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imaginedxlan · 3 years ago

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Time Heals (Not Enough Part II); Prince Zuko

in which the reader has had to live with zuko training aang after breaking her heart. eventually emotions come to a head, leaving her vulnerable to his pleas.

warning: language, smut toward the end (18+. MINORS DO NOT INTERACT), fingering, oral (female receiving), unprotected sex (wrap it before you tap it kids!) general pining and what not. bolded line will indicate the point of no return, if you aren’t comfortable with sexual content don’t read past that line!

my first smut outside of the one direction fanfic i wrote when i was twelve go easy on me besties. also i have no fucking clue what his ember island house looks like besides the fede sections they showed in the show so apologies for that. as explained in the first part, our beloved zuzu and the reader are aged up because i’m not comf writing anything sexual with minors!

part one

living with zuko hasn’t been easy. no matter how much you try to avoid him he always seems to be right behind you. in a short time he’s seemed to be able to win everyone over, well everyone but you.

it started with sokka. after their big adventure to boiling rock, zuko has been in sokka’s good graces. even katara has been able to tolerate him after he took her to avenge her mother. he hasn’t even attempted to mend what he broke between the two of you.

after his grand confession of love at the western air temple, you could no longer keep your past with zuko a secret from your friends. sokka was the first to ask you about it, cringing when you brought up any sort of intimate detail, but this was also when he wasn’t zuko’s biggest fan either.

“we can’t work as a team if you’re still mad at him,” aang was the second to talk to you about it. he was mostly concerned with the group dynamic going forward. he didn’t want to sacrifice his training with zuko, but he cares more about his relationship with you than keeping zuko as a teacher. “do you think you’ll ever be able to forgive him?”

everyone was asleep on the ride to ember island beside you and aang. you lied to toph and sokka, telling them time and time again that you weren’t still hurt from what zuko did to you, rather what he did to aang, but aang saw through it.

“he hurt me really bad, aang,” you say quietly. you’re sure everyone is asleep, zuko snoring only a few feet from you, but you were still nervous to say it out loud. “you can train with zuko without me liking him, it won’t affect you at all i promise.”

he doesn’t seem convinced but he lets it go for now. in his mind, there’s no use in the two of you fighting over something you’ve already seemed to make your mind up on.

zuko doesn’t make any attempts to speak to you, just makes his presence known to you at every second of the day. after watching the ember island players, how they paint zuko and katara in such a romantic light you feel sick. you wish you didn’t, that you could just move on from him but his constant being around makes it unimaginably harder.

that night you lay in the room of zuko’s childhood beach house and hold back tears. you feel so stupid, like some idiot teenage girl obsessed with the last boy who broke her heart. you didn’t want to sleep alone so you shared with katara and toph, their light snores almost comforting as you fight the insomnia that has overtaken you.

it takes you a minute to realize it isn’t just the trees outside tapping on the window, but a light knock on the door. you roll over on your cot and contemplate pretending you didn’t hear it. then again it could be aang or sokka in distress. you push off the makeshift bed and walk toward the sound.

zuko stands there, shirt gone, hands wringing in front of him. you can’t help but roll your eyes at his indecency and cross your arms over your chest, covering yourself as best as you can as you become painfully aware of your lack of clothing. when he doesn’t say anything you speak up.

“can i help you?” you ask, obviously annoyed at his interruption of your attempts to fall asleep. he stands there for another minute, mouth moving like he has something to say but no words come out. “guess not.”

before you can turn back around he reaches out to you, catching your elbow which makes you shiver.

“please talk to me, y/n,” he’s begging again. “i promise it won’t take long, i just can’t bear fighting.”

you think it over for a minute. his face is giving everything away, he looks visibly shaken to be speaking to you. you let out a sigh, shaking him off your arm lightly and cocking your eyebrow as if to say talk.

“not here, i don’t want to wake them,” he nods toward toph and katara’s sleeping bodies. he reaches out his hand for you to take to follow him but you don’t. “alright, follow me i guess.”

you follow him down the long hallways of his abandoned family beach house. you can’t help but feel bitter about the fact that he has enough homes for one to be abandoned while the southern water tribe was diminished due to his family’s rule. he leads to an empty room, what you can only assume to be his bedroom when this place was in use.

“will you sit?” he asks meekly as you stand leaning against the wall, the farthest you can possible be from him in this room. “please?”

you can’t bring yourself to hear another round of his begging and whining so you take a seat on the opposite side of his bed. his hands lay fidgeting in his lap and his eyes hardly ever meet yours.

“you’re wasting my time zuko we all need to sleep if we’re going to defeat your father,” you say which makes him immediately look up. any mention of his father elicits that kind of reaction. “if you have something to say get on with it.”

“i can’t keep being here if you won’t talk to me,” he finally replies.

“i’m talking now, aren’t i?”

“you know what i mean, y/n,” he snaps which shocks you. he hasn’t shown his, for lack of a better word, fiery attitude with you since he proposed teaching aang to fire bend. “sorry i didn’t mean it to come out like that, but you do know what i mean. i’ve tried so hard to fix this but i can’t do that when you won’t even look at me.”

the way he’s speaking to you like he deserves something makes you angry, but it makes you even angrier that you, in the tiniest bit, agree with him.

“what is there to fix zuko? it’s not like we were together,” you remind him.

“don’t give me that bullshit, we were,” he pushes. “by the end i wasn’t even sure if i was chasing the avatar or you, we were together and that’s why what i did is worse.”

you’re quiet, unsure of how to respond to such a thing.

“you have to know that i loved you then too. what i did was awful but it was because i loved you,” he continues to explain himself, but it sounded like excuses to you. “if i didn’t go with azula and she figured out it was because of you she wouldn’t hesitate to take you out of the equation. she’ll eliminate anyone that stands in her way and i couldn’t let her do that to you. i won’t lie and say it was the only reason that i left but it sure as hell was the biggest.”

your face stays stone cold, you aren’t sure if he’s making this up to save his own ass or if he’s telling the truth. the idea of letting him ramble on long enough to figure it out feels like a good enough idea to you.

“i know i should have told you why, but i was stupid and i was a coward,” he drops his head when he says this and your heart almost skips a beat. months ago in the desert, zuko finally talked about his mother, how she up and left him to be tortured and scrutinized by his father and sister. you noticed whenever he talked about something important to him, he couldn’t keep eye contact, just like he’s doing now. “i’ve been trying so hard to change, y/n, i don’t want what i did in ba sing se. i don’t want to be fire lord, i don’t want my fathers honor, i just want you.”

“what about mai?” you ask, honestly afraid of the answer. he lets out a pained sigh before lifting his gaze to meet yours.

“i never thought i’d be able to be with you again after what happened,” he replies. “i was trying so hard to move on but i realized i couldn’t just forget about you. no matter what i did, you were always there in the back of my mind.”

you’re quiet again. you can try to convince yourself you’re over the feelings you had for zuko as much as you want, but the jealously that rises in you when you think about him and mai, even him and katara, is undeniable.

“you hurt me really bad zuko,” you confess in a whisper, head dropping so he can’t see the pain in your face. “how am i supposed to believe this isn’t just for show.”

you know he’s itching to be close to you, reach out and grab your hand to assure you of his feelings but he stays in his place to respect your boundaries.

“i know, i was such an idiot then. i’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you if i have to,” his tone of clear and strong, no hesitation behind it. without lifting your head, your eyes turn to look at him, he’s almost shaking. “it’s always been you, only you. i’ll do anything to prove it to you.”

you’re finding it particularly hard to breathe. even with so much distance between the two of you, you feel suffocated. your heart is telling you one thing but your mind is saying another. the time that has passed between now and ba sing se has softened your anger toward him, one could even call the feeling indifference, but your brain is warning that you’ve been down this path with him before. something, however, feels different.

the glint of hope mixed with deep sorrow in his eye is something you’ve never seen in him before. the way he’s openly criticizing his own actions is wildly different from the zuko you knew even a few months ago. you haven’t ignored the fact that he’s given your friends so much closure since he’s tagged along. with your brain turning into mush trying to comprehend what the hell to do in this situation, you do the unthinkable.

“y/n-” before he can spit out more word vomit, you close the distance between you, pressing your lips against his after so many weeks apart. you can hear him suck in a breath through his nose before he realizes what’s happening. his hands hold your cheeks, afraid if he let go you would disappear and this would all be a twisted dream.

all the hurt he caused, the shattering of your heart, slips away for even just a moment. logically, you know this is a terrible idea, but every part of you wants to believe him.

when you pull away from him gasping for air, you rest your forehead against his. you don’t know where to go from here. on one hand, you could get up and leave, pretend like this never happened. on the other you can give into what your body is screaming at you to do.

“i believe you,” you finally whisper and you can feel the tension drain from his shoulders. he lets out a sigh of relief that sounds like it’s been held in his chest for weeks. your hand moves from his cheek bone to push a piece of his now shaggy hair behind his ear.

without another word, zuko cautiously tilts his chin toward yours, almost afraid that you’ll pull away this time. when you don’t, he closes the gap between the two of you again. his lips feel like fire against yours, burning into your skin but you never want to pull away. like your bodies are magnetic, you pull yourself closer into him, perching yourself on his thighs. before his hands can wander he pulls away from you again. your lips connect to the spot under his ear that used to drive him crazy.

“wait,” you immediately stop your actions to sit back and look at him. “i don’t want you to think i brought you in here just so we can fuck and move on like nothing happened. that’s not what this is for me, i need you to know that.”

his words pull at your heart. it was always a mutual decision that you two were never anything more than a body to lie next to on your intertwined journeys to your different goals, but this expression of the need for something different eases any sort of doubt you had before.

“i don’t think that,” you tell him and his face softens. you can’t help it when the corner of your lips pull up into a small smile. “but i need you, zu.”

the nickname makes him groan lightly. after the seemingly endless tap was shut off in ba sing se, you had been in a dry spell for weeks now. with the only other men in your life being sokka and aang, you were left empty handed and empty bedded.

“let me show you how much i love you,” he nudges his nose against your ear as he says it, attaching his lips to your neck for a brief moment. “god i missed you.”

he gently takes a hold of your back and adjusts the two of you so you’re lying beneath him. suddenly you’re back in the same place you’ve been countless times with zuko but you feel like you’re worlds away from the first time.

he returns his lips to yours, taking his time with you. one hand stays holding your head in place while the other trails down the side of your body, over the swell of your breast in your thin sleepwear. his hand eventually creeps under the hem of the cloth and rests on your hip. his cold fingers cause your lips to part, allowing zuko to slip him tongue into your mouth, exploring every inch like it’s the first time.

his lips began to move further down your body as he pushes the hem on your nightgown further up your abdomen. removing his body from yours for just a second, he pulls the fabric over your head and continues his ministrations.

“you’re perfect,” he mumbles against your collarbone as he continues south, taking your hardened nipple into his mouth. the warm sensation sends your head back into the pillow behind you. your hands run up his bare back and find their way into his hair, giving it a light tug which has him groaning against your chest. before you makes his way to where you need him most, he presses a kiss to your naval and meets your gaze. “you’re sure?”

“i’ve never been more sure of anything in my life,” you say, breathless, which turns his lips into a crooked smile. nothing about this feels rushed or hypersexual like it has in the past, it’s evident that he’s taking his time but he’s not teasing. pressing his lips to every inch of your lower half, your hip bones, your thighs, he eventually makes his way to your dripping heat.

the second his mouth attaches itself to your clit, you’re done for. his left hand holds your hips in place as the other snakes between your legs to run under where his tongue is drawing figure eights. you can’t hold back the moans that are spilling from your lips.

“baby, you don’t want everyone hearing us, do you?” he asks, pulling away from your cunt which pulls a whine from your lips. you shake your head, unable to form a coherent sentence. “didn’t think so, better keep quiet for me.”

he continues his work on your clit when you feel his fingers push into you. the hand that isn’t trapped in his dark hair goes over your mouth to stifle your whimpering and moaning. this only seems to egg him on as he thrusts his fingers in and out of you at a mind blowing pace. his fingers curl to reach that certain spot inside of you that has your vision going white and the knot in your stomach tightening by the second.

“zuko—fuck—i’m gonna cum,” it comes out broken as you try to keep as quiet as possible. “don’t stop, please.”

he hums against your sensitive bud, his fingers continuing to rock in and out of you, and you’re sent over the edge. with your back arched and your hand muffling the screams that would have been coming out of you, zuko slows his pace to ride out the high. once you’re settled back down, he moves his tongue to catch your release that’s dripping from you.

“still as sweet as i remember,” zuko says, almost as if he’s not even talking to you. he lifts his body to be level with yours again, pressing your lips together again. the taste of yourself on his tongue forces a moan into his mouth.

with your lips still moving together, your hand trails down his toned chest and over the evident bulge in his pants. zuko has always gotten off on pleasuring you, tonight is no exception. giving him the hint that you need him, you attempt to push his bottoms as far down his thighs as you can.

quickly pulling his lips from yours, he steps out of the material and fits his body between yours once again. just the feeling of him hard against you makes your stomach flip. you wrap your legs around his waist to give yourself any sort of friction you can find and he catches the hint.

“fuck,” he grunts out, pushing your centers together. “you don’t know what you do to me.”

“show me,” you beg, tugging on his hair again. “please zuko, need you so bad.”

without another word, he leans onto one elbows and teases his tip up and down your sensitive cunt, making your writhe underneath him. slowly, he pushes himself into you. you both gasp at the feeling you’ve been missing for weeks. he bottoms out, stilling for a moment to let you adjust to his size after so much time apart from him.

“move, zu, please,” you whine. usually he’d snap at your for fussing but the sound of your sweet voice is music to his ears.

he starts slow, rolling his hips into yours but he eventually falls into the same quick pace he always has. he swallows all of your moans in a sloppy, open mouthed kiss as he rocks your body into the bed beneath you. when his lips can’t contain the flow of noise coming from yours, he brings his hand up to cover your mouth to keep this moment between the two of you.

“i need you to touch yourself, baby, can you do that?” he whispers, taking the skin of your neck between his lips, careful not to leave a mark that the others could see. you quickly nod your head and snake your fingers between the two of you, finding your clit. “such a good girl, you gonna come for me? want to feel you squeeze my cock with that tight little cunt.”

his filthy words send your brain into overdrive. without his hand over your mouth, you’re sure the entirety of ember island would hear you. between zuko’s harsh thrusts and your own fingers circling your clit, your release hits you like a train. your walls clench around zuko as he continues to push his hips against yours, chasing his own high.

“atta girl,” he groans as he feels you pulsing around him. he takes his hand off your mouth for a second to reach down and pull your leg over his shoulder before returning to keep your moans at bay. you’re seeing stars as zuko reaches a spot deeper inside you, so far you could feel him in your stomach. “look so perfect like this, just hang on a little longer baby i’m almost there.”

even if his hand wasn’t silencing your every sound, you still wouldn’t have been able to reply, your entire vocabulary seemingly stolen from you. his thrusts become sloppier and you can feel him twitch inside you. before he can pull out you start to shake your head, whining for him to take his hand off.

“c-cum in me zu, n-need to feel it,” you stutter out, earning a groan from him as his hips falter. you let out the softest moan you can when you feel his warm release pour into you.

“fuck—i love you,” he cusses as he slows his pace to extend his high as long as he can.

not even bothering to pull out, zuko collapses onto your chest as you both attempt to catch your breath. you run your fingernails up his heaving back as the two of you settle down. zuko presses a soft kiss onto your collar bone and the crook of your neck before rolling next to you. turning on your side, you find your way under his arm and curl yourself against him.

you can feel the mix of your releases dripping from your core but you can’t be bothered to get up and clean yourself just yet.

“i love you,” he repeats once his heart returns to its normal pace. you press your lips into his rib cage and wrap your arm over his torso as he speaks.

“i love you,” you reply, your tone quiet and completely content. after a few moments of blissful silence you speak up again. “i’m still mad at you for sleeping with mai.”

you feel the rumble of his chest as he chuckles at your words. somehow, you two have returned to exactly where you were a few weeks ago, but this time unafraid to say how you feel about each other.

“i know,” zuko replies once he composes himself. “only you though, remember?”

after what feels like an eternity of laying next to each other again, you reluctantly bid each other goodnight so you can slip into the rooms you fell asleep in to avoid any sort of suspicion in the morning. with one last kiss, you float back to your makeshift bed on the floor next to katara. before you’re lulled to sleep, there’s a tug on your nightgown.

“any particular reason you’re covered in sweat?” katara whispers as she nudges your side. even in the dark you can see a knowing smile form on her face. “and what’s this? you fall down the stairs?”

her finger pokes at your neck and you immediately go to cover it with your hand, face burning red. you can tell she’s holding back a laugh so she doesn’t wake toph.

“shut up!” you whisper shout, gently pushing you away from her. “i’m serious, you’re going to wake toph.”

“toph is already awake,” you hear the younger girl groan. you and katara can no longer contain your laughter. “i’m blind, not deaf. try and keep your activities to a minimum, these floors are stone.”

this sets katara off as she rolls back into a belly laugh, rotating between holding her stomach and smacking your arms. the feeling of being the stupid teenage girl, obsessed with the boy who last broke her heart is back but you aren’t embarrassed by it, it was exciting. with the three of you awake, without any sort of sleep on any of your agendas, you talk all night. not about you and zuko specifically, toph wasn’t too fond of that topic.

the air feels lighter on ember island, now maybe sozin’s comet won’t feel so daunting.

#prince zuko #zuko #atla #zuko x reader #prince zuko x reader #zuko smut #prince zuko smut #avatar #avatar the last airbender

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sleepingdeath-light · 3 years ago

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Crossover Headcanons | TOH & ATLA [Hunter x Fem!Bender!Reader]

Part Two | Bonus Scenes

requested by @serenathewolf2

These are written with a female reader in mind and have a general chronology from the reader’s last moments in her world until her and Hunter get together, so apologies if this gets long!

Note : Not really confident in the format of this post and how I portrayed the character as I haven’t written for Hunter that much and am only able to base his characterisation on available clips and the wiki. So this may be reworked in the future.

Most people would assume that travelling with the avatar is the greatest honour any bender could hope for in their lifetime—after all, you’ll become a part of history by befriending them and helping them train. Though, Aang wasn’t just any avatar and travelling with him didn’t bring you any privilege of prestige; it made you a criminal of the highest regard and ensured that you’d be hunted by the fire nation until Ozai was dethroned—and your new friend, Zuko, crowned in his place.

Whilst most masters would be gifted with grand wealth and a warm place to stay throughout their training, you were lucky to be able to find a safe place to rest for longer than a few days at a time. You were constantly on the move, alternating between yourselves who would have to find a safe and comfortable enough area to set up camp.

And as Katara was busy gathering resources and bickering with Toph and Zuko and Aang had long since left to train, the responsibility fell on your head to set up camp. Though part of you wished that you could have had the help of Sokka and Suki, but they had run off to spirits-know-where the moment Appa had landed and you didn’t much feel like going on a wild goose chase to find them. So, solo journey it was.

Though, thankfully, what you were sure would be a dull venture was very quickly made interesting when your eye caught a shimmering spiral of white light. It was unnatural but entrancing and you couldn’t help but start approaching it—just lucid enough to prepare your bending should things go awry. Not that you would have had the chance before you were bathed in that same bright light and sucked into a state of euphoric unconsciousness.

Vulnerable and completely alone as nobody had seen where you had gone… and you couldn’t possibly have known where you were going.

—

When you woke up, it became apparent that you were somewhere completely different—the overwhelming heat and red flora being a far cry from the mossy cave you had entered mere moments before. It was overwhelmingly warm and humid and… is that an owl snake? That talks? Oh dear…

The first being you met was Hooty, having manifested a feeble few feet away from his door—and, although he is protective of his household, he was content enough to try and engage you in conversation. Or, rather, talk at you for close to an hour whilst you tried to get your bearings about you

After ensuring that you were still able to bend, Hooty would remark about how you’re the second human he’s seen this year—prompting you to question him about the inhabitants of his house, what he is and where you are

The Boiling Isles; home of witches?

The Owl Lady?

Emperor Belos?

House Demon?

None of it made much sense, but you didn’t have the time to question him further before his door opened and you were face to face with another human

After you both got over your shock, she introduced herself as Luz and invited you inside—her energy almost reminding you of Aang

She had heard you talking to Hooty and went out to see what was bothering him, seeing the tale-end of your bending and she was excited to see what you could do but also wanted to know how you got to the Boiling Isles

“The portal is broken, I can’t go home.”

“I don’t know how you got here.”

