers.

Whatever she’d felt earlier is vaulting back tenfold and it’s so strange to feel her own emotions looped back to her through a feedback that’s experienced through him. She feels him desperately wanting to take away the unseen hurt throbbing in her while trying to compress his own down and, gods, this isn’t normal.

“Um,” Toph whispers, her voice trembling with her body as she clings to him. “Okay, that was a dumb idea. I’m sorry—”

“Maybe you should stay with me for a couple of days—”

She doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “We have school. How are we going to do—”

“There’s an exemption form we could fill out online. It’s for soulmates who have recently bonded. It’ll get us out of classes, just – please, please don’t leave.”

“I don’t have extra clothes on me or a toothb—”

“You can borrow my clothes. You’ll drown in them because you’re so tiny,” Aang laughs, hoarse, sliding shaking fingers into her unbound hair. “And I have an extra toothbrush you can use. We’ll figure it out, Toph, please.”

What the fuck, what the fuck—

“Alright.” She closes her eyes, surrendering herself to raw instinct by sticking her nose to the skin underneath his jaw. “I’ll stay.”

‘

“Choose well. A sky bison is a companion for life.”

He’s holding an apple in his hands and his legs are jittery – like it’s impossible for him to stay still. The baby bisons are circling their mother in the air and his breath catches because he’s never wanted anything more in his life.

There’s a small bison just a few feet away, looking like it’s waiting for him. It appears to be the runt of the litter, but that’s okay because he’s the smallest in his class too. If it accepts him, then perhaps they can grow together.

Biting his lip, he carefully approaches the small bison and offers the apple to it.

It – no, the bison is a he – sniffs the fruit along with his extended hand before opening his mouth expectantly.

He tosses the apple in and allows himself to pet the bison on the nose while the latter chews. He doesn’t expect the bison to nuzzle into his touch with a pleased rumble, but the creature does anyway, leaning too far in until he loses his balance and falls on his rear end. The bison licks at the whole of his face, pulling happy giggles from his mouth and he knows, then and there, that he’s found the one.

“I guess this means we’ll always be together,” he smiles wide, hands rubbing on either side of the creature’s muzzle—

‘

Toph blinks awake to find herself plastered to Aang’s back with both of her arms snaked around his chest. One of his hands is clasped in hers, their fingers twined, and she has a leg thrown over his hip as if she’s slept with him like this their whole lives.

His bedroom is small and simple, but there’s a slight airiness to it that reminds her of the temple in her dreams – or not dreams, apparently. She sees this temple in the sky in quick flashes while she’s awake too, and if they don’t show her in the company of monks, then it’s always with that six-legged bison.

“I can hear you thinking,” Aang mumbles sleepily.

She presses her face to his shoulder. “Shit, did I wake you up?”

“Yeah, you waking up actually yanked me out of sleep too.” Gently tightens his fingers around hers, reassures her that he’s not upset. “It’s not a big deal. What’s bothering you?”  

I think I’m seeing your memories from a past life never quite leaves Toph’s mouth.

“Nah, it’s nothing.”

And maybe that’s the wrong thing to say because Aang just turns in her hold and exhales into her neck, slipping his arms around her waist. His fingers tease the hem of a shirt that’s too big on her and he asks in a hushed tone if it’s okay. Toph nods, her skin shivering in loose delight once his palm slides underneath the shirt to splay itself flat against the small of her back.

The moonlight peeking through the curtains shows her one side of his face – the argent in his eyes, the fan of his inky lashes, the indent of his cheekbone. Objectively, he’s stunning, so she could have done a whole lot worse.  

“You know I can tell you’re lying, right?” The corner of Aang’s mouth lifts, amused. “I can feelthat something’s wrong.”

“Can we just—” Opens her mouth and shuts it, frustrated inside. He rubs his thumb in calming circles against Toph’s skin and she still doesn’t know if she likes how one touch can clear her muddled thoughts just like that. “Can we just pretend that we don’t have some weird telepathic-empathic thing between us? Just for tonight at least? Fuck, it’s a lot to unpack on the first day.”

His hurt is muffled, but it’s there and she feels it her chest, taking root. “You think it’s weird?” he whispers, sounding like an open wound.

“Doesn’t this freak you out?”

“Yes, of course it does.”

But underneath the blanket of her own emotions, she senses fear for this bond. Fear at the thought of Toph rejecting him so quickly. She tightens her leg over his hip instinctively, telling him no, she’s not rejecting him. She doesn’t think that’s even possible at this point.  

He presses a smile into her clavicle, relieved. “Do you remember dinner? When you were groaning after taking the first few bites of the pasta?”

Toph blushes. “Don’t make fun of me! I didn’t know artichoke sauce was even thing!” Or so delicious. “I was caught off guard, okay?”

“You were happy eating what I made for you and I felt that happiness,” Aang says, so soft. “It felt beautiful. You felt beautiful, Toph.”

(And I’d give you the whole world to keep you happy forever, he sings into her veins even if he doesn’t realize it yet, even if he’s just as scared and lost as she is.)

What an optimstic fool he is. “I might drive you nuts,” Toph throws back instead.

“Oh, I know you will.”

She pinches Aang’s side, cackling at his high-pitched shriek even when the sharpness of her index finger and thumb on his skin echoes against her own.

‘

“Where the hell have you been!”

“Chill, Sparky,” is Toph’s lazy response as she waltzes into her apartment, leading Aang in by their tangled fingers. “I texted you.”

“‘Be back in a week, dude’ doesn’t give me much to go by. A fucking week? You could have been dead for all I knew!”

“Stop projecting your sibling issues onto me. I’m here, aren’t I? Besides, when you found Sokka and Suki, the three of you didn’t leave your room for more than a week, you dirty hyprocrite!”

“At least you knew where I was the whole—” Zuko abruptly closes his mouth, his gaze darting to the towering man at Toph’s heels. “Aang? Wait, how do you two know each other?”

Toph lifts both their arms, showing him the fresh knitted vines gleaming on their skin. “He’s my soulmate. How do you two know each other?”

“I know Sokka and Sukki,” Aang chimes in cheerfully. “Wow, what a small world, huh?”

“How’d you two—”

“Anyway,” she interrupts brashly, not in the mood to retell their romantic, fateful meeting at Walmart, “Aang’s gonna be staying here for a week and then I’ll go back to his place for another week, and so on and blah blah. At least until the bond settles. You get it. Let us know when dinner’s ready,” she adds, practically yanking at Aang until they’re both confined in her bedroom.

Aang taps the end of her nose. “That was mean.”

“Please,” Toph makes a point of rolling her eyes. “Zuko barely said a word to me after touching the other two. They burst into the apartment like a fucking hurricane, almost doing it right there in our living room. So fucking rude.”  

‘

She’s in the shower when she suddenly feels absolute terror choking at her, nearly making her slip on the tiles.

Toph barely wraps herself up in a towel before she’s barging out of the bathroom, extremely thankful that her room’s close by. Aang’s on the floor, back leaning against the frame of her bedroom door, quivering fingers curled around one of her older sketchbooks. Aang blindly reaches for her when she approaches, pulling her down onto his lap and burying half of his face into her shoulder blade.

“Is my art that terrifying?” Toph tries to joke, but he doesn’t even smile.

The drawing had been done in charcoal, dark and blurry around the edges, and she almost doesn’t remember drawing it. There’s an enormous centipede thing crawling out of a cave, its legs reaching out to take, to steal. The only colors on the sketch are the red lips and the grey eye markings of the Noh mask it’s wearing on its face, but she’s not sure if that makes it better or worse.  

Aang’s voice is a quiet, little thing when he asks, “Where did you see this creature?”

(“My old friend, the Avatar,” the monster utters in a serpentine hiss. “It’s been a long time.”

“You know me?”

“How could I forget you? One of your previous incarnations tried to slay me,” it accuses, the white mask flickering into the face of an older man with a mustache and a long beard, “maybe eight or nine hundred years ago.”

“I didn’t know that.” It’s difficult, keeping his emotions out of both his face and voice. “Why did he – or I – try to kill you?”

The thing changes again – a beautiful woman this time, with long brown hair and familiar, sad eyes.  

“Oh, it was something about stealing the face of someone you loved.”)

“A nightmare, I think,” Toph answers carefully. “Actually, you know what—”

She rips the page out of the sketchbook and crumples it tightly in her first. It feels like an ugly omen against her palm, riddled with malice and sadism, and she chucks it into her trash can.  

“You didn’t have to do that. That was your work,” Aang murmurs, his guilt gnawing at her.

“It was a creepy-ass drawing. I don’t know what I was thinking when I drew that.” Pause. “I have better stuff on my desktop if you want to look.”

He kisses her shoulder, smiling sweetly. “I hope the creatures on there are less frightening.”

“Don’t be such a wuss. Wanna see what a badgermole looks like?”

‘

After their soulbond settles, they’ve learned that they can get through the day by themselves relatively alright as long as there was skin-to-skin contact for at least an hour beforehand. It no longer hurts to be away from Aang, but it is uncomfortable as fuck, like an itch burning inside that’s screaming at her to scratch it until it’s bloody and raw.

Which is fine.

So ridiculously fine.

The lecture is a drone in the back of Toph’s mind as she doodles along the corner of her notebook page to take her mind off the itch. The mintiness of the gum she’s snacking on ebbs away suddenly, turning into something vastly different.

She chews again, tasting raspberries, fruit juice, bananas, and...almond milk?

Aang is waiting for her outside the door when her class ends and as soon as he sees her, his entire face lights up like the sun. His content rolls over Toph in a soothing whisper and she subconsciously mimics his smile, her body humming with want.

In spite of the protesting noise she makes, Aang scoops her up in his arms until her feet are dangling above the ground. He nuzzles his cheek to hers, his breath warm against the ridge of her ear, and he twirls them once because he can’t help himself. She hisses at him to put her down, but it doesn’t really bother her as it normally would with literally anyone else.  

“Did you have a smoothie?” Toph asks.

“Yeah.” He keeps his hands pasted to her hips, his eyes bright with excitement. “I tasted the gum you were chewing earlier.”

“I want to say that I’m surprised, but am I really at this point?”

A deep chuckle as he cups her face in his palms. “Don’t be so glum. Think of all the possibilities! What if you’re really hungry, but you don’t have time to get food because you’re taking a test or something? I could eat something and you’d be able to taste it.”

“Oh, yeah, super cool. What if you’re hungry and I decide to get a hamburger?”

He blinks, his grin faltering. “I’m vegan, Toph. You know that—”

“You’re not actually eating it – you’re only getting a taste. Like you said, all the possibilities. You ever want to try a steak? Or a milkshake with actual milk?”

Toph bites back a smile, doing a poor job of concealing how much she really enjoys it when he gets all flustered.

‘

“Do you believe in reincarnation?”

“You drunk already?” Sokka passes a bemused glance at her. “I don’t remember you being that much of a lightweight.”

It’s warm in the bar – she can tell by the slight flush on Sokka’s cheeks that has nothing to do with being intoxicated – but Toph still burrows her nose deeper into the wool scarf coiled around her neck, still tightens her coat around her. Aang may be on the other side of the city, but he’s somewhere outdoors, somewhere cold, and the alcohol isn’t making her any warmer.

Aang doesn’t do well in colder weather, but he’s having fun with his friends even if he’s getting the both of them sick. She can feel him missing her, missing the press of her fingers on his skin even though they’d seen each other hours ago.  

“You have two soulmates,” Toph grumbles. “The idea of past lives shouldn’t be that fucking implausible.”

His shoulder gently bumps against hers. “I didn’t mean to make you upset.”

“I’m not upset—”

“Okay, okay, let’s start over,” Sokka smiles at her, completely genuine and not at all mocking. “Why do you suddenly believe in reincarnation?”

“I have these dreams,” she says, her brows knitting together as she curls her hands tighter around her glass. “Well, I used to think they were dreams, but then I’d see something while I’m awake. They’re always about Aang in this completely different life and it’s like I’m a passenger in his body, just going through the motions.”  

“And you think these things are actually his memories from a past life.”  

Toph exhales quietly, the lines of her body losing their tautness. She feels mildly less insane now that someone’s acknowledged it for her.

“They feel too real to just be my imagination. It’s always him in the same timeline.”

Sokka hums, thoughtful. “Maybe they are his memories, Toph. Who knows? Soulbonds can’t be explained, but people accept them anyway. For what it’s worth, I believe you.”

“If this is you making fun of me, I swear to—”

“No, I really mean it! Like, if I didn’t end up with Suki and Zuko – or either of them – in a previous life and reincarnation’s just a thing that’s giving me a second chance to actually be with them, then that’s pretty cool. Fate’s doing me a solid.”

“Second chances,” Toph muses, more to herself than anything.

“Yeah, why not?” He downs the rest of his glass. “On a side note, what else are you feeling from Aang since the bond started? Something tells me you guys are...not normal.”

Toph starts to respond, but then she hunches over the counter, shoulders shaking. It slams into her out of nowhere and she has to clamp both her hands over her mouth to muffle the uncontrollable laughter. She’s yanked further and further into Aang’s joy, feeling it so keenly that the corners of her eyes begin to prickle with tears.

“What is happening,” Sokka blurts, alarmed and concerned. “Are you having a stroke—”

“One of Aang’s friends did something stupid and funny,” she hiccups out in short breaths, still guffawing. “It might – it might have been Bumi.”

Sokka gawks at her, frozen in place. He then orders another round of drinks for the both of them.

‘

Monk Gyatso lies against the wall, just bones and dust, and the omniscient rage of a thousand lives sinks down on him—

‘

The weight of his grief completely buries Toph, so much that she collapses in a public restroom. Her fingers scrabble at the tiles beneath her, desperate to clutch onto something, anything, as the memory consumes her. Something vibrates in her pocket for a long, long time, but she’s too busy screaming soundlessly into her palm to notice.

Panic slips into Toph, making her blood run cold, and the longer she ignores her phone, the more frenetic her soulmate feels—

“Toph?” is his voice on the other line, wildly frantic, when she finally answers the call. “Did someone hurt you? What’s wrong, where are—”

“I—” Her breath comes out in harsh pants. “It’s o-okay. You don’t need to come.”

Rustling, like Aang’s already preparing to step out. “No, no, that’s not what it feels like,” he argues softly, and now there’s pain in his voice because she won’t let him come to her, won’t let him take care of her—

Her chest squeezes tighter, aching. “I slipped. I’m, uh, good now.”

“Toph, please.” His voice breaks and she screws her eyes shut, tasting saltwater in her mouth. “Please let me come to you. Tell me where you are.”

So she whispers back that she’s at the tea shop near their school, the one owned by Zuko’s uncle.

Aang rushes into the women’s restroom ten minutes later – a feat in itself, considering the usual commute is twice that amount – and she’s never wanted him to see her like this, hunched under one of the sinks and sobbing over a memory that isn’t even hers.

He sucks in a sharp breath like Toph’s pain cleaves him. His eyes are red-rimmed and she can’t even look at him because she’s so sorry. She’s sorry that he’s lost his people, sorry that he’s lost his home, sorry that he’s lost his entire culture.

The way he stalks over to her is noiseless, ghostlike even, and then he’s plucking up all the bird bones of Toph’s body, folding himself around her and concealing her from the rest of the world. It makes her cry harder, if anything, to the point where she’s dry-heaving against his chest, but it helps when she pushes her hands under his shirt to touch the tight skin around his hips.

She tells him everything. That he was raised by Air Nomads in another life. That he was something called the Avatar. That they lived in a world where people could manipulate the elements as they pleased.

That they lived during a long, long war.

“You controlled the element of air first,” Toph rasps out later, when it finally doesn’t feel like her lungs are going to give out on every inhale. “You and Appa got caught in this storm, and then you did something that left you frozen at the bottom of an ocean. Katara and Sokka found you, but when you came back to the Southern Air Temple, everyone was dead and it had only felt like you left days ago, but a fucking century passed—”

To his credit, Aang doesn’t once ask who Appa is or what the Southern Air Temple is supposed to be. His heart beats faster and his skin jolts at the familiarity of her words, but he holds her still.

“Breathe, T,” he says, rocking her, sweeping her dark hair away from her neck so that he can kiss the small space behind her ear.

She does. Inhales for four seconds, exhales for six—

It’s a breathing technique that Monk Gyatso had taught Aang. Had taught her.

Their soulmarks cling to each other distressingly, her aurelian leaves and vines overlapping his.

“Do you ever dream of me?” Toph asks, calmer.

“I have many daydreams about you.” And that’s mischief slanted against her nape, rounded out by his mouth. He’s soft and playful now, making her sink further into his embrace. “When your memories come to me, I don’t actually see anything.”

Tries not to be too disappointed. “Oh.”

“No,” Aang smudges a smile against the corner of her mouth, gently thumbing a tear-stained cheek. “You were blind in your last life, but that didn’t mean you couldn’t see. You didn’t need to. You felt these vibrations in the earth and it allowed you to see and hear things no one else could. You were the greatest earthbender that ever lived.”

“She sounds way cooler than me.”

He tips her face up. “You’re just as cool as she is,” Aang breathes, and there’s a brush of lips against hers, slow and sweet. “Just as beautiful.”

(I found you again, her soul thrums out, the loudest it’s ever been inside her.)

Toph twists in his arms, chasing after his mouth. It’s almost too much and not enough at the same time, tasting his honeyed delight and feeling it mingle with her own. His hands shove themselves up her sweater to frame the space of her back as he parts his mouth, allowing her to—

“Gee, it looks like you guys are fine in here,” comes a monotonous drawl that has them breaking apart, sputtering. “And here I was, worried for no apparent reason.”

“Mai!” Aang practically yells, his ears turning beet red. “When did you – why are—”

The other girl waves a dismissive hand. “Toph and I were going over work. What was supposed to be a five-minute restroom break turned into a forty-minute one,” she adds pointedly, raising a brow.  

“Sorry,” Toph says sheepishly. “I had a thing. Like a panic attack or whatever. It’s gone now, so no biggie.”

Aang, severely disagreeing with her on that last statement, wraps her up tighter in his arms.

“We’ll continue tomorrow,” Mai says then, and it may just be Toph’s imagination, but she thinks she sees the former’s face soften a bit. “Get some rest.”  

After Mai leaves, Aang plays with her loose hair. “We should probably leave too.”  

“Yeah.”

But Toph’s leaning in, pausing only a few inches away from his lips and grinning when he automatically closes the distance. She feels that buzzing of happiness again and whether it’s his or hers, it doesn’t matter.

‘

Aang’s shoulders are still quivering as he drops shaky, open-mouthed kisses along the crease of her hip. He’s been pulled apart to pieces, beautifully and painstakingly, and the remnants of bliss still drumming within him makes it slow to put those pieces back together.

She only knows because she feels the exact same way. She feels everything.

“You’ve ruined me for anyone else.” His voice is wrecked and his lips are so kiss-swollen, but he’s still this hopelessly exotic thing sprawled between her legs. There’s an indelible glaze to his to expression that makes him look so thoroughly fucked, and when he rests his chin on her stomach and looks up at her with soft, needy eyes, something inside her chest just melts.

“Why didn’t we do this sooner?” Toph husks out with a laugh.