The conversation is long, with many ups and downs before you relent and agree to show her your bending so long as she shows her magic—a deal she’s quick to agree to as she runs off to collect her book of “runes”

During your training is when Eda would return with King in tow, having been out in Bonesborough gathering supplies

She was initially very cautious, if slightly confused after seeing you sparring with Luz—though she quickly calmed down after her apprentice sloppily explained that you were harmless and she’d asked you to spar and she’s so sorry about that tree over there-

Though King wasn’t as easily convinced and demanded that you continue your display of “human magic”, which you did to humour the tiny tyrant—earning you his respect and a place in his “army” whilst Eda considered what she could do with you

Kicking you out felt a bit mean, you weren’t much older than Luz—who would be disappointed if you left…

Pawning you off to Lilith wouldn’t do much as she wouldn’t care enough either way… (and, besides, they lived together now so you’d still be her responsibility)

Adoption it is.

After coming back to her senses, she simply told you to grab a few bags of food and follow her inside—advising King to play nice as Luz looked on, hopeful but confused

“Does that mean (Y/n) can stay, Eda?”

“As long as she pulls her weight, yes.”

She punctuated that with a pointed look towards you before swiftly laughing it off and guiding you inside of the house—completely ignoring Hooty’s energetic greeting as she fussed about how Lilith was going to be annoyed when she got back

—

You’d likely stumble across Amity, Gus and Willow when they come to visit Luz—especially if she mentioned your presence or had been absent from Hexside because of it.

Amity would immediately be cautious around you and try to stay between you and Luz, not fully trusting that you’re not a threat to her “awesome girlfriend”. However, over time as she sees you train with the others and you start opening up about your world, she’d be more than willing to help you better understand magic and even spar with you to keep you in good shape.

Willow would be amazed that another human had ended up in the Isles, immediately questioning you on how you got there and how you’re able to use magic—only becoming more intrigued when you explained that you’re a bender and that there are more people like you back where you came from. She’d be somewhat quick to trust you given your closeness with Luz and other members of her household and would definitely study your techniques and sub-bending in hopes of adapting it to help her and others on their tracts.

Gus would trust you pretty much immediately because you’re a human and you’re close with Luz, whom he admires and greatly trusts as a friend. The concept of a human using magic absolutely blows his mind so he’d be more than willing to train with you and eager to see if your abilities transfer over to his own magic—dragging the others into his experiments to see how you’re able to do what you do (he’d also question whether Luz can bend as well, but would drop the subject a while after you clarified that you’re from another world)

—

After settling into your new life, and slowly—mournfully—accepting that you may never see your old friends again after weeks of searching for a way home or just to speak to the family you left behind, you began to open up more to these people.

Luz would be more than willing to offer you her help if you wanted to learn magic through runes—taking you on as a student alongside Lilith and Eda

Amity, Gus and Willow would all offer to teach you about their individual tracts, with ample demonstrations and explanations (occasionally having Luz smuggle out their notebooks for you to look through)—the Blight Twins would even occasionally offer their own expertise when they were around

Eda would quickly adopt a maternal or otherwise caring role with you, taking you on as she has Luz and King—as either an apprentice or a child, depending on how your relationship evolved and how close you become

King would try to recruit you into his army, looking to you as both a reliable friend and a pillar of strength due to your bending and your gradual openness with them as a group (even if you spent more time studying boring magic than you did in his lessons… not that he’s annoyed, or anything

Lilith would be mostly neutral around you, but she’d make an effort to show she at least somewhat cared. The most she’d do is offer advice, spar with you or offer to oversee your training

Hooty… well, he’s Hooty and would like you no matter what so long as you at least occasionally pay him positive attention.

However, once you finally opened up about the war, the responses you received were either utterly horrified or filled with a mixture of sorrow and rage.

Eda and Lilith would darkly recall similarities between the genocide committed by the Fire Nation and the petrification of wild witches performed by Belos. Their expressions were grim, their usual lingering mirth completely forgotten—Lilith in particular seemed haunted by grief and guilt whilst Eda seemed to stare right through you, absent, as if recalling an immense trauma

Amity would lament on the pure terror and helplessness those under the tyranny of those monsters must feel, how you had people you loved taken from you. How powerless you and others must have felt, unable to protect the ones you cared for. Luz pulled her into an embrace tighter than any you’d seen before, though you couldn’t blame her given the tears welling in her girlfriend’s eyes—and the overflowing empathy and mirrored pain in hers.

Luz would focus on the isolation and feeling of utter loneliness you described from your escape—the separation from your family and unable to protect them or even know that they’re alive and well. She knows that feeling well, you can tell before she says it; her mother. You know she understands.

King and Hooty wouldn’t say anything—a rare event for the latter—instead looking down with a sorrowful expression on their faces. King will move to sit next to you or on your lap to hug you, his voice close to a whisper as he apologises for what you had to go through. Hooty, meanwhile, becomes docile and silent, looking down and crying slightly before retreating back to his door and leaving you be.

Gus and Willow would be equally horrified and upset with everything you described: the genocide, the mass incarceration of benders, the slaughter of civilians, the enslavement of locals and so on. They wouldn’t say anything in the moment, too upset to consider it, but they’d offer their support after the fact—Gus would offer entertaining illusions and Willow would bring you plants and food she made, with both offering to help you study magic further and to protect you if you ever needed them to.

—

As a water-bender, you’d likely end up being closest to Amity and Willow as both relate most closely to the main principle of this element: change, being adaptable and driven by a love for their peers.

Amity would be most appreciative of the style of your bending due to the similar way you both carry yourselves when performing your individual techniques. She may even offer to train with you so that you can learn from each other’s stances and movements and even adapt your own styles to be better suited to fighting in the isles.

Willow would be most appreciative of the healing and growth aspects of your element—more specifically plant bending due to its similarities to her own tract at Hexside. She’d compare her plants to those you may be able to cultivate and test whether these different forms of magic are interchangeable or actually close in any way. Though she’d still be immensely grateful for your healing, particularly if you travel with Luz to their school, because her and her friends tend to get hurt often so a healer would be a more than welcome addition.

General Bending: both Luz and Amity would train with you to perfect their magic and help sharpen your bending abilities. Amity especially carries herself like a water-bender, making the transition between abomination and water seem far more seamless than you would have thought. Equally, Luz would help you train and try to learn from you as to improve her use of runes and make her use of ice and water related spells feel more natural.

Cloud Bending: Gus and Willow would make the most practical use of this sub-bending type. Gus would study it and try to mimic your movements and impact on the environment with his illusions whilst Willow would make use of it to better care for her plants and further their growth.

Plant Bending: Willow would be absolutely enamoured with this aspect of your bending—specifically because she finds a number of similarities between what you do and a good portion of the spells and care relating to her tract at Hexside. So she’d spend a lot of time studying your techniques, teaching you what she knows, helping you train and actively sparring with you (to the benefit of you both).

Ice and Steam Bending: this would be immensely useful for Luz—both for her own personal practice and in helping her gain complete control over her use of ice and other water adjacent runes, as well as in helping teach Eda and Lilith how to use and fight with runes in general. Having another person able to demonstrate these techniques or act as a fake attacker is an invaluable teaching aide, so you’ll likely become a teaching assistant within your first month at the Owl House.

Blood Bending: although this is an incredibly dark and restrictive sub-bending style, Eda and Lilith wouldn’t be against it, instead encouraging you to perfect it. They don’t want you to hurt anyone, per say, but recognise that it can come in very useful as a form of self defence or as a last resort when taking on Belos and the Emperor’s Coven.

As an earth-bender, you’d likely end up being closest to Eda and Amity as both relate most closely to the main principle of this element: substance, being strong and enduring.

Eda would be most appreciative of your enduring nature and your willingness to constantly improve yourself and keep fighting in the face of adversity. She sees a lot of herself in you, especially given your strength in your element, and so would be more than willing to overlook your training and advise you on how to keep on pushing.

Amity would be most appreciative of how similar you are to herself, allowing you to act as mirrors for one another regarding your ability to endure in the face of difficulties—even being separated from everything you ever knew. She’d also be intrigued as how how your bending could meld with abomination magic and, as such, would spend a lot of time practising with you.

General Bending: this would come in useful for defending the Owl House and its inhabitants as well as furthering Luz’s work in helping Eda and Lilith adapt to using runes to perform magic. It could be used in practice sparring and general training to keep everyone on their toes for when they fight witches capable of using their specialised magic without aid

Lava Bending: the group would likely collectively advise against the liberal use of this form of sub-bending—though Eda and King would be the ones to come up with excuses for you to train and generally make use of this specialisation. Luz would also encourage it’s use during lessons with the witches to make sure they’re prepared for pretty much anything.

Metal Bending: out of everyone, Eda would be the most likely to put this skill to use if you had the time to learn it. She’d provide you with different metals, both sourced from the human world and taken from local areas, to test your limits and find out whether it would be of use when fighting the Coven.

As a fire-bender, you’d likely end up being closest to Amity, Eda and Lilith as both relate most closely to the main principle of this element: power, being driven and wilful.

Amity would be most appreciative of your drive to better yourself and would likely grow to become one of your closest friends due to your similarities. You’re both passionate and determined to get what you want no matter what—particular success in your areas of expertise. So she’d be more than willing to spar with you or overlook your training, pointing out your weaknesses with language that would better resonate with you than anyone else there.

Eda would be most appreciative of your bending, seeing it as an opportunity to better learn how to protect her family. She’d watch over your training and encourage you, even sparring with you if she still has her magic, doing what she can to keep your skills fresh and your instincts sharp.

Lilith would be most appreciative of your spirit, stating that you remind her of herself at a younger age. The consequence of this would be her often giving you advice as to help you avoid making the same mistakes she did—though she would also be willing to help you train your temper somewhat in return.

General Bending: this would be useful to pretty much everyone given how excellent your element is for attacking others—working very similarly to certain forms of magic. However, because it is so destructive and dangerous, Eda or Lilith would always insist on staying with you during training, to ensure everything stays under control and nobody gets hurt (and the woods don’t burn down).

Combustion Bending: Luz and Gus are both massively intrigued by the tattoo on your forehead—an interest that grows exponentially when you demonstrate your specialised bending. “You can blow stuff up? With your mind?” Yeah Gus is gonna be on your case for a while about that. Amity and the others (bar King) are more cautious about this as it carries more of a risk to everyone’s wellbeing, but with time they’d learn how to use your skill to their advantage during combat.

Lightning Bending & Redirection: this would definitely spark the interest of Luz and the Twins in particular due to both the power and sheer focus needed to perform this move and the aesthetics of it when performed on natural lightning. Luz may even ask you to teach her the technique to see whether there’s any equivalent runes or spells due to its potential to help them take down Belos.

As an air-bender, you’d likely end up being closest to Gus and Luz as both relate most closely to the main principle of this element: freedom, being peaceful and filled with humour.

Gus would be most appreciative of your disposition, grateful to find someone that can match his energy and even potentially mimic his illusions. He’d definitely get involved with any mischief you want to engage in whilst also constantly quizzing you on your culture, bending and beliefs.

Luz would be most appreciative of your bending in general, finding it incredibly interesting how you’re able to manipulate your environment and defend yourself without causing any harm. She’d be moved by what happened to your people and step up to become your best friend, learning about your culture and comparing bending to magic and runes. (Would also ask you to maybe help her perform a romantic gesture for Amity.. maybe?)

General Bending: this would be something that would intrigue most of your friends, given how foreign bending (“human magic”) is to them all. You’d likely find at least one person (usually Luz) watching you with a pen and paper, occasionally piping up to ask what you’re doing and so on. Eda would also try to get you to help her around her job, trying to stick to your morals whilst also trying to maximise business.

Cloud Bending: Amity and Luz are going to be asking about this one often—specifically if you could bend a few clouds to show how much of an “awesome girlfriend” they are to the other. It’s all in good fun though and they make up for it by training with you. Gus and Willow would also be interested to see how this could factor into their own magic tracts.

Flying: Whether you could actually detach yourself and fly or if you mentioned the Guru offhandedly, you can expect Gus and Luz to be quizzing you about it at any given opportunity. “Can you fly?” “Do you know how he did it?” “Can all air nomads fly?” No. They’re very excited by the idea of having a flying friend, to say the least.

Spiritual Projection: the Blight Twins would definitely have fun with this as a concept, if only to find more ways of causing mischief. Equally, Eda would ask you to do this to check up on potential threats or to see how things are back home when you’re out—Lilith might even ask you to check up on the Emperor’s Coven if she’s particularly fretful. Either way, you’ll end up as one of your friend’s personal security camera.

Your first impression of the Golden Guard were… negative, to say the least.

You had accompanied Luz on a trip out of Bonesborough at Eda’s insistence—believing that your bending would minimise the chances of her getting hurt or followed by members of the Emperor’s Coven

Turns out her instincts were correct as, before long, you came face to face with the sarcastic, cocky official—the snarky expression he surely had bleeding through his blank, golden mask

And you could almost immediately understand why Lilith had previously described him as a brat; the boy was utterly insufferable

He was aggravating, teasing and antagonising you both as “criminals” between attacks with magic (that Luz did a brilliant job of dodging and deflecting)

—

Your first real positive interaction with Hunter was when he had stumbled upon you training, standing there in silent awe before you noticed and questioned him about it.

He’d immediately start asking you about your element and about “human magic” in general

How can you do that? Who taught you? Why can’t Luz do that? Are there others like you? etc.

Needless to say, he’d start being a bit of a nerd when it comes to comparing magic and bending and trying to learn whatever he could

He’d also be more than willing to return the favour if you taught him by offering all of his knowledge about wild magic, runes and the history of the Boiling Isles—getting more animated and eager to teach and learn with every meeting between you two

You would even be able to teach each other different forms and spar, learning more about one another the more time you spend together—training, talking and such

(Even if he could still be a brat at times before Luz finally got through to him and he moved into the Owl House)

He’d also be incredibly sensitive and empathetic to what you went through with the war, empathising through your shared tyrant-caused trauma and such—understanding how you feel to a greater extent than the others around you, meaning you two became closer quicker

—

After months of continued training and conversing with Hunter, you two started to get incredibly close—considering each other your most trusted confidants and another person who truly understood your passion and dedication to your crafts.

His eagerness to learn about your culture and the history of your people and bending was endearing and allowed you to better yourself and become even more in touch with your element despite the dimensional separation from your world

Your mirrored enthusiasm towards learning about his home and the history of wild magic only increased the amount of time the two of you spent together until it reached a point where time spent apart felt off putting and odd—where you starting to miss each other and look for one another whenever you entered or left a room

Eventually it would have gotten to the point where you two could just be sitting next to each other, red in the face, whilst looking over runes together as Hunter explains and you ask him about them and even Luz and Amity could tell something was between you and decided to try and plant the seeds for you to realise too

They’d set up situations where you’d be left to your own devices—leaving with suggestive comments that they hoped would “sow the seeds” so to speak

After a while, this would succeed as you’d notice how odd the couple were acting, discussing it with Hunter

A discussion that slowly shifted to how you feel about each other—with cherry-red faces and an inability to look the other in the eyes, too flustered to even really think

Whether Hunter or you would be the first to bluntly state your feelings depends entirely on how straightforward you are.

If Hunter confesses first—he’ll be rubbing the back of his neck and stammering up a storm before bursting out with a confession of “I like you, okay?” before averting his eyes and apologising

If you confess first—Hunter will be left wide-eyed and slack-jawed, unable to comprehend what you just said as the blush on his cheeks and ears deepens. When he does catch on, though, he’ll quietly stammer out a response of “me too” or something like that

smooth

—

When you’re in a relationship, it’s awkward but pleasant as you learn how to be a couple together:

When you’re sat together, Hunter isn’t really sure what to do—hesitating to put an arm around your shoulder or around you waist, not sure if you’d be comfortable with it but wanting to be closer to you

If you lean into him and rest your head on his shoulder, his face will turn a lovely shade of red as he relaxes into you in turn, his voice faltering slightly as you two continue to discuss your interests and studies

He’d also prefer to kiss the top of your head and the backs of your hands earlier in the relationship—he’d also take to kissing your palms after you finish training with your bending

Hand holding would be another common form of intimacy early on; whether you’re walking, sitting, talking or running away from a threat—the latter of which being when his grip gets that much tighter

(of course he knows you’re more than capable of protecting yourself, but he wants to completely ensure that you’re safe and away from anything that could hurt you)

As your relationship evolves, he’d be more comfortable with intimacy and be more confident showing affection in public and around friends

When he’s tired, he’d nuzzle his face into the crook of your neck, muttering about how late it is and how you should be leaving (getting even more tired if you were a fire bender and had a pleasantly warm body temperature)

He’d comfortably wrap his arm around your waist when standing or walking by your side, talking with you about anything (especially each of your cultures and histories) or listening in pleasant silence

He’d hug you from behind just to fluster or surprise you, laughing into your hair or your shoulder before kissing you and apologising

You’d be constantly sharing your lives and knowledge with one another, teaching and practising both your own traditions and his own—not letting those parts of each other’s histories die out

Hunter would be especially adamant about learning the practises, traditions, beliefs and foods of your people—finding various ways to integrate them into your lives (or getting as close as possible to them)

If you were an air nomad—Hunter would do everything he could to learn about your people, having Eda and Luz help him replicate your peoples’ foods and learning as many vegetarian recipes as he can in the isles. He’d ask you to teach him your traditions so he could help you keep your culture alive, even helping you repair your clothing and joining you in them when it was appropriate to learn from you

If you were an earth bender—Hunter would learn recipes from you to cook for you (or help others cook), trying his best to make you feel at home in the isles and with him. He’d go out of his way to purchase or commission clothing, jewellery and other accessories that mimic the styles of your home (whether it’s a larger kingdom like Ba-Sing-Se or Omashu or a smaller village), as well as doing other small things to help you share pieces of your home and history with your new friends and family

If you were a water bender—Hunter would try to find animals that closely resembled those you described from your home and purchasing their furs and other products for you to prepare meals from back home or to help you create new clothing and accessories for you to wear. Generally he’ll go out of his ways to learn your practises, eat and prepare foods with you, discuss your culture and get anything he can to help you keep your lifestyle alive (even carving a stone when he proposed with the symbols you taught him—themselves representing change, acceptance and your element)

If you were a fire bender—Hunter would put aside his own tolerances to help you prepare traditional dishes and snacks from your home and trying them with you (even if it’s too spicy for him). He’d also go out of his way to purchase you items that mimic or are otherwise reminiscent of the style of your nation, even helping you do your hair in the styles you teach him and listening intently to the stories and myths of your people.

No matter your origins, as your partner Hunter will do everything in your power to help you keep your culture and previous lifestyle alive in the isles through whatever means he can (food, clothing, traditions, etc.)

Though, regardless of these efforts, Hunter would be a very affectionate and protective partner for you—only really trusting the inhabitants of the Owl House and Luz’s close friends to be around you without the need to linger too closely

If you were to ever get hurt, no matter how strong you are, Hunter would go out of his way to ensure you have a full recovery by caring for you (even if he isn’t necessarily the most experienced nurse)

So, overall, your relationship would be built on mutual trust, care and a passion for the histories of your worlds, your different cultures and for each other

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atlabeth · 3 years ago

Text

everything happens for a reason part 6 - zuko x fem!reader

The thing about forever is that it's a fucking lie

part 5 | masterlist | part 7

a/n: you all know whats coming lmao i got nothing to say for myself

wc: 3.5k

warning(s): pakku's usual sexism, typical siege of the north stuff, mostly angst but a lil bit of fluff in there

chapter title comes from forever is a lie by bea miller!

“I can’t believe that your tribe doesn’t teach waterbending to women!” Katara fumed, the snow beneath her feet packed tightly from her continuous pacing. “I mean, how can they even do that? Master Pakku’s all about ‘his culture and his teachings’ but his teachings are completely sexist!”

Y/N just nodded along as she listened to Katara — Master Pakku had refused to teach Katara, and after a disappointing healing lesson she had found Y/N to rant. “Yep. It’s unfair, but there’s not much we can do about it.”

Katara frowned and stopped in her tracks. “Don’t you want to learn how to fight too? I love being able to heal and help people, don’t get me wrong, but healing isn’t all I want to do.”

A shaky sigh fell from her lips and she shrugged, adjusting her position on the platform of ice she had made to sit on. “Well… yeah, I guess. I know a couple of martial moves, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to know more. But Katara, I—”

Y/N was silent for a moment as flashes of the past played behind her eyelids. “I’m not like you. I’m not the kind of person to challenge the rules. Not anymore.”

Katara shook her head, already back to her pacing. “I think you’re selling yourself short. I saw your healing during your class — you’re really talented, Y/N, and I know that skill will transfer over to fighting.”

“Thank you, but— but it doesn’t matter how good we are. Master Pakku is just as stubborn as he is talented, and I think he’d rather die than be a decent person. It’s a shame though. I’d really like to see someone knock some sense into him.”

“Yeah…” Katara sighed. “Hopefully Aang is having a better time than I am.” She looked up at the sky then fixed Y/N with a wry smile. “Speaking of Aang, I should probably get back to him and my brother. Sorry for talking your ear off the whole night.”