“Yeah, why didn’t we,” he murmurs back, still loopy, nosing the skin around her navel.  

Toph strokes her fingers along the arrow inked on his head, pulling a quiet mewl from him. The arrow tattoos on his body are the same design, the same placement – just the wrong shade of blue. These lines are darker than the ones she sees in his memories.

Maybe the effervesent, illuminating blue that once marked Aang as an airbendering master doesn’t exist in this world.

“Can you skip your classes tomorrow?” he asks.

“Why?”

His answer is a trail of wet kisses up the flat stretch of her belly. “Because I want to keep doing this.”

“Really.” Toph plays off as nonchalant, even when her heart skips a beat. “You want to render us incapable of walking by the time we’re done?”

“Toph, I don’t think I’m able to walk now,” Aang chuckles, before looking up at her from beneath his lashes, coy. “But I still want you in my bed whether we’re having sex or not. I just want you.”

His want reverbrates in the apex of Toph’s thighs and she wishes she can be as open as he is. She wants him in her bed forever, but the words become stifled in her throat, never leaving her mouth. He smiles at her though, tender and adoring, like he knows what she’s trying to say.  

She rolls them over, straddling his hips. Gratification seeps into her at the way his pupils dilate, at the way he takes her in breathlessly.

‘

He’s upset – so very, very upset – and she doesn’t know why.

Toph feels it two blocks away from his apartment and it spurs her to walk faster, to the point where she’s running.

After letting herself in, she finds Aang leaning over the kitchen counter, the stiff lines of his back obvious through his thin shirt. She leans her back against the counter and presses her elbow to the nimble fingers constricted around dark granite.

“What’s up, grumpy?”

Her soulmate breathes out noisily, his shoulders bunching forward like he’s trying to make himself much smaller than he is. He doesn’t turn to face her, doesn’t immediately trap her in his arms like he usually would after a long day apart. He leans against her though, heavy, part of him trying to disappear into the pale abyss of her skin.

“We weren’t married to each other,” Aang whispers, horrified. “I was married to someone else. A non-bender, I think. I don’t recognize her voice.”

And there’s really no point in getting angry with Aang or this mystery woman because the past is the past, but jealousy festers anyway, scratching at her bones. She tries to taper down it to keep him from feeling it, but he flinches, looking even more miserable than before.

She tries for apathy then: “So? It was in the past – a past we’re only barely starting to get details from.”

“But I was still seeing you. I had kids with this woman, but I was still sneaking around with you—”

“Okay, so I was a side chick. Whatever, that’s fine—”

“It’s not fine,” a muscle in his jaw jumps, “none of this was fine. I’m seeing this from your persepective, remember? You weren’t okay with this.”

“Why does it fucking matter?” Toph spits, a small part of her regretting it when Aang’s mouth pinches into a thin line. “Maybe we never got together. Maybe sex on the the side was our only option. Whatever the fuck we did in that lifetime, it’s got nothing to do with what we have in this one!”

(“She’s beautiful,” he murmurs, gazing down at the newborn. “Did you decide on a name?”  

“Suyin’s kind of pretty. Has a nice ring to it.”

Tightly swallows. “Toph, is she – is she mine?”

“Don’t worry about it,” the woman in bed mumbles. “It’s not your problem.”

“But—”

“I’m not repeating myself, Twinkletoes. And she doesn’t belong to anyone but me.”)

Then Aang grazes her side with feather-light hands, silently asking for permission. She’s still bristling in her skin, but he makes the frustration and shame go away with just a brush of his palms on her body.

She wants to stay mad at him, wants to stew in silence all by herself, but she physically can’t, not when he’s already made a home for himself in the space of her ribs.

Toph pulls him in with an incoherent grumble, binding her arms around his torso to anchor him back to earth because he feels like he’s going to float away. He shivers against her, mouthing soft apologies against the column of neck as he clings onto her. Even on her tiptoes, her head barely reaches his chin, but she leans on them anyway because she doesn’t want him breaking his neck trying to bury himself in hers.

“Maybe I leave my wife when our kids are older,” he says, his teeth scraping over her shoulder. “I leave her for you.”

“You really think that happened?”

“Yes,” comes Aang’s response, but even that sounds a little unsure. Like he desperately wants it to be true. The uncertainity makes him press into her until there’s no visible space left between them. “Why wouldn’t I do that for you? We’re soulmates. I don’t believe in any lifetime where you’re not always by my side.”

Toph rolls her eyes. “You’re such an embarassing idiot sometimes.”

Aang smiles, his tongue flicking against her jawline. Heat simmers at the pit of Toph’s stomach, rising languidly, and his hands are at the back of her thighs. “I need you,” he sighs, catching her mouth with his.

“I know, you dumb airhead.”  

She quickly finds herself hoisted onto the counter before she’s tipping her head back, letting him unbutton her flannel and kiss his way down—

‘

“Don’t worry,” Katara says. “We’ll find you a teacher. There are plenty of amazing earthbenders out there.”

There’s a deep wrongness in him as he stares back at Gaoling. Like he’s making a mistake by just giving up and leaving—

“Not like her.”

After he climbs onto Appa with reluctance, he doesn’t immediately lift the reins. Sometimes, there are rewards to being patient, to sitting still and letting the winds carry their answers to you. When he listens to the currents around him, he catches a flurry of hurried footsteps headed in their direction.

Delicate hope grows in his chest.

“Toph!” Happiness etches itself onto his face, wide and open, when the small girl runs out of the forest. “What are you doing here?”

“My dad changed his mind. He said I was free to travel the world.”

It’s a bold-faced lie.

But when Toph smiles, something inside his own stomach flutters wildly—

‘

“Are you alright, miss?” a voice asks, waking her, his mouth lightly tracing the curve of her ear.

“Fuck off,” Toph mumbles, still face down on the table, in spite of her fingers reaching out to rest along the nape of his neck. The taste of coffee – the strong kind – lingers on her tongue. “M’ tired. Why’d you drink coffee? And a goddamn red eye at that.”  

Aang tugs at her hair teasingly. “Because I almost fell asleep while driving over here to get you.”

“Ugh, you’re going to keep me up all night.”

“I can think of a few things we could do to pass the time,” Aang smirks, nuzzling his nose along her cheekbone. “Or, well, one specific thing actually—”

Toph snorts. “Dork.”

He snatches her up, fingers digging into her side as he drags her onto his lap. Peals of laughter escape her while he tickles her relentlessly, so much that the harder she laughs, the more she feels him eventually shaking with laughter too, amplifying the sensation. One of the campus librarians shushes them sharply and she feels Aang hiding his face into her throat to escape the blame.

“What’s that?” he inquiries out of nowhere then, reaching for something on the table—

“No snooping!” Toph hisses without any real heat, swatting his hand out of the way to shove the tiny book into her backpack.

It’s a flipbook that she’s still working on, showing Aang peacefully bending all four elements. She had originally wanted to illustrate him kicking Ozai’s ass, but she doubts he would like the violence of it, so she’d gone with this instead.

Aang perks up in excitement. “Is it for me? My birthday’s in a couple of weeks, you know.”

Rolls her eyes. “Just wait and find out, Twinkletoes.”

She stands up in an attempt to gather her things, but as soon as she does, the feeling of a thousand pins pricking at her legs washes over.

“Your legs are numb,” Aang glances over with both bemusement and sympathy, on the verge of discomfort himself. “Here, I’ll carry you.”

“Nah, let’s just wait—”

But Aang pulls her arms over his shoulders, picking Toph up until she’s literally hanging onto his back, before he grabs her backpack. She hates being picked up in any manner, but it’s a losing battle with a cheerfully persistant soulmate like him. She yanks on the lobes of his ears, but he just grins, hitching her body higher.

“Yip-yip,” Toph says.

“Do I look like a flying bison to you?”

“You’re right, that was a terrible comparison,” she replies. “Appa is obviously a hundred times better than you.”

Aang makes an affronted noise, but Toph rests her head on his shoulder blade and kisses the elegant line of his neck, placating him. The brisk air hits her face once he walks out of the library and Toph tucks her face harder into his skin.  

“I had a dream that you were looking for someone to teach you earthbending,” she whispers, wistful and smug. “You wouldn’t settle for anyone but me. Said I was the best out of all of them.”

“There’s no one else like you,” Aang replies easily, thumbing nonsensical patterns under her thighs.

He’d said that in his past life as well.

“Hey, Aang?”

“Hmm?”

“I don’t think we ended up together.” Because the snippets of his memories where he’s an adult are a lot sadder, filled with such hurt and longing. “I think we might have crashed and burned.”

Aang breath falters in her ear and he grips her harder, refusing to lose her to their past failures, to whatever broke them.

“We’ll do better this time, T.”

‘

(And they do.)

‘ [end notes: 

BSSU = Ba Sing Se University

To clarify, what's normal for soulmates in this universe - (1) soulmarks appear as soon as soulmates touch each other (2) the need to be touching - the limits of this can vary with every soulmate bond, it all just depends.

As you can see with Aang and Toph, they obviously have a lot more going on with the XD

I hope this wasn't too confusing with the way Toph was receiving Aang's memories. Anything in italics was her seeing a memory. If anything was in parenthesis, that meant that Toph experienced the memory before the present time. Let me know if the italicized text isn’t showing like it does on the ao3 link. Tumblr’s being shitty for some reason. 

If this was all confusing anyway, go ahead and yell at me]

[zutaradreams]

Day 2: Momtara and Dadko

AO3

After a bitter end to her relationship with Aang, Katara comes to stay in the Fire Nation with Zuko and his daughter Izumi. 

She’s watching the fireworks from his private balcony, hiding far away from everyone. She’s the only one with access to these rooms up here. He took her up once and she loved the view so much he invited her to it anytime she wished, so when she disappears from the party in the ballroom, he knows where to find her immediately.

Her back is to him. One hand grips the railing of his balcony. The other wraps tightly around the glass of her rice wine. He doesn’t have to see her face to know tears run down her cheeks.

“You’re not the one who should be hiding,” he tells her. His presence doesn’t even startle her.

She brings the glass up to her lips. “I used to love his way with people. He was so good at making everyone love him,” she laughs bitterly. “Now I hate it.”

“No one’s forgotten what he did to you.”

“It certainly seems like it.”

“If you think Toph doesn't advocate for you, or your brother doesn’t want to strangle him every time he shows up, or I don’t take every measure to avoid him, you’re mistaken.”

“How dare he!” She shouts, but who can hear her save him over the fireworks. Down below, it’s a celebration of peace, a tribute to the Avatar’s defeat of his father, a celebration of his reign. She should be celebrating down there. She should be praised for her part in all of it, but as great as Aang’s contributions to the people, he saved all his selfishness for Katara, so now she hides away up here with him.

“Did you see her?”

“Yeah, I saw her.”

She swallows the rest of her drink. He offers to take the glass from her, but she refuses. “Don’t look at me like that,” she tells him. “All pitifully, like I’m some sad, pathetic, pining-“

“I don’t think that at all, Katara. I’m angry with him too. My uncle told me the spirits will punish him. It is the greatest dishonor to them when a man shames his wife.”

“He seems to be doing just fine.” As an afterthought, she adds, “Besides I’m not his wife anymore. I’m a divorced woman. A divorced woman who needs another drink.”

He doesn’t stop her. In fact, he offers to share one with her. He has a bottle of fire whiskey hidden away in his personal bedroom, so he ushers them inside and takes the bottle out of its chest.

“Don’t you hate how the words follow you?”

“What do you mean?”

“Once you’re marked with one, that’s all they see you as - banished, divorced,” he throws in another one of his own, “widower.”

She pours her empty glass to the brim with whiskey and takes a long sip, grimacing as it goes down. “You were so handsome on your wedding day. So unbelievably handsome,” she says in response, giggling as she says it.

It is so different from the usual awkwardness that occurs when he mentions his late wife that he laughs in relief. “Thanks, I guess.”

“You’re so tall.”

“Am I?”

“Yes. And handsome.” Another firework shoots off in the distance, and she drinks some more. “And your daughter,” she pauses heavily, and Zuko suddenly remembers how hard it is for her to see Izumi and Lin and Sokka’s brood of children; yet, she loves them all more than anything. “Your daughter is so beautiful.”

“She gets that from Mai.”

“She gets that from both of you.” Another sip. Another tear on her cheek. She wipes it away hastily. He should tell her to take it easy with the whiskey, but the warning dies on his lips. Healing a nation is easier than healing a heart; he knows this personally.

“I propose a toast,” she says, “to Aang and his new whatever-she-is. Spirits help her if she has his child.”

"Katara-"

“I’m going to bed,” she decides. “I’m getting tired.”

“I’ll call a guard to escort you.”

“No, the people talk enough as it is. I don’t want anyone seeing the divorced woman leaving the widower's bedroom.”

He wants to hold her, or at least offer some of his uncle’s wise advice, but it’s all useless.

“Goodnight, Katara.”

“Goodnight, Zuko.” She turns to leave, but pauses just before she reaches his grand double doors. “Or…”

“Or?” He prompts.

“Or I could...stay.” Her hands reach for her robes. She loosens the sash but holds the beautiful pink silk tightly closed around her body.

He swallows hard. “You could.”

“Should I?”

“You should.”

“When do the servants come?”

“Sunrise.”

She lets the robes fall open, baring the sheerest layer of white silk that drives him absolutely wild. She doesn’t remove the robe from her shoulders. She saunters towards him. In one movement, he tugs it to the floor.

“I’ll be gone by then.”

And she is.

xxx

Usually, Zuko tucks Izumi into bed. With the party, and the whiskey, and Katara, one of her nursemaids tucked her in last night. Tonight, the honor is all his.

“Can we have a party like that all the time?”

He smiles and hands her the stuffed dolls she’s slept with since infancy. “I don’t think we can afford it.”

“Are you sure?”

“Izumi, I had two meetings today about the budget. I’m sure.”

She turns on her side and tucks her hands underneath her face, pouting at his answer. “Who was that lady with Uncle Aang last night, Daddy?” she asks innocently.

He sighs. “She’s Uncle Aang’s new girlfriend. Remember when Aunt Katara first came to stay with us here?”

“Mmm-hmm.”

“She came to stay with us because she isn’t married to Uncle Aang anymore.”

“Why not?”

“Well, Uncle Aang is the last airbender in the world, and he wants very badly to have kids because he hopes they’ll be airbenders like him. But your uncle doesn’t think Aunt Katara can have kids, so he asked her if they could break up, and she said yes.”

That’s the kid-friendly version, he supposes. The reality of it has him calling Aang a self-serving asshole several times. In the real-life version, Aang doesn’t want a divorce. He wants a hiatus, where he spends a year knocking up random girls to have his airbending children, and stays married to Katara because Aang just 'loves her so much'. In the real-life version, Katara throws her arms around his waist and begs him to let her stay since she’s too humiliated to go anywhere else.

But Izumi’s too young for that mess.

“Okay.”

“Did that answer your question?”

“Yeah. Is it story time now?”

He tickles the underneath of her chin. “Yeah. It’s story time. Which one do you want? Do you want Love Amongst the Dragons?”

She shakes her head. “I want Aunt Katara.”

“You don’t want Daddy’s stories?” He holds his hand theatrically to his heart, feigning heartbreak. “You don’t want Daddy?”

Izumi giggles and nestles her head more comfortably against her pillow. She might not make it through a whole story; her eyes are already heavy. “Aunt Katara tells the best stories.”

“Well, Aunt Katara isn’t here right now. You’re stuck with me, so it’s Love Amongst the Dragons or nothing. The choice is yours.”

“Can you get Aunt Katara?”

On a normal night, sure. The night after the night he fucked her three times in his bed and didn’t speak to her since she snuck out of his room before sunrise, less sure. A lot less sure.

“Another night, sweetheart. It might take a while to find Aunt Katara, and it’s already late.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow. She’ll tuck you in tomorrow.”

“I still want you to tuck me in. I just want her to tell me the story,” she clarifies.

“Oh, I’m sorry. My mistake. Now it’s time for your favorite story. Once upon a time, there lived a dragon emperor who was cursed by the dark water spirit…”

Izumi falls asleep before the emperor falls in love.

xxx

The kids all love to play together when they’re reunited. Sokka’s eldest is eight, and his youngest two are fourteen-month-old twins, and everyone else’s kids fall somewhere in the range. Katara loves to play with them. She has Toph’s two-year-old daughter, Lin, in her lap while Izumi and Kya spin around the garden, pretending to be water fairies.

“Careful with her. She’s going through a killer hair-pulling phase right now,” Toph comments.

“She’s fine.”

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you. She’s brutal, aren’t you, Lin? Just brutal. She bites too.”

Katara looks down at the seemingly innocent toddler in her lap. “No, not my Linny.” She kisses the top of the girl’s head.

“Soak it up, sweetness. Lin and I are leaving tomorrow.”

“So soon?”

“Yep. My metalbending students need me. They’re basically opposed to letting me have a vacation.”

“More like you’re opposed to taking one. You’ve been nonstop work since you were twelve.” She looks down at Lin. “Well, with a little bit of time for play.”

Toph laughs. “Believe me, that’s not play. She’s a piece of work, and her father was a piece of work.”

Katara smiles sadly. What she wouldn’t give to have her own piece of work.

“I can feel your self-pity radiating off you.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay. And it’s okay if you can’t have kids. What’s not okay is Aang calling a quits if you can’t. You should do what he’s doing. Find some tail of your own and see if you're  really the problem. It could be him. 100 years in an iceberg - maybe it had some effect.”

She sends Lin from her lap towards Izumi and Kya. She doesn’t want Lin to overhear any of this conversation, even if she doesn’t quite understand it. “Can I tell you a secret?”

Toph’s eyebrows quirk in amusement. “Please.”

“You can’t tell anyone.”

“I won’t.”

It’s on the tip of her tongue. She wants so badly to say it. I slept with Zuko. Part of her still wonders if it even happened. If she tells someone, it makes it more real. But what if he doesn’t want anyone to know? What if he’s ashamed? He hasn’t even spoken to her since it happened.

“Come on, spit it out.”

I slept with Zuko. I slept with Zuko. I slept with Zuko.

“I’ll tell you some other time.”

“Oh, my god, you did not just do that to me! You fucking tease!”

“I know. I’m sorry!”

“Ugh, just when I thought I was going to get something juicy. Wait, where are you going? You can’t leave me alone. Only one of these kids is mine. I don’t take care of other people’s kids. I’m not crazy like you.”

Katara’s already walking out of earshot while Toph grumbles. She laughs. Toph can handle it. It’s just Izumi, Kya, and Lin. Sokka’s twins are napping, and Ahanu, the eldest, is with Sokka anyways. She’s watched all six by herself before. Usually, she loves it.

Now, she only wants to find Zuko.

xxx

There’s a knock on the door of his study. It instantly irritates him. Servants and cabinet members know not to disturb him in his study. He must be hearing things. Then he hears the knock again. He darts up from the chair at his desk and practically rips the door open. He’s ready to yell at whoever finds it upon themselves to interrupt his work when he realizes whoever is Katara.

“Is this a bad time?” she asks.

“Um, no.”

“You looked like you wanted to kill me for a second,” she says lightheartedly.

“You’re probably misreading me.”