Y/N waved her hand around nonchalantly. “Don’t worry about it. You have my permission to rant to me any time you want while you’re here.”

Katara grinned and offered her hand, which Y/N took with a small smile as she got up from her ice platform. With a slight movement of her hand she bent it back into the ground, and the two girls began their walk back to the city. “I just wish I knew how to get Pakku to let up.”

“You’ll think of something,” Y/N reassured.

Katara did indeed think of something. Y/N’s wish of Pakku getting some sense knocked into him was granted when Katara challenged him to a fight, which was quite possibly the best thing that Y/N had ever witnessed. Though she ultimately lost, he still decided to take her on as a student — and in a move that Y/N would forever be grateful for, Katara had gotten Pakku to take her on as well. Katara made history that day, and she felt a shining sense of admiration for the girl for shaking things up.

And now, her days consisted of early mornings spent training, afternoons in classes, and nights doing homework, as well as fitting in time to hang out with Yue — it was a miracle she had any free time at all.

Lately though, it seemed like all Yue could talk about was Sokka. She liked him just as much as he liked her, but Yue was good — no matter how much she cared for someone, her tribe would always come first.

(“Did I hear that you and Sokka have a date later tonight?” she teased. “Aren’t you moving a little too fast?” Yue was silent at her attempt at humor and Y/N frowned. “Yue, are you okay?”

Silence lingered in the air for so long that Y/N almost thought she didn’t hear her, but finally the princess spoke as she pulled down the collar of her jacket to reveal an engagement necklace. Y/N gasped.

“It’s from Hahn,” she said quietly. “He proposed an hour ago, and I accepted.”

“You what?” Y/N cried, prompting a slight grimace from Yue. “Hahn— you can’t stand him!”

“Y/N, please,” Yue sighed. “He’s not that bad — he’s handsome, I guess. And he’s the son of a noble, and he’ll be really good for the tribe.”

“Yue, you’re the one who has to deal with him. He proposed to you, not the tribe — Spirits, half the boys in this tribe like you, why him?”

“It’s best for the tribe,” she repeated, her words an attempt to convince Y/N as much as herself.

“But what’s best for you?” Y/N countered.

Yue hadn’t answered, and had made up some half-baked excuse that she had to be somewhere. She had watched her go sadly, hoping that she would figure something out with Sokka.)

And it’s not like she wasn’t happy that her friend had found someone, it was just…

Y/N was upset that someone wasn’t her. And she didn’t know how to deal with that revelation.

But one morning, while making idle conversation with Katara as their lesson came to an end, a matter much more pressing came to hand.

Black snow. Soot raining down from the sky, tarnishing everything it touched.

A feeling all too familiar brewed in her chest as she met her friend’s eyes, and one thing was clear.

The Fire Nation was coming.

The air was even more frigid than usual with the knowledge of an imminent invasion, and Y/N had parted ways with her friends once they reached the town hall to be with her grandparents. The tension in the air was thick as Chief Arnook stepped up to address the people.

“The day we have feared for so long has arrived — the Fire Nation is on our doorstep. It is with great sadness I call my family here before me, knowing well that some of these faces are about to vanish from our tribe, but they will never vanish from our hearts. Now, as we approach the battle for our existence, I call upon the great spirits. Spirit of the Ocean! Spirit of the Moon! Be with us! I'm going to need volunteers for a dangerous mission.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Sokka stood up. “Count me in.”

Her eyes widened as she met Katara’s from across the room, and she looked equally surprised. “Sokka…”

“Be warned: many of you will not return.” Several other men stood up after Sokka, including her grandfather. Despite his age he was a skilled fighter, but that was no comfort to Y/N. She reached up for his hand and shook her head almost desperately, but he smiled sadly and squeezed her hand, a sentiment to express words unsaid. “Come forward to receive my mark, if you accept the task.”

As he walked forward to join the line, she found the only solace she could in her grandmother’s open arms, burying her face in the fur of her jacket. “He will be okay,” she soothed. “He’s just as strong as he is brave. You have to have faith.”

She hoped that her grandmother was right. She couldn’t handle another loss.

Once all the men had received their marks, they left to confer about the battle plan. Y/N found her way up to the stage where a tearful Yue sat. It pained Y/N to see her in such a way, and when she sat down and offered her hand the princess immediately took it.

“I saw that your grandfather volunteered,” she said after a beat of silence. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry too. For Sokka.” Y/N adjusted her position so their shoulders were touching, and she sighed heavily. “I can’t stop thinking about my village. My father.” She met Yue’s eyes, her own beginning to tear up.

“What if it happens again?” she whispered, her voice cracking. “I can’t— I can’t do it again.”

Yue let go of her hand to wrap the girl in a hug, the warmth of the embrace managing to chip away at some of their hopelessness. “You won’t have to do it again,” she stated, the reassurance seeming like the truth when coming from her. “You’re not alone this time.”

She finally pulled away from the hug as she wiped the tears off her face, and Y/N nodded. Yue somehow always knew exactly what to say. “What would I do without you?” she asked, her voice slightly watery.

“You’re never going to know,” the princess smiled. “Because whether you like it or not, you’re stuck with me.” That got a laugh out of Y/N and the two of them stood up as Yue gestured outside with her head. “I think I saw Aang and my father out there. It’ll help to talk with them — I think you need some fresh air anyways.”

Y/N nodded and the two girls walked out hand in hand, a small reprieve from carrying the weight of the world.

Things were so much worse than she had been anticipating.

After a short talk outside the hall with Katara, Aang, and the Chief, Yue had been transported somewhere safer as Y/N steeled herself for the front lines. After all, as a student of Master Pakku, she could fight damn well — it was just a matter of putting it into action.

But a line of warriors and children alike were no match for the strength of the Fire Nation from afar, and the first few fireballs had done their job at disrupting both the fighters and the wall — Seeing her home get destroyed hurt nearly as much as constantly getting thrown around.

After Aang had taken off on Appa and Chief Arnook took a section of his soldiers off for a different plan, the work on the ground began. The fleet of ships seemed endless , and the same went for their artillery — the fight went long into the day as Y/N worked with various other waterbenders to stop fireballs and repair broken parts of the city’s infrastructure, but just as the full moon began to show, the attacks stopped coming. Limbs heavy with exhaustion from their work in the field, Y/N and Katara met up with the princess back at the balcony of the palace.

“They’ve stopped firing,” Yue noted as they all gazed off into the distance.

“Thank the spirits,” Y/N muttered as she worked out a knot in her shoulder. “I don’t know how much longer I could’ve kept going.”

Just then, Appa came into view and a grin spread across Katara’s face. “Aang!”

He landed below them and the three girls hurried down to meet him. Aang landed on the ground, exhaustion clear in every part of him. “I can’t do it,” he muttered as he placed his head in his hands. “I can’t do it.”

“What happened?” Katara asked as she ran up to him, Yue and Y/N close behind.

“I must’ve taken out a dozen Fire Navy ships, but there’s just too many of them!” His large grey eyes were full of hopelessness, and Y/N’s heart ached for the boy. “I can’t fight them all.”

“But— you have to!” Yue pleaded. “You’re the Avatar.”

“I’m just one kid,” Aang countered wearily. He buried his face in his arms and Katara kneeled next to him in an attempt to comfort him. Y/N could almost forget about the pain in her body at that moment, feeling an odd responsibility to this boy as she looked down at him.

“Aang,” she muttered, following Katara’s example and kneeling next to him. “You’ve already done so much for us. Just by being here, you’ve inspired hundreds of people — you’re a beacon of hope all on your own! We don’t expect you to take out this whole navy by yourself. As long as you’re here, fighting with us? You’re helping us more than you know.”

He managed a slight smile at that and he took her outstretched hand, getting pulled back to his feet with her help.

“We’ll have a better view from up there,” Katara noted, pointing back up to the balcony. “You can help us keep watch, Aang — in case they start attacking again.”

He nodded and the four of them began the walk, the Avatar in slightly better spirits.

“The legends say the moon was the first waterbender,” Yue said once they had reached the balcony, all of them gazing at the sky. “Our ancestors saw how it pushed and pulled the tides and learned how to do it themselves.”

“I’ve always noticed my waterbending is stronger at night,” Katara mused, causing Y/N to hum in agreement.

“Our strength from the spirit of the moon, our life from the spirit of the ocean,” she said. “They work together to keep balance.

Aang’s expression brightened at her words as he popped up from the ground. “The spirits! Maybe I can find them and get their help!”

“How can you do that?” Y/N questioned.

“The Avatar is the bridge between our world and the Spirit World,” Katara explained excitedly. “Aang can talk to them!”

“Maybe they’ll give you the wisdom to win this battle!” Yue exclaimed.

“Or maybe they'll unleash a crazy amazing spirit attack on the Fire Nation!” At that, all three girls met him with strange looks. Aang coughed and straightened his posture. “Or wisdom. That's good, too.”

“The only problem is, last time you got to the Spirit World by accident,” Katara said with a frown. “How are you going to get there this time?”

Yue’s eyes lit up and she looked at them with a smile. “I have an idea. Follow me.”

A few minutes later, they were standing in the Spirit Oasis, the most spiritual place in all of the North. Yue, Y/N, and Katara all shed their coats as Aang walked around, marvelling at the beauty.

“I can feel… something,” Aang said as he sat down, getting into a meditating position. “It’s so tranquil.”

Soon enough, after a few moments of silence, Aang’s eyes as well as the arrow on his head began to glow.

“Is he okay?” Yue gasped.

“He’s crossing into the Spirit World,” Katara reassured. “He’ll be fine as long as we don’t move his body. That’s his way back to the physical world.”

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Y/N whispered, astonishment etched into her face. For as much as she had been taught about the ocean spirits, she wasn’t well-versed in the Spirit World as a whole — she was thoroughly fascinated by every part of this.

“Maybe we should get some help,” Yue suggested, still on edge as she took a few steps away from the gate.

“No, he’s my friend. I’m perfectly capable of protecting him. Besides, I already have some help here.” She smiled at Y/N, a sentiment that she returned happily.

A deep voice, almost mocking, broke the silence as it echoed throughout the oasis. “Well, aren’t you a big girl now? Even got yourself a little student.”

The three girls all whipped around to find the source of the voice, and Katara’s whole body stiffened. “No…”

“Yes. Hand him over and I don’t have to hurt you.”

Y/N immediately eased into a bending stance along with Katara as the princess fled to get help, but her confidence faltered when she took the time to focus on their assailant.

She almost didn’t recognize him — it had been nearly four years since she had last set eyes upon the boy, but it was as if he had become a completely different person. His head was shaved completely save for a ponytail, and blues and reds marked his skin in various cuts and bruises. His eyes held an anger she had never seen before, an expression only heightened with the addition of a large red scar across his left eye.

“Zuko?” she breathed, her chest tightening up beneath the weight of the revelation. Katara stared at her in bewilderment — she had no idea that Y/N knew the prince that had chased them halfway across the world, but Katara supposed that she had no reason to ever suspect she did.

His eyes flashed with recognition as they ran over her, and it seemed as if he had a similar epiphany as he staggered backwards. “I… I thought you were dead.”

“You’re with them,” she muttered, blood turning to ice. “Your nation is invading, and you’re helping them— you’re after the Avatar? What are you doing, Zuko?!”

The momentary surprise was replaced by steely determination as he shifted his weight forward and kicked up his leg, sending a blast of fire that she barely managed to dodge. “You know nothing!”

Y/N fell back into position next to Katara, but the newfound knowledge was like a fog over her mind. “Whoever he was when you knew him, that’s not him anymore!” Katara yelled as she bent water out of the pond and blocked his following attacks. “He won’t hesitate to hurt you, so you can’t either!”

“O-okay!” she stammered. This was the moment she had been waiting for, wasn’t it? After training with both Katara and Pakku, her martial skill had increased tenfold, and she was desperate to try it out — she only wished her first opponent didn’t have to be him. But another fire blast snapped her out of her paralysis, and she jumped into action.

The two girls worked impossibly well together, one stepping forward when the other fell back, the bending between them nearly seamless. Any fire that the prince sent their way was quickly extinguished, and with two against one on home turf, Y/N and Katara were able to hold him off with relative ease.

Y/N bent another jet of water up from the oasis and shot it at Zuko, the force of which knocked him several feet back. Katara took the opening and froze his feet to the ground, then began to move her arms about as she formed a ball of water around him — one more movement and it was frozen solid.

“You little peasant,” he growled. “You’ve found a master, haven’t you?”

The orb of ice began to glow, the air around them becoming hotter and hotter until it melted around him. Blasts of fire were flying at them as soon as Zuko hit the ground, and they were forced to retreat back towards the oasis as they grew more intense.

Y/N drew up a shield of water, extinguishing the flames on impact. Zuko dodged around them, his fingers inches away from Aang’s collar. Y/N propelled the water already at her fingertips towards Zuko with a grunt of effort, which sent him flying into the shallows on the other side of the oasis. She conjured up a large wave and sent it towards the prince, sending him up the side of the wall and trapping him once Katara froze it.

She breathed a sigh of relief and let her arms fall, a part of her wondering how they were still connected after the tediousness of the earlier battle. But this, one on one in a fight with real stakes? It was as exhilarating as it was nerve wracking, and she had never been so thankful that Katara had gotten her in with Master Pakku. Y/N felt intensely guilty over the pain she had inflicted on Zuko, but she tried her best to push it out of her mind — like Katara said, he would’ve done worse if she hadn’t fought back.

“You fought well,” Katara smiled. “I told you that you were talented.”

She chuckled and shrugged, cheeks heating up slightly at the praise. “It’s not exactly my first fight, just… the most intense.” It reminded her of the early mornings and late nights spent sparring with Zuko, a memory that only twisted the dagger in her heart even more.

The two girls smiled at each other as they began to walk back over to Aang — it seemed the boy was undisturbed by the fight by virtue of his glowing tattoos and closed eyes — when Y/N found herself squinting from the rays of light filtering in.

“Huh,” she mumbled. “The sun’s out. The sun’s out— Katara!”

Y/N turned to find the prince free from the ice, and the pair barely had time to draw water from the pond to shield themselves from the impending flames. But it was too little too late, and the power of the blast sent them back several feet. They slammed into either side of the gate, the force of it immediately knocking Katara out.

Y/N gasped in pain as she tried to push herself up, but the fight combined with the impact of her landing had taken a toll on her and she collapsed once more against the gate. When the smoke from the fire cleared, Zuko was there with Aang’s collar in his grasp.

“You rise with the moon,” he muttered, his face tinged with the slightest bit of guilt as he met her eyes. “I rise with the sun.”

The last thing she saw before her consciousness faded out was the boy she loved escaping with the Avatar.

why did i make yue and y/n like this when i KNOW what i have to write next omg i hate myself

perm tag list: @dv0412 @siriuslyslyslytherin @maruchan77

ehfar: @chandies-sideblog @persica27 @anzanity @randomthingssss @escapingthoughtsandsecrets @shanksfav @shephard17895 @ilovespideyyy

atla: @marianne1806

#zuko x reader #zuko x you #zuko x y/n #zuko x reader fic #zuko #zuko fic #avatar #atla #avatar the last airbender #atla fic #avatar fic #avatar the last airbender fic #avatar x reader #sadie writes #ehfar #i already had this chapter half written so thats why its out so soon lmao #SOMEONE doesnt know how to hold their chapters and wants to release them as soon as she finishes them #its me. im someone

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passable-talent · 4 years ago

Note

part 4 was so so good!!!!! can you make a part 5? i’m in love with your writing and that series!!! you’re feeding my need for zuko content and i love u for that.

it literally took exactly 19 minutes to get a request for part 5

THANK U THO SHDBCNDGS IM HAPPY YOURE ENJOYING WHAT I DO

been excited to get back to this one, y’all aren’t ready 😏

OKAY I SAID YALL WERENT READY BEFORE I EVEN WROTE IT BUT NOW IVE WRITTEN IT AND LET ME FUCKING REITERATE: YALL ARE NOT F U C K I N G R E A D Y

For chapter five, and my five hundred follower special, we will go back to spring of the year 100 AG, right before Azula’s coup succeeded in their destruction of Ba Sing Se . . .

“So what’s happening?” You asked Mushi as the two of you hurried through the streets of the upper ring.

“Come close,” Mushi answered, and your footsteps brought you beside him.

“My nephew and I are more than refugees,” he began, “my name is Iroh, and I am the brother of the Fire Lord. My nephew, Zuko, is the banished prince of the Fire Nation. I’m sorry we lied to you, but we needed to, in order to stay in Ba Sing Se where we were safe from our family.” Your head reeled, but you kept beside him, because still you trusted this man. You were trained to react and to think, thanks to the Dai Li, so you analyzed his words.

“Were?” you questioned, wondering why he seemed to suggest that he was no longer safe.

“My niece, Princess Azula, has infiltrated the city. She tried to capture me- she did capture Zuko.” Your eyes widened, and your speed increased beside Iroh. “I need your help to retrieve him, and the Avatar’s. That’s where we’re headed.” You looked up at the house you were approaching, half caved in from some sort of destruction. What had happened here?

“The Avatar?” you asked, and Iroh nodded, pausing in front of the door to knock politely. You waited beside him, but held your forehead- you were so shocked about everything you were finding out.

Zuko- not Lee. The banished prince of the Fire Nation. You hadn’t even known that the prince of the Fire Nation had been banished! What else didn’t you know about the other nations of the world beyond the walls of Ba Sing Se?

Why had this information been kept from you? You were training to be in the Dai Li, one of the best and most important police forces of the Earth Kingdom, shouldn’t this information be privy to you? Why wasn’t it?

You were pulled from your thoughts as a girl opened the door, and regarded Iroh with friendliness.

“I need your help,” he began, and you watched the reactions of the other two at the door. They seemed frightened by Iroh- what kind of history had they that you weren’t aware of?

Why were you kept in the dark about everything?

“You guys know each other?” demanded the boy you had to assume was the avatar, who didn’t seem much concerned with your presence. Maybe it was the earth kingdom robes?

“I met him in the woods once, and knocked him down,” answered the girl, and with her gaze that didn’t seem focused on the avatar you wondered if maybe she was blind. She, however, seemed like a strong earthbender. It was one of the things you were trained to pick up on in the Dai Li, and relied entirely on how a person carried herself. “Then he gave me tea and some very good advice.”

“May we come in?” Iroh asked sheepishly, and you wondered why there wasn’t more urgency to his tone.

“Who’s your friend?” the clearly water tribe boy demanded, and you lifted your chin, being acknowledged.

“I’m Y/N, a soon-to-be member of the Dai Li,” you answered, “You can trust me.”

“The Dai Li?” Avatar Aang responded, more shock in his face than before.

“That makes us even less likely to trust you!!” the water tribe boy shouted, and your eyebrows knitted together.

“The Dai Li are the protectors of the city!” you said, though you felt doubt gnaw at your spine- they had kept so much from you, their own cadet.

Iroh turned his eyes to you, and something in his gaze told you to hush up.

“Princess Azula is here, in Ba Sing Se,” Iroh told them, his tone stern and serious.

“She must have Katara!” Aang said, and you looked to Iroh. You didn’t know these people- but that Azula would capture both Zuko and a friend of the avatar meant that she was one of two things: insanely brave or insanely stupid.

“She has captured my nephew, as well,” Iroh said.

“Then we’ll work together to fight Azula, and save Katara and Zuko,” the avatar said, and you felt a little lightness crawl into your heart. You’d be able to help save Zuko, and a friend of the avatar? You were about to go on a crazy adventure.

“Whoa there,” said the water tribe boy, walking back into the conversation, “you lost me at ‘Zuko.’ “

“I know how you must feel about my nephew,” Iroh began, and your expression softened. There was definitely history here, and you’d be interested to learn it. “But believe me when I tell you, there is good inside him.” You brought your eyes to the avatar’s, and nodded, trying to fathom something to say that they’d believe. They didn’t know you, didn’t know what you stood for, and it seemed that you didn’t know much of that yourself.

“I’ve known Zuko for a while,” you said, “and he’s never been anything other than a scared and polite refugee.”

“Good inside him isn’t enough!” The water tribe boy insisted, “Why don’t you come back when it’s outside him too, okay?�� Your chest deflated further, and you had to wonder: what had Zuko done, what had Zuko been, that they had this strong of a hatred for him?

Did you want to know?

“Katara’s in trouble,” Aang said to his friend, “All of Ba Sing Se’s in trouble. Working together is our best chance.”

On the way toward the catacombs of the city underneath the palace, you learned Sokka and Toph’s names, as well as the true treachery of the Dai Lee. You learned about the war with the Fire Nation, and had a smile on your face as you took in how lucky you were that the two firebenders whom you had come to love were the only two on the right side of this war.

“Well, whaddaya know, there is an ancient city down there,” Toph said, her hand pressed to the stone courtyard, “but it’s deep.” She opened up a large hole in the stone, heading downward.