“Probably. You’re not one to lose control of your emotions.” Then she crosses the floor and perches herself on the edge of his desk. She crosses one leg over the other and smirks at him.

“You don’t usually pay me visits in the middle of the day,” he remarks. “Must be important.”

“It’s not. Just killing time.”

“Oh yeah? Nothing on your mind at all?” She’s been all he can think about nonstop.

She’s quiet for a second and looks down at the floor, all of her enchanting bravado gone and replaced with quiet vulnerability. “Did you, um, have fun the other night?” she asks him.

He clears his throat. “Yeah, I did. I thought I made that clear.”

“Well, you did...then. And then yesterday I didn’t see you at all and I thought, maybe, that’s how you wanted it to be now.”

“That’s not how I want it to be at all.”

“Okay, great, I was just confused about it.”

“I’m sorry about that. I was avoiding you yesterday in case you wanted space. I know you’ve been going through a lot lately, and I didn’t want to add to it.”

“You don’t add to it, Zuko. You take it away.”

He smiles. He understands what she means. Since the other night, he’s felt lighter in a way he hasn’t been since he lost Mai. “Maybe I’ll see you tonight.”

“You will,” she pauses, and his heart beats excitedly. “Izumi asked me to help you tuck her in tonight, so you’ll see me then.” His face must show his disappointment because she fucking laughs at him. “Did you think I meant it another way?” she teases.

“Nope. I’ll see you tonight. Izumi’s bedroom, right after bathtime. Make sure you have a good story ready to go. She’s very critical these days.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” She jumps off his desk. “Well, I won’t keep you. Good talk.” And then before he knows what’s happening her lips are on his in a bruising kiss that sends his head reeling back to the other night when there were far less clothes between them, and before he can react and pull her closer, she’s gone, walking to the door. “See you tonight, Zuko.”

xxx

Along with being a self-serving asshole, Zuko realizes Aang is also a plain idiot.

Katara arches above him, bathed in candlelight. Her hands grip his shoulders as an anchor. Her knees rub against his silk sheets. Her moans are the most enchanting sound he’s ever heard. She’s so vocal in her pleasure, so open with how much she wants him. Every chance he gets, he presses open-mouthed kisses to her flushed skin. He sucks at the pointed peaks of her breasts and digs his own fingers into her alluring hips, guiding her, meeting her at a point of pure pleasure for the both of them.

She falls against him after she reaches her peak, and he holds her even tighter as he finds his own within her a few thrusts later. She hums contentedly against his neck and threads her fingers through his hair playfully.

Aang had this. He had this beautiful, hypnotizing, sensual woman as his wife, and he chose to walk away from her.

He catches her hand in his hair and holds it with his own. She’ll be gone before sunrise, like she always is, but he’ll make the most of his time with her. Only an idiot wouldn’t.

xxx

“That was a very good story. Best one all week.”

Katara laughs. “Well, it didn’t do its job. You should be asleep.”

Adds Zuko, “Yes, you should.”

“Can you tell me another one?”

“Izumi, it’s already late.”

“Daddy, please.”

Katara taps the little girl on the nose and smiles. “I know just the perfect one. Stop me if you’ve heard it before. It’s called Love Amongst the Dragons .”

“Good one,” Zuko whispers to her before they both kiss Izumi goodnight.

They hold hands as they sneak through the corridors to his private balcony. He kisses her senseless against the railing while she briefly realizes she hasn’t been sad in days.

xxx

As a personal friend of the Fire Lord, Katara has special privileges within the palace. One of them is the ability to take Izumi into the city, as long as they’re escorted by a couple of palace guards, of course.

Katara decides she and Izumi deserve a trip to Katara’s favorite shop near the harbor for some sweetened milk and tea cakes. Izumi reaches for Katara’s hand as they walk down the street. It’s something she’s started doing recently, even in the palace. She’s been a lot more affectionate with Katara recently. She’ll rest her head on Katara’s shoulder in the gardens, and she wants Katara at storytime every night now. Katara doesn’t mind. She hangs on to all of it. She’ll be seven years old soon, this light in her life. She squeezes her hand as they enter the shop.

Izumi picks the table, and the guards camp out at the table behind them. They wait for their tea cakes and sweetened milk. When the glasses arrive, they clink theirs together. She takes a sip, which turns into a gulp. Zuko doesn’t allow her to have many sweets.

“Is it good?”

“Mmm-hmm.”

Katara laughs. “Good.” When Izumi doesn’t stop drinking, she says, “Hey, save some to wash down the cake.”

“Can I have two?”

She clicks her tongue. “I don’t know. Your father wouldn’t like it.”

“Please, Aunt Katara.”

“I love you, sweetie, but I don’t want to be on the Fire Lord’s bad side.”

“Please, please, please.”

“Fine, you can have one more glass of the darn milk, as long as you promise not to tell on me. Deal?”

Izumi nods and finishes all of her first glass. “Aunt Katara?”

“Yeah, sweetie?”

“Can you be my mom?”

She forgets how to breathe. “What?”

“I don’t have a mom,” Izumi states.

“Yes, you do. She just isn’t with us anymore. She would have loved you so much. Your mom was such a wonderful woman.” But Izumi doesn’t know that, Katara realizes. As much as Katara holds onto the image of her mother, as much as Katara commits to memory the sound of her voice, Izumi never met Mai. Izumi never got the chance to know her.

“I want a real mom, and Daddy told me you wanted a baby.”

Katara remembers missing her mom, longing for the love and comfort specially given by the woman who brought her into the world. Zuko is an amazing father, but Izumi deserves the chance to have the unconditional love of more than one person.

They make a perfect pair, a motherless child and a childless woman. It doesn’t hurt that Katara loves her so much, ever since the first time she came to stay when Mai died and Zuko was a clueless wreck who fumbled when placing Izumi in her arms, repeating again and again that he didn’t know what to do. She and Zuko are always there for each other. The two of them make another perfect pair.

“I love you so much. I would be honored to be your mom. You don’t have to call me your mom, but I’ll be here for you always.”

"I want to call you mommy."

She’d left the first time she stayed, once Zuko got a handle on things. She and Aang had only recently been married, and he was so insistent on her return. He needed her help rebuilding the air temples. They needed to be ready for the return of the airbenders. Yeah, right.

"Then you can call me mommy."

The next glass of sweet milk arrives for Izumi, and the young girl takes Katara’s advice. She eats the tea cake first, and then she washes it down with the milk. Katara hands her a napkin to wipe the milk from her top lip.

They stop at a few shops on the way back. Katara learns they both like to window shop. At one of the outdoor booths, Izumi spies a dark water spirit mask sold alongside others.

“Daddy would love that!”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Love Amongst the Dragons is the only story he knows. It’s his favorite.”

Katara tugs her to the booth giddily. “Then we have to get it for him.” She pays a few coins to the vendor and gives it to Izumi to keep safe for Daddy. Keeping it safe to Izumi is wearing it herself.

There’s nothing pulling her away anymore, like there was when Izumi was born. Now this golden-eyed girl is an anchor.

And so is her father.

xxx

“I don’t want to go back to my room.”

“It’s almost sunrise.”

She pouts at him, as if he controls the sun. He wishes he did. He’d never let it rise. “I don’t want you to go either.”

Her hand is on the knob of the door, but she’s still facing him. She always waits for a minute before she leaves him, like she’s waiting for him to call her back. As much as he wants to, he can’t. A Fire Lord isn’t expected to be celibate, but if the servants ever see him with the Avatar’s ex-wife, the whole nation would know the gossip in a week.

Already, there are rumors. They aren’t exactly discrete. They take every meal together. They tuck Izumi in together. She’s the only one allowed in his private study. They just make sure no one catches them touching. As long as they aren’t touching, the rumors stay rumors.

“I’ll see you at breakfast,” she says.

“It’s not that far away.”

He tries to be optimistic. But she leaves, and it’s hard. Breakfast is very far away.

xxx

“You’re not wearing your mask.”

“Izumi, I can’t wear it to official meetings as Fire Lord. There’s a protocol.”

But his six-year-old crosses her arms in front of her. “I’m telling Mommy.”

Did he just hear her right? “You’re telling who?” he asks.

“Mommy. Aunt Katara’s my mommy now,” she answers plainly as if delivering old news.

“Does she know?”

“Yeah, I asked her if she could be my mom, and she said yes.”

This is definitely not old news to him. “When did this happen?”

Izumi shrugs. “Forever ago.”

xxx

Katara,

You have no idea how much I’ve missed you, or how deeply I regret my behavior. I was so, so stupid. No one compares to you. No one connects with me like you do. We were perfect together, and I will always be angry with myself for ruining that. Please find it in your heart to forgive me. I want our life together back, the way it was always supposed to be.

Love always,

Aang

She burns the letter.

xxx

“I’ve never felt like this before,” she mentions to him one night in the afterglow, caressing the scar on his face.

“I know what you mean.”

She’s never felt such a pull to someone. She’s never felt as understood or appreciated or cherished. Aang never stopped saying he loved her; Zuko never stops proving it.

“When Mai died, I couldn’t imagine sharing what I shared with her with someone else. But that’s not what this is. It’s not the same. I’m different now. You’re different. Our relationship is different.”

He’s taken a step forward by confessing this. She’s bold enough to take another. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

 She pulls away from him, but he holds her tighter. “Zuko, I’ve got to go. It’s almost sunrise.”

“Stay,” he mutters sleepily against her ear.

“Zuko, it’s hard enough to leave you as it is.”

“Stay. Stay forever. If I need to write up some official announcement, or bribe some servants, I’ll do it, but I don’t want to spend another morning without you.” He kisses the shell of her ear, and her resolve shatters completely.

They fall back asleep. The servants wake them. Funny enough, the sky doesn’t fall. The day goes on as normal, and surely the gossip is raging behind her back, but she doesn’t care like she thought she would. She doesn’t care about it the way she cared when they talked about her and Aang.

She sees the sunrise with Zuko that morning. She sees the colors break through the sky in the most glorious shades of pink and blue, while Zuko’s hair is pulled into his topknot and his ceremonial armor is secured. Zuko, Izumi, and her life with them - that’s all she cares about.

[dhwty-writes]

Zutara Week Day 4 - Celestial

Great, I fell behind... I’m sorry for the late contribution, but at least that means two stories today. Again, I advice you to check out the previous parts before reading, otherwise this won’t make a lot of sense. Have fun!

Read on AO3

"This has gotten out of hand," the Avatar chided and all Katara could do was try to stand tall and proud. "Katara, what in the names of all spirits?"

"I was just here to help," she defended herself. "Not once did I initiate the violence."

Aang sighed and leapt off Appa's saddle. "Where's the governor?"

"Technically that would be me." She hoped that she hadn't jumped too much upon hearing Zuko's voice next to her, his hand softly on her back to steady her. "But if you mean the man responsible for all of this, you better hurry to save him from Toph. She's having a field day."

"I will," Aang announced and brushed past them to get to Yozin.

"That was odd." Katara looked up to see Zuko frowning.

"What was odd?"

"Oh, I-" He glanced down and Katara could have sworn to see him blush. "Don't take me wrong, I just thought there would be a warmer reunion between you two." He looked away. "Not that it's any of my business."

She frowned. What on earth did he- oh. "Aang and I aren't a thing anymore," she stated matter-of-factly. "I haven't really seen him since."

He winced and took a hurried step back. "Oh. Um. Sorry. I didn't know."

She smiled and pat his cheek affectionately. "Go listen to the palace gossip a bit more. It's been public knowledge for a year now." She yawned and her shoulders slumped. "I guess I really should get some sleep."

"You can stay here!" he blurted.

Katara quirked an eyebrow.

The blush on his cheeks rose higher. "I mean, since the hospital got destroyed and all. I'm sure there's a room to be found where you can rest."

She smiled. "Thanks, Zuko. I'd appreciate that."

He smiled too and wandered off in search of one of his guards to show her to a room. Shortly after she collapsed on a rough futon and slept.

Katara slept for hours and when she woke, she found a plate of rice and a teapot beside her bed as well as a bowl of water. After the meagre meal and a quick waterbending bath she decided that she should better go and look at the havoc they had wreaked in the previous night, check on her rebels, treat the injured-

She was wandering through the abandoned corridors of the ship when she heard the yelling. 'Oh no,' she thought, sprinting in the direction of the noise. She wasn't feeling nearly well-rested enough to go through another battle and she doubted that Zuko was either.

She burst through the door onto the deck and dashed to the railing. But instead of attacking firebenders she only saw a pavilion where the old Team Avatar had sought shelter from the sweltering humid heat and Zuko and Aang seemed to be engaged in a ferocious argument. And while Sokka and Suki at least tried to calm them down, Toph stood idly by, apparently observing the clouds passing by.

Katara sighed. She wasn't sure if she hadn't preferred firebenders.

Calmly she walked over to them. "Hi everyone," she greeted them with a smile. "What did I miss?"

Aang scowled and crossed his arms, looking more like the twelve-year-old she had once broken out of an iceberg than a twenty-two-year-old avatar. Zuko huffed angrily and also looked to the side. He looked terrible, she noted and privately asked herself if he had slept at all. But that was a concern for another time.

"Sokka?" she prompted.

Her brother just shrugged and crossed the arms.

Before Katara could huff in frustration Toph answered: "Sparky and Twinkletoes are having an argument about whose responsibility this whole thing is. It's stupid."

"It's childish," Suki added.

"It's beside the point," Katara decided.

"Oh, sure, take his side," Aang muttered and it felt like the temperature dropped a few degrees.

Katara had to close her eyes and take a deep breath before continuing. "I am not taking any sides, Aang, I didn't even know what sides there were. But I've been here for three months, I think I know more about this conflict than most people."

"She's got a point," Sokka muttered.

Aang scrunched his nose. "Alright. So, let's hear the story."

She nodded and started telling the same story she had related to Zuko already. Well, mostly. It was a lot more matter-of-factly and less emotional. She didn't even know why she had felt the need to tell Zuko the other story. She didn't even know why she couldn't tell the others the true story. But when she was finished Aang and Zuko had both seemed to have sufficiently calmed down.

"And tonight?" Aang asked. "What happened?"

She frowned. "I'm not even sure. Ask those who have attacked us."

"Katara..." he pleaded.

She rolled her eyes and continued with her report: "It was just past midnight when I heard some unrest in the street. I sent two of the people staying at the hospital-"

"The rebels?"

She gritted her teeth. "The rebels. Anyways, I sent two of them to see what was going on. They returned half an hour later with burns all over their bodies. They had encountered about six guards in the streets, harassing the people in their houses. Ten more set out, I guess they got caught in fights somewhere along the line. I stayed back healing the injured and was just minding my own damn business and then they started attacking the hospital. I went out, stood my ground, Zuko showed up an hour or so later. I guess you all know the rest of the story."

Aang said: "Governor Yozin-"

"Yozin," Zuko interrupted him, "he's no governor anymore."

"Yozin," Aang admitted, "said that some of your rebels were causing unrest. Ignoring the curfew. Attacking the guards."

She quirked an eyebrow. "And you believe that."

"I am obligated to listen to all sides of the conflict."

"Aang, I can't believe you're this gullible! You know the drill; they will say anything they can to make us look like the bad guys."

"I know, Katara, and I also know that that's a two-way street."

"Even if that was true," Zuko chimed in, "Yozin had no right to command the guards. I had stripped him of his offices already. Besides that, he tried to declare he was ready to kill me this morning. He committed high treason."

"You asked me to come here, Zuko. So, I am here, let me do this my way."

"I asked you to come here when I thought this was a petty squabble. Things have changed. This is a Fire Lord problem now, not an Avatar problem."

He snorted. "No, I think this is exactly an Avatar problem! This has gotten out of hand."

"I know, Aang! But there's nothing you can do here. There's no conflict you can resolve because the only possible resolve is removing the cause. There's no gap you can bridge because that gap is far too wide. There's nothing the Avatar can do because what's needed here are politics. And that is a Fire Lord problem."

"Maybe we should try talking to Yozin-"

"Aang, I really don't want to overstep," Sokka said with a sigh, "but I think we're way past that point."

"Well, then why didn't you call me weeks ago, why didn't you-"

"I tried," Zuko said the same time Katara answered: "You know why."

All the eyes shifted to her and Katara looked away. "I'm sorry. I should probably go and see to the wounded." Before anyone could say anything, she bolted.

She found Ni in the town square that bore the evidence of her rampage last night and nearly winced. All that she had built up in the last weeks and months was destroyed and then she wasn't even there to clean up the mess.

Instead Ni had stepped in, relentlessly ordering the poor townspeople around that looked just as exhausted as Katara felt.

"I don't know why you even needed my help," she said in a poor attempt at a joke.

"Katara!" Ni exclaimed and her face lit up as she ran over to hug her. "I was so worried."

"Don't be," she tried to calm her down. "I don't go down that easily."

She smiled. "I didn't expect you to."

Katara tried to smile, too, but it came out as a grimace more likely than not. "How can I help? Any wounded?"

The woman gave her a critical once over. "I think you'd help best if you got some rest. You won't be much help if you're about to keel over."

"I'm fine," she insisted. "Everything's fine now. The Avatar's here after all. And I'd like to take my mind off things."

Her face hardened as she took the hint. "Right. And I guess that went just swimmingly." Katara looked away in an answer. Ni sighed. "Didn't think so. The injured are just two streets in that direction, the only house left standing. Your little earthbender friend didn't take kindly to firebenders hiding in the others."

She nodded and went on her way.

"But don't think I won't be keeping a close eye on you!" Ni called after her, finally drawing a tentative smile from her.

Healing was just what Katara needed now. It was tiring and trying with the hot sunrays boiling her flowing power until nothing was left but fickle steam. Oh, how she hated the days in the Fire Nation where she could barely feel the pull of the moon. But that way she had no other choice than to focus completely on the task before her. That way at least she didn't have to think of Aang and the unpleasant break-up a little over a year ago.

Ni came around when the gruelling heat of the sun just started to let up and brought food and tea Katara took thanking and ate quickly. Some of her rebels had nasty burns that not even Yugoda could heal. Still, she was glad that she had returned to the healing hut and the old master after the war. As much as she loved fighting, loved the feeling of her blood simmering and boiling with the thrill of the battle, the icy fear when a hit was just a bit to close, the war wasn't in need for warriors now. It was, however, in desperate need of healers. And she would never turn her back on people who needed her.

She just turned around a corner to get some bandages for one of the guards to wrap up his frost bites and of course - of course - that was the moment when Aang showed up.

"You should rest," he said.

"You don't have to tell me what to do," she replied stubbornly.

Aang sighed. "Please, Katara. You fought an entire night, slept half a day and spent hours now healing people. You're overexerting yourself."

"I am more than capable than knowing my limits, thank you very much."

"Katara, please," there was an agonised look on his face. "I just want to talk. Please."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It was alright. She could be an adult about it. She could handle this conversation. They were bound to have it at some time, after all. "Okay," she said.

"Okay?" he repeated.

"Let's talk." She fixed her with his gaze. "But not here."

"Anywhere's fine by me." He sounded relieved.

She jerked her head towards the door and they stepped outside, where the heat still made the air flicker.

"So," she asked.

It took a while before he answered. "Katara, that was really reckless."