“How can you tell?” You asked, and she cracked her knuckles in your direction.

“Right, you’re classically trained,” she mocked with a rude laugh, which made you smile. “I can sense seismic activity through stone. Maybe I’ll teach you, when this is over.” You nodded, intrigued, before Sokka grabbed your attention.

“We should split up. Aang, you go with Iroh and Y/N to look for Katara and the angry jerk,” he said. “No offense,” he added in Iroh’s direction, and once again you found yourself confused on the nature of their shared past when Iroh said “none taken.”

“And I’ll go with Toph to warn the Earth King about Azula’s Coup.”

Aang, Iroh, and you began heading down into the tunnel, Iroh holding up fire for light while you and Aang took turns lengthening the tunnel downwards.

“So, Toph thinks you give pretty good advice,” Aang said, seeming to try to make conversation. “And great tea.” A smile came to your face- Iroh’s tea was the reason that you were, apparently, romantically involved with the prince of the Fire Nation.

Imagine that.

“The key to both is proper aging,” Iroh said, and you laughed under your breath. “What’s on your mind?” Aang paused, and took his turn lengthening the tunnel.

“Well, I met with this guru who was supposed to help me master the avatar state and control this great power.” You turned to look at the avatar as you walked, amazed at both his story and his mere stature. You never thought that you’d get to meet the avatar.

“But to do it, I had to let go of someone I love, and I just couldn’t.” You reached the end of the tunnel, and took stance beside Iroh to take your turn lengthening it. However, Iroh began speaking, and you figured it rude to interrupt him.

“Perfection and power are overrated. I think you are very wise to choose happiness, and love.” With a smile on your face you earthbent and opened up the tunnel further, deciding then and there that you would stick with Iroh. Surely you weren’t to stay and train with the Dai Li, and as it seemed he was teaming up with the avatar, maybe you’d get to help fight in the war!

“But what happens if we can’t save everyone and beat Azula?” You didn’t answer, and let Iroh, both because you didn’t know the answer, and because you felt that the scope of your knowledge and importance wasn’t what it needed to be to even participate in this conversation.

“Without the avatar state, what if I’m not powerful enough?”

“I don’t know the answer,” Iroh said, making you gaze to the side at him. “Sometimes life is like this dark tunnel. You can’t always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but if you just keep moving...” Iroh paused as Aang took his turn to break through the stone in front of you, revealing light and a wide open new space, “...you will come to a better place.” You paused, standing on the edge of a cliff, to look out over the ancient city. There was a fountain in front of you, making the air smell fresh even though you were so far below ground. It was amazing, and part of you wished you could have stayed. However, you knew that there was much more pressing matters, and so you quickly moved along with Iroh and Aang into another chamber to hopefully find the prisoners you were looking for.

Aang burst through another wall of stone, and quickly disappeared through the hole as you and Iroh followed.

“Aang!” A girl shouted before embracing him, and you barely put it together that this must be ‘Katara’ before your feet had carried you to Zuko, and hugged him tightly. You yielded this, however, to Iroh, who hugged him with just as much relief as you felt in your heart.

“Uncle, I don’t understand,” Zuko said, a malice you didn’t recognize glinting in his eyes. “What are you doing with the avatar?”

“Saving you, that’s what,” Aang said, and Zuko began to lunge before Iroh caught his chest. You flinched- this wasn’t the boy you knew at all.

“Zuko, it’s time we talked,” Iroh told him, then looking at Aang and Katara. “Go help your other friends. We’ll catch up with you.” Aang and Katara turned away while you stood still, but Iroh turned to you. “You as well. It’ll be alright.” You nodded, and raced down the tunnel after Katara.

“We’ve gotta find Sokka and Toph!” Katara shouted, but you couldn’t answer her before you heard roaring behind you. You didn’t recognize the sound, but when you turned and saw blue fire, nothing could’ve prepared you.

This wasn’t in your training. It wasn’t in your index of attacks to react to. You had no idea what to do- if it wasn’t for Aang and the wall that he raised, you would’ve surely been charred on the spot.

You didn’t recognize the girl that had shot it, but you felt that it was safe to assume it must’ve been Azula.

Katara raced around the wall and picked up water, revealing herself as a powerful water bender before your eyes. The fight between her and Azula created a cloud of steam, and you staggered back even further from Aang’s wall, your chest rising and falling quickly.

You were panicking.

All of that training, everything that your instructors had ever done to harden your will and sharpen your reaction time, it stood nothing against this. This, with the sister of the guy you were crushing on shooting blue fire at the avatar, and you weren’t even sure who’s side you should be on.

That was stupid, of course you knew you should be on the avatar’s side. But something in your head whispered doubts- she was Zuko’s sister. She was the leader of the Dai Li, who you belonged to.

Azula appeared from the steam and shot two fireballs at Aang and Katara, who were forty or so feet in front of you. You just watched, dumbfounded, and realized quickly that she wasn’t aiming at you. She wasn’t targeting you at all.

She landed on a column, which Aang rocked beneath her, and she fell down to stand between Aang and Katara, her back to you. She kept her hands pointed at both of them, but suddenly, her attention turned toward you.

“You’re Y/N, right?” She asked, and your eyes widened. “I remember you. You’re a very impressive cadet, you could be an asset to me. I control the Dai Li, now, and so your allegiance is to me.”

Just for a moment, Katara’s gaze turned to you, wondering if there was any truth to that statement.

Was there?

A fireball impacted the ground between Aang and Azula and you staggered backward, looking up for the source of the flame.

Zuko. Relief filled your chest- at least you knew for sure you were on his side.

As though time was frozen, you watched as he turned his ready stance from aiming at Aang, to aiming at Azula, and your tension melted away. You could fight beside Zuko and the avatar and Katara, and surely between the four of you the princess would be defeated.

Then, from your position fifty feet behind Aang, you saw Zuko’s eyes land on the avatar.

The calmness drifted away, and all you saw was rage.

Fire blasted toward Aang, and he couldn’t avoid the plume, his air bending keeping him from harm but also sending him back beside you. Zuko’s fire kept coming, and you threw up a wall in front of you, turning to the side with your body made into a smaller target out of pure fear.

Zuko had turned on Aang. He’d shot fire at Aang- he’d shot fire at you.

Aang leapt away to continue his battle, which left you behind your wall of stone, paralyzed with fear and indecision and betrayal and anger and sadness.

Didn’t you know Zuko at all? That look in his eye... you had never seen that before. There was pure rage inside him, and you couldn’t understand it, you couldn’t comprehend how this was the boy you’d cared for.

You heard fire roaring throughout the cave, and the whooshing of the wind that Aang sent back. Rocks clattered to the floor and water shot around the cavern, and it was all too much, the sounds of martial arts and groaning and impacts, you couldn’t get a clear thought through your mind.

“I thought you had changed!” Katara’s yell echoed off the rocks, and just for a moment your hands lifted from your temple. Was she talking to Zuko?

“I have changed,” he answered, and it was in the silence that followed that you made up your mind, finally.

Zuko was on the wrong side of this war. Not as you’d thought.

You heard a yelp from Katara and brought up a hunk of earth underneath you, launching you across the cave and into a defensive position in front of her with a battle cry. Both Azula and Zuko seemed surprised by this decision, but before any of you could react, the rumbling of Aang’s reemergence interrupted the fight. They turned their attention to him, which gave you the moment to send a hunk of stone into both of their abdomens, knocking them backward. However, your eyes turned up with the sound of Dai Li stone chains, and you couldn’t pull your limbs in tight enough to avoid their sudden grip on you.

“No,” you snarled as Katara woke, and brought a ring of water around the both of you. You stood back to back with her, small finger movements slowly dissembling the stone chains around your wrists so you could help her in the fight.

But there were too many agents- you knew you couldn’t take them all on. Not even with a master waterbender at your back.

A gust of wind surprised you, and you broke free in time to see Aang rise from shattered crystal inside a beam of light. It was amazing- and you were stunned into awe.

Lightning struck the avatar.

Katara nearly drowned you in the wave she created, but you pulled up a slab of stone just in time to surf on it behind her, just like you had on summer days in Lake Laogai. Mowing down Dai Li agents, and the royal siblings, the two of you raced toward the falling avatar, before he was caught by Katara. Soaked, exhausted, and tears blurring your vision, you stood between her and the siblings, who walked toward her, as though they were predators, and she an easy meal.

Though you knew you should be watching them both, your eyes were on Zuko. Maybe, there was some of Lee left in him, and seeing you would bring it back. But his eyes were firmly on the dead-or-dying avatar, hungry, predatory, and your heart shattered.

Fire cut off their path and you looked up to see Iroh, who leapt down in front of even you.

“You’ve got to get out of here!” He shouted, looking back at you. “I’ll hold them off for as long as I can!” Katara stood and you joined her on Aang’s other side, carrying the avatar toward a waterfall, the sound of fire roaring behind you.

It was terrifying.

“Hold onto him!” Katara shouted, her grip tight on the avatar as she used her other hand to bend an upward spiral around the three of you.

You watched Iroh face Zuko until the rock covered your vision, and you closed your eyes.

Back on Appa, you kneeled behind Sokka, one eye keeping a watch on Katara as she attempted to heal Aang. But mostly, you gripped Appa’s fur, and cried.

The Dai Li had lied to you. Zuko and Iroh had lied to you. The Dia Li turned on you. Zuko turned on you. Zuko turned on Iroh, Azula killed the avatar. Everything was so messed up, beyond proportion, skewed beyond belief. The boy you thought you might’ve loved...

He’d never existed in the first place.

And though the avatar lived, you laid your forehead to the bison’s back, and sobbed.

tag list for this series- @furblrwurblr @eridanuswave

oh yeah request for pt 6 /// already been requested y’all are fine

edit: | part 6 | part 7 | part 8 |

-🦌 Roe

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miyanom · 4 years ago

Text

Sweet Tea in the Summer

MASTERLIST | REQUESTED BY: @goodandevil18

GENRE: fluff

PROMPT: “Did you seriously just climb through my window?”

NOTES: I’m so sorry for the long wait! But here is the Zuko oneshot that was requested, I’m hoping to be able to get the Sokka one out soon, but the words for this were just flowing out.

Zuko sat in front of the pond, though his back was turned to the turtle ducks that usually took up all his free time in the afternoon. Instead, his attention was entirely focused on the girl sitting across from Aang and Katara as they all drank tea together in the garden.

During the war, when he was training Aang, it was easier to ignore his blossoming feelings for his old friend as she spent most of her time with Katara or Sokka. But now that she was practically living at the palace with her father as one of his council members, it was harder to ignore that she existed.

Y/N threw her head back in laughter, but Zuko couldn't hear what Aang said. Not that it mattered much to him, not when Y/N looked like an absolute angel with the sun shining down on her like that.

"Zuko, why don't you come join us?" Katara called out, finally snapping the boy out of his thoughts. The Water Tribe girl - who had refused to call him by his official title ever since his coronation - stared at him with a knowing look in her eyes.

"I-" His voice came out fairly squeaky, causing him to quickly avert his gaze as a blush crept onto his cheeks. He cleared his throat with a quiet cough before attempting. "I can't. I have a meeting to get to."

"Oh, come on," Y/N rolled her eyes, a grin taking over her features. "You're Fire Lord Zuko. I believe that means you can stay for one cup of your uncle's new Tea, without your council getting too annoyed."

Zuko's eyes flickered to her for just a second, before he stood up and turned around to head inside. The simple phrase "I'm already late" leaving his lips as he left.

Y/N stared at Zuko's retreating figure with a frown. A sigh escaped her lips as she lifted her cup back up, taking a small sip of the sweet tea Uncle Iroh had prepared for them.

Katara crossed her arms. "I seriously don't know how you put up with him all the time," she grumbled. "I've only been here for two days and I already-"

"Sweetie," Aang spoke up sweetly, his soft smile immediately relaxing Katara.

Y/N's eyes flickered between the young couple, they had been dating for 2 years now. Ever since the war ended. Y/N found their relationship cute, even if Sokka had gotten to the point where hearing "sweetie" one more time would make him jump into Unagi infested waters.

"I don't understand how it was so easy for you two," Y/N muttered. "Going from friends to- to this!" She waved her hand in the direction of the couple who had just shared a kiss right in front of her. "I want it to be that easy for me and-"

Y/N suddenly cut herself off with a fake cough, looking down in embarrassment.

"For you and Zuko," Aang finished for her. "Is that what you wanted to say before you coughed?"

"Yeah, thanks, Aang," Y/N rested her forehead against the palm of her hand, not wanting to look at her friends.

"Oh, come on, Aang. Who else would she be talking about?" Katara giggled.

"I can't believe you two are making me wish that Sokka was here right now."

"What would he do that we can't?" Katara asked, sounding annoyed that her best friend would even suggest wanting her brother's company more than her own. "Sokka gives the worst relationship advice! Just ask Zuko!"

"Zuko asked Sokka for advice?" Y/N lifted her head. "Why? About who?"

"Sweetie!" Aang glanced at Katara, whose eyes widened as she realised what she had said. "No one, Y/N. It was a looong time ago. Right, Katara?"

"Right!" Katara squeaked, nodding her head a few times.

Y/N stared at the two with a raised brow, not believing them for even a second. "You two are the worst liars I have ever met. And I know Sokka!"

"We aren't supposed to say. I'm sorry, Y/N," Aang frowned. "He made us promise."

"Why though? Please, give me something to work off here," Y/N begged.

Realising this might be the only chance she had to convince Y/N to say something, Katara quickly spoke up. "You should tell him how you feel tonight! Before he gets advice from someone better than Sokka."

Y/N visibly deflated at that. "Why would I do that if he likes somebody else?" She let out a sigh as she stared down into her tea cup. "I guess it makes sense, he has been avoiding me recently, and just brushes me off when I do get the chance to speak to him."

Aang and Katara shared a look. Y/N wasn't just overthinking things here. Zuko had been brushing her off recently, but that was because of Sokka's stupid advice. It had nothing to do with Y/N.

"You have to try, Y/N," Katara told her. "You'll only be more heartbroken if you don't. And... and if it doesn't work out, then I guess you can come live with me in the South."

Y/N let out a quiet laugh. She had been pestering Katara about that for weeks now, saying that if her best friend in the Fire Nation had gotten sick of her then perhaps it was time to go visit Katara and Sokka's home for awhile. It didn't hurt that it was currently summer in the Fire Nation, and a refreshing break to the snow would be nice this time of year.

"Okay, but when he rejects me and tells me he never wants to see my face again, then I hope you know that I will never leave the South Pole."

"Wouldn't have it any other way," Katara smiled softly.

Zuko sat his desk, his head in his hands. He didn't even have any meetings today, he didn't know why he said that. Honestly, he would've loved nothing more than to join them for tea, to hear Y/N's laugh up close. But Sokka's squeaky voice had weaselled its way into his head, telling him to play hard to get.

So now here he was, wasting the evening away in his office in an attempt to avoid Y/N's judging eyes. Surely by now she would've realised he was lying about the meeting.

Maybe she was too busy with Aang and Katara to remember that she practically had his entire schedule memorised like the back of her hand - he had forgotten one meeting with one of the Fire Nation officials, so Y/N had taken it upon herself to make sure he would never do it again. When he had asked her about it, she told him that it was so he could have at least one stressful thing taken off his shoulders.

It meant more to him than he would ever admit.

Zuko's eyes widened as he lifted his head just in time to see Y/N halfway through the window, obviously having climbed inside.

When their eyes met, a sheepish smile appeared on the girl's face. "So... you come here often?" She asked awkwardly.

Though her stupid question wasn't what he was focused on. "Did you seriously just climb through my window?"

With her feet now touching the ground inside the office, she dusted off her pants. "Yes..." She noticed the dead-pan look her was giving her. "But you gave me no choice!"

"I gave you no choice?" His brows furrowed in confusion as he stood up and pointed at the door. "There's a door right there, Y/N!"

"If the guards announced me, you would've come up with a stupid excuse to leave," Y/N pointed out.

Zuko went silent at that, knowing she was probably right. "I-"

"No. Stop talking," she held her hand out in his direction, signalling for him to stop. "I need to talk. And then I'm gonna climb back out the window and we'll pretend this never happened-"

"Okay?"

"Zuko, what did I just say?" She whined. He couldn't help but smile, though instead of replying, he simply nodded. "Thank you. Now, anyways... Zuko, I think - at least, I hope - I'm not the only one who feels this way. But I really like you, okay? Wait, no... No, I mean I do but it feels like more than that! Maybe- I think I'm in love with you. Wow was that weird to say, how do Katara and Aang do it all the t-"

"You love me?" Zuko stared her in shock, only able to watch as Y/N stopped rambling and took a hesitant step back toward the window.

"Y- yeah, so... so I think I'm gonna climb back out now," she whispered. "Sorry."

Just as she was about to throw her leg over the side of the railing, he quickly rushed forward. Taking her hand into his own, he effortlessly pulled her away from the window until she stood facing him.

They both stared at each other for just a moment, before Zuko whispered. "I love you, too."

Without a second of hesitation, Y/N slowly pulled Zuko's face down closer to hers, their lips pressing together gently as they kissed.

Zuko was beginning to realise something else, he should have never listened to Sokka's advice. If he hadn't, then maybe he could've been kissing her for much longer.

As they pulled away, Zuko found himself saying the first thing that came to his mind. "Is that Uncle's new sweet tea?"

Y/N blinked, before letting out a laugh. "Yeah, I had more before I came. Surprisingly, it helped my nerves."

Zuko smiled softly. "Good. I'm glad you came and told me."

"Me too."

#zuko x reader #zuko oneshot #atla x reader #atla #zuko #atla zuko #zuko fluff #zuko fanfic #avatar: the last airbender

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reinerispretty · 4 years ago

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rotations. (zuko x f!reader) pt6

hello!! i wanted to say thank you so much for all of your wonderful likes, comments, reblogs, asks, and everything in between!! it really means a ton to me knowing that you guys actually like this story and my writing :) remember that if you have any suggestions don’t hesitate to send me an ask or a message, and pls share if you can!! much love to you all

pt 1

pt 5

pt 7

“Perfect,” he breathed out as his eyes saw the boat. “You hop down first.”

“What? No way! I’m the one that can actually firebend here. You go first so you don’t get hurt.”

“Do you always have to argue with me?”

“Only when your plans are stupid!”

A whisper came through the cell bars. She blinked her eyes open and sat up quickly. “Here to tell me I’m a traitor again?” She called out into the dark.

“I’m actually here to rescue you but I can call you a traitor if you want.”

(Y/N) never thought she’d be so happy to hear that voice. “Sokka!” She exclaimed. “What are you doing here? Where are Aang and Katara?”

“It was too dangerous for either of them to come. I snuck on the ship to come break you out.” He jingled a set of keys in his hand. “Got these from the guard I managed to knock out. Impressive, huh?”

“Yeah, yeah, my hero. Now open the door!” Sokka unlocked her cell. She turned around and he quickly made work of her ties. Once she was free, she stretched her hands and fingers, happy to feel the warm sensation of fire underneath her fingertips. “How’d you get onto the boat?”

“I took a small rowboat and tied it to the mast. If the waves stay calm, it should still be there.”

“And if they don’t?”

“I guess we’re in for a swim,” Sokka shrugged. She smiled at him nervously before grabbing his hand and making a run for it. She wasn’t quite sure where she was going, but she let her feet lead her anyway. Her goal was to get to the top deck without running into any Fire Nation soldiers. Of course, luck wasn’t always on her side.

They encountered soldiers at nearly every corner they turned. Luckily, they were so shocked to see the prisoner out of her cell and a Water Tribe boy that they had very little time to react before she and Sokka were knocking them out.

The pair reached the top deck and doubled over on their knees, breathing heavily. Sokka helped her to her feet and led her to the side of the ship where his boat was. They looked down to make sure it was still there.

“Perfect,” he breathed out as his eyes saw the boat. “You hop down first.”

“What? No way! I’m the one that can actually firebend here. You go first so you don’t get hurt.”

“Do you always have to argue with me?”

“Only when your plans are stupid!”

A column of flame shot past the two of them, missing their bodies by only inches. They looked at each other in surprise before (Y/N) quickly hid Sokka behind her own body. She shot fire balls from her hands back at the attacker. The smoke from their attacks dissipated quickly, revealing Zuko. He launched himself in the air, kicking flames at her face. She sent fire wheel after fire wheel at him until he was completely surrounded. She turned to Sokka.

“You have to go.”

“No, I’m not leaving you again.” As her back was turned, Zuko rushed towards her. Sokka reacted quicker than she could and used the force of his body to knock Zuko to the ground. She flinched as she heard the breath get knocked out of Zuko’s body.

Before she could turn back to look at him, Sokka was grabbing her hand and pulling her over the edge of the ship. She yelled as they fell, but Sokka pulled her body into his to shield her from the impact of the water.