She didn't have to ask what he meant. "I know, you don't have to tell me." He could be talking about anything - coming here, staying, stepping in, stepping up. She knew that he didn't approve.

"Then why did you do it?"

"Because I was selfish, alright Aang? I was selfish and I wanted to prove that I could do something like this on my own. I have done it on my own in the past. I never meant for it to get out of hand."

"I know. I know that you couldn't have left for your life. And I'm sorry, too. For lashing out at Zuko and you, that wasn't right."

"Hm," she said.

"I'm also sorry for how things ended. I get it now. It's better if we're friends. The world needs us as friends. And I do, too. I'd like to be friends with you again, Katara."

She looked up at him smiling. "I'd like to be friends with you again, too, Aang." Then she pulled him into a tight hug.

When she let go, she felt like she had just shucked the weight of Appa off her shoulders. "So," she said and bumped into his side. "How's life?"

"Oh, you know. Calmed a spirit down in the Earth Kingdom. Opened an orphanage in the Southern Air Temple. Rode the unagi."

"Again, Aang? Why on earth would you do that?"

"I lasted almost five minutes this time! That's-"

"Two less than last time?" She shot him a grin and he pouted. Then they both laughed.

They started walking together, swapping stories watching the sun make its way across the sky until it set and it felt like they were really friends again.

"Right," Aang said as they reached the harbour. "I'll be staying with Appa. Good night, Katara."

"Good night, Aang," she answered and stood slightly lost on the quay.

"You're back late," Zuko's voice cut through the humid air of a Fire Nation night from where he stood at the railing of his ship. She hadn't even seen him standing there.

She crossed her arms and quirked and eyebrow. "Well, you're up late."

"Couldn't sleep," he answered as she drew closer. "Too much on my mind."

"Hm," she agreed quietly and stepped on the ship. "Have you slept at all?" she asked leaning on the railing beside him.

"A bit," he deflected her question. "How'd it go with Aang?"

"Alright, I guess. It seems like we're friends again."

"Is that- is that what you want?" he asked tentatively.

Katara sighed and looked up at the stars. "I don't know," she admitted. "I think it was good to get some distance. Maybe we needed that to get to know each other again. Sometimes that's just how it goes."

Out of the corner of her eye she saw him avert his gaze. "I guess so," he murmured and she wasn't even sure if she was meant to hear it.

"That's not what I meant," she answered regardless, "that's not- That between us- these four years-" She scrunched her nose, not really sure where she was even getting at. "I guess what I'm really trying to say is that I regret it. And that I'm sorry."

"There's nothing you have to be sorry for," he said quietly and when she turned to look at him there was a hesitant smile dancing around his lips.

"I still am. We lost four years of our... relationship." She closed her eyes, just relishing in his presence. "And... I missed you. I really did." Then she leaned against his side, placing her head on his shoulder.

He hummed lowly. "I missed you, too," he whispered against her hair.

They stood silently like this for a while until Katara moved. "What now?" she asked.

"I brought something to drink," he answered. "If you want."

"Oh, keep talking," she joked.

He didn't. Keep talking, that was. Instead he turned and slid down the railing, laying his cloak out and patting the space beside him in invitation. Katara took the offered seat and the offered bottle and took a deep gulp.

"Did I ever tell you how much I hate your summers?" she asked and bent a trickle of sweat from her brow.

"You haven't." He quirked an eyebrow. "You're welcome to go back to your frozen wasteland any time you like."

She scrunched her nose. "Maybe I will. At least there the stars are right."

He hummed. "I remember. When I first started travelling, I was very confused. No-one had ever told me that the constellations changed."

She snorted in surprise. "You were in the navy."

"Not really but that's beside the point. I wasn't trained for the navy. The first year or so was a living hell while I tried to figure out how navigation worked."

That made her laugh and spit out half of the undoubtedly expensive alcohol they were drinking. "What I'd give to have seen that."

"As if you would've done any better," he grumbled.

"Excuse me? Of course I would have. We're sailors, for the spirits' sake. Our whole history is written in the stars."

"It is?"

She nodded.

"Tell me."

And so, she did. She told him of the polarbear-dog she had always seen at home that guarded the south and her cub that had wandered too far from its mother and got lost in the east. She took his hand to show him where it had left small footsteps in the sky. She told him of the boomerang that had shone brightly in the night sky when Sokka had been born and the penguin-seal and the whale and the sea-snake. She told him of the spirits dancing in the sky in the north and of Tui and La. Of balance and opposites and push and pull while they watched the moon travel across the sky - Yue, she told him, Sokka's first girlfriend who had sacrificed herself after the siege of the north.

"Wait-," he slurred, "he hadn't been joking? His first girlfriend really turned into the moon."

"Of course," she frowned. "How would you make something like that up?"

"You guys have been through some wild shit..."

She scoffed. "Tell me about it."

They were silent for a bit while Zuko drank again. "'S wrong, you know?"

"What is?"

"The moon's not with the sea. He's in love with the sun."

"No, that's not true," she protested. "I just told you. It's the moon and the sea, Tui and La-"

He groaned and covered his face with his hands. "No, don't you see? 'S the moon and the sun. Round and round and round they go, always chasing each other but never touching."

Her face fell. "That's sad."

"Yeah," he looked up at her, "it is."

Katara shrugged and drained the bottle.

"What now?" she asked again.

"Go to sleep? Morning'll come soon."

Her heart felt suddenly very heave. "And when morning comes?"

He shrugged, too. "I'll go back home. I've been away longer than I meant to. And longer than is advisable." He shook the empty bottle. "What about you? Off to the next revolution?"

"I think I've had my fair share of revolutions for some time." Katara sighed. "Still, there's so much to be done here."

"I know," he agreed. "But the fighting has died down. They have food and water. The healers are arriving tomorrow morning. Governor Yozin is on his way to a nice prison and I have appointed an interim governor until I find someone up for the task. Our work here is done."

"But it is not enough!" she protested.

"No, of course not. But the rest will be decided in stuffy council chambers not in dirty town squares."

"I don't want to leave them."

"And I'm not going to. Neither do you have to."

She turned to look at him and furrowed her brow. "What are you saying?"

He smiled sheepishly. "Come back to Caldera with me? Finish what you started?"

She hesitated. She probably shouldn't. She hadn't been home in quite some times and she didn't particularly care for the Fire Nation. Sokka would be taking off come sunrise headed to the South Pole. She could maybe get back to teaching for some time. Build a few houses. That would be fine. But she didn't want to.

Because even though she didn't particularly for the Fire Nation, she happened to care for the Fire Lord. Quite a lot, actually. Probably more than was good for either of them. And so, before she even knew what she was saying, she answered: "When do we leave?"

[fangzeronos]

What You Leave Behind

I’ve lived a good life.

 That was the thought running through the Fire Lady’s mind as she laid in her bed in the Fire Nation Palace. Her whole life was dedicated to defending others, whether she was on Kyoshi Island, the Fire Nation, or Ba Sing Se. Suki knew the ramifications of her dedication to so many titles and places would be long lasting, and she hoped for the best. From leading the Kyoshi Warriors, being Zuko’s Captain of the Guard after his father’s defeat, and becoming Fire Lady, a title she held most dear for thirty years, Suki knew her life was good. She felt her daughter’s hand in hers, and she squeeze softly, trying to give Izumi strength.

 Izumi sat on the bed with her mother, Suki’s hand in hers. Tears flowed down the young woman’s face, impending dread in her heart. She knew her mother’s time was soon, as much as it pained the young heiress to the throne. Izumi looked around the room, seeing her mother’s friends and family from all of her travels around the world.

 Aang sat beside the wall, his airbending tattoos glowing as he meditated, trying to search the Spirit World for answers or anything that could help his longtime friend. He’d been in the Spirit World four days, the ethereal glow of his tattoos the only light in the room in the darker nights.

 Katara stood beside the bed, occasionally using her waterbending to try and soothe Suki’s pain, healing what aches she could to make her friend more comfortable. It hurt her knowing that with all of her knowledge, she couldn’t find a cure for the woman she thought of as a sister. She’d worked with the Royal Family’s healers, looking over Suki’s medical records to try and find anything that could help, but to no avail.

 Sokka sat beside Katara, his hand on Suki’s free one. It had been decades since they’d been together, but she still held a special place in his heart. He squeezed her hand lightly, trying to give her his strength. It broke his heart knowing he couldn’t help her. All the Chief of the Water Tribe could think about was how many wasted years there had been when they were together, things unsaid and unspoken but clearly known. Sokka’s mind was filled with regret and nervousness, knowing what was coming.

 Azula, despite not being near the top of Suki’s favorite people, stood behind her husband, her hand on his shoulder and rubbing softly, trying to give Sokka some comfort. She knew where his heart was, and when they’d received the letter from Zuko saying Suki was ill, it was her that planned the trip and packed, knowing Sokka’s emotions wouldn’t let him think. In all the years since their first encounter, there had grown a respect between the two, something Azula, even as she grew older, would miss in the end.

 Near the foot of the bed, Toph sat cross-legged in a chair, feet tucked up underneath herself. She couldn’t bear to feel Suki’s heartbeat getting slower and slower, unwilling to feel it in the ground. As much as she’d bickered with Suki in the past, she’d come to admire the other woman, and for the former Blind Bandit, it was a rare friendship she still treasured.

 Ty Lee stood beside the door, a new generation of Kyoshi Warriors standing guard outside. As the former captain of the Warriors, Ty Lee was probably the closest to Suki other than Zuko, and it broke her heart to see her friend and sister laying in bed, death slowly creeping up. She first knew something was wrong when Suki’s aura had gone from strong and green to dim and grey. She’d convinced Suki to see the healers, sitting with her while her diagnosis was given.

 “Where’s ZuZu?” Azula asked softly, breaking the silence in the room for the first time in over thirty hours. “He should be here.”

Izumi sighed softly, looking over at her aunt. “He had an emergency to deal with in the Council chamber. Daddy said he’d be back as soon as he could, Aunt Azula,” she said.

 Katara bit her lip, looking at Izumi. “Well…maybe someone should go get him,” she said softly. She looked over at Izumi. “Izumi, there isn’t much time, honey.”

 “I’ll get him,” Toph said, putting her feet on the floor and doing her best to ignore the feeling coming from the bed. “I’ll get him and drag him down here by his nose if I have to.”

 “No, Toph,” Suki whispered, opening her eyes softly and coughing. “Don’t…don’t hurt him. Please…” She tried to sit up, Katara holding her down softly. “Katara—”

 “No. You need to stay laying down,” Katara said softly, rubbing Suki’s shoulder.

 “Please, Suki,” Sokka said softly, his voice breaking.

 Suki looked over to her left, seeing Sokka and smiling softly, the smile marred by the pain in her entire body. “Sokka…you’re here…”

 “Course I am,” Sokka said with a sad smile. “You wanted me here.”

 “Did I…? I’m sorry, everyone…my memory isn’t…”

 “It’s ok,” Izumi said, squeezing her mother’s hand softly. “Toph, please go get my father. And hurry.”

 Toph saluted lightly. “Yes, ma’am,” she said, turning and walking out of the room. She felt someone behind her, stopping and folding her arms. “Y’know, Azula, I can find him myself.”

 “I know, but…maybe if we’re both there, he’ll move faster,” Azula said with a small smile. “Come on, Chief.” She started forward, leading Toph through the palace before making their way to the council chambers.

 Pushing the door open, Azula looked around at the council members, Lu Bai’s jaw hanging open, the older woman clearly speaking. “Lady Azula, Chief BeiFong” the councilwoman said, blinking and standing straight. “What can we do for you?”

 “I need my brother,” Azula said. “Now.”

 Zuko looked over, stepping away from the table. “Azula, Toph? What’s happened? Is Suki--?”

“Not yet, Zuko,” Toph said, reaching forward before feeling Zuko take her hand. “But…Katara says there’s not long. We need you back. Please.”

 Zuko shook his head. “I have to see this through. The uprising could—”

 “Damn the uprising,” Azula said, grabbing her brother by the front of his robes. “Your wife is dying. You’re down here playing politician rather then being with her on her deathbed, ZuZu. Get your ass in gear, get upstairs. Now!”

 “Fire Lord, we can…postpone this for a day or two. Decisions don’t need to be reached right now,” one of the councilmen said.

 Zuko sighed, nodding softly. “Thank you, Hung,” he said softly. He turned and faced his sister and Toph. “Alright…let’s go.”

 The three walked out and headed back upstairs, Zuko feeling like every corridor was a thousand miles long, each step feeling like the weight of the world was pressing down on his shoulders. He couldn’t breathe, and the thought of losing Suki was overwhelming. He’d already lost Ursa and Iroh. He didn’t know if he could survive losing Suki.

 “I know everyone will be here when I need them, but…it hurts so much seeing her in the state she is when six months ago she was up kicking my ass in a spar. She’s been there through everything, and I…I don’t know that I can do this.” he thought, looking up as they stopped outside of his room.

 “Go,” Azula said softly, putting her hand on her brother’s back. She pushed the door open, seeing it stop and Ty Lee peek her head around the corner.

 “Zuko,” the normally overly cheerful woman said, hugging him as he walked in.

 “Hi, Ty,” Zuko whispered, hugging her back before moving toward the bed. “Zumi.”

 “Daddy,” Izumi said softly, hugging her father tightly and kissing his cheek. “Aunt Katara says there’s not much time…”

 Zuko nodded softly, sitting on the bed before rubbing Suki’s arm. “Hey, beautiful.”

 Suki smiled weakly, turning her hand over and taking Zuko’s, their fingers lacing together slowly. “Hi…” she said softly. “Where’ve you been, Zuko?”

 “Dealing with a possible uprising,” Zuko said. “Nothing to worry about right now.” He kissed Suki’s hand, reaching up and moving some of her hair out of her eyes. “What matters is that I’m where I need to be now.” He smiled softly, feeling Suki squeeze his hand softly.

 “Good,” she whispered. “Zuko…please don’t mourn me forever. I love you, and I know how you are. You still mourn Ursa and Iroh all the time. Don’t let my passing be the reason you shut everyone out. They’ll all need you as much as you’ll need them, love. Promise me that.”

 Zuko sighed softly, biting his lip. He nodded softly, rubbing Suki’s hand. “I promise, honey,” he said. “I promise.”

 “Good,” Suki said with a soft smiled. “Izumi…my darling little turtle-duck. Take care of your father. He’ll need you more than ever now, sweetheart.”

 “Ok, Mama,” Izumi said, sniffling softly and nodding. “I promise.”

 Suki nodded and smiled, looking at Sokka. “Take care of all of them, Sokka. Please…” she said. “They’ll all need you to be the pillar you always have been.”

 Sokka nodded softly, tears falling down his face slowly. “I promise, Suke. I’ll do my best.”

 Suki smiled, laying her head back against the pillow as her eyes closed. She felt loved, surrounded by the people she loved more then anything in the world. “Zuko…did I have a good life?”

 “You had an amazing life, Suki,” Zuko said softly, tears stinging his eyes. “You had a wonderful life. I wouldn’t trade any of our days for anything.”

 Suki felt the tears falling down her cheeks, and she smiled contently. “Neither would I…” she whispered, her head lilting to the side softly. Her chest rose and lowered for a few seconds more before she took her last breath, a smile on her face.

 Toph, having stood by silently beside Ty Lee, bit her lip and sniffled lightly. “Zuko…I’m sorry,” she said softly. “She’s gone. I can’t…I can’t feel her heartbeat anymore.”

 Zuko nodded softly, pressing his forehead to Suki’s hand, reaching out and taking his daughter’s hand, feeling her press against him. “Uncle, Mother…please guide Suki home,” he thought, sniffling.

 Three days later, everyone stood around Suki’s graveside. The earth had been freshly bent back over the casket by Aang, a task he took utmost care in doing. Zuko sighed softly, looking at his wife’s burial site, a pained feeling in his chest.

 “I…always thought I’d be the first. With assassinations, uprisings, attacks, just…general hate left over or instilled because of the War, I thought I’d die first,” he said. He chuckled, smiling softly. “I always kind of envisioned Suki as going down swinging. Kyoshi Uniform, fans, and sword stained in blood, yelling “Come on, I’m still standing!” and taking down three or four more men before getting overwhelmed. It’s how she would have wanted it. Not…not like this.”

 “No, I think surrounded by the people she loved was how it should have been, Zuko,” Sokka said with a small smile. “As much of a fighter as she was, she would have wanted it to be all of us around her. Like it was. Trying to give her some comfort. I…I just wish we could have done something to help her.”

 “We did,” Katara said. “We were there for her.”

 Aang nodded, sighing softly as he stepped forward. “Monk Gyatso once told me, “What you leave behind is not what is engraved into stone monuments, but woven into the lives of others.” Suki wove herself into our lives, helping us grow and find the better sides of ourselves. That’s what she’s leaving behind. A legacy on Kyoshi Island and in the Fire Nation. She was…the best of us, and losing her feels like we’ve lost a part of ourselves. It’ll take time for the pain in our hearts to fade, but it will.”

 “We’ll see her again,” Azula said. “Sometime down the road we’ll all see her again.”

 Zuko nodded. “Goodbye, Suki,” he said softly, kneeling down and putting his hand on the headstone. He lit a small fire in front of it, one that would never extinguish, and he closed his eyes softly. “I hope you’re in a better place and not in any more pain, my love.” He stood and faced the clouds, a small ray of sunlight peeking through the greying clouds, giving him a small amount of hope.

[bellatrixobsessed1]

Kissing Dead Pearls (Part 27)

The sky was a watercolor backdrop of searing oranges and yellows and pastel pink. Against it, holding a surfboard was a petite silhouette. “She’s too small to be any good.” Chan remarked. 

“I thought that it was the other way around, dude.” Ruon Jian shrugged. 

“Maybe if you have the right size surfboard. That one’s too big for her.”

To this Ruon had nodded in agreement. It didn’t bother Jet like it bothered the rest of the team. Chan and his girlfriend were particularly annoyed by the mistake. They could tell that she was new to the sport, unlike themselves. They have been doing it since childhood. 

Truth be told, they were afraid of her. Afraid that her mistakes would cost their team a victory that they hadn’t even had a chance to begin working towards. That first practice was a mess. Jet had watched her rather closely; every time she lost balance and every time she charged towards the wave too early or too late. She never seemed to have them timed right, could never seem to sense the water in the way a seasoned surfer would. She just didn’t have the connection. 

She took a deep breath. It was an hour and a half into a three hour long practice and she had yet to pull off even the most basic maneuver. But more than anything, Azula wanted to make her father proud. Truthfully, she had come to decide, within the first twenty minutes, that she hated surfing. It didn’t come naturally to her as volleyball did. She was furious with herself for having missed volleyball tryouts in favor of trying something new. 

She could have been on her way to becoming the star athlete of the middle school team. She could have been an hour and a half into praise and cheers. Instead her teammates were glaring at her. Even the coach’s formerly sympathetic eyes were clouding with impatience. She knew that he’d only let her on the team because of her father and his father’s legacy. 

She also knew that it was becoming abundantly clear that she didn’t share the family talent. She cast one more forlorn and longing glance at the volleyball in her sports bag before closing her eyes, readying her surfboard, and dashing towards the water. 

This time she was going to do it. She knew that she had timed the wave right. If only she had timed throwing her surfboard down correctly. Another wave took the board out from under her feet. 

No one bothered to tell her that she was supposed to go belly down and paddle out to the wave. 

Not even the coach. 

She was never one to quit. The only thing more dishonorable than a failure was a quitter. She would ride the failure out and probably with more success than riding any wave. A week into her new sport and she was only just starting to catch onto paddling out.

Azula was certain that balance wouldn’t be a problem. Toph had been kind enough to let her borrow her skateboard. The way she and Toph saw it, skateboarding was basically surfboarding without water. She did just fine maintaining her balance on the skateboard and by the end of the night she was even doing some decent tricks. 

So why the hell couldn’t she catch onto surfing?

She came to find that it was a simple as not being able to catch a wave. As simple as not knowing what to do when she finally did. She knew that once she figured out how to pop up that she would be able to stay standing and ride it out, but the waves were relentless and knocked her into the blue before she had a chance. 

Three days into week two was when she finally broke down. She was crying on Sokka’s bed about how Zuzu was mad at her for trying to one up him and how it wasn’t worth it because she wasn’t even good. How she wished she would have just gone for volleyball. 

He treated her to ice cream that she didn’t think she deserved, but Kya had insisted and Hakoda and Katara made it special.

Jet watched her cross the beach. “I’m surprised she’s even showing up still.” Chan’s girlfriend had commented. 

“I wouldn’t if I was that awful.” Ruon noted. 

“I wonder if her dad beats her for not being able to carry on the family legacy.” Jet didn’t know the girl’s name but even Chan looked at her and muttered, “too far.” Jet might have slapped her if he didn’t have a moral code. 

Azula held her head as high as she could for how many times the waves pulled it under. She had enough grace, he could see it in the way she paddled, the way she cut seamlessly through the waves. He could tell that she was getting used to timing and catching the waves. But she never managed to fully stand up and the one time she did, she hadn’t known what to do next. 

He watched her drag herself and her board back to shore. Long locks of hair hung down her back, shimmering in the setting sun. She wore a seashell bracelet around her slender wrist. Her skin was tanned nicely and her eyes reflected the sunlight so well. 

The rest of the team called her the weak link but he called her beautiful. 

The rest of the team called her the weak link but he called her untrained. 

He spent his entire weekend doing what their coach should have done. And she caught on fast. Who would have thought that actually teaching her what to do would have made such a significant difference.

When Monday came around, she walked onto the beach with a surfboard fitted to her smaller stature and a more confident stride. 

If she could have some success with a board that was not properly sized, she could do wonders with this board. 

For the first time she’d managed to catch a wave. Albeit, not on her first or even fourth try. But ten minutes in, she caught one and rode it out. Practices went that much smoother, she was beginning to learn and perform the basics. 

It wasn’t the remarkable and impressive transformation she had hoped for.

It was so ordinary. 

But it was enough to bring her from dead last to third from the bottom--and on a good night, four away from it.

The season had ended and she vowed to do volleyball next year. But the next year rolled around and her teammates were disappointed to see her dragging her board up the beach. 

A summer practicing with Jet and Sokka had done wonders. 

Chan, his now ex-girlfriend, Ruon, and the rest of the team hadn’t been there to see her practice. It was just as well. It was more satisfying. 

She went first. Her paddling was stronger, her carves smoother, her balance expectedly impeccable. She pulled off her first roundhouse cutback.

Azula was a thrill for Jet to watch, she always was. That determined and driven look and the victorious one that usually followed. They were stunning. She was stunning. Especially now that confidence was thrown into the mix. He more than admired her haughty stride back up the beach and past the rest of the team, “you’re up Chan.”

.oOo.

Azula takes Sokka’s hand and they slowly pad along the sand. He is so close to the sea that almost took him and yet he grins, wide and beaming. It is probably because he is with her. He stops to brush the hair out of her face. 

He leans in for his kiss only to get a mouthful of hair courtesy of the wind throwing it back across her face. He sweeps it aside again and this time she holds it back. 

She closes her eyes and tilts her head up, she looks serene and blissful. 

It makes him want to hurl.

Jet turns away before their lips make contact. With more force than necessary, he takes another bite of his chili dog. He doesn’t even like chili! Yet the flavor is still more pleasant than the look of Sokka locking lips with his ex.

He feels bad for feeling so appalled considering how much less tense she is, but it hits him quite mercilessly that he could have never made her feel that way. If only he’d met her first. If only he had been the childhood friend. 

If only he’d asked her for a date when he’d first had the urge. That day when he saw her silhouetted against the sunset with a surfboard in hand. 

Maybe if he’d held her a little closer when teaching her to balance. Maybe if he’d cheered her on a little more, she would have asked him. 

Maybe he would be walking down the beach with her. Instead he finds himself furious. After everything he’d done for her, she’d snub him like this? It was he who helped her work from no skill whatsoever to the surfer that the rest of the team strived to be. 

He helped get her through the past few months of summer and now she was ignoring him more or less completely.

“Still brooding?” Katara asks. 

He takes another angry munch of his chili dog. 

“Why are you watching them make out if it makes you angry?”

He thinks that maybe he wants to be angry because that is better than feeling let down, used, and miserable. “Maybe if I watch hard enough, she’ll see my charm and makeout with me instead.” He mutters.

“Ew.” Zuko grumbles. Apparently the concept of it is enough to drive him right back to the smoothie bar. Granted, he makes a similar face when he gets within sound range of the couple. Jet swears that if Sokka had the strength, he would quite literally lift her off of her feet. 

Thankfully he is still too weary for that and has to settle for a careful hug. “I’m going to go share a smoothie with Zuko, you want anything?” Katara offers.

He shakes his head. 

“You sure? We’re going to be heading back tomorrow, so now’s your last chance to have one.” 

“I’m sure.” 

He hears that light and warm laugh and frowns deeper. He wants to be happy for Azula, he truly does. But he can’t force happiness. He hears the shifting of sand and a shadow falls over him. 

“Exactly how long do you plan on staring at my daughter for?” 

Jet tenses up. He gives his body enough slack to muster up a single shrug. “Until she stops being so annoyingly beautiful, I guess.” He, to Ozai’s dissatisfaction, slips up. 

“If that is the only reason you are upset to have lost her, than you didn’t deserve her.” 

He wonders how many times Sokka was told that he wasn’t good enough for Azula, if he had been told at all. “It isn’t. It’s just the easiest reason to explain.” 

When the girl’s father doesn’t respond, he continues. “She’s talented and clever. She’s…” his mind wanders back to the stormy beach. “Strong and determined. I think that she might be unstoppable…”

Ozai nods. “Even so. You knew what this trip was about when you stepped aboard the ship. It is not her fault that you were not prepared for the outcome.” He pauses and clasps his hands behind his back, fixing Jet with a stern look. “If you trouble her over her decision, I assure you that there will be a free spot on your surf team.”

Jet suppresses a scowl. The old man did more to hurt his daughter than Jet himself could ever hope to do and he had half the mind to inform him of such. He curbs his tongue. “I don’t want to hurt her.” But he wishes that she wouldn’t hurt him. “Should I talk to her?”

Ozai shakes his head. “Unless it is about surfing or another mundane topic. She will speak to you about it when she is ready.”

Jet sighs and rests his chin in his hands as Ozai makes his way towards the smoothie bar. He feels as out of place as Azula must have while carrying a surfboard much too large for her. He doesn’t belong on this trip. With this family. 

Azula leads Sokka back to their beach towel and, in the shade of their umbrella, begins unpacking lunch. It probably has all of Sokka’s favorites. 

He hears the sand sift again and the clunk of a glass on the wooden table. “There’s a shot of rum in yours. Don’t you dare mention it to anyone on this beach.” 

Jet takes his beverage and sipis it. “And yours.”

Ozai holds out his receipt. There is only one alcoholic drink and Jet can taste the rum on his. 

“You could use a drink, boy.”

Azula settles into Sokka’s arms and Jet can’t disagree. 

[kuchee]

a silly 5+1 ficlet for zutaraang week,  day 1 ‘confession’, sokka confesses he doesn’t know wtf is going on 🌝. post-Heartlines. read it on ao3!

1.

All things considered, Sokka would say he's a pretty shrewd guy. Sure, he might not be the most perceptive person in the world when it comes to people's feelings – his first kiss with Suki comes to mind - but he's had a lot of life lived, since then. He would know, for example, if something weird was going on in their little Team Avatar.

"I think Kuei is actually losing it," Toph remarks, once Sokka finishes recounting today's paper to her. Toph is practically the United Republic Council's unofficial sixth member, with the amount of time she spends after her shift here whenever Sokka is present, sharing noodles and news - owing to the terrible mush they serve at the police station canteen, according to her.

"Tell me about it. I know he doesn't have the best track record with this stuff, but I think twelve zeppelins full of bodyguards is a little excessive for a routine national tour."

Toph crosses her legs and rests her feet over the table in front of them, digging her chopsticks into her noodles. Sokka winces at what the other council members might think if they knew the furniture was being used this way. She nods, referring to the other headline today, "It's pretty cool what they're doing with healing in the Northern Water Tribe, though."

"I guess." Sokka cringes a little, even though he agrees. He doesn't know if he'd let anyone mess around inside his veins for any reason. Even if it was going to save his life. Even his own sister. "I'm just hoping I never get injured enough to need a bloodbending surgery." He shudders.

Toph makes a tutting sound. "Don't be such a baby. It's pretty amazing. I'm totally asking Katara if she can help me repel mosquitoes like that."

Sokka raises an eyebrow, his pride a little bruised at the comment. "Well, that would be after it bit you wouldn't it?"

Toph pauses. "Oh yeah. Well, whatever. Where is she, anyway? She said she'd meet us here at the council when she finished teaching today. She's been working overtime since her honeymoon."

Sokka nods around a bite of his seaweed rolls, "I wonder what Aang's still doing in the Fire Nation, too. He went back to the capital with Zuko after we left, right?"

Toph snickers. "I could guess what."

Sokka continues, not really understanding her comment. "Those jerks doing some kind of jerkbending training again?"

Toph cackles again, actually slapping the table this time. "Hah! Good one."

Weird. Sokka doesn't think it was that funny, but he'll take it.

2.

Later that evening, they join Katara in her and Aang's apartment, since she ended up working late. Back on the topic of their recent trip, Sokka waggles his eyebrows at her, "All that time spent in the Fire Nation can't be good for him. You'd better make sure the Fire Lord isn't trying to steal your husband, Katara. You know what the rumours are in certain parts of the city."

Across from him, Katara gives him a withering stare. When Sokka whips his head around to Toph, her hand is pressed over her mouth in giggles.

Toph digs her elbow into him. "Way to be subtle about the new development."

Sokka doesn't get it. "What development?"

At his comment, both of them actually laugh, Katara's skittering into an uncharacteristically high pitch. Sokka finds this development worrying. It's as if they're having a secret conversation, Katara making amused, furtive glances at Toph, who simply stretches with a cocky languidness, and puts an arm around each of them, like she knows the answers to something very important.

Toph coughs. "Oh, nothing."

"You really don't know?" Katara seems flustered despite her laughter.

Toph is whistling, an irritating tune that makes Sokka bristle.

"Hey!" Sokka jumps in, defensively. The more amused the two of them get, the more he panics. He laughs lightly, mimicking them. "I totally know what you guys are talking about. Of course I know."

3.

Sokka is on high alert for any odd behaviour the next time they're all together again. Is it something to do with Aang? Is he doing some top secret mission that involves Zuko in the Fire Nation? Maybe it's something that happened when the three of them were in the Earth Kingdom?

Well, they're in the Earth Kingdom again, so maybe something will give. Sokka's planning the rooms for the Liberation Day ceremony in Ba Sing Se. They get invited every year, being key players on the city's side in the war and all. It's not often that they all get to be in the same place at the same time so Sokka takes it upon himself to book them into the same hotel. A few late-night gatherings after the festivities sounds about perfect.

A nice apartment suite at the top of the Royal Earth Hotel does the trick (The Earth King's favour for the Avatar, of course). Katara and Aang get the big room, on account of being recently married. Toph - never a fan of Ba Sing Se - just scoffs and says she doesn't care as long as there aren't too many rules, so Sokka gives her the one farthest from the door, with a nice balcony so she doesn't feel too stifled. Sokka's happy to take the second nicest room with Suki.

He only learns at the very last minute, when they're heading home after the first day, that Zuko has ditched his royally uptight entourage and will be staying with them too.

"But we're all in one apartment," Sokka frowns. He doesn't want the poor guy to get left out.

"I think it'll be alright, Sokka," Zuko says. Oddly, he glances quickly at Katara on Sokka's other side for some kind of assurance and back again.

Sokka puts his chin in his hand, thinking. It's safe to say that it's so late at night they can't exactly go knocking for the Earth King and ask for a bigger suite. "Wait! We'll get Toph to earthbend another bed! Don't worry, Mr Fire Lord, we'll find you somewhere." He puts a friendly arm around Zuko.

"I– uh– actually I can-" Zuko, for some reason, looks deeply uncomfortable.

Toph interrupts, utterly gleeful. "Well, with recent developments," she emphasises, clearly aiming her words at Sokka, "this apartment's just the perfect size!"

Sokka laughs, trying not to sound alarmed. "Of course. Why didn't I think of that?" Everyone is looking at him; Zuko with his hand over his face, Katara, Toph and even Suki wearing matching looks of mischief.

He wishes Aang was here and not entertaining whatever big Earth Kingdom officials there were back at the festival. That kid would definitely have his back, and tell him what's going on.

"Sokka," Katara says, trying to sound firm, but Sokka can't help but scowl at the trace of amusement he detects in her voice. "It'll be fine. You don't have to worry about it."

4.

It's almost midnight and Aang still isn't back. Sokka sits in the middle of his bedroom, racking his brain. Toph and Suki are hanging out in the common area, nursing dizzy heads and tea (there was more than enough alcohol back at the festival) but he needs to be away from the chatter. Think. What could possibly be going on that they all think it's so funny to hide from him? Zuko had almost told him back there.

That's it! He'll just ask Zuko straight. Maybe take him out to the balcony, under the pretence of having a hearty catch-up, man to man, over the ongoing fireworks.

Sokka marches to his destination, knowing he heard Zuko's voice in the kitchen earlier. He swings the door of the kitchen open, "Zuko, I thought you might– Katara?!"

Zuko is there. And so is his sister. And Katara's arms are around Zuko's neck, both of their cold teas forgotten on the counter. For a split second Sokka thinks he might just have caught them in the middle of a deep conversation. But no– he'd be fooling himself, it's as clear as day. Zuko's hands are wrapped around her waist, and his hair looks recently loosened from its style, and his expression is soft. Katara's hair is messy from where she was – and Sokka feels faint – pressed against the wall. Neither of them heard him, clearly. He looks down into his own cup in his hand to check it isn't cactus juice.

"I thought… you...might like to come out for the fireworks," he squeaks. And promptly leaves.

His mind is reeling. Suki or maybe Toph says something to him as he takes a seat in the common room, but Sokka doesn't hear it. He's going through a hundred different thoughts with every passing second. He swallows. What's he going to say to her? I want you to be happy? You know if something happened between you, I'd have to take your side. But do you really think it's fair to…?

"Sokka–?"

But you just got married and…

"Sokka!"

Sokka almost jumps off his seat. He turns. Oh, crap. It's Aang. He's back.

"What's up? Are you alright?" Aang's eyes widen, taking in his frazzled state.

Crap, crap, crap. What should he do. "Um," Sokka mumbles. "Katara– Zuko– kitchen?"

Aang's brows furrow minutely at his stuttering, but he clasps Sokka's shoulder and says, "Awesome," heading in that direction.

Suki and Toph are watching him intently. Is this what–? Is this what they were–? What is wrong with all of them? Aang returns a moment later with a steaming cup of tea in his hands. Calm as a summer breeze.

"Did you, are they– are you–" Sokka says, feeling sweat beading on his forehead.

Aang's about to open his mouth and answer (oh no) when his expression changes and Sokka whips his head around just to catch Suki making a no motion, waving her hand across her neck. Sokka's head is a jumble.

"What are they up to in there?" he squeaks, changing tack.

Aang laughs evasively, a hand scratching the back of his neck. "Oh, you know. Talking."

"Mhm," Sokka says. Next to him, Suki clasps his arm and gives it a squeeze. Good. He needs that.

5.

Sokka's feeling a little calmer the next day. Mostly, he's tried to put it out of his mind and enjoy the festivities. But when they're all seated together in the vast courtyard in Ba Sing Se's palace, and Aang gets up to give an opening speech, he feels the guilt weigh in the pit of his stomach.

"Some of you may be aware I spent weeks this summer in Daoshu after the record-breaking earthquake. Witnessing the resilience of the Earth Kingdom's people, over and over again…"

Poor kid. Always so earnest. Sokka zones back when Aang is finishing up, once he manages to get his worry under control.

"...in this great country, of both happiness and hardship. It's been a crazy year, full of things both amazing and terrible. I want to hand over this ceremony to the mayor on one particular note. I've learnt so much through the years since the War and this year, in Daoshu. The thing about disaster is you never know when it'll hit, even when you've been safe and protected for so long. We can't control the strike of tragedy, but we can control what note we want it to leave us on.

"That's why there's nothing more crucial than knowing what's important– the people we love. Write to your mom and dad and tell them you miss them. Visit your grandparents, your grandkids. Tell your kids how proud you are. Hug your friends!" The crowd raises its voice in a string of whoops.

Aang leaves behind his solemn tone and fully grins right at their group, in the midst of the crowd. "And you better tell that particular person exactly how much they mean to you." An even bigger cheer shoots through the audience. Sokka feels Suki take a heartfelt sigh next to him at those words. He turns to her, curious. Her eyes are glittering with feeling from the whole speech, but the twist of her lip means she's thinking of something more specific than that. "Isn't it so great that it all worked out?"

Sokka could scream, if he wasn't in the middle of a captive audience. What?

He takes advantage of the ensuing applause to leans behind Suki and look at his row of friends. A few people are glancing at Katara; they're probably thinking about their recent wedding. But Katara is only looking at Zuko, beaming at him, her hands clutching his in his lap, and Zuko is absolutely, completely, without a doubt blushing. Even Toph can't help a small smile, patting Zuko's shoulder on his other side.

Again, what?

"Psst. Suki."

She cranes her head towards him to hear him over the crowd. "Yes?"

"Listen… I act like I know what's going on – with Zuko? And Aang? Katara? The three of them? But I'm not sure I have any clue at all."

Boy, does it pain him to admit it.

Suki draws her eyebrows together in consideration, and then raises them all too suddenly understanding."Sokka…" she starts, gently, trying not to laugh. "You really haven't realised, have you?"

+1.

He would not have guessed in a million years. Nope. Never. What a world, huh?

"When were you gonna tell me?"

Katara's patting his back in sympathy. It's nicer than the first five minutes she spent just laughing. "Toph thought it would be funny once… and your reaction was so hilarious, we just kept going with it."

Sokka scratches his head, still trying to put it all together. "Wait– how long?"

Katara stretches her arms out in front of her. They're sitting together far from the rest of the party, snatches of music and murmurs still audible in the night air. "Since we were in Daoshu."