She emerged from the dark waters with a gasp of air and scramble around frantically to find her friend. “I’m right here,” he said. He led her to the boat and lifted her up inside it. She collapsed on the floor of the boat, coughing water out of her lungs. Sokka climbed in after her and immediately began rowing them back to shore, where Katara and Aang were waiting.

She breathed heavily as Sokka rowed before slowly sitting up. “Thank you,” she said. “I don’t like the idea of anyone rescuing me but...I’m glad it was you.” She coughed again and rubbed her neck, her face becoming hot. “I mean, I’m glad you did it.”

“Even if you do annoy me, you’re still part of our family now. Plus, it’s kinda cool to actually see you use your firebending.” She smiled. “Especially against Zuko, man, it really seemed like he had something personal against you.”

She laughed bitterly. “I guess you could say that.” It hurt, knowing that Zuko viewed her as a traitor, but it hurt worse knowing what the Fire Nation had turned him into. He was irrational and angry and almost nothing like the Zuko she used to know.

(Y/N) hated crying, but ever since she had left the Fire Nation, she had been doing a lot of it. She didn’t even realize she was crying until she noticed Sokka looking at her. He stopped rowing to scoot closer to her. “Are you okay?” She wiped furiously at her eyes and cheeks before shaking her head.

“Zuko and I used to be best friends.” Sokka inhaled a sharp breath. “And we kinda, sorta, were almost engaged.” This time, Sokka let out a whole gasp. “He didn’t always used to be like this, I promise! He was nice and we used to do everything together. I hadn’t seen him in over two years and then when we finally saw each other again...” She gestured loosely around them. “It hurts a lot, barely recognizing someone you cared about so much.”

Sokka remained silent for a few moments as he stared at her. Then, taking her hand in his own, he tilted her head up to look at him. “I know how much it hurts, losing someone you love. But it gets better. I promise.”

She smiled sadly. “Thank you, Sokka.” She pulled away from his touch but touched her own face where his hand once was. It felt tingly.

“Besides,” Sokka said as he started rowing again. “You’re way too awesome to date someone with a horrible ponytail.”

(Y/N) couldn’t contain her laughter.

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

The adventures (Y/N) shared with her friends happened at almost every turn. They narrowly evaded escape from Admiral Zhao, had visited the Northern Air Temple and flown on gliders for the first time, and had travelled to the Northern Water Tribe so that Katara and Aang could master waterbending. Their trip to the north had resulted in disastrous circumstances. Once again, (Y/N) had to fight against not only her nation, but one of her old friends. It saddened her deeply to fight against people she had once loved, even if she knew she was doing it for the right reasons.

The battle in the North had strengthened the group’s friendship exponentially. No longer did (Y/N) feel like she was an outsider, or that she needed to tread carefully in what she said to her friends. She was able to laugh around the campfire with them and also make them laugh, like the time she had told them she had accidentally caught Zuko’s pants on fire when they were children. She felt comfortable and, most importantly, she felt safe.

She developed a different kind of relationship with each member of their small family. Aang, although older than her but somehow younger at the same time, had become averse to firebending ever since he had accidentally burned Katara. He made (Y/N) promise not to try to teach him and resolved that he would take down the Fire Lord without firebending. She knew it was impossible, but he seemed so upset about it that she agreed. Instead, they spent their time together exchanging history. Aang told her what it was like growing up one hundred years ago, and (Y/N) filled him in on everything he had missed since then. Even the small stuff, like the invention of bubblebaths.

Katara had more than warmed up to her since (Y/N) first joined their group. (Y/N) had really tried to make an effort with Katara, since some part of her felt responsible for her mother’s death. They cooked together, did the laundry together, and even walked into town together when the boys weren’t paying attention. They eventually became so comfortable around each other that she had poured out her life’s story to Katara on one rainy afternoon. After she was done talking, she realized that when speaking with Katara, she didn’t fear disappointment or apathy. Instead, her Water Tribe friend provided her with the best advice she could give, and a hug warmer than any she’d had in the Fire Nation.

It was Sokka and (Y/N)’s relationship that took the most drastic turn. After their experience in the Northern Water Tribe and his loss of Yue, Sokka quit his small digs at her. He knew that she understood what it was like, to lose someone that you loved. Their time together was no longer filled with snide comments about the other’s upbringing; instead, Sokka had been teaching her how to fight! She knew some martial arts, since it was the basis of firebending, but she had never fought with a weapon before. On relaxed days, they trained together. She taught him hand-to-hand combat and he taught her how to fight with a sword.

“You’re a fast learner,” Sokka said after one of their lessons. They sat together at the edge of the lake they had camped beside. He used a stick and a piece of string with a hook on the end to create a make-shift fishing pole.

She smiled at the compliment. “Wish I could say the same about you.” He shoved her and she laughed. “You’re not too bad yourself. You know I can’t give you a regular compliment. It’d go to that big head of yours.” Despite himself, Sokka let out a smile.

“You’re so mean to me,” he said. “Are you this mean to all of your friends?”

“Only to the ones I especially like.” She thought back to her time in the Fire Nation. She could do that now, without getting very sad about it. “Back home, I always had to watch what I said. I was around the royal family a lot, so it was rare when I could really say what was on my mind.” She turned to Sokka, squinting her eyes from the sun. “Teasing is just the way I show that I care. I don’t mean to be well, mean.”

“I don’t really think you’re mean.”

“Good,” she grinned, tucking her legs into herself. “Because you haven’t seen nothin’ yet.”

“Have you guys caught anything yet?” Katara called out. “I’m starving!”

She stood quickly, shot her flames at the water, and took the fish that floated to the top in her hands. “Coming!” She shouted before running back toward camp. Sokka gathered his things to run after her.

“You let me fish for an hour when you could do that this whole time?”

---

i know what this chapter looks like. and yes. but all in due time.

Tag List!

@mdgrdians , @soft4kei , @bubblebars , @pleasantfankingdom , @vintageroses1014516 , @celamoon , @fangirlanotherjust , @gliderbudgie , @haylaansmi , @jada-cleo , @boxofteenageideas , @disgruntled-gay , @lie-ana , @jasmine-the-amazing , @svsoftie , @buckysfeet , @anime-simp , @imcravingyou , @rosetheshapeshifter , @alrightberries , @izzieserra , @hstott , @random-stupid-stuffs , @jackbamexpress , @jainaixo , @thefoxskinwalker

#avatar #atla #sokka x reader #zuko x reader #aang x reader #katara #toph #aang #sokka #zuko #azula #iroh #fanfiction #writing #the last airbender

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firelord-boomerang · 4 years ago

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I think Jet's sword skills are really underrated. He was able to keep up with (and almost beat) Aang, an airbending prodigy and the literal AVATAR. Plus, he was also able to keep up with Zuko, and I'm pretty sure the comics tell us that Zuko's trained with Piandao, the best swordsman in the whole show, since he was a little kid. And Jet's completely self-taught, as far as we know. I really wish the Jet v Zuko fight hadn't been cut short (smh Dai Li ruin everything)

YES! I rewatched the Jet episode last night and the boy has talent and skills with those hooked swords considering he trained himself. He almost single-handedly defeated a whole troop of Fire Nation soldiers. He flipped two soldiers with his swords simultaneously like wow strength. A longer Jet and Zuko fight would have been epic too but Jet’s goal in that fight was different compared to his usual ones. I don’t think Jet was actually going for the kill. He’s not trying to incapacitate Zuko or anything, Jet was goading him or Iroh into firebending so I think there’s something there too idk. And yeah, considering that Jet is able to keep up with a highly-trained swordsman and not only that but keep Zuko on his toes means Jet has insane raw talent and like intuition I guess with growing his skills.

#jet #zuko #atla #avatar the last airbender #my answers #YES ANON YES #Anonymous

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somethingwritey · 4 years ago

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commission: “kids in love” - a zukka fic

hi all! i was commissioned to write a zuko/sokka fic by @kurisu-80. it features a 5+1 style, some hurt/comfort, and lots of zuko pining. we brainstormed the premise of the fic before i began, and it’s here just in time for valentine’s day!

💖 commission me! visit this post for more commission details!

---

Zuko didn’t know how to feel.

The hardest part was over, presumably, and yet the brand new emotion coursing through his body - no doubt unlocked by the Avatar’s reluctant trust - unsettled him. He wanted a name for it.

After thinking it over, he settled on relief.

For so long, he’d been consumed by nothing but white-hot anger - and beneath that, searing pain - that relief was hard to recognize. It wasn’t hot. Instead, it ran down his back and legs and arms like water. But… he had to admit, he rather liked it.

“Unpack,” came a voice behind him. Zuko jumped a little; he’d almost forgotten that Sokka was still there in the doorway. “Lunch soon. Uh… welcome aboard?”

Welcome.

Zuko hadn’t felt welcome in a long time.

He looked up at Sokka to thank him, but paused - suddenly struck by his eyes.

Blue. Water. Cool. Healing. Wonderful.

Zuko suddenly felt the need to study Sokka’s eyes forever, to never tear his gaze away. Sokka let him for a moment, like he understood Zuko’s need. And then the moment passed, with Sokka shaking off whatever had come over him and exiting the room.

Zuko didn’t move, though, staring after him for a while longer. A new heat had begun somewhere in his body, but it wasn’t anger. It was… contained. Almost hungry. He wished he knew what it meant.

Two new emotions in one day had to be some kind of record.

///

Sokka looked… younger when he slept, somehow. Like one of the tired kids they all were instead of a general orchestrating a covert rescue mission into the depths of the Fire Nation’s most heavily guarded prison.

Zuko watched him for a few moments before training his eyes back on the landscape around them.

Don’t be creepy, he scolded himself. Sokka wasn’t his to look at like that.

Instead, he thought back to what Sokka had said before they left.

“I have to regain my honor.”

Zuko shivered a little at the memory, so similar to his own favored mantra and yet, somehow so different. Zuko’s had been selfish. He’d wanted to save himself; Sokka just wanted to save his father. And Zuko was fairly certain Sokka wouldn’t mind staying behind in the prison forever if it meant ensuring his father’s freedom.

The Water Tribe boy didn’t need to regain any honor; he had more in every bone of his body than Zuko ever would.

Maybe that’s why Zuko was so drawn to him.

///

Oddly enough, the version of Sokka dominating Zuko’s mind that night wasn’t the one splayed out with a rose in his mouth.

Although he was thinking about it. Maybe a little too much.

But the Sokka that he’d been shown after had wrapped a hand around his heart and squeezed until Zuko thought it might burst.

Vulnerability. Sokka had shown him vulnerability.

He thought about the way Sokka’s voice changed when he talked about his mother’s murder. Beneath the jokes and the sarcasm, Sokka was quietly patching over the part of himself that he’d lost - same as Zuko.

Zuko wished suddenly that he’d told him about losing his mother, too. Maybe the other boy would’ve confided in him further. Maybe it would’ve been Zuko that Sokka would set up candles for by moonlight and looked forward to -

Stop!

That feeling was back. Zuko shook his head and limbs, trying to scare it away. He had to stop this obsession. It was eating away at him, leaving him exposed.

After the war is over, this will end, he told himself. You’re just bored. Nervous. It won’t be like this forever.

By the end of the night, watching Suki sneak away from Sokka’s tent in the early morning light, he’d almost convinced himself that was true.

///

Fire Lord Zuko.

The title still sounded so foreign and unwieldy. Like it didn’t quite belong to him.

“Congratulations, Your Zukoness,” came a voice.

Zuko turned around, raising an eyebrow. “Sokka, how did you get in here? I thought -”

“Eh, Toph is distracting the guards.” Sokka shook his head. “You really should get some better security, I mean. A couple of rocks and -”

“Sokka!”

Sokka smiled, resting his weight on the crutch he was using. Zuko was instinctively aware of the bandages wrapped around his own torso beneath the heavy new robes.

They all bore scars of the recent battle; peace had come at a cost.

“I came to wish you luck in person,” Sokka continued, less joking and more genuine now. “You’ve come a long way.”

“Aren’t you coming to have some tea with Uncle tonight?” Zuko furrowed his brow. Was Sokka leaving? Was this goodbye?

“Yeah, yeah.” Sokka waved his hand. “But everyone is gonna be there. I wanted to tell you in private, I guess.”

In private.

Zuko hoped his cheeks didn’t look as hot as they felt. Even after Sokka left to join his father and Katara outside at the reception, he found himself smiling… just a little.

Sokka had that effect on people.

///

Time was a finicky thing, Zuko was realizing.

One moment, they were children, and the next, they… weren’t. Or maybe they’d never been children at all, too burdened with adult worries and fears their whole lives. Most of them had lost people at a young age, forced to grow up far too quickly.

Aang had lost his entire culture.

Zuko had lost his mother.

Katara and Sokka had lost their mother, too. And now their father.

Chief Hakoda had passed peacefully in his sleep, Zuko had been told. Even after the tenuous usurpation attempt by Gilak, Hakoda’s time at the helm of the Southern Water Tribe could hardly be called blemished. His strength and rationality had brought them to new levels of international recognition and power.

He had been one of the most influential chiefs in Water Tribe history.

Zuko hadn’t been able to make it to Hakoda’s memorial - unable to get out of several Fire Nation industrialization meetings - but he had managed to make it to the South to see Sokka become the next Chief.

“You made it,” Sokka said after the short ceremony. “I wasn’t sure you would.” His voice was heavy - lacking its usual bravado.

“I wouldn’t miss it.” Zuko laid a hand on Sokka’s shoulder, walking with him across the frozen landscape - away from everyone else. “I’m so sorry about your father.”

Sokka’s eyes turned glassy, and he looked away - unable to speak.

“He was a good man,” Zuko continued. “And he would be proud of you. I know it.”

Without warning, Sokka threw his arms around Zuko, burying his head in his shoulder. Surprised, Zuko stayed frozen, wishing he could do more to comfort the strongest man he knew.

“You’re going to make a great chief,” he said quietly.

When Sokka lifted his head, his face was inches away from Zuko’s - closer than the two of them had been in a long time. Zuko almost leaned forward, almost cut through the last bit of space between them, but before he could, Sokka was moving away.

“Thanks, Zuko.” He straightened his furs. “I should get back to Katara and our people now. You’re welcome to stay the night.”

And then he was gone.

////

Zuko hadn’t stopped pacing all morning.

He’d sent the letter after an agonizing few days of rewriting, second-guessing and re-thinking.

But he’d finally done it. Finally watched the messenger hawk lift into the sky. And now, all that was left to do was wait.

“Fire Lord Zuko?” a guard said, at last, bowing low as he entered the room. “The Chief of the Southern Water Tribe is here to see you.”

Zuko took a deep breath, straightening his topknot. “Send him in.”

Sokka burst through the doors, trailed by a couple Water Tribesmen. “I got your message,” he called before he’d even reached Zuko’s side of the room. “What’s the big emergency? Where’s the threat?”

Sokka looked strong - a powerful and more confident version of himself. Being the leader of the Southern Water Tribe had been good for him.

Zuko glanced at the entourage Sokka had brought and winced. He needed to speak with him privately.

“Give me a moment alone with your Chief,” he said to the others. Glancing at his own attendants, he waved for them to be dismissed, too. He wanted the throne room to be perfectly and totally empty.

“What’s this about?” Sokka looked around, seemingly unnerved. “What’s wrong?”

“I wanted…” Zuko cleared his throat. “I want to talk to you. About a partnership between the Southern Water Tribe and the Fire Nation.”

Sokka raised an eyebrow. “What kind of a partnership?”

Zuko swallowed hard. “The kind where their Chief and Fire Lord are… together.”

“Okay, okay.” The true meaning of Zuko’s words clearly hadn’t registered with Sokka, who began to tap his chin. “We team up, you’re saying? Form a political alliance? Hold on, hold on - don’t we already kind of have one? Isn’t that what my Dad was trying to -” And then he broke off, eyes narrowing. “Wait, together? Like… as a couple?”

Zuko rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, when you say it like that -”

“I didn’t say it! You did!”

Sensing Sokka’s imminent rejection, Zuko tried to save the situation. “I didn’t - look, it’s not like that, I just meant -”

“You made this whole emergency up, didn’t you?” Sokka shook his head. “Just to get me here! That’s -”

Zuko cringed, waiting.

“Kinda genius,” Sokka finished, nodding. “Somewhat evil. But genius.”

“I’ve liked you for a long time,” Zuko sighed. “I think. It’s confusing. But I just couldn’t wait any longer to tell you. I had -” His eyes widened for a moment as Sokka’s lips landed on his before they fluttered shut.

When they broke apart, Sokka seemed surprised at his own actions. “Is randomly kissing the Fire Lord grounds for arrest here?”

The idea made Zuko laugh. “Not if the Fire Lord wanted it to happen.”

Sokka grinned, and then paused. “You - you did want it to happen, right?”

“Yeah.” Zuko leaned forward to kiss him again. “For longer than you could possibly imagine.”

Finally, Zuko thought, letting himself get caught up in the moment. He understood what that feeling was now, the one he’d been so confused about that day at the temple and every day after that.

Love.

He loved Sokka, so full of honor and eyes bluer than water.

And he probably always would.

----

💖 keep an eye out for more commission pieces coming soon!

💖 message me about writing for you! send a private message or find me on twitter @/catrameows!

#zukka #zuko x sokka #zuko #sokka #atla #zukka angst #fire lord zuko #zukka fic #writing commissions #my writing #commission me #avatar the last airbender #angst with a happy ending #valentines day #mlm #writeres on tumblr

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thisentertaining · 4 years ago

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Avatar: The Last Archivist

The main characters from Avatar: The Last Airbender as different Avatars from The Magnus Archives.

I did 14 characters, one for each entity.

Trigger Warnings: Basically every TMA entity. Specifically mentions of claustrophobia, cannibalism, suicide, manipulation, ect.

____

There is a boy, with eyes like a stormcloud, deep and fathomless. He has arrows tattooed on his head, on his arms. When you ask about them he laughs, and says ‘when I’m upside down’ as though that was all the explanation. He asks if you want to do something fun, a roller coaster, skydiving, a trampoline park. When you agree, it is fun, at first. You close your eyes to protect them from the rushing wind. When you open them again, the ground is gone. There is no down. There is only sky, and you are falling. Beside you he laughs, bright and joyous and childlike, though it can hardly be heard over your screams. His arrows are pointed up, wherever that is. As he cannonballs past you for the 3rd, 8th, 19th, 76th time he says that ‘fear is what makes it fun’. His ‘woops’ cover your sobs.

There is a girl, dressed in blue with loops in her dark brown hair. She watches you with soft, sad eyes and says ‘It’s so sad, isn’t it? Being the last.’ ‘The last what?’ you ask, but you know. ‘The last of your kind. There is no one to teach you how to reach your potential. You’ll never be able to train anyone to be like you. You’re the last.’ ‘I am.’ You say, feeling cold as a painful pressure settles on your chest. It feel like you could drown in your loneliness.

There is a boy, one who looks similar to the girl, who loves meat. Grilled, roasted, stuffed, boiled, hunted, farmed or store bought. Any kind of meat, cooked in any manner, at any time. In the moments where he is not eating meat, he is thinking about it. He eats, and he eats, and he eats, until he is long since the point of caring what the meat is. Who the meat is. As he finishes his plate he looks to you and licks his lips.

There is another boy, pale of skin and gold of eye, with a burn that stretches across his face. “I will capture my prey.” He vows. “And then my honor will be restored.” He hunts, and he tracks, and he follows a prey that can never escape. If you find yourself his prey, you can hide and run and fight, but will sone find his claws surrounding you. However, even as he catches you, his mind is on his next target, for his prey is not what he truly seeks. He will never achieve what he really wants, but still he hunts for it. He knows that the capture is the least thrilling part of the chase.

With him travels an older man, a man who is kindly, portly and always grants a smile. He offers you a cup of tea and a game of Pai Sho, but from your first sip and his first move, he Knows you far better than you know yourself. He gives you tea exactly as you like it, and every move you make he has something to meet it. His words are proverbs and pretty saying, but all touch a part of you that he should not know. He Knows. He Sees.

There is an island in this world, where women with painted faces and fans of blades congregate. Practice. Fight. They learn to use the force of others against themselves. They learn to go for the throat They are more willing to fight than to ask questions. In the water there is a monster that they feed the ships that dare get close. In their hearts there is a monster that they feed the souls of those who survive to reach the land. Tearing them apart until blood and bone can be used to paint warnings on their faces.

There is a boy. He is at home in the woods, living in the trees and filth and gime. He collect people. Children. They build homes in bug-filled trees until they have their own hive infesting the forest. A piece of wheat sticks in his mouth, green-blue and fuzzy with mold. He sees sickness in those that invade his home. He sees corruption in those outside of his hive. He stands at the foot of a dam, working on the logs until rot eats through them, purging the woods of the existing host and giving more room for his parasitic hive to grow.