"At least I got that part right."

He has a thousand questions running through his head - only some of them he actually wants to know the answer to – but only one surfaces. "Are you, you know, happy?"

Katara sits up straight, nodding, like she has to prove something to him. She doesn't, of course, but it makes Sokka's mood lift. Like, a lot.

"Yes. Oh, you don't even know."

"And Aang?"

Katara shifts into an affectionate smile. "Honestly, I think he's been in love with Zuko longer than I have."

Woah. That is very strange to hear. And hearing her talk so nonchalantly about her husband and the Fire Lord is different to– well, maybe his entire worldview. But he'll get over it.

"You know," Sokka says, once he's spent a few minutes digesting, "I don't know if it's him or Zuko who lucked out on this one, then."

"It's me," Katara says before he even finishes his sentence, a breathless grin on her face. "I'm the one who lucked out."

That's when Sokka knows he won't have to worry. And it maybe takes the edge off the humiliation he's endured. Still, the sting remains.

"Katara?"

"Yeah?"

"You have to help me get back at Toph."

[sassycassie-s-writing]

You Missed

By: SassyShoulderAngel319

Fandom/Character(s): Avatar: The Last Airbender/Zuko

Rating: PG/K+

Original Idea: This imagine

Notes: (Masterlist)(By Character)(About Me) I changed the prompt a little bit. But I kinda liked where it went. @welovegroot

^^^^^

The door to the bedroom I was occupying in the Fire Lord’s summer home on Ember Island slid open. Something soft but fast-moving hit me in the face. “Firebending training. Now,” Zuko said.

“Huh?” I mumbled, yawning and stretching.

“You. Me. The Avatar. Firebending training.”

“Oi.” I rolled my still-closed eyes and fought whatever he’d thrown at my head to get off. It was soft fabric.

“C’mon,” Zuko said, clapping to get my attention.

“Okay, okay. I'm up,” I said, waving him off and sitting up. I peeled my half-glued eyes open.

He’d thrown my training shirt at me.

“I’ll be out in a minute. Let me change and pull my hair back,” I said.

He grunted, backed out of my doorway, and slid the door shut.

I flopped back down on my mattress and stared at the ceiling for a moment, waking up my groggy brain. After stretching and popping my back, I threw off my covers and got out of bed. I changed into my training clothes and brushed out my hair, tying it back into a braid that only took up half the length of my hair, letting the rest fall like a ponytail.

I glanced in the mirror. “Yup. Look fine,” I muttered before leaving the room.

Zuko and Aang were already training—and hard. “The Comet is coming fast, and you need to be ready!” Zuko was saying, sparring with Aang. Firebending-only match by the looks of it. “So far you’re going to be toast if you go up against my father like this!”

I vaulted down into the training space and forced them apart. “Okay, okay! Cool your heels, Your Highness!” I snapped.

Zuko started to protest, but I cut him off.

“Nuh-uh! Take a moment to breathe, and then we can all run drills together, okay?”

He sighed. “Fine,” he muttered, stalking over to the edge of the yard. He shucked off his wrap shirt and used it to wipe off his forehead while I trailed after Aang to the shaded side of the yard under the porch.

“Y’okay, Aang?” I asked quietly.

“Fine. He’s just intense,” Aang said with a shrug.

I snickered. “Tell me about it.” I cracked my knuckles. “He’s just worried. We all are.”

Aang sighed. “I know. I am too.”

“It’s gonna be… well. I don’t know if it’s all gonna be okay. But we’re going to do our best regardless, right?”

“Right.”

^^^^^

“Y’know,” Sokka remarked, plopping down next to Zuko. “If you want to impress her, you don’t have to be so over-the-top about it.”

“What?!” Zuko demanded, leaning away from Sokka. “I'm not trying to—I don’t—”

“Don’t worry, buddy. I'm not gonna say anything to her. That’s your job.”

“Just because we’re both Firebenders—”

“Oh that’s got nothing to do with it,” Sokka interrupted, waving a hand in dismissal. “It’s the looks of longing you give her while she’s training with Aang. The heartache in your face every time she smiles. You’re too far gone to notice it but it’s so obvious!”

“Shut up,” Zuko muttered, curling his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them.

Sokka brought his feet under him. “I'm not going to tell her. But you should. Be smooth but kind. Ya got it in ya to be totally irresistible.” He patted Zuko’s shoulder, stood up, and trotted off, whistling pleasantly. Zuko followed Sokka with a glare—which softened when he caught sight of her encouraging Aang to stand up again with a gentle grin.

^^^^^

“C’mon. Let’s give Zuko a minute to chill out and we’ll do some basic drills, ‘kay?”

“Sure,” Aang said.

We stood side-by-side, several feet apart, and started running through basic drills.

After the second one, Zuko got to his feet and joined us. I smiled at him. He quirked a tiny grin at me.

After we were done with our drills, the three of us sat on the porch steps with the others.

“Hey Aang, wanna see two Firebending masters—” We weren’t masters yet, but it was fun to joke. “—have a go at each other?” I asked.

Zuko looked slightly alarmed. I gave him a reassuring smirk.

“Sure!” Aang said.

I got up and offered my hand to Zuko. “Whaddaya say, Your Highness? Spar with me?”

He stared at my hand for a moment, then took it. “Why not?” he replied, letting me pull him to his feet.

We crossed to opposite ends of the yard and bowed to each other. I was smiling, but he looked deadly serious. We took our combat-ready stances.

“Think you got what it takes to beat me?” Zuko taunted.

“Guess we’ll see,” I replied.

He threw the first blow, fire raging down the yard at me. I dodged out of the way, deflecting some of it on a kick. I whirled a tongue of flame at him that he diffused with a blast of his own. He was good, I’d hand him that.

We got so close to each other that our Firebending was near-useless.

“You wanna beat my father and sister? You’re going to have to work harder than this,” Zuko growled.

I scoffed. “Who’s to say I'm not holding back because I don’t want to hurt you?”

“Trust me: I’ve been through worse than whatever you can do to me.”

“Is that your way of telling me to bring it on?”

“If you want. Prove to me you’re ready to face the Fire Nation during the Comet,” he said lowly.

I let loose, upping my game. I’d been trained to Firebend in the military since I was eight.

Zuko upped his game to match mine, but I could feel him struggling a little. His jaw was clenched and his eyes were narrowed.

“Are you trying to impress me?” I taunted.

“Depends. Is it working?”

“Definitely.” I laughed as I ducked under a fire whip with an, “Oh man!”

His hand caught my wrist and his leg knocked my feet out from under me. I landed hard, the wind knocked clean out of me. He planted a knee on my shoulder, pinning me down. “I win,” he said.

I smirked. “For now,” I replied.

He let me up and offered me his hand. I took it and let him haul me to my feet.

“Ugh. Just kiss already and get it over with!” Toph complained.

I turned bright red and looked away from everyone.

“Toph!” Katara protested.

Before I had to listen to anything more, I ran. I ran for the beach, leaving the summer house in the dust far behind me. The thing about being raised to be a soldier was I was used to teasing from the others around me. The other kids who lived in the barracks. My classmates who all trained together. We teased each other all the time.

But we’d never teased each other about crushes. Dunno why. We just didn’t. Probably because none of us had crushes on each other. We were too much like family for that.

I wasn’t used to being teased for liking someone. Or not liking someone.

I didn’t even know how I felt about Zuko.

When I got to the beach, I sat down on a rock jutting out of the sand and stared at the ocean.

It was a beautiful summer day. I wished the Comet wasn’t coming so I could actually enjoy the pristine Fire Nation weather.

I half-expected Toph to erupt out of the sand or Aang to swoop in from the sky or Sokka to come charging down the hill with his space sword over his head with a battle cry. But instead I heard a, “Hey,” quietly from behind me.

I turned. “Hi,” I replied. Zuko came over and leaned against the rock.

“Sorry about Toph,” he said.

I shrugged. “Not your fault. And I know her well enough by now. Sometimes she pushes our buttons just to push them,” I said. “Just needed to get away for a minute.”

“Mm. Know the feeling.”

We both just watched the water for a moment.

“Listen, though. Toph is remarkably perceptive,” Zuko said.

“Sees better with broken eyes?” I suggested.

“Yeah. You could put it that way,” he said with a snort of sarcastic amusement. “But, uh, she’s not exactly wrong.”

“What? That we should kiss and get it over with?”

“Something like that.” He rubbed the back of his neck, clearly uncomfortable and awkward.

I glanced over at him, tearing my eyes away from the ocean for a moment.

Biting my lower lip, I put my hand over his on the back of his neck, leaned over, and kissed the corner of his lips—so it could be interpreted as a cheek kiss. “There,” I said quietly with a grin.

“You missed,” he said.

“I did not. I never miss,” I joked. That was grossly false, but it was funny.

He turned to face me head-on. “You missed,” he insisted.

I leaned forward again and planted my lips on his. “How was that?”

“Better.”

I smirked. “You’re impossible, Your Highness.”

“You really need to stop calling me that.”

“Mmm… nah.” I leaned in again. He met me in the middle, both of us grinning against the other’s lips.

[bulletproofteacup]

Fateful Sleepovers

[A/N]: Repost of a fic I wrote forever ago. It was for @beanaroony then and still is. @hopelessowls beta’d for me. Thanks again, even years later!

[Summary]: After different relationships and many years, Zuko and Katara get their happy ending. Zutara. 

It's the first peace summit since she broke up with Aang. 

It's strange to see him wandering around with Toph, hand in hand and smiling at her like she's the stars and moon. It's even stranger for Katara to realize that this doesn't bother her in the least bit. Because there is something else that does. Something that has crept beneath her skin and itches until it bleeds at the corners of her conscious.

Zuko, too, is single, but it's not the Fire Lord's marital status that is bothering her. It's the brokenness in his eyes when he looks at his children and knows they will grow up without their mother. Katara was never close to Mai, but she understands the pain of her loss. She can't stand to think of Zuko or his beautiful children feeling that pain, can't begin to imagine how hard it has been to survive two years without their beloved wife and mother.

Maybe that was one of the reasons she was watching him that night, because his pain was fresh in her thoughts. Or maybe the circulating rumors of a treaty to be brokered between the Fire Nation and the Water Tribes, tempered by marriage between the Fire Lord and the Souths only princess (though, her brother and father had not breathed a word of any such matter to her). Maybe, and Katara thinks this might be the reason, his eyes carried such a heat and intensity and broken sadness that she was swept away without a single thought to propriety or rightness or the fact that she'd hardly been single for three months.

The end up on a random balcony together. It is a seemingly coincidental meeting. A happenstance. Fates intertwining.

Katara and Zuko both know this is not the case.

They don't speak with words, but their lips move and hands explore. What should feel wrong instead feels so, so right and when he drags her deeper into the night, there is not a single murmur of protest on her part.

A tiny hand touches her face. Katara blinks awake.

There is a child, golden eyed and dark haired, staring at her. It's Zuko's two year old son, Lu Ten. He smiles at her, lips stretching back to show off tiny pearly teeth.

"Ka-ta wake!" he bables happily.

She smiles back at him, whispering a hello to the tiny child. The sound rouses a certain Fire Lord and the arm around her waist pulls her up against warm, solid chest. He kisses her neck, then delivers his own morning greeting in the form of a brain-melting kiss.

"Zuko," she gasps, pushing herself away, "Your son-

He sits up, amused to find his infant son smiling at him from the bedside.

"Da-di!" Lu Ten says, stretching plump hands toward his father.

Zuko's five year old daughter peeks in from the door, nervous and afraid. She calls out a cautious daddy? to her father. It would be adorable if this wasn't already so dreadfully awkward (she's naked beneath a thin silk blanket with a man obviously lusting for her—that certainly wasn't a dagger poking against her thigh—and his small children were looking on!)

"Maiko," Zuko says, "Will you take your brother for a moment?"

The little girl skitters into the room, hair streaming behind her, and scoops up her brother. She's still wearing a cotton white sleeping gown, stumbling awkwardly like an adorable miniature Zuko.

"Hi Auntie Tara," she says, "Are you having a sleepover with daddy?"

She nods, blushing fiercely. Katara can't help falling more and more in love with his children. This thought surprises her because sleeping with a man does not mean he'll want her to mother his children or marry him and have more (it's disgusting and embarrassing because Katara wants this from Zuko so badly it aches with each breath).

She scrambles out of bed the moment the children disappear through the doorway, gathering her robes and pulling them on as quickly as possible. Zuko finds a pair of trousers and manages to dress smoothly and gracefully, while she struggles with her sashes and battles her unruly hair. He watches her silently, tying a dressing robe shut.

"Katara." he says, voice low.

She can't bring herself to face him because this is when he apologizes and lets her know, as gently and as awkwardly as only Zuko can, that last night was a big mistake. She bites back tears because last night meant more to her than it will ever mean to him.

"Yes?" she says, steeling her voice.

"I don't…," Zuko attempts, "I want…"

Zuko sighs and makes a sound of frustration. She can practically feel his embarrassment. He sits at the edge of the bed.

"It's okay," Katara says, more for her benefit than his, "We got carried away and I…understand. Last night was a mistake.

"Last night wasn't accident," he says sharply, "I've wanted this for a really long time, Katara."

It's very quiet for a moment.

She turns to face him. His eyes widen at the sight of her tears, then soften at her smile. Zuko smiles back, crossing the room and pulling her into his arms.

"I was so afraid you didn't feel the same." she whispers.

He kisses her, holding her so tightly she feels like bursting from happiness. A cleared throat from the door interrupts them.

The new couple turns. Katara pales. Her father, looking only vaguely surprised, stands beside her brother in the doorway. Sokka slowly purples, as the implications of a half-dressed Zuko holding his equally rumpled baby sister begin to set it.

There is an awkward moment of silence. Lu Ten toddles over to his father, Maiko skitters past Hakoda and throws her arms around Zuko's legs.

"I love Katara?" Zuko tries, "Desperately?"

The children look confused (well Maiko does; Lu Ten giggles) and Katara covers her mouth. Sokka chokes. Toph appears in the doorway, laughing.

"Looks like that super secret treaty proposal is gonna go real smooth," the Earthbender snickers, "Since they're already going at it like rabbiroos and any moment Snoozles is gonna try and defend Katara's honor."

Toph winks (spirits forgive them for teaching her the gesture) and Zuko flushes bright red. Katara scowls; in her haste to become part of Zuko's little family, she forgot how her own family makes her want to commit homicide.

[mycomfortblanket]

If I Lose Him Like This

Chap 5

Zuko’s birthday party is the the next day and the palace seemed to be buzzing with activity as maids hurried to their destinations carrying out various tasks. Toph’s on her way to the arena to bend a little to get away from all of the pounding feet she can feel throughout the palace.

When she arrives, she notices that Aang is already there practicing various forms for all the elements. She hesitates for a moment before stepping into the arena. She kicks up a good size rock and chunks it at him and it just barely misses him before crashing into the wall behind him.

He whirls around, not expecting anyone to be in the arena with him and when he sees her, Toph can feel his heartbeat falter for a moment in shock and then speed up at the sight of her. She fights down the blush that threatens to come to her cheeks.

“You wanna spar, Twinkletoes?”

He feels slightly lighter on his feet at her question which she smirks at. “Always. Are we doing just Earth or what?”

“Nah, don’t go easy on me. I’ll still kick your ass either way,” she drops into her fighting stance. She hears him slightly chuckle before getting into his stance as well. He doesn’t go easy on her either, but it doesn't matter, she still has him knocked down and with him underneath her, her forearm resting against his throat.

“Do you yield?” She asks, breathing heavily, their faces just inches apart.

It takes a moment for Aang to respond; he can’t take his eyes off of her dirt smeared face, the bleeding cut she got on her chin, her hair falling out of its bun and hanging around her face. His heart is beating fast and hard, and for just a moment, the feeling of her on top of him is all that matters.

Her smile falters when she realizes his rapid heartbeat is not from the exertion but rather because of her. She quickly climbs off of him and is suddenly standing a few feet away, a blush staining her cheeks.

“Toph, I-”

“Master Beifong, Avatar Aang,” A voice cuts him off, “Dinner is being served in the guest dining room, Chief Sokka and Princess Azula have also arrived,” a servant says to them before turning on his heel and walking out of the arena.

Toph raises an eyebrow, “Azula and Sokka? When did that happen?”

They begin walking out of the arena and towards the guest dining room where the rest of their friends are waiting. Toph pulls her hair out of its bun and does a quick braid to keep it out of her face.

“About a year or so ago? Him and Suki called it off a few months after you left, they're still really good friends though. And then, when Azula was released from the hospital, she was wanting to travel, and Sokka was traveling to make trade deals with other nations and cities, so she tagged along with him. Not entirely sure on the exact details of how they got together though. She's actually really cool once you look past the fact she tried to kill us,” he explains.

Toph is still hesitant about the whole ‘Azula’ thing, but once they round the corner into the guest dining room, she can't help but the large smile that comes onto her face. She remembers everyone's heartbeats and footsteps, they’re almost all the same since she last hung out with them, and she didn't realize how much she missed them until she felt them.

The only person she doesn't recognize is standing at the edge of the table near Zuko, speaking to him in a quiet tone. The person in question has light footsteps, similar to Aang's, but are more hesitant and not completely sure. Her heartbeat isn't steady, constantly changing rhythms and patterns as if fighting something within herself.

“Toph!” She hears Sokka exclaim and his footsteps come running towards her. The smile she is trying to hold back breaks free when he picks her up off the flood in a hug and spins her around. “Oh my Spirits, look at you! You're all womanly now, and your hair! I don't think I've ever seen it down!” He sets Toph back on her feet and runs his hands down her braid.

She smirks and punches him in the arm, “Nice to be assaulted by you again, Snoozles. Last time I saw you, you still felt super punny.”

“I was not puny!” His voice almost cracks as he yells at her. “Come on, I want you to meet someone,” he grabs her elbow and drags her over to the person standing beside Zuko.

“Toph, you remember Azula?” He says, and she can hear the pride in his voice.

“This is Azula?” The way her footsteps feel are completely different from how they use to be. Before, she was sure and determined, but now, she was as fluttery as a butterfly.

“So nice to see you again, Toph. Glad we can meet under different circumstances.” She's still able to pick up on the sharp edge of Azula’s voice but everything else about the girl in front of her feels different, like she's a completely different person.

“Right, nice to meet you… again,” she replies awkwardly. Not knowing what else to do, she turns and moves to sit in an empty chair next to Aang. Azula and Sokka sit directly across from her and Toph with Zuko and Iroh at the heads of the table and Katara on the other side of Aang.

The chatter continues around them after the quick introductions. She’s grown enough that her feet now touch the floor completely when sitting in chairs so she is able to still feel everyone's vibrations even as they talk amongst themselves.

Dinner seems to fly by as Iroh and her talk throughout the meal. Anytime she would laugh, Aang’s heartbeat next to her would speed up for a moment before calming and going back to its regular pace. It was hard to ignore and but she want to draw attention to it.

After everyone has finished and said their goodnights, Toph closed the door to her guest room and made her way over to the bed, shedding her top tonic and pants as she goes leaving her in just her bandu and bottom wraps.

She crawls onto the bed and pulls the covers around her and breathes out a deep sigh of comfort.

“Hey.”

Toph jerks herself into a sitting position at his voice, “Spirits fuck, Aang. What are you doing in here?” She feels the dip in the bed where he sits down next to her.

“I can't come hang out with you? We used to do this all the time,” he says, laying down and pulling her pillow over to him and lays back on it.

Toph snatches her pillow back and smacks him in the face with it, “Yeah, when we were kids and it wasn’t scandalous for you to be laying in my bed,” she huffs and sets the pillow back behind her and lays down, pulling the blanket up to her chin.

Aang reaches over her and grabs the extra pillow that is beside her, “True. But still, I miss hanging out with you.”

Toph fights back a blush and brings her hand up to her mouth, biting at her nail as an excuse for keeping quiet. The two of them lay there in semi-awkward silence until he lets out a deep breath and rolls over onto his side to face her, “So, what have you been doing the past three years?”

“What?”

“What have you been doing? I know you left because of me, but it wouldn’t be like you to be boring on an adventure like that.”

“Well, this may come as a shocker, but I didn’t do much. I got a measly job, a shit apartment- as you saw. I didn’t really do anything, I hardly even earthbended,” her voice slowly lowering until the last part comes out as a whisper.

----------

Aang snaps his eyes over to her at that admission. Hearing that she had been doing absolutely nothing the past three years, including earthbending was heartbreaking. He so badly wants to continue their friendship, but the more he talks to her, the more he finds out how badly he actually destroyed her.

He searches her face and can see small signs of her heartbreak and how it has changed her. “Well, if you want, we can spar tomorrow. I promise not to go easy on you again,” he says with a smile, trying to lighten the mood.

Toph lets out a snort, “Oh please, you couldn’t beat me even if you use the damn avatar state.” Aang laughs at her confidence and rolls back onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. They continue to talk through the night and it isn’t under the sky starts to lighten that Toph finally falls asleep. She is lying on her side facing him, her mouth open just slightly and her puffs of air move the strands of hair that is hanging down around her face.

He watches her face for a moment, reaching out a hand, he moves the hair out of her face and behind her ear. His heart breaks for her and all that he has put her through, but he vows to make up for it in any way.

He knows he should get up and go back to his designated room with Katara, but he closes his eyes instead, just wanting to rest for a moment longer.

----------

Katara is spread across Zuko’s bed watching him as he paces back and forth, venting about a meeting he had recently gotten out of.

“I mean, it’s been what, 6 or 7 years since I took the throne? You think these assholes would have started listening to me!” Katara can’t help but smile at how riled up he is; he’s so cute running his hands through his hair and waving his arms in over-exaggerated motions.

Katara moves off the bed and walks over to him, placing her hands on his shoulders to stop him from pacing, “Hey. You need to stop worrying about it. It’s over for day, you can’t let small things like that affect your life after the fact. Okay?” Zuko looks down at her and the tension leaves his shoulders.

She’s right, she’s always right. He needs to calm down. He continues to look down at her, into her crystal blue eyes, and he can’t help but think about how beautiful she looks.

Mentally, he shakes his head and pulls away from her and walks over to the bed and throws himself down on his back. He hears Katara make her way over to the opposite side of the bed and do the same, so that their heads are right next to each other.

“So, tell me what life has been like since I was last here,” She says, as if nothing awkward had just happened between them.

----------

When he wakes up, his eyes are still closed and he is so warm and comfortable. He can’t remember the last time he has slept so soundly or comfortably. Aang buries his head into Katara and inhales her scent of fresh turned earth and mint.

Wait. Fresh turned earth… mint?

Aang picks his head up and looks down at the girl in front of him. Toph has her face buried in his chest, one of her hands clutching the fabric of his tunic, his arms wrapped around her, holding her to him, and he has a leg slotted in between hers.

Fuck.

He fell asleep in Toph’s bed; she is going to kill him when she finds out. But, at the same time, he can’t bring himself to pull away from her either. He lifts one of his arms and runs his hands through her hair and it’s so soft and silky.

Katara’s hair is thick and easily tangled, but Toph’s hair just slides right through his fingers and he doesn’t think he will ever be able to run his fingers through Katara’s hair without comparing the two.

As he lays there, he thinks of their interactions before she left for those three years and how blind he was to see everything. It was so blindingly obvious how much she was hurting and he just never took the time to notice. He isn’t one hundred percent sure that he completely has her back, that she won’t run away from him again, but he is willing to do almost anything to make sure she stays.

The longer Aang thinks about how much he would go through for her, he starts to compare it to how he feels about Katara. Would he do the same for her? Would he have crossed nations at a moments notice to see her? He can’t bring himself to say yes and be completely truthful about it.

His train of thought is interrupted by Toph stirring. He had waited too long to move out of her embrace and now she is waking up and really about to lay into him. She rubs her face against his chest and smacks her lips a few times before turning her face upwards towards him. She is still for a moment before her eyes snap open and she quickly shoves him away.

“What the fuck, Aang?!” She yells at him.

“Shit, Toph! I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry!”

“Why are you here? Why didn’t you go back to your room?! Back to your fucking wife ?”

“I’m sorry Toph, I meant to, I just fell asleep,” his voice sounds dejected, Toph’s face softens ever so slightly, “But, Toph-”

“No, it’s fine, Twinkletoes. Can you just go, please?” She walks over to the door and holds it open for him. Feeling like total shit, he moves towards the door

Her face is pointed downwards, but whenever he comes closer, she raises her face towards his, and he couldn’t hold himself back.

Aang reaches out and grabs her by the waist, pulling her against him. He catches her lips in a hard kiss, her mouth opening just slightly. There was nothing gentle about this kiss, but rather, full of white hot need. He closes the door with his hand and pushes her up against it, rattling it against her back.

He takes her face in his hands and kisses her deep. Every thought that was in Aang’s head about his duties and Katara are forced away by the pounding of his heart and the dark curl of desire that begins to twist inside of him.

It has been so long since he felt like this, so turned on and needing to be with someone. Toph pulls away from him “Aang, no. We can’t.”

“Yes, we can,” and he pulls her lips back to his. It felt just like it did back when they were 17 and he had chased her through the abandoned hallways only to end up in that abandoned coat room. She is sliding her hands under his tunic and pulls him closer to her.

Toph releases a small moan from the back of her throat and the sound drives Aang wild. He moves his lips from her and begins to kiss down her neck, biting down on her clavicle.

Toph tilts her head to the side as his lips make their way down her throat. All coherent thoughts have left her and all she can focus on is the sensations he is giving her.

She runs her hand over his back and her fingers brush against the scar that Azula had given him and he shutters against her. Feeling frustrated with the garment that is keeping her from feeling all of him, she yanks at the material until he pulls back slightly and she is able to pull it over his head.

Aang dips his head to press his lips back against her and his hands move from her face to rest on her lower back, pulling her in close. She can feel his arousal brushing against her lower stomach as they kiss.

He pushes a leg between hers and without realizing it, she grinds down against him. A moan comes from her and Aang smiles against her neck. He remembers these sounds all too well; he hadn’t realized until he heard him again, that whenever he was with Katara or pleasuring  himself, he would listen for her.

----------

This is wrong. She knows what she is doing is wrong, but she can’t bring herself to push him away. The feeling of his bare skin on her fingertips, his lips on hers, his taste in her mouth, all of it is so intoxicating.

He has her crowded against the door and she knows that if anyone walks too close to it, that they will hear her. Toph pushes him off and towards the bed; she follows him, never quite leaving his grasp.

He sits down hard on the bed and Toph steps between his legs, her hands on his shoulders, “Are you sure about this, Twinkletoes?”

Aang grabs one of her hands from his shoulder and pulls her to him. She brackets her thighs around him and sits in his lap and his hands come to rest on her hips, pulling her even closer to him, “I’m so sure about this, T.. I’m only ever going to want you ever.”

Toph bites her lip and slides her hand over his heart to feel for his pulse, but only feels the honesty of his words in his heartbeat. He lifts himself slightly to reconnect their lips and at first, the kiss is soft and gentle. Aang lifts his hands from her hips and cradles her face, and that’s when he feels it.

She wasn’t even aware she is crying until he pulls away, and suddenly, she can’t get enough air and these giant sobs are coming from her. She can hear Aang panicking and trying to get her to talk to him, but can’t make out what he is saying over her sobs.

She scrambles off of his lap and stays a small distance away from him, her sobs calming down until its just a slight hiccup and a few tears rolling down her face, “No. No, you don’t get to do this to me again. This is the second time, Aang. The second time.”

She feels him get up from the bed and start to walk towards her, “Toph, I-”

“No! Don’t you see how fucked up this is? What you’re doing to me? What you’re doing to Katara, your fucking wife?!” She thrusts her hands into her hair and pulls at it, “Spirits, dammit!”

She can feel the heartbreak and despair in his vibrations, she didn’t think so much was able to come off of someone.

She turns towards him, the panic clear on her face, until suddenly, she decides enough is enough and she just turns off her emotions. She puts up that wall that she has had for the last three years, the one that had kept her out of any type of relationship and protected her from anymore heartache she felt towards him.

“Get out, Aang,” she says softly.

“Toph, please-,”

“Get the fuck out before I bend you through a fucking wall, Aang! I swear to all fucking Spirits, I will do it!”

She feels him hesitate so she shifts her foot, just about to throw him out, when the bedroom door opens and Katara and Zuko walk in.

[fireprunes]

Hurting So Much After So Little Time

So I’m normally not an angst person but it’s currently thundering where I am and I’m pissed off and in an angsty mood so here’s a pre-Southern Raiders piece

Even for someone as rough and biting as Toph, what Katara just did was overly harsh. 

It was no secret how much Katara despised Zuko, how angry she was at him for what happened in Ba Sing Se. It was so unlike Katara, someone so compassionate and forgiving, to hold onto all of this bitterness. Normally, Toph found Katara’s jabs at the firebender hilarious. Now, even she was left with her jaw gaping in shock. 

The day started normally, even positively. 

Zuko was always helping Katara with things in an attempt to apologize and make amends for what he did. He’d cook dinner for the group, and then help Katara clean up afterwards. Any chores she might normally do, he’d do for her. 

Today, he was helping her do laundry. It started off better than usual. Typically, Katara ignored Zuko completely as they worked, but today, she was actually talking to him. They were getting along. Sokka, Toph, and Aang all watched them from the sides, secretly praying this meant the end of the pointless animosity between the two benders. 

Zuko made a comment about how washing clothing had never been his strong suit. Katara laughed, gently splashing him with the water they were using to wash the clothing. 

And then she froze completely. Her face shifted, as if she was fully comprehending what was happening in the situation. She realized where she was, and who she was joking with. Her entire demeanor changed in an instant. Katara glared at him. Her tone suddenly as cold and sharp as her ice daggers, she told him, “Well, I wouldn’t expect it to be. You grew up pampered, no reason to expect anyone but your servants to wash your clothes, right?” 

The three bystanders all looked to themselves, confused. What just happened? Zuko also looked shocked. His eyes widened slightly. “I.. uh...” He didn’t know how to respond. He seemed to be caught completely off guard. Katara, seeing him struggle to defend himself, struck again. The things she told him, or better, yelled at him were... not things to be repeated. Her words were brutal, scathing, and by the time she finished, Toph, Sokka, and Aang had all come out from where they were watching and just gawked at her, mouths agape. 

The Western Air Temple was silent. Everyone was staring at Katara. Zuko looked horrified, like a kicked puppy who didn’t know what it did wrong. Katara, realizing what she had just done, looked between her three friends, trying to find some sort of validation for what just transpired in one of them. When she found none, she quickly fled the scene, leaving the four teenagers to wonder what the hell just happened. 

After a moment to process what she just witnessed, Toph ran after Katara. She needed to get to the bottom of this. What had just possessed Katara to do that? 

When the blind earthbender reached Katara’s room, she walked in slowly. She was surprised to find Katara not angry, but crying. It wasn’t a heavy cry. It was soft; the only thing tipping Toph off was a telltale sniffle. “... Katara?” 

Despite the tears, Katara’s tone was firm. “I don’t want to hear it, Toph. Not now. Anything you have to say to me, I’ve already heard.

“’Why are you so mean to him, Katara?’” Katara asked, mimicking everything she’d been told by Sokka or Aang in the past. “Why can’t you give him a chance, Katara?’ ‘Why can’t you just be nice to him, Katara?’ ‘He’s not such a bad guy once you get to know him, Katara!’ ‘You should just give him a chance, Katara! ‘Why do you hate him, Katara?’” Her voice broke at the word ‘hate’. Her words shattered to the point where Toph could barely hear Katara say her own name, it sounded like little more than a fractured intake of breath. 

Katara was full on crying, now. Her tears fell heavy, and she didn’t bother to restrict the sobs coming out of her. Toph’s heart broke a bit for her friend, for the girl she had come to see as almost a mother figure. She sat herself next to Katara on her bed, and rested her hand lightly on the waterbender’s back. Toph was never good with the comforting thing, or the emotional thing, but she was here now. Katara had been there for her through a lot. She wanted to return the favor. 

She let Katara cry for another minute. Softly, with no malice or accusation in her voice, Toph finally asked, “Why do you hate him, Katara?” 

Katara stilled. She took a deep breath, trying to steady and calm herself down from crying. Finally, she answered.

“I don’t hate him.” Katara whispered. “I don’t hate Zuko. I’m terrified of him.” 

Toph turned her head towards Katara, surprised. Terrified? Had he... hurt her? 

“It was one conversation,” Katara elaborated. “One conversation. We were trapped in those crystal catacombs a while, but we didn’t... we didn’t talk long. We only actually spoke to each other for what? Five minutes? Less?” She shook her head sadly. “Remember Jet? We were with him for several days. I even kissed Jet,” Katara scoffed. 

“Several days, and a kiss. A genuine mutual attraction between two people. And Jet’s betrayal still has nothing on how much Zuko turning on us felt.” Katara inhaled sharply. She started rubbing her palm with her thumb. “Five minutes. Nothing even happened. We didn’t kiss, we didn’t... we just talked. But it felt like my soul was on display. I felt so raw, and exposed, and naked.” Katara looked at Toph then, staring intently into her unseeing eyes. “So I’m terrified of him, Toph. Because if I can be so completely crushed and broken by him after one conversation, one peaceful interaction between two enemies... What is it going to feel like this time?” 

Katara broke down again, and Toph wrapped her arms around the older girl, letting Katara cry on her shoulder. Toph held her while she cried, shocked by what Katara had just admitted. 

This is worse than I thought. 

[fangzeronos]

Fanning The Flames Ch. 1

It’s been almost twenty years since the end of the Hundred Year War. Living in the Earth Kingdom with her children and family, the former Fire Nation Princess Azula was happy. She snickered as she heard the sounds of feet running on the cold floor, and she smiled softly.

 “What did your mother and I tell you about running in the house, little ones?” she asked.

 “Sorry, Mommy,” a young girl’s voice said. She and her sister walked around to Azula, both of them hugging their mother’s legs. “Mommy, can you tell us a story?”

 “What kind of story, Ursa?” Azula asked, kneeling down and looking at her daughters. “Hm? Which story do you want to hear?”

 “You and Mama!” the other girl said with a smile.

 “Me and Mama? Oh, that’s a fun one,” Azula said, kissing her daughter’s head. “Ursa, you and Mai go sit on the couch and I’ll be right there to tell you all about it. Without the adulty bits that are too spicy for your tiny ears.”

 Ursa giggled and nodded. “Come on, Mai!” she said, taking her sister’s hand and running for the couch, climbing up and settling in.

 Azula smiled softly, walking over to the couch and sitting down. Mai climbed up into her mother’s lap, her golden eyes sparkling as she snuggled against her mother. Ursa wiggled under Azula’s arm, wrapping her own arms around Azula’s, ready to listen.

 “Your Mama and I, hm? Well…that is a long story,” Azula said. “We met a long time ago, back when she was Kyoshi Warrior and I was…an undisciplined and obnoxious Princess who thought the world belonged to her. But, after Uncle Zuko and Katara stopped me, I got my mind right after your grandfather’s manipulations. And that’s where Suki came in, giving me a second chance…” ________________________________________

 Twenty Years Ago

Kyoshi Island

 Suki and Azula stepped off of the airship surrounded by several other Kyoshi Warriors. The Warriors split off and took off for their houses, sounds of laughing and cheering filling the quiet island’s air. Azula wrapped her arms around herself, her bag on her shoulder as she walked down the path with Suki, biting her lip.

 “I shouldn’t be here,” Azula said, looking at the former Captain of the Guard and her brother’s right-hand woman. “Anywhere but here, Suki.”

 “You need a relaxing place to keep yourself centered. You’d never get that in the Palace or with Sokka and Katara. Kyoshi knows you’d never get it with Toph,” Suki said. “Besides, this gives us a chance to get to really know each other, ok? Outside of trying to kill each other.”

 Azula nodded, looking around as she walked beside Suki. “It’s so calm.”

 “Yeah, until the Unagi attacks,” Suki said with a smile.

 “Unagi? Attack?”

 “Oh, yeah. It happens about once a week. Aang and the others took it down the last time I was here. Who knows, you may get lucky and get to see it,” Suki said, walking up to a house and pushing the door open. “Mom?”

 Suki’s mother, Shei, walked in from the kitchen, hooking a towel on her hip. “Suki!” she said, running over and hugging her daughter. “You should have let me know you were coming home!”

 “Surprise,” Suki said with a smile, hugging her mother back. “Mom, there’s someone I want you to meet.” She stepped back and moved back to stand beside Azula. “Mom, this is—”

 “Azula. Princess of the Fire Nation,” Shei said in a hushed voice, her hand moving to her belt, fingers wrapping around the hilt of a dagger. “What is she doing on this Island, Suki?”

 Azula backed up slowly, her hands in front of her. “Ma’am, please—”

 “Answer me, Suki!” Shei snapped.

 Suki sighed, stepping between Azula and her mother. “She’s here because I asked her. She’s not like she used to be, Mom. I promise. She just got out of the hospital again a few days ago and I thought coming to Kyoshi would help her relax. Please, you have to trust me.”

 Shei removed her hand from the dagger slowly, narrowing her eyes. “One slip-up, Princess, and I will not hesitate to put this in your chest,” she said. “Understand?”

 Azula nodded softly. “Yes, ma’am. I swear, I mean no harm or ill intentions. Suki’s telling you the truth. I’ve been in and out of the hospital for the last several years thanks to my mental state at the end of the Hundred Year War and my father’s machinations. Suki offered to help me and being away from the Fire Nation was the best option in her eyes.”

 Shei looked at her daughter who nodded. She bit her lip and looked away, hands clenching. “Last time Fire Nation Royalty was here, your brother burned down half of the village. It’s hard for us to trust anyone from the Fire Nation. If Suki’s vouching for you, it’ll have to be enough,” she said. She turned back toward the kitchen, putting her hand on the doorframe. “Dinner’s in two hours.” She disappeared behind the curtain, leaving Azula and Suki to themselves.

 Suki sighed, putting her hand on Azula’s arm. “Come on. I’ll show you the spare room,” she said. Suki looked at the young woman, biting her lip when she saw Azula was staring at the entrance for the kitchen, her eyes glazing over. She got concerned, stepping in front of her and breaking her line of sight. “Azula?”