There is a girl with long white hair. She has a kind smile, and mourning eyes. She tells you ‘You’ve always known that this was your fate.’ And you realize that you did. ‘You were given life for a reason, it makes sense that this would be asked of you.’ It did. What reason did you have to live except for this. You always knew it would come to this. ‘You are doing this for your people. It is your duty. It is a noble sacrifice.” You nod. You take whatever it is she offers you. And you End.

There is a man who is in the dark. He does not see truth, does not see life. He walks in the dark and in doing so imagines himself bigger than he is, and imagines others as smaller. He wishes to spread his darkness, an insipid thing that seems to be a tangible presence in any room he is in. When you are near him, colors leech away to a point that the world seems to exist in black and white and grey, no matter how much light or color you attempt to introduce. If given enough power, he would gladly blot out the light of the moon itself, plunging the night into wholly his domain.

There is a young girl whose feet never leave the ground. In her hair there is a constant layer of dirt and dirt. Her eyes are milky-white, but she never trips and never struggles. You ask her if she needs help and she laughs and laughs and laugh. She seems to grow as she does, until you realize that you are sinking. You are up to your ankles-shins-knees-thighs- in the dirt. She says that she cannot see, but in the ground she is no difference for her or anyone else. She says that one cannot stumble or trip or fall if they cannot move because of the ground’s embrace. She says that strength and sight and title means nothing to the earth. She sinks into the ground with a happy sigh right as the ground meets your eyes. Then you can see no more, and as she said, the earth cares not for your struggles.

There is a girl who is an acrobat in the circus. One may assume she would be a stranger, but no. She is quick to introduce herself, to identify herself apart from those she is often lumped with. However, there is something… not right. Her body bends and moves in a way that it Should Not, that the human body Can Not. She twists and flips and bends until her form is completely unidentifiable as one of flesh and blood and bones like yours. Her smile stretches a bit wider than lips should allow. She can make you do things, or make you stop, a few simple pokes and your body will no longer listen to your mind. A few more nudges and your mind will no longer listen to you.

Her friend is a Stranger though. A girl wo dresses plainly, with a face as expressionless as a mannequin and a voice that is as dry and as bland as an uncooked grain of rice. She holds knives sharp enough to flay your skin from your body. Sharp enough to flay your identify from your self. She reacts to little and speaks to less. You may know her name, but she will never allow you to know who she is.

The acrobat and the stranger dance and dangle at the strings of the web. Their friend, a girl of sharp features and a sharper mind. She wields cruelty and knowledge and vulnerability as tools, weapons that allow her to say and do exactly what she needs to make others follow her desires. She will talk to you, and she will lead you. You will follow her without question, without thought, until your feet are stuck fast in spider silk. She can lead anyone into her web with a smile. All but one. She has never dared try to ensnare her Father.

The girl’s father is cruel. He has ambition that supersedes the ability of every man, and does not care for consequences so long as he advances for his personal goals. He will burn through a bush and care not for the wildfire he started behind him so long as he can continue further. If anything, he will delight in having caused it. No one is safe from the destruction. Not his people, whom he destroys without reason and without care. He delights in the anguish they feel and the anguish their demise causes. Not his son, who bears his burn and hunts for an honor never lost. Not the world, which is slowly being burned around him. Not an ember touches his skin. If her were to burn you, he would likely never notice.

Aang – The Vast

Katara – The Lonely

Sokka – The Flesh

Zuko – The Hunt

Iroh – The Eye

Suki/Kyoshi Warriors – The Slaughter

Jet – The Corruption

Yue – The End

Zhao – The Dark

Toph – The Buried

Ty Lee – The Spiral

Mai – The Stranger

Azula – The Web

Ozai – The Desolation

Thanks for reading!!

Yeah, I don’t know either. But if anyone else is a fan of these and wants to make fanart of Martin and Iroh drinking tea together and complaining about loving over-dramatic nerds who do not react normally to acts of love and kindness, you would have my eternal thank.

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omnivorousshipper · 3 years ago

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I'm going to send yesterday's ask here, like you said. I'm going to do an Avatar The last Airbender request this time. If it's in your style, could you do a Sokka angst fic after the war where he's really depressed and blamimg himself for a lot of things because of some events that happen gradually, like Zuko and Katara getting hurt and he gets taken with one of the other Gaang members (it could be Toph, Zuko, Aang or Katara) and they both get tortured, but Sokka's turn comes when the other is out cold so they don't know. And because they don't know, he tries to hide it, and when they find out, they yell at him and stuff for worrying them. And could you make it so that his low spirit makes him need some mental healing as well. Wait, do you do angst? If this is too much, you can say then I can change the request. I may have gone overboard. Oh my god, I tend to go far with angst. Please, please tell me if this is much too long and too angsty. If this is too much, please tell me, so I can change it. Umm...have a nice day 😅

I absolutely love writing angst! You’ve definitely come to the right place, friend! I don’t usually write from Sokka’s POV but I love him dearly, just as much as I love the rest of the Gaang! Thanks for this request! And I hope you have a nice day too!

Warning: Brief descriptions of burns and torture

~~~

The courtyard was quiet as Sokka sat on one of the stone benches in the corner and stared at the pond with unfocused eyes. The afternoon sun was warm on his face and arms, and shown on the pond’s surface beautifully. Turtleducks were swimming in circles and playing to their hearts’ content as their mother sat from the pond’s edge. Following the slow circles of the animals, Sokka hunched over and felt the scrolls in his arms start to slip. Not caring, he kept his eyes on the pond.

It had been several months since the war had ended, but somehow the world had gotten even crazier and simply loved to drag Sokka along for the ride.

He had been staying in the Fire Nation for the last two months to help Zuko find people to add to his council. Everyone who had been on his father’s was either power hungry or plain sadistic. As Sokka and Zuko had found out the hard way.

Shivering, the courtyard disappeared for a second as Sokka saw the small dungeon he had been stuck in. His arms chained above his head for hours on end, sweltering heat surrounding him as he heard lava bubble not too far away from him. But the worst part had been watching how much pain Zuko had been in.

Zuko’s arms had been twisted behind his back and forced straight upwards to hang in the middle of the cavern they had been trapped in. Leather bags had been forced over his hands and feet to stop him from shooting out any fire while a leather muzzle had fixed over his face. Sokka had never seen Zuko breath fire, but he knew Iroh and Azula had the ability so it wasn’t surprising their captors were taking every precaution.

Sokka had no idea he had been forced to be a hostage inside a literal volcano, but he would never forget the time he had been in there. Especially when their captor had arrived.

The man was an old general that had been on the Fire Lord’s council ever since Azulon had been in charge. He had sneered when Zuko had come into the council room, telling everyone that they are dismissed and their advice never needed again. Sokka had assumed everyone would listen to the Fire Lord, but apparently he had been wrong.

Instead, the old general had simply blackmailed one of the staff to put something in the tea they had been drinking while talking over potential people for the council. All Sokka had thought was Fire Nation tea tasted weird and ignored the slightly salty taste- they were on an island after all. Sokka wished he had known just how easy it would be to drug the Fire Lord. Maybe then he wouldn’t have let Zuko get captured and hurt.

That was all he could think as he hung suspended in the air across from Zuko. It had been heart wrenching to watch the firebender struggle to get out of his bonds, but only to be left exhausted. He could even see the chains holding Zuko up turn red hot and burn him. He had immediately shouted for his friend to stop.

They had simply hung there after that.

Until the general showed up.

Sokko hadn’t even remember his name back then. He had vaguely recognized the old guy, but didn’t know who he was. He just wasn’t important to Sokka at the moment. Now though, Sokka would never forget his name. General Shakao.

The man had stepped into the cavern, a fierce sneer on his face as he ignored Sokka and stepped right up to Zuko.

“Well, well. How the might have fallen.” The man sneered. “And here I thought Sozan’s line would never let themselves be captured. How pathetic.”

Sokka growled and struggled in his bonds as Zuko tried to kick out at the man. Instead of moving away from the kick, Shakao grabbed Zuko’s ankle. Freezing, Sokka stared at the two.

“I wonder just how much fire your father had to use to give you that scar.” Shakao wondered aloud. “Let’s test it, shall we?”

“No!” Sokka screamed. “Leave him alone!”

His words were completely ignored as Shakao’s face burst into flame and Zuko’s scream could be heard through the leather muzzle. Sokka struggled more and more as he watched, but to no success. He was stuck. He couldn’t do anything. He was so useless!

Sokka could still smell burning flesh.

The torture seemed to go on forever until Shakao had dropped Zuko’s leg. Tears were streaming down Zuko’s face and Sokka wished he could do anything to help him. Why couldn’t he get out of these chains? If only he had more training! He should have asked Suki or even Ty Lee about how to get out of chains. Why didn’t he think? He was supposed to be the guy with the plan!

“So weak.” Shakao chuckled. “And you thought you’d be able to lead our nation? You’re just a weak child!” Once again, Shakao’s hand burst into flame as he punched Zuko straight in the stomach. It only took a few moments for his robes to burn away around Shakao’s fist. Sokka couldn’t take his eyes off the bare skin that was quickly being burned.

“Stop! Tui and La, let him go!” Sokka shouted. But no matter how much he screamed and begged the man, he didn’t stop burning Zuko. This went on until Sokka saw Zuko’s eyes roll into the back of his head, at least half of his body burned horribly from Shakao’s fire. Sokka had no idea how his friend had lasted that long, but he was glad to see he was no longer feeling pain while unconscious.

“How disappointing. No Fire Lord should let themselves be harmed by fire. Disgraceful.”

“Because Fire Lords aren’t fireproof!” Sokka snarled. He wasn’t sure he was happy Shakao finally turned away from Zuko and towards him. Lifting his head, Sokka met Shakao’s eyes and glared harshly. Anything to keep the man’s attention off Zuko.

“And a Fire Lord bringing some water tribe peasant into the palace-!” Shakao snarled.

Before Sokka knew what was happening, a firey punch impacted with his left hip.

Flinching, Sokka could still feel the burned skin. It was constantly rubbing against his clothes along with all the other burns Shakao had left on him: down his thighs, back, and shoulders. Sokka had yet to look at them in the mirror, but he knew they were bad. Almost as if he didn’t have any skin left.

Taking a deep breath, Sokka blinked and saw the young turtleducks had stopped swimming around and were cuddled up under their mother’s wing. When had he stopped paying attention?

Sitting up, Sokka hissed in pain as his back stretched painfully and burned skin pulled tightly. He could feel tears running down his cheeks as he heard the scrolls he had been holding finally fell from his lax grasp.

When he and Zuko had finally been found by the rest of the Gaang, Sokka had told them to help Zuko first. He hadn’t woken up even after Shakao had left them hanging there with their wounds. They had rushed back to the palace and Katara hadn’t left Zuko’s chambers, trying to heal him. Sokka hadn’t bothered her with his own burns; they would heal by themselves, Zuko’s looked far worse.

That had been two days ago and Sokka had tried to distract himself from the pain by looking through any scroll he could get his hands on. This was his fault. He should have noticed the danger Shakao had shown to be. He should have told Zuko to have a royal taste tester as his main advisor.

It was his fault Zuko had gotten hurt.

Gasping for breath, Sokka scrubbed at his face viciously to get rid of the tears. He was a warrior! He should be embracing the pain and not allow it to control him!

“Sokka?”

Flinching hard, he looked up and saw Katara standing in front of him, concern deep in her eyes. He hated seeing his little sister so worried.

“What’s up?” He tried to go for casual but knew he just sounded tired.

“Are you alright? Toph said you were hurt too. Did you visit one of the other healers?” Katara asked gently and sat next to him on the bench.

“Yeah. I wasn’t hurt that bad. Just my shoulders from hanging there for so long, you know.” Sokka shrugged slightly and cringed when even that small motion made his whole back flare up in agony. “But, how’s Zuko? Is he ok?”

“Zuko’s doing better.” Katara sighed. “But he’s really worried about you, Sokka. He says Shakao hurt you.”

“No, I’m fine.” Sokka sent her a smile.

“Sokka…”

Why did she look so blurry all of a sudden?

Taking a shaky breath, Sokka felt his chest tighten and a sob broke through his lips. He realized that tears were running down his face again. He couldn’t stop them. Why? Why couldn’t he stop crying?

Arms wrapped around him and one brushed against his back. Sokka wanted to scream, but instead, a small whimper came out.

“What’s wrong?” Katara whispered as she withdrew her arm. Without waiting for an answer, she lifted his shirt and he could feel the air on his skin. A sharp gasp left her. “Oh, Sokka, I’m so sorry-!”

“It’s nothing!” Sokka rushed to say, but it sounded more like begging. He was fine! They would be worried about Zuko, not him!

“I’m so sorry.”

When had Katara started crying? His baby sister should never cry, especially not over him. He shouldn’t have made her cry.

He could feel her arms wrapping around him again, this time around his neck than back and he couldn’t help but wrap his arms around her as well. Shoving his face in her shoulder, another sob left him and Sokka could feel himself unraveling.

~~~

I hope you enjoyed friend!

#avatar the last airbender #atla #sokka #zuko #angst #injury #tw burns #katara #asks #fanfic #omni writes #omni answers

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fanfic-lover-girl · 1 year ago

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Are the Gaang OP?? - Katara

This post is inspired by this earlier post where I questioned the timeline of Katara's mastery.

I had similar thoughts about Toph a while back and it made me wonder if the Gaang members were OP. I rewatched the scene where they invaded the Earth King's palace and these feelings grew inside me. So I will go over points for Zuko, Katara, Sokka and Toph. I am excluding Aang because he is the avatar and I just don't feel too strongly about him. I don't think Zuko is OP but I am doing him for fun. I am excluding Suki too because, like Aang, I don't feel like it and I don't know what her Kyoshi training was like. But I don't think Suki is OP.

I will start with Katara in this post and do separate posts for the others.

Katara (the queen herself)

Self-taught & eventually had access to a water-bending scroll

Basic moves in season 1

Impressive feats were done with Aang (manipulating the clouds) or done accidentally (healing) in season 1

Became a master waterbender in months, good enough to teach the avatar as declared by Master Pakku.

Reinforced her skills by teaching Aang and fighting in a war

Able to hold her own against Azula in the catacombs - another prodigy who has been training longer than she has

Mastered bloodbending with no practice or demonstration from Hama (she is able to competently manoeuvred the Southern Raiders captain when this is supposed to be her second time bloodbending)

Able to hold her own against Sozin comet-powered Azula

Good healer: healed Aang, Jet, Toph and Zuko. Able to save Aang and Zuko from (the brink of) death. Could not save Jet but was able to mind-heal him.

Able to fight against fire nation ships (The Awakening & TSR)

Conclusion: I love Katara but she is OP. Especially due to her bloodbending.

I can buy her becoming a master (whatever mastery means for waterbending) after a few months given her dedication and her self-taught background. I can buy her being good enough to teach the avatar for the same reasons. Aang goofing off at the northern tribe made it so Katara HAD to be good enough for the narrative to work. Her beating Azula in season 3 makes sense given Azula was off her rocker. She also had the spirit water when she healed Aang at the end of season 2.

But her season 2 fight with Azula and her bloodbending make her so unrealistic. Azula has been training far longer than she has and Azula only recently began her lightning training. I don't think Azula is a master yet. Is she?? Yet Katara was winning the fight until Zuko interfered. Although I will admit that Katara had the environmental advantage given they were fighting underground.

But Katara is out here bloodbending on the first try when it took an imprisoned Hama years to invent the technique. Her being able to break free of the bloodbending felt like a cheap plot convenience too. Especially when Hama has years of practice! What exactly makes someone a stronger bender anyway?? Hama is a waterbending master with decades more experience than Katara.

Katara is basically a master of bloodbending on her second try. Unless she has been practising bloodbending privately which I doubt.

Also, I am suspicious at how good Katara is at healing post season 1. I never got the impression that she was enthused to learn healing at the northern tribe. Understandably of course. I wish we could have seen more scenes of her at the healing hut but unfortunately, we did not. We can only speculate that she dedicated herself to healing like she did fighting.

Also if she was able to fight so well against fire nation ships as a single water bender then why the heck did the northern water tribe struggle against the fire nation fleet?? A boat of benders saved Aang from the ship he was trapped on. Are you telling me that men who have trained likely far longer than her need to work as a team to capsize a ship?? If all benders were like Katara then the siege would have been over in a day lol. Either the waterbenders in the north are pathetic or subpar or Katara is just better than anyone else for some reason.

Katara's mastery timeline does not make sense. She is a prodigy but I am still not satisfied. Based on dialogue with Roku and looking at other characters, true mastery takes years. I know the show had a limited timeline but Katara becoming a master in mere months is baffling. But I still love you Katara! And you are still one of my top cartoon female role models. Zuko will always be my number 1 but you are a top contender for number 2 :)

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eastofthemoon · 3 years ago

Text

A Paladin in the Fire Nation

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4

Rating: PG

Series: Voltron Legendary Defender/Avatar the Last Airbender

Summary: After the fight with Zarkon, Shiro accidentally gets tossed into another reality where humans have the ability to bend the elements. His best shot at returning home is with someone called the Avatar, while he waits he might as well take on the job of being the Firelord’s bodyguard.

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

The next few hours were a chaotic dance of panic and fussing. It didn’t take long to summon the guards, and Iroh wasn’t far behind them, fretting over both Zuko and Shiro while the intruders were taken into custody. Iroh only seemed to calm down once he learned Zuko was unharmed and that Shiro only had a minor injury.

After that, Shiro was taken to see the royal physician who examined Shiro’s arm, before releasing him to rejoin the group back in the royal quarters. Breakfast had been served, but neither Sokka, Toph, Zuko or Iroh were eating as Shiro entered.

“How’s the arm?” Sokka asked.

“Sore, but at least they didn’t have to cut it off,” Shiro replied as he sat next to him.

Sokka and Zuko raised eyebrows, while Toph snickered.

“...just trying to lighten the mood,” Shiro said.

“Weird way to do it,” Zuko commented.

“Well, I could see the humour in it,” Toph commented.

“Amusing comments aside,” Iroh said as he reached for his cup, “we are glad you are alright.”

“Did you learn anything from the attackers?” Shiro asked.

“They refuse to talk,” Zuko grumbled as he crossed his arms. “Unfortunately, I have a feeling we know who they are.”

“But those other guys were always going after Ozai, right?” Sokka replied. “This is the first time we've seen them go directly after you.”

Shiro frowned. “Others?”

Sokka shut his mouth as Zuko tossed him a glare, but then sighed.

“Fine, you might as well know too,” Zuko replied as he rubbed his neck. “I owe you that much. Those men were-”

“Out of my way,” a young female voice commanded.

“Lady Katara, if you just wait-”

The group turned as a young woman wearing blue clothing appeared in the doorway.

“Katara?!” Sokka cried. “When did you get here?”

“Yeah, we figured you weren’t arriving until later,” Toph commented as she reached for her rice.

“I managed to hitch a ride with one of the farmers, but never mind that,” she said as she looked over the Zuko.

“The guards just told me you were attacked.” She grabbed Zuko’s arm and lifted a sleeve. “Are you hurt anywhere?”

Zuko sighed as he took his arm back. “I’m fine,” he replied and pointed to Shiro, “but you should be asking him that.”

The woman looked and blinked as if she just noticed Shiro for the first time.

“Um..hi,” Shiro said as he waved.

“Hi,” the woman replied and looked at Sokka. “Who is this?”

Sokka cleared his throat as he stood, walked behind Shiro and patted his shoulder as he gestured dramatically. “Shiro, meet my sister Katara. Katara, meet Shiro, our local spaceman.”

Katara raised an eyebrow. “That really doesn’t clear things up.”

“It’s a long story,” Shiro replied as Sokka returned to his seat.

Katara frowned thoughtfully as she took the seat next to Shiro. “Well, you can explain who you are while I heal you. Where are you hurt?”

“It’s just a cut on my arm,” Shiro said, pulling up his sleeve to reveal the bandages. “I’ve honestly had worse.”

Katara didn’t look convinced. “Can you unwrap it?” She patted the container hanging off her hip. “Waterbending can heal something like this without any trouble.”

Shiro blinked. “Waterbending?”

“Katara’s a waterbender, and just let her do it,” Toph commented. “It’s easier than arguing with her, Sparky's attempts aside.”

“It doesn’t hurt,” Katara swore as she held up her hands. “It will feel cold and a bit odd, but there’s no pain I swear.”

“Um..alright,” Shiro said, uncertainty in his voice as he held out his arm.

Katara gently removed the bandage and frowned at Shiro’s other scars.

“I’m assuming these are old,” she commented as she pointed.

“Yes,” Shiro replied and didn’t wish to explain further.

“Sorry I can’t do anything about them,” she replied as she set the bandages aside and examined the wound. “I should be able to fix this though.”

Shiro watched as Katara waved a hand, water flowing out of her container and hovering in midair to match her movements. Man, Pidge would love to see this, Shiro thought.

“Now, hold still,” Katara instructed as she moved the water to cover the wound.

Shiro flinched in response, and was surprised to see Katara had been correct. It was cold, and felt very weird, but his wound was aching much less now. In fact, it was hurting less with each passing second.

While she worked, the group filled her in on Shiro’s predicament.

“Another universe?” Katara said as she finished, waving the water back into her container. “That’s rather hard to believe.”

Shiro couldn’t reply. He was too busy examining his arm. It didn’t hurt any more and the cut was completely healed.

“What was in that water?” he asked.

Katara raised an eyebrow. “Nothing, it’s just regular water. I just used it as a catalyst to redirect the energies of your body into the wound.”

“Bending allows you to do that?”

Katara nodded.

“That’s incredible,” Shiro muttered.

Katara frowned and crossed her arms. “While it's nice to be appreciated, I’m starting to believe it.” She glanced at Zuko. “Putting that aside for the moment, what about those attackers?”

“As we were about to tell Shiro, intruders have been trying to get to Ozai,” Toph said as she leaned over the table. “But last night was the first time they went directly after Zuko.”

Shiro narrowed his eyes and thought back how Iroh mentioned having to deal with intruders. “Ozai is Zuko’s father.”

Zuko sighed. “Unfortunately, yes.”

“Why were they going after Ozai in the first place?” Katara asked. “Were they trying to free him?”

“We don’t know and so far the men we captured aren’t talking,” Zuko replied as he sipped his tea. “Hopefully their attitude will change when I-”

A knock at the door interrupted Zuko. Setting down his cup, he rose and faced the door. "Enter."

A guard promptly came in and gave a quick bow. “My Lord, I regret having to bring you this news,” the guard started and swallowed hard, “but the intruders escaped.”

“WHAT?!” Everyone in the room cried, the guard flinching at the volume.

“How did this happen?” Zuko asked.

“As far as we can tell, someone knocked out the guards on duty and released the intruders,” the guard reported.

“Are you searching the grounds?” Iroh asked as he stood next to Zuko.

“Yes,” the guard replied, lowering his gaze, “but we have a feeling it’s likely too late.”

“Keep searching for now, and come to me immediately as soon as you find anything,” Zuko replied.

“Yes, my Lord,” the guard replied as he took another bow and exited the room.

Toph clicked her tongue. “Well, that’s not good.”

“How could they have gotten out?” Shiro asked.

“Not by themselves,” Zuko grumbled as he sat and rubbed his face. “The guards had searched them for any weapons or lockpicks.”

Sokka stroked his chin in thought.

“It means either there was another intruder we missed that freed them,” Sokka started with a grimace, “or worse-”

“Someone inside the palace was in on it,” Shiro finished.

Sokka sighed as he leaned back. “Yup, exactly. Schemers in the Fire Palace, who could have guessed.”

“And I don’t suppose we have an idea on who it could have been?” Katara asked.

“Not currently,” Zuko replied as he sat back down with clenched fists. “With all the diplomats and their staff staying here it could be anyone.”

Iroh took a deep breath. “If that is true,” he said and looked at Zuko with hard eyes, “then we have no choice.”

Zuko blinked, frowned and then groaned as he massaged his forehead. “No, Uncle, not this again.”

“Zuko, this is for your own good-”

“I don’t need a personal bodyguard!”

“Uh..what’s this now?” Sokka asked as he raised a hand.

Zuko gave a deep sigh. “Uncle has been pestering me to get a personal bodyguard for the past several months.”

“Like the patient racoon-turtle, I have allowed events to pass by undisturbed - but that was when we believed they were only targeting Ozai. After last night, however, I can wait no longer. I must insist that you have protection until these perpetrators have been dealt with,” Iroh replied sternly.

Katara chewed her bottom lip. “I’m going to have to agree with Iroh. We need to consider your safety.”

Shiro couldn't help but nod as well. Zuko had been lucky he had been around to help him. He might not be so lucky next time.

“I don’t need a bodyguard,” Zuko growled as he crossed his arms. “Besides, there aren't any good choices.”

“What do you mean?” Sokka asked.

"Traditionally, I would select someone from a noble family," Zuko replied. "But given that we suspect the assassins are in league with someone in the palace, it's possible that any of the noble families could already be working with them."

Katara paused, scowled, and folded her arms. “That is a fair point.”

“I could be your bodyguard,” Toph said with a smirk.

Zuko scoffed as he shook his head. “Thank you, but while I would survive I doubt my palace would.”

Sokka scratched his chin. “If Suki was here I would nominate her, but as far as I know she’s still with Aang.”

“Who’s Suki?” Shiro asked.

Sokka gave a smug grin. “She’s just a fully trained Kyoshi warrior who can kick anyone’s butt.”

“And Sokka’s girlfriend, for some reason,” Katara added, “but she would be a good choice if she was here.”

“But she isn’t,” Zuko said as he reached for his cup of tea. “And outside this table, there’s no one else in the palace I could trust.”

Sokka placed his hands behind his head as slowly his gaze shifted towards Shiro. Suddenly, he blinked, leaned forward and pointed.

“Wait a second! Shiro could be Zuko’s bodyguard!”

Shiro blinked at the seeming non sequitur, but was relieved to see the others just as confused.

“What?” Zuko asked.

“It’s perfect,” Sokka continued with a manic grin, jumping up for emphasis. “He literally just got here so we know he doesn’t have connections to anyone and he handled those assassins easily -”

“It was a combined effort!” Zuko shouted.

“You, ah, didn’t notice the arrow,” Shiro added dryly.

Zuko rolled his eyes.

“Point is,” Sokka cut in as he marched around Shiro and placed his hands on his shoulders. “He would be a perfect bodyguard for Zuko. Helpful, quiet, a good fighter, has a weird space-metal arm...”

Zuko growled. “I don’t need a bodyguard!”

“The attack last night suggests otherwise,” Iroh said sternly. “You need to be protected, Zuko.” He glanced at Shiro. “And I also believe Sokka's suggestion to have merit.”

Zuko’s mouth dropped. “You can’t be serious.”

“Before you answer that,” Katara cut in and crossed her arms, “maybe ask if Shiro actually WANTS to be Zuko’s bodyguard?”

Iroh frowned, but gave a nod.

“My apologies, of course,” Iroh said with a nod and looked back at Shiro. “Would you accept being Zuko’s bodyguard? I can promise you will be well paid for it.”

Shiro was quiet for a moment, and then gave a shrug. “Alright, why not.”

“Are you sure? Zuko has a knack for getting into trouble.” Katara asked.

“I’m stuck here and have nothing else to do until I’m able to talk to Aang,” Shiro replied and narrowed his eyes. “Besides, I’m not the kind of person that can stand by and do nothing while someone is in danger.”

Iroh smiled. “Thank you, Shiro. We very much appreciate it.”

“What about my opinion here?” Zuko asked with a growl.

“Both Katara and Iroh have joined forces on this, buddy,” Sokka said with a shrug. “You fought it, but I think you've lost this one.”

Zuko glared, but finally sighed in defeat. “Fine. I still think you're all overreacting, but you can pay Shiro to stand around.”

“With that said,” Shiro asked, “you just said that traditionally a bodyguard is selected from a noble family. I'm not exactly nobility on this world - is that going to cause any issue?”

“Oh, it's sure to offend the majority of the upper class,” Zuko replied as he raised his head, “but that’s nothing new. This'll just go on their list of their issues with me.”

Shiro felt some concern over that, but felt it best to keep it to himself for now. He could ask the others about impending coups later.

“In any case, while Shiro is guarding Zuko the rest of us should see if we can find any leads,” Toph said as she reached for her cup of tea. "It's been way too long since I got to shake anyone down."

“Well, I can’t do any investigation on an empty stomach,” Sokka declared as he reached for his bowl. “First breakfast then I break out my hat and pipe.”

Katara sighed. “I thought we got rid of those.”

Shiro raised an eyebrow. “Do I want to know?”

Katara shook her head. “No, no you don’t.”

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

The first few days after the attack were relatively quiet. This honestly didn’t surprise Shiro; whoever had sent the assassins would have to assume that the Fire Lord's entourage would be on high alert. It wouldn’t make any sense to make another attempt immediately.

Few among the palace staff were questioning Shiro’s appointment as Zuko’s new bodyguard. The story was that Shiro had come highly recommended by a close friend and was a fully trained fighter. There had been a few cautious and curious glances as he made his rounds through the palace, but any ill opinions were kept quiet.

The nobles he had encountered were a different matter. None of them protested aloud when Zuko introduced Shiro to them, but Shiro could hear whispers in the background during the meetings where he escorted Zuko, and could feel icy glares as he left the room.

If Zuko had even noticed the nobles' actions, he had ignored them.

“A lot of them are already disgruntled with the changes I made to the court since I took over,” Zuko explained when Shiro asked him about it. “If they're going to hate me for not being my father, there's no point in trying to change their minds.”

The subject still made Shiro uneasy, and he was tempted to wear his paladin armor to be better prepared for the next knives in the dark. Unfortunately, he was overruled by both Sokka and Zuko.

“Look, buddy, if we’re going to keep the whole ‘I’m from another universe’ thing a secret, kinda easier to do that if you’re not wearing stuff that just screams ‘Look at me! I’m not from this planet’.”

Shiro couldn’t argue against that.

In the meantime,Sokka, Toph and Katara had yet to turn up any useful leads in their investigation. They had questioned all the servants and guards, and had scoured the grounds for any evidence a master earthbender, waterbender, and 'cluebender' might uncover, but so far they hadn't found anything. Whoever the assassins were they had made certain to not leave a trace of themselves behind.

That, or someone in the palace was extremely good at covering for them. Given the prison escape, more conspirators seemed likely.

Shiro couldn’t help but ponder this as he, Sokka, Katara and Toph went over the list as they waited for Zuko to finish getting dressed.

“All of the servants Toph and I spoke to yesterday couldn’t think of anything out of place,” Katara said with a sigh.

“Are you certain they were all telling the truth,” Shiro asked.

“They seemed to be, judging by their heart rates,” Toph said.

Shiro raised an eyebrow. “Their heart rates?”

Toph lifted her foot and pointed to it. “I get around by using my earth bending to sense vibrations, and I'm awesome enough to feel people's heartbeats. If they’re lying, their heart rate tends to go up.”

Shiro frowned as he put it together. “So, you’re a walking lie detector.”

Sokka glanced up from his paper. “ Lie detector?”

“It’s a kind of machine we have that works on the same principle,” Shiro explained as he leaned over the table. “Although, it’s not perfectly accurate.”

“It’s also the same for Toph,” Katara admitted, “but I know that the servants all really like Zuko. I can’t see any of them wanting to hurt him.”

“Really?” Shiro replied, slightly surprised. “I didn’t think he was that sociable.”

“It’s less about him being sociable and more that he isn’t going to threaten to burn them for accidentally spilling water on the floor,” Sokka commented dryly. “You'd think that wouldn't be a high bar to clear, but apparently Zuko was a big relief after the last three Fire Lords - even if banishment was better than what Ozai was doing."

Shiro frowned. “You know the more I hear about this Ozai, the less I like him.”

“You don’t know the half of it,” Toph grumbled.

“We still need to talk to some of the military officers,” Sokka replied as he drummed his fingers on the table. “That might get us somewhere since Zuko still hasn’t been able to replace all of the higher ranks yet.”

Shiro froze at the mention of the military. “What about Admiral Jee?”

Katara glanced up and quickly shook her head. “No, he wouldn’t be connected.”

“You’re certain?” Shiro asked.

“He's one of the few qualified replacements. Zuko selected him specifically because he knows he can trust him,” Sokka explained. “He was the officer in charge of his boat after he got banished.”

“Banished?” Shiro asked.

Sokka, Katara and Toph went quiet as they glanced at each other.

“Right, you wouldn’t know about that,” Toph commented.

I get the feeling there is a LOT I don’t know, Shiro thought.

Sokka straightened his posture. “Basically, Zuko got kicked out of the Fire Nation for a few years by Ozai and was sent on the quest to find the Avatar.”

Shiro raised an eyebrow. “He had to find Aang?”

“Yeah, but no one expected him to actually do it, because nobody had seen the Avatar in a century.”

Shiro blinked. “Wait, how old is Aang?”

“16,” Katara replied.

“Then how does a sixteen-year-old go missing for longer than he'd been alive??”

“He got frozen in an iceberg for a hundred years,” Toph added. "Slept through all the fun stuff."

“Oh,” Shiro said softly and slowly nodded. “That makes sense.”

Sokka raised an eyebrow. “Wait, that makes sense? There are times I have a hard time grasping it.”

Shiro shrugged. “My friends Allura and Coran got put to sleep for ten thousand years. This is pretty much business as usual.”

Sokka stared blankly before slowly raising a finger. “I have a few questions-”

“Save them for later,” Zuko said as he entered the room. “I have a meeting to get to and I can’t afford to be late.”

“I’m not sure if I can,” Sokka admitted.

Shiro gave a smirk as he patted Sokka's shoulder. “It’s not that complicated. They just have machines that can freeze them.”

“That raises more questions - I've been frozen in ice when I made Katara mad, how -,” Sokka cried, but Shiro just waved farewell as he followed Zuko.

They walked in silence until they reached the door to the meeting chambers.

“I need to explain something to you,” Zuko said as he turned. “The diplomats from the other nations are in this meeting.”

“Oh,” Shiro said as he narrowed his eyes.

“It’s an update on how the reparations from the war are going,” Zuko explained.

“Okay, good to know,” Shiro said slowly. “But that seems straightforward enough. What else is going on?”

“I believe Zuko is concerned about the many Fire Nation generals who are also in this meeting,” Iroh explained as he approached. “And their commentary on these issues can grow quite heated,” he cleared his throat a moment before smiling. “No pun intended of course.”

Shiro’s eyes narrowed. “I’m assuming not all the generals agree with how you’ve been making amends for their conquests.”

“I have managed to replace a few of them,” Zuko asserted before sighing, “but the ones that remain from my father's reign hate the idea even more than everything else I do.” He looked at Shiro. “I’m telling you this because they won't hesitate to take advantage of an outsider to our culture.”

Shiro frowned. “So, you’re saying I need to be careful.”

“What you need to do is just sit quietly while we talk,” Zuko explained. “The important facts are that anyone in red is part of the Fire Nation, the man and woman in green are the latest diplomats from the Earth Kingdom, and the man in blue is Aput, an emissary from the Northern Water Tribe.”

“The Water Tribe,” Shiro asked. “So, Sokka and Katara’s home.”

“No, they are from the Southern Water Tribe, who I'd honestly rather be dealing with today. Sokka or Katara can explain that whole history later." Zuko grumbled under his breath. "Spirits willing, this meeting won't take too long - but don't hold your breath, and just...try not to draw attention to yourself if you don't have to."

“Understood,” Shiro replied as Zuko turned to open the door and enter the meeting.

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

The meeting, in spite of Zuko's pleas to the spirits, went as expected. Far longer than planned, participants shouting over each other, and most of the words being ignored by those who didn't want to hear them.

“In spite of your promises to help rebuild Water Tribe ships, we have yet to receive so much as a stick of the lumber you claim to have sent over two months ago,” Aput stated.

General Ikai sighed. “And as we said at the time, that shipment of wood was sent to where it was needed more - the Southern Water Tribe, not the Northern.”

“So once again we are being forgotten.”

“No one is forgetting you,” Yezow one of the Earth Kingdom diplomats chided.

“In spite of your efforts to be forgotten during the war,” replied Zae, the other Earth Kingdom diplomat as she gave a huff. “We should turn our attention to places that actually suffered over the past hundred years, such as the issues with the Omashu restoration project.”

“King Bumi's most recent letters gave us the impression that the project was completed,” Zuko replied as he resisted the urge to massage his forehead. Or set something on fire.

“That is King Bumi’s opinion,” Zae replied sharply. “However, the merchants and nobles have a very different opinion on how much of Omashu warrants repair.”

“Oh really,” replied one of the Fire Nation nobles with a snort. “And do these repairs, by chance, include having their homes expanded on the Fire Nation’s coin?”

Zae glared. “Considering it was the Fire Nation that took over Omashu and forced the need to reconstruct any buildings in the first place, I don’t think you have any right to complain.”

Iroh coughed into his hand. "As Omashu is self-governed, I would suggest that we table discussion of its restoration until we petition King Bumi for a new envoy. Perhaps this time, he might even not send a howling squirrel-monkey! While we wait, however, might we move on to another topic?"

Yes, please, Zuko thought as he stole a glance back at Shiro.

Just as he had for the last few meetings, Shiro was keeping perfectly quiet and still. If he was feeling bored, none of that emotion showed in his face. Zuko had to admit it was somewhat impressive. It made Zuko wonder what Shiro had done to achieve such a skill.

“Yes, I concur,” Yezow said as he cleared his throat, which to Zuko wasn’t a good sign. “There is a matter I would like to introduce at this time.”

“And what is that?” Zuko asked.

The man’s face turned grim. “The nations of the world are concerned about your predecessor, the former Fire Lord Ozai, and wish to insist that he be fully punished for his part in the war.”

Zuko’s body tensed. He would rather go back to arguing about Omashu. Or arguing with one of Omashu's 'envoys'. “We have already discussed this with your predecessor, Ambassador Yezow.”

“Discussed, but were unable to reach a final agreement,” Aput added.

“He has been sentenced to remain in a prison cell for the rest of his life,” Iroh added. “And what he considered his greatest strength, his fire bending, has been taken away by the Avatar. This was pronounced by the Avatar himself as a just punishment.”

Zae narrowed her eyes. “Is it, though? Many of the Earth Kingdom’s sons and daughters have been lost to this war and shall never return home. Farmsteads and villages have been burned to the ground on his orders - but Ozai has a secure roof over his head and receives daily meals.”

“You make it sound like he’s living a life of luxury,” Zuko retorted. "The roof is there to keep him from climbing out, not for his comfort."

Yezow coughed. “I believe Zae is concerned that Ozai’s cell might not be a true prison given the rumors as of late.”

Zuko closed his eyes, trying not to let out a sigh as he asked the obvious question. “Which rumours?”

“The matter of Princess Azula,” Aput said coldly. “She was loyal to your father, and was credited with single-handedly conquering Ba Sing Se." He paused a moment to clear his throat. "Despite this...record, I have heard it said that she was relocated to a private estate with her own servant. That hardly sounds like a punishment to me - do you, in fact, approve of your sister's actions during the war?”

Zuko clenched his hands into fists, taking a slow deep breath and focusing his strength on not leaving scorch marks on the table. This was technically an international summit; setting things on fire and shouting a lot was not the method of diplomacy he wished to resume using. Zuko had worked to keep the full story of Azula’s breakdown quiet and he was not going to waste that effort. Even though he could feel Iroh's gaze on him, he focused his iciest glare on the diplomats.

“At the end of the war my sister was not well and required special treatment, and that is all I will say regarding the matter,” Zuko said sternly. “However, this leniency was due to a number of mitigating circumstances beyond the scope of this discussion. I can promise you that our father has not received the same consideration, and is now facing the consequences of his crimes.”

“Can we truly take your word, my lord?”

Zuko paused and slowly turned to face the speaker of the comment. This interruption had not been any of the diplomats, but rather one of the Fire Nations' own generals - one of the older, well-decorated ones..

“What do you mean, General Bujing?” Zuko said with his voice full of venom.

The old general barely looked at Zuko as he ran a hand through his beard.

“Forgive me for interrupting,” he said with a sly smile, “but can we fully trust your word given your own judgment as of late?”

Zuko narrowed his eyes. “You would bring my judgement into this?”

Bujing had been one of the most vocal protests against the changes Zuko had made since he took the throne. However, he had been canny enough to speak up only around other Fire Nation generals. This was the first time he had spoken on these matters in front of foreign diplomats.

Bujing gave a smirk and gestured behind Zuko. “Your judgment is made clear by your current choice of bodyguard. You went against our tradition of hiring someone of the court and instead chose this peasant..what’s his name? Riro? To fill a high position on the court.”

“It’s Shiro,” Zuko said as he resisted the urge to turn and look at Shiro's expression. Hopefully the otherworlder was able to keep calm. “And what of it? This is hardly the first tradition I have broken since my coronation.”

“Perhaps not,” Bujing sneered. “But from what I hear this man is not even a bender. How could you expect such a commoner to defend anyone when he can’t even bend? I could strike him down with a flick of my wrist.”

The generals muttered amongst themselves. Aput looked uncertain as Yezow stroked his beard in thought and Zae’s frown tightened.

Zuko clenched his jaw, nostrils flaring as he readied his words, but someone beat him to it.

“Could you, now? Do you want to prove it?”

Zuko shut his mouth as he turned his head to Shiro. He hoped he had just misheard, but Shiro’s determined eyes showed that was far from the truth.