 Azula gasped, shaking her head out and backing up a step. “What—where—”

 “Azula, where are you right now?” Suki asked, setting her bag down and taking the Princess’s hands. “Azula, where are you?”

 Azula panicked, looking around before finally feeling Suki’s hands in hers. “Kyoshi…Kyoshi Island,” she said softly, licking her lips softly. “Kyoshi Island…”

 “Where did you go, sweetheart?” Suki asked, putting her hand on Azula’s cheek. She remembered the healers in the hospital telling her that touch and questions would help ground Azula after an episode, and it was clear she had just had one, judging by the sweat building on Azula’s face and neck. “Azula?”

 “I…I saw my own mother. Telling me I wasn’t…wasn’t anything but a monster. I was that five year old girl again, wanting praise from my mother but being met with disgust,” she said softly, reaching up and wiping her eyes softly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

 “It’s ok,” Suki said, smiling softly. “Come on. We’ll get you settled in and then we can look around the Island.” She took Azula’s hand and led her upstairs, nudging the door to the guest room open. “Well, it’s not a Fire Nation suite, but it’s cozy enough.”

 Azula looked around the room and smiled a bit. “It’s fine. It’s better than my room in the hospital,” she said, walking in and setting her bag on the floor. She sank onto the bed, sighing as she did. “Suki…can I ask something?”

 “Of course,” Suki said, sitting beside Azula. “What’s on your mind?”

 Azula sighed softly, rubbing her hands together before she looked at Suki. She had two big questions on her mind, and one would be a longer answer so she opted for the quicker one. “How in Sozin’s name did you get Ty Lee to join the Warriors? That girl complained for years about being part of a “matched set” because of six identical sisters and then she comes to my cell in the prison wearing Kyoshi robes and makeup. How did you pull that off?”

 Suki giggled and smiled. “She said that when you three impersonated us and got into Ba Sing Se, she felt like the armor and makeup would be fun to do all the time. I guess she’d bonded with some of the other Warriors while she was in prison after betraying you with Mai at the Boiling Rock, and she came to me after the War and asked if she could be part of the Warriors. We put her through intense training and crazy tricks, but she proved herself.”

 Azula smiled a bit and nodded. “I think it looks good on her. Almost like she was made for it, or it was made for her, one of the two.” She rubbed her arms, biting her lip. “Why….why did you really offer to help me? After everything I did to you—”

 Suki out her hand on Azula’s, giving a gentle squeeze. “Because I’d like to think that, if the situations were reversed and you were the Earth Kingdom girl raised with love and affection, and I was the Fire Nation Princess who was manipulated and used by the people that were supposed to love her, in the end you’d do the same and help me get back to myself and find the person I should be,” she said. “And, in all honesty, you needed a friend that wouldn’t judge you. Not when I know that everything that happened to you was your father’s fault.”

 Sitting silence for a minute, Azula nodded before she leaned over and hugged Suki. “Thank you,” she said softly. “Other than you and Zuko, nobody wants to really give me a chance. All they see is the broken fourteen year old that tried to burn the world down. I hate being that person…I hate that being the only thing people know me as. I want to be better, and…if being here can do that, I’ll take what I can get.”

 “I’ll be here every step,” Suki said, hugging Azula back and rubbing her back softly. “I promise. Nobody’s going to fuck with you while you’re here. Not if they want to keep their tongues. You’re my guest, in my home, and my Island. Anyone that doesn’t like it can step to me.”

 Azula smiled softly and nodded. “OK,” she said. “Thank you, Suki. Really.”

 Suki smiled. “You’re welcome,” she said. “Get settled in. I’ll go try and talk my mom down and then we’ll go look around the Island.”

 A few hours later, after a tense dinner with Shei, Suki walked with Azula through the village. The princess was looking at everything, biting her lip as she watched people pull away from her, children being yanked back to their parents or older siblings. She knew it shouldn’t hurt and that she should expect it, but she also knew she couldn’t help the feelings in her chest as she watched the cold reception.

 “Suppose it’s my punishment. Years of incarceration, a few years in and out of a hospital, finally getting the right dosage of medication to help me balance my emotions. Everyone’s still scared of me. I don’t blame them. Like Suki said, if situations were reversed, I’d probably be afraid of me too,” Azula thought.

 “You’re lost in thought again,” Suki said with a smile, nudging Azula’s shoulder softly. “What’s wrong?”

 “Trying to reconcile the reception I’m getting. I don’t blame them. My problems are as legendary as my grandfather starting the war. I don’t blame them for hating me and pulling away and hiding. I’d do the same if I were them,” Azula said with a bit of a shrug. “It’s alright. I’ll just be glad when it’s over. Soon enough I’ll become invisible.”

 Suki nodded. “It’ll be ok. Lot of the time I feel invisible in the Fire Nation,” she said.

 The two made their way toward the shoreline, Suki reaching down and pulling her sandals off, letting her feet hit the sand. Azula followed suit, wiggling her toes in the sand, giggling a bit at the sensation before she covered her mouth.

 Suki looked over and smiled, cocking an eyebrow. “Did I hear—”

 “You tell anyone what sound I just made, and I’ll kick your ass,” Azula said, shoving Suki into the sand.

 Laughing, Suki hit the ground and rolled, popping back up. “Well, well. The Princess can have fun. New information.”

 “Fuck you,” Azula said, rolling her eyes and walking down toward the beach with Suki. The two walked the sands, Azula enjoying the sea breeze. She closed her eyes and took a breath, feeling like a weight was off of her shoulders.

 Suki smiled softly, watching Azula and feeling a tug in her chest. “What the hell? Odd…haven’t felt that since Sokka—oh, shit. No, no, no! Suki, no. Do not fall for another Fire Nation Royal! Zuko already broke your heart, you do not need that again. Just masturbate like a sane woman,” she thought.

 Sounds of feet running on the beach caught Suki’s attention, seeing a villager rushing for them. “Fire Nation Bitch! Suffer in hell!” the man yelled, lunging for Azula with a knife in one hand, a club in the other.

 Suki felt like time had stopped, shoving Azula to the side as the knife penetrated her stomach, the club coming down on her shoulder. She felt the bone break and the blade in her flesh, and she hit the ground, blood seeping from the wound.

 Azula hit the ground, sliding in the sand some before she watched Suki get stabbed and hit with the club, hitting the ground. “SUKI!” She leapt up and tackled the attacker, knocking him onto his stomach before she wrenched his arms back. “Someone help!”

 A few people rushed over, one man kneeling beside Azula and wrapping a sash around the attacker’s wrists, binding him. “Mahu, what are you doing?!”

 “Fire Nation bitch needs to die!” Mahu yelled, thrashing as two others rushed to Suki.

 Shaking his head, the man dragged Mahu to his feet. “My name’s Rahin. Princess, you’re not hurt are you?” the man asked.

 Azula shook her head. “I’m fine, but Suki—” she started, looking over as the others tried to stop the bleeding. One of them reached for the knife, but she ran over and stopped. “Don’t take the knife out. You do, she’ll bleed out. Don’t do that yet. Get her to a healer! They’ll know what to do.”

 “Let’s get the Captain to Moya. She’ll know what to do,” one of the men said, three of them lifting Suki up slowly.

 Azula followed them after picking up Suki’s shoes, heart thundering in her chest. Suki had taken an attack meant for her. Suki shoved her out of the way, taking the knife and club to the stomach and shoulder. Nobody else had ever taken an attack for her, not in her entire life. She felt sick, confused, and disoriented. She stopped when they did, the three disappearing into the healers huts. She sank onto a bench beside the door, wrapping her arms around herself tightly, tears falling down her cheeks.

 “Spirits, let her be ok,” she whispered. “Please…don’t let anything happen to her…”

[bellatrixobsessed1]

Kissing Dead Pearls (Part 10)

He could never find her, no matter how hard he tried. No one could find her and no one ever did. Not until she wanted them too.

“It’s just a dumb game Azula!” Zuko would always declared. “Who cares if you always win.” He did and she knew it. They all cared and they were all jealous.

She always had the best hiding spots and she owed it partially to her teeny build; she could scramble into places that none of her friends, save for Toph, could fit in. To some extent, she still can, but not as many as she could as a child.

That day she had tucked herself into a particularly tight wedge nestled in the cove. During their play, nothing was off limits, every crevice and orifice was fair game. Though they mostly avoided the cave in the cove because it was too dark and too wet.

Azula had always been more adventurous, more darling, and, in childhood, more reckless and less careful. She shambled up a large rock, it was slick and wet and she was almost certain that she would fall and give away her hiding spot with a large splash. Luck was on her side, she managed to cling on and reach the top. From there she climbed her way into the wedge and waited, listening to the waves lapping against the sandstone and the steady drip drop of the moisture leaking from the cave ceiling. She could feel slimy seaweed sloughing down her arm and she stuck her tongue out in disgust. But she would endure it for the sake of her victory streak.

A few minutes turn into ten and then ten into fifteen before she heard Sokka and Zuko declare they gave up. Their voices were distant. It took another five before Katara made her declaration.

Azula’s smugness turned to pure dread in an instant. It is the instant that she tried to pull herself out of the wedge. It was an all encompassing terror when she found that the hole in the wall was too small for even she afterall. She remembers how her stomach had sank. How another ten minutes went by and then another. A feeling of suffocation and helplessness as she tried fruitlessly to back out of the crevice. An effort that only became more worthless as the panic had set in more.

Soon it had been an hour and then two before it finally occurred to her that she should cry or, at least, scream. She intended to only scream once, but that had opened the floodgates to all out bawling.

That was all she had needed to do. “I found you!” Sokka declared smugly. She had never been more relieved to lose a game.

Hakoda’s voice was the next that she’d heard, a soothing and soft one instructing her to stop crying for a moment and to relax her body as much as possible and then to suck in her belly and duck her head as close to the floor as she could.

Strong hands wrapped around her ankles and pulled. She’d heard Ursa whimpering softly. She was given a few bone jerking tugs before her body had come free. Her knees were skinned and her cheeks and elbows scrapped. Ozai had passed her to Ursa who’d held her nearly as tightly as the cave had and caressed her hair.

She hadn’t gotten in trouble that night, they were too relieved for that, but she had earned a reputation for constant childhood accidents and mishaps.

.oOo.

She doesn’t want to go home, she wants to go anywhere but home. But the longer she delays, the madder he is going to get. Katara knows this. She usually doesn’t like to be touched, but this time she lets Katara rub her back while she sits with her elbows digging into her thighs and her face buried in her hands.

Hakoda is just as aware as Katara. “If you need to stay here until he sobers up, you can take Sokka’s bed. I know that he won’t mind.”

Azula nods despite her apprehension. She hasn’t been in his room since he’d disappeared. She isn’t sure that she can take it, not tonight. Not when her mental state is already in the beginning stages of immense turmoil.

“You don’t mind the sofa, do you, Zuko?” The man asks.

“Couch is fine.” She hears his reply from down the hall.

She puts her hand on the doorknob but can’t bring herself to turn it. She gives a slight jolt at the sound of footsteps. “It was hard for me at first, too.” Katara confesses. “But it isn’t so bad after that.”

Azula takes a deep breath and twists the knob. The door falls open and she is greeted by a familiar ambiance. His walls are painted deep blue, he hasn’t bothered to take down the ocean life wall stickers that he’d put up as a kid. In fact he still has a few stuffed sharks and jellyfish strewn about in the corner. But he has also acquired several surfboards to hang on the wall--strictly decorative. And from the ceiling hang a collection of shark teeth and a few fishbones.

The floor has as much clutter as she remembers; a stack of knocked over reggaeton and reggae albums lies at the foot of his bed near a collection of sport-themed DVD’s. Clothes, mostly socks and aloha shirts, are cast randomly about the floor and drape over a chair by a desk.

The desk teems with other trinkets; a few bobble heads, 3D photo crystals depicting jelly fish, some unopened snack bars, and a few poorly done drawings along with pencils among other things. She then finds the pictures. There is one of just he and Katara holding fishing poles. Next to that is one of their family at the grand opening of their food joint. And next to that… Her stomach flutters and her eyes prickle. He has his arm around her, flashing the camera a goofy grin. He wears the most ridiculous pineapple shaped sunglasses and a straw hat. She remembers him forcing her to wear an even more ridiculous clownfish hat and a cheap rainbow lei.

Her tear finally escapes when she sees the next photo. She doesn’t remember it having been taken. Which is probably because she is asleep in the photo. Asleep and clutching a stuffed stingray. The same one she’d had since she was a child and her parents took she and Zuko to the aquarium. She is certain that Zuko still has his stuffed turtle.

She wishes that Sokka were home, if only to kick his ass for sneaking that picture. “He really liked that one.” Katara nods to that picture.

“Yeah…” she trails off quietly. “I’m sure he did.”

“I’ll leave you alone?”

Azula nods.

“I’ll send Zuko to get you when dinner is ready.”

She nods once more.

She waits until Katara leaves to make her way to Sokka’s bed. Her lower lip trembles as she climbs into it and bunches herself into a ball. It smells like him. In some way, being tangled in his blankets is like being swaddled in his arms. But it lacks the warmth that he had. In the privacy of the room she cries more openly. For the loss of Sokka. For the loss of her mother. For the loss of her father as he used to be.

She cries for her failed attempt. For her inability to even search for Sokka. For the abuse she’d taken and for the abuse she was about to take as soon as she inevitably faced her father. He was going to reek of alcohol and testosterone.

Her eyes are dry again and she has managed to catch an hour or so of sleep when she hears the knock. “The food is ready. It smells wonderful too.” Zuko calls.

“You can meet me at the table, Zuzu.” Groggily, Azula pulls herself up. She runs her hands over her face. She knows that her makeup is smeared and her hair is tousled. It doesn’t really matter, she has no one to impress right now.

She makes her way to the kitchen and pulls out a chair. Kya offers her a loving smile and her belly flutters again. That smile reminds her too much of her mothers for her to not have to bite the inside of her lip to keep tears at bay. She is being much too sentimental tonight.

“I’m sorry that you’re having such a rough night, sweetheart.” Kya cups her hand over Azula’s.

She doesn’t seem to take much offense at Azula’s lack of an answer. She eats in silence, listening to the other four make mundane conversation mostly about shows and how the restaurant repairs are coming along. She picks at her food, not really tasting it at all. It isn’t that the food isn’t rich and scrumptious, more so that her taste buds have dulled and her appetite has fled to make room for a feeling of sorrow.

There comes a knock, a heavy knock. Azula’s stomach plummets and the rest of her appetite is sapped away.

“I think that it is better if you return home.” Hakoda fills the doorway.

“I need to talk to her.” Ozai insists. She listens for a slur.

“We are in the middle of dinner.”

“I can wait.” She doesn’t need to see him to know that he his crossing his arms.

“After dinner we have other plans.”

“The discussion will not be long.” She hears no slur and she isn’t sure if this is more or less worrisome.  She wonders if she should just get it over with. With a deep breath she stands.

“Azula…” Zuko starts. She pulls her wrist out of his grasp and makes her way to the door. Her eyes are dim and as impassive as she can will them to be.

Hakoda seems to go tense.

“Father.” She greets as dimly as her eyes.

The man looks her over and rubs his hand over his face again. “I didn’t come to the beach to fight with you.”

“But you still did it.” She mumbles, absently massaging her bruised wrists. His eyes follow her hand and find the purple-yellow. She thinks that he might have winced. She slips that hand into her pocket. “What do you want.”

He holds out an ice pack, “just to talk with you.”

“We can talk when you’re sober.” She replies with as much coldness as the pack he holds out. She retreats back into the house.

They are three of Sokka’s favorite romantic comedies in, and she still can’t get Ozai out of her mind. She wishes that Sokka could be there to watch the movies with them.

.oOo.

Being back in the lighthouse is dreadful. She knew that Hakoda and Kya couldn’t let them stay forever. Though they offered to take them back if Ozai laid a hand on either of them. Her father isn’t home yet, but this is much worse than him having waited by the door. The anxiety of waiting for him to finally arrive is getting to she and Zuko both.

Zuko spends the better portion of the day pacing around the lighthouse. She is more subdued, taking up the demeanor of a death row inmate, with a silent resignation of her fate.

The door falls open and Zuko jolts. Azula grips the edge of her chair as Ozai’s footfalls echo. “Both of you!” He calls. Zuko freezes where he stands, his body locks. Azula can feel her mind ebbing away. It has been a long time since her mind has gone distant and impassive, but it is her only defense. “Come down and have a seat.”

Zuko catches her hand as she numbly lets her feet take over. “Azula, don’t.” She shakes her head. “Better to get it over with.”

Zuko follows her down the spiral staircase. Ozai sits at the table, waiting. Feeling slightly wobbly, she takes her own seat. Zuko remains standing and a distance away from the table. When it comes to father, he might just be smarter than she.

Their father takes a deep breath, sets a stack of papers onto the table, and pushes them towards her. She quietly scans them over.

“What are those for?” Zuko asks.

She meets Ozai’s stare and he nods. “They’re...AA forms, Zuzu.”

“Khozen wouldn’t pour me another glass until I went.” He grumbles.

“How long have you been attending?” Zuko asks.

“Just a few days now.”

“Is that where you were on Monday?” Azula asks, suddenly feeling as though she had been the aggressor on the beach that day.

He pinches the bridge of his nose before confessing, “no, I was at the bar.”

“So much for, Khozen not pouring you another glass…” Zuko grumbles.

“I went to AA and he poured me a glass as he said he would.” Ozai shrugs.

“Have fun sharing that story at your next meeting.” Zuko crosses his arms. “Is that all you wanted?”

“Not quite.” Ozai replies. “I want you to take that boat that the two of you bough and return it…”

“I’m going to find Sokka.” Azula hisses. “I…”

“What you are going to do, Azula, is return that boat.” He pauses. “That money was your college fund, was it not?”

Azula flushes.

“And Zuko’s...and a good portion of our lighthouse fund.”

Her lower lip quivers.

“You are going to return that boat. Khozen’s will do us just fine and it will cost us much less.”

Azula looks up from the table. “Khonzen’s boat?”

“He used to be a pirate. He and I struck a deal. If I...succeed with this,” he gestures to the packets, “he will lend me the boat free of charge and we can go and search for answers together.” He pauses. “I lost your mother, I’m not about to let the two of you sail away without me. Understood.”

Tears well in her eyes again, but this time they are born of a different emotion. Hope, she realizes. She nods, “yes, father.”

“Does that sound fair to you?”

Frankly, she thinks that, for once, her father might be getting the short end of the deal. But then, getting clean isn’t such a terrible fate. “It does.”

“Does that sound fair to both of you?”

Zuko shifts his weight, never uncrossing his arms. “I guess.” Azula can’t blame him for his skepticism.

“Can you wait a little longer?” He asks. “Maybe help Katara and her family with La-bsters and have you surf tournaments with Chan? And then we can go out to sea.”

“Can I bring Katara?” Zuko asks.

“That is up to Hakoda and Kya.”

Azula doesn’t particularly want to delay, but the offer on the table shows more promise than spending her college fund and taking an impulsive, grief-driven expedition. “I can wait a little longer.”