Bujing locked his gaze upon Shiro, seemingly surprised he had even responded. “What did you just say?”

“Do you want to prove it?” Shiro stated as clearly as a bell. “You seem confident that you could simply 'strike me down'. Why not prove it here and now?”

Zuko swallowed hard as he looked back to Bujing.

The old general narrowed his eyes. “This meeting is hardly the place for a proper fight,” he sneered, “unless of course you mean to challenge me to an Agni Kai?”

Zuko’s eyes widened in panic. Oh no! No! No! He can’t be stupid enough to take the bait!

Shiro frowned thoughtfully. “I'm afraid I'm unfamiliar with all aspects of Fire Nation culture. Would you mind explaining what that is?”

Bujing looked amused. “It is an honorable tradition and is a duel-”

“Between fire benders,” Zuko sharply cut in and raised his voice, “which Shiro, as you've said, is not. This suggestion is pointless.”

“Is it,” Bujing replied, “or does it only further my point that a non-bender bodyguard is useless?” He smirked as he stroked his beard. “Besides, I believe that history shows that there has been precedent for an Agni Kai between a bender and a non-bender.”

“There is,” Iroh said slowly, “but traditionally the non-bender would invoke their right to a substitute.” He shot a glare at Bujing. “A right that has been invoked by benders, including the challenger on occasion.”

Bujing's smirk did not fade.

“This is true, but I will not be needing such a thing this time,”’ Bujing said as he raised a hand. “And as a student of history, you would of course recall duels between a fire bender and a non-bender - given the Fire Lord's approval, of course.” He grinned at Zuko. “If your new bodyguard is as capable as you claim, my lord, it would only be reasonable to approve of him showing his skills.”

The other generals and diplomats muttered amongst themselves.

Zuko fumed. It would be Bujing who pulled this. The man still resented him for returning his 'conquests' to the Earth Kingdom, and was eager to claim any chance to humiliate him. The only reason he hadn't had a forced 'retirement' was his popularity among Fire Nation nobility - specifically those most loyal to his father. The man had cultivated a reputation, and taking direct action would spark dangerous degrees of outrage.

If he refused to approve the duel it would make Zuko's decision look weak, but if he accepted the challenge then Shiro would be put in danger. Zuko glanced at Iroh for aid, but he could tell his uncle looked as trapped as he did.

However, Shiro seemed to have decided for them as he rose and stepped towards the general.

“I need no substitute,” Shiro said, “I will gladly take you on myself.”

Shiro, I am going to strangle you later, Zuko cried out in his head.

Bujing laughed. “Well then, all that is needed is our lord’s permission.”

Zuko sighed. There really was no escaping this, was there?

“Fine,” Zuko said, shooting Shiro a glare before staring ahead. “I approve of this irregular Agni Kai.”

“Then there is no time to waste,” Bujing declared as he rose to his feet. “We shall fight at noon, at the sun's peak.” He grinned. “If you need assistance finding the arena, I believe Pr- Fire Lord Zuko knows the way.”

Zuko's nostrils flared as he clenched his fists tighter.

Iroh quickly stood. “I believe that is enough of diplomacy for today - one duel declared is far from a record, but we need not emulate the pronged goat-beetle today,” he said and gave a quick bow to the other emissaries.

Zuko wasted no time doing the same and only barely remembered not to literally drag Shiro out of the room.

Once they were safely away from the group, Zuko whipped around.

“What did I say about keeping quiet?!” he snapped.

Shiro held up his hands. “I know, but it was clear that he was trying to pick a fight.”

“Bujing tries to pick a fight over what kind of tea I drink,” Zuko snapped. “You have no idea what you just agreed to!”

“I have to fight a fire bender and I’m at a severe disadvantage since I can’t bend,” Shiro replied. “That much is obvious. But denying his challenge was just going to lead to more problems - you would be back to trying to pick a bodyguard from the nobles you can't trust.”

“That is my problem to worry about not-”

“Enough,” Iroh shouted as he got in between them. “The decision made in haste is made all the same, and your quarrel does little but waste the morning.” He lowered his arms and tucked them into his sleeves. “Whether this was the right action is for later. Right now, we have only an hour or two to introduce Shiro to enough basics of fire bending to grant him a chance.”

Zuko scowled and sighed. “Alright, Uncle. Go find the others and tell them what happened. I’ll take Shiro and see how much we can cram into an hour.”

Iroh nodded as he quickly walked down the hall.

Zuko turned to Shiro. “Let’s go and hope we have some luck on our side. At least you're probably not going to be as distractible as an airbender.”

“For what it’s worth,” Shiro said as he rubbed his metal arm, “I’ve been in more dangerous fights than facing a fire bender.”

“I have a hard time believing that,” Zuko said.

Shiro gave a bitter smile. “I hope it stays that way.”

The way Shiro had phrased that sent uneasy chills down Zuko's spine.

#vldgen #atla #vld #takashi shirogane #a paladin in the fire nation #my wriitng

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maybe-a-fangurl · 4 years ago

Text

The Moon and the Sun (Zuko x Reader) part 4

Hey guys!! I am beyond thankful for all of the love I have been getting on this series like y'all really are the best!! If you want to be on the taglist just ask, requests are open (and I am going to try to work on some tomorrow so if you have any now is the time to send them in), and other than that hope you enjoy!!

Part 1 Part 3 Part 5

Masterlist

“So, you’ve never had an actual Master?” Katara asked you as the two of you were sitting towards the back of Appa’s saddle.

“Technically no, but I did watch Zuko and Azula’s training so in a way I had a master. And Zuko would go over some of the techniques with me that he had learned, and I applied them to my bending. That’s why my bending style is so different from yours is because I learned from scrolls and fire benders.” You said as you looked over at all of clouds that were passing by. “But once he was banished, Iroh was able to show me some techniques that he learned when he was studying water bending.”

“He studied water bending?” She asked, and you nodded as you looked away from the clouds and back to her to see a confused look on her face.

“Yeah, Iroh studied other bending techniques and was even able to come up with a way to deflect lightening from studying water bending since a lot of water bending is taking what your opponent used against you and turning it back on them.” You said with a small smile as you remembered sitting on the deck of the ship and listening to Iroh talk about all that he had learned after you begged him to tell you everything he knew about the Water tribes and water bending.

“That’s amazing.” Katara said and you just nodded before you looked over at Sokka who was sharpening his blade and reached your foot out to bump his. He looked over at you and raised an eyebrow to show that you had his attention.

“I know some hand to hand stuff too if you want to spar sometime, and I know how to use a sword.” You said and he just let out a laugh as he looked at you. You raised an eyebrow at him after glancing to Katara, who just shrugged. “What?”

“I’m sorry I just can’t imagine you using a sword, especially when you have your bending.” He said as he looked at you amused and almost confused.

“Well there won’t always be water around, and I wanted to be able to protect myself if there wasn’t.” You said before you noticed that the clouds were starting rise, meaning that you were going down. You looked at Sokka and Katara for a moment as they noticed it as well, and before you could ask Sokka was standing up and heading to the front of the saddle.

“Hey, you taking us down for a reason?” Sokka asked Aang as he leaned over the edge of the saddle to look at him. “Aang, why are we going down?”

“What?” Aang asked and you looked over at Katara before you stood up. “I didn’t even notice.”

“Are you noticing now?” Sokka asked as you walked over to him and looked to see that you were flying over a swamp.

“Is something wrong?” Katara asked as she walked over to where you and Sokka were already standing and looking at Aang.

“I know this is gonna sound weird, but I think the swamp is calling to me.” Aang said and as you looked at the swamp a shiver went down your spine.

“Is it telling you where we can get something to eat?” Sokka asked and you hit him in the side with your elbow as you sent him a glare.

“Don’t be mean.” You said before wrapping your arms around your torso and looking back to Aang, the shiver was making you feel uneasy about everything.

“No, I-I think it wants us to land there.” Aang said and you looked over at Katara, confusion was written all over her face as she looked at Aang.

“No offense to the swamp, but I don’t see any land there to land on.” Sokka said as he put his hands up in the air.

“I don’t know. Bumi said to learn earth bending, I would have to wait and listen. And now I’m actually hearing the earth. Do you want me to ignore it?” Aang asked and all of you looked over the edge of the saddle at the swamp that was below.

“Yes.” Sokka said.

“I don’t know. There’s something ominous about that place.” Katara said as she continued to look down at the swamp.

“It just doesn’t seem like it would be very safe, we don’t know who or what is down there.” You said as you glanced up at Aang. Momo and Appa both started to make noises and you all stood up all the way and turned back towards Aang and stepped away from the edge.

“See? Even Appa and Momo don’t like it here.” Sokka said and you just nodded in agreement as you looked back at the Swamp.

“Okay, since everyone feels so strongly about this, bye swamp.” Aang said before he lifted Appa’s reigns. “Yip, yip.” “You better throw in an extra yip. We gotta move.” Sokka said and you turned to look back at him only to see a tornado coming right at you all. You turned back around to look at Aang as he tried to get Appa to go faster but it was no use, the tornado was practically on top of you. You heard Sokka scream and turned as he was being pulled out off of Appa and Katara grabbed his hand.

“Y/N!” Katara yelled as she lost her footing and went out of the saddle along with Sokka. You quickly grabbed her hand and brought water out of your pouch to freeze your feet to the saddle. You grabbed onto Katara’s hand with both of your hands as you tried to keep her and Sokka from being sucked into the tornado.

“Aang I don’t know how much longer I can hold them!” You yelled as you were struggling to get a grip on her hand. Aang started to bend the air around you to keep you all safe from the tornado as it engulfed you. Katara and Sokka fell back onto the saddle and you unfroze your water and brought the water back to your pouch as you looked at Aang. He was struggling to keep the sphere of air around all of you and before long he lost control of it.

“Y/N!” Sokka yelled and tried to grab your hand as you were pulled off of the saddle. You let out a scream as you were sent towards the swamp.

When you came to you were tangled up in vines and hanging above the water. You quickly used the water from your pouch to cut the vines but regretted it once you were sent to the ground and landed in the water.

“Ew.” You said as you sat up in the water and looked around to see nothing but water, vines, and trees. You looked up to see that the sun was starting to come up through the trees, and you didn’t know how long you had been out, but you assumed it was only the next day. You slowly stood up and started to walk around, trying to find the others but after walking around and calling for them for at least an hour you let out a groan and sat on one of the roots. You put your head in your hands as you tried to think of what to do. You were alone in a swamp, miles away from any town, and all you had was a pouch of water. You were so lost in your thoughts of what you were going to do that you almost missed someone calling you.

“Y/N?” A woman said and you sat up, looking around trying to find where the voice was coming from.

“Hello?” You said as you stood up and started to look around but all you seen was trees and water, you were alone. “Great, now I’m hearing things.” “Y/N!” A man yelled, and you frantically looked around trying to find where the voice was coming from. But once again you didn’t see anything, and you were starting to think that maybe you were going crazy or had hit you head on the way down. “My daughter, you were taken from us.” “Where are you?” You yelled as you started to look around again, but like before it was just a voice. “Who are you?”

“My little girl, we couldn’t save you.” A woman’s voice said again, you didn’t recognize the voice, but they were talking as if you were their child, could it be your real parents? No, you were going crazy. “I wish we could have watched you grow up.”

“Where are you?” You asked as you continued to look around but it was just water, and the voice sounded as if it was coming from all around you so you didn’t know where to even look.

“Come home my daughter, come home.” The man said again, but in a quiet almost somber voice.

“Show yourself!” You yelled as you brought water to your hands and got into a fighting stance. You turned around looking in every direction and when you didn’t see or hear anything else you dropped the water to the ground as you lowered your hands. You closed your eyes as you took in a deep breath. “It isn’t real, it’s all in my head.”

“But it is real.” You heard another voice say but you knew this voice, it was Zuko. You immediately opened your eyes to see he was standing in front of you, you slowly took your hands off of your ears as you looked at him in shock.

“How are you here?” You asked as you just looked at him, trying to figure out how he was here. You immediately noticed that he wasn’t in his normal Fire Nation clothes, but he was wearing Earth Kingdom clothes. After you looked at his clothes you looked at his face and your eyes went straight to his hair, his ponytail was gone but the rest of his hair was starting to grow again. You looked away from his hair and back to his face as you knitted your eyebrows together in confusion. “What happened?”

“You betrayed me.” He said in an angry tone and you seen him clinching his fists.

“I had to, if I wouldn’t have then the moon would be lost forever.” You said as you looked at him. “I’m sorry but I did what I had to do.”

“You betrayed me Y/N.” He said as he glared at you, the anger and pain in his eyes was all it took for you to feel your heart break. “You said you’d always be on my side.”

“I wanted to be on your side, I still want to be. But I can’t anymore after what happened at the North, after what Zhao did to you.” You said as you looked down at the ground. “I wanted to come back after I left but when I looked back at the ship, I was too late.”

“You wouldn’t have come back!” He yelled this time and before you could say anything he went up in flames. “You betrayed me!”

“Zuko!” You yelled as you rushed over to him but when you reached him he was gone. All that was there was a tree stump and you immediately fell to your knees as you heard the two voices from earlier start to come back. You put your hands over your ears, trying to block it all out, but it was too much. You started to cry as you heard the voices repeat everything they said earlier, that you were taken from them, they couldn’t save you, to come home, and Zuko saying that you betrayed him.

You felt a hand on your shoulder and you let out a scream as you sent a wave of water behind you before quickly getting to your feet and getting ready to fight whoever it was, but as you turned you seen Sokka, Katara, and Aang. Katara and Aang had stopped the wave with one move of their hand but Sokka was sent back into the water with a yell.

“Are you real?” You asked as you looked at them cautiously.

“Are we real? Is that some kind of joke?” Sokka said in a sarcastic voice as he stood up from the water and let out a groan. “I don’t see why I’m always the one who gets soaked when you guys use water.”

“You are real.” You said and a smile came to your face as you pulled them all into a hug.

“Where were you? We looked all over for you yesterday.” Aang said once you all pulled away from the hug.

“I got stuck in the vines and I got knocked out on the way down, I’ve been around here the whole time though, I didn’t want to get too far away.” You said before you noticed Appa, Momo, and a few guys standing behind them. “You made some friends?” “Actually he attacked us with a vine monster and they tried to eat Appa and Momo but now we’re friends.” Aang said with a smile on his face and you just nodded before looking over at Sokka who just shrugged.

“They’re going to let us stay the night and feed us so who am I to complain.” He said before turning around and walking back towards the group of people.

You learned on the way back to their camp that they were water benders, and they were able to bend plants. You of course were fascinated by this and had asked if they could show you.

“You’re a natural.” Huu said with a smile as you started to move the vine around. A smile came to your face as you looked at the vine, the first thought that came to your mind was how you wished you could show Zuko and Iroh, you knew that Zuko would be impressed and Iroh would be just as fascinated by the idea as you were. You pushed the thought of them from your head as you started to think of what you had seen earlier in the swamp.

“Thank you for teaching me Huu.” You said with a smile as you continued to bend the vine around.

“You’re welcome.” He said before he started walking back over to the group, but you chose to stay where you were. Everyone was around the fire talking and eating but you didn’t really have that much of an appetite, so you chose to work on bending the vines.

“Hey, can we talk?” Katara said as she walked up to you, drawing your attention away from the vines.

“Of course.” You said as you put the vines down and sat down, patting the spot beside you for her to sit. Once she was sat down you could see the worry all over her face as she looked at the ground, so you bumped your shoulder into hers to get her attention. “What’s wrong?” “I seen my mom earlier, it turned out to just me a tree stump, but it did look like her for a moment. Sokka seen Yue and Aang seen a girl laughing and running around too.” She said as she let out a sigh. When she said that you felt relieved in a way because now you knew that you weren’t the only one who had seen things. “But when I seen her I just got so happy, I really thought that it was her. And I ran over to her and when I realized that it wasn’t real, I just realized how much I really miss her.”

“I understand, it’s hard to lose someone you care about and it’s even harder when you want to believe they’re still alive. That little bit of hope can do more damage than anything.” You said as you gave her a small smile before looking at your hands. “I seen Zuko, he said that I betrayed him, and I also heard a man and woman calling for me and telling me how I was taken from them and telling me to come home, I think it was my parents.”

“Did you see them?” She asked, and you shook your head as you kept your eyes on your hands.

“I’ve always wondered if they were still alive, the feeling of not knowing and having that little bit of hope hurts so much. And I want to believe everything my dad told me was true but part of me wonders how he really found me, and if he took me instead of saved me.” You said, and you looked up to see that Katara was already looking at you, and you could tell that she was trying to think of something to say. “And I want to find out the truth, but I don’t know where to start. Sokka said that since my name is the name my real parents gave me that it could help but going off of a name is a long-shot because I’m sure so many people have lost their kids to the fire nation.”

“Well it’s a start at least.” She said as she gave you a reassuring smile before your attention was caught by Sokka who was now screaming over something he had eaten. Katara stood up and offered you a hand. “Come on, you need to eat, and I think we should check on Sokka.”

Part 5

@cal-pal-cuddles @rosesfromcth @tpwkcal @caswinchester2000 @frickin-bats @winchestergirl907 @eridanuswave @the-firebender-girl @myarthetics @royahllty @izzieserra @akariblue @coldlilheart @thirstyforsometea @cirtruss @lammello @bigbuckyenergy

#zuko #prince zuko #zuko x reader #zuko x y/n #atla #avatar #avatar the last airbender #aang #katara #sokka #toph #suki #iroh #momo #appa #gaang #atla tmats

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foxy-knowledgeseeker · 4 years ago

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a decent handful of y’all really rallied behind my silly Zukaang Princess Bride au idea, so behold! i have written a thing. i haven’t written fiction in like a decade, but my brain couldn’t stop going ‘make two favorite medias one media???’ and now i have this. it is a SUPER UNEDITED excerpt from the first chapter. you can read it if you want. it’s under the cut.

***it heavily references both the movie and the book, so you’ll get maximal enjoyment if you’ve seen and/or read ‘The Princess Bride.’ but maybe it’s just fun by itself too. i don’t know. enjoy. :)

Words: 785

Rating: K (maybe T for pining, if you’re sensitive)

AO3: not posted there yet. stay tuned.

Aang, the Avatar, and Zuko, the prince disguised as a farmboy, continued in much this manner for the following year. Zuko would impassively go about his duties, every night promising the heavens that at the next sunrise he would finally take the Avatar and escort him back home to his father.

“Good night, Avatar,” he would whisper to himself as he laid on his cot, “Good work. Sleep well. I’ll most likely capture you in the morning.”

And each morning he never delivered on that promise. He would simply go about his duties, cleaning bison stalls, weeding the gardens, filling the troughs, and always keeping one eye out for any glimpse of Aang.

Aang behaved much the opposite. He volunteered for the chores that would bring him to the stables where he might catch a glimpse of the farmboy, who he knew as Lee. He would rush to the stables following his training with Gyatso, on the chance that he might be able to enlist Lee into helping Aang prepare Appa for his afternoon ride.

“Farmboy,” Aang would call, “fetch me Appa’s reins.”

“Farmboy, grab that bag of apples for me?”

“Farmboy, polish Appa’s saddle for me? I want to see my face shining in it by morning.”

His requests were always delivered with an airy levity. Aang wasn’t really bossing Lee around. He was always perfectly happy to care for Appa himself, as his afternoon rides alone with his bison were some of the only times he truly felt happy since his identity as the Avatar had been revealed. He made these requests with a laugh and a smile in the hopes that maybe, in the absence of his old friends, the ones who no longer wanted to play with the Avatar, Lee might become a friend too.

But Lee, the farmboy, did not appear receptive to Aang’s jokes and requests. Each nudge towards friendship, each request for some menial chore was met with the same blank stare and the words “As you wish.”

In fact, “As you wish,” was all he ever said to him.

For a year, the two of them engaged in these exchanges: Aang always requesting help with some chore or another, and Zuko, always responding with nothing more than those same three words.

As time passed, Zuko’s fascination with the Avatar evolved from waiting for the day he gathered the resolve to capture him into delighting in his cheerful manner and radiating kindness. His racing heart could no longer be attributed to the adrenaline of a goal nearly accomplished, but instead to the rush of attraction to the beautiful boy who would beam and wave from across the courtyard and make Zuko feel like he was flying.

One day, following the stoic completion of yet another task, Aang was amazed to discover that when Zuko was saying, “As you wish,” what he meant was, “I love you.”

And what was even more amazing, was the day Aang realized he truly loved him back.

Much like the day they had met a year ago, Aang was in the stables when Zuko entered. At the sight of him, Aang’s palms immediately itched, and he could feel his heart jumping in his chest. Swallowing, he asked, “Farmboy?”

Zuko looked at him, and Aang felt as though the world had narrowed to just the two of them, and yet simultaneously had expanded to accommodate the beating of his heart, the swoop in his gut when grey eyes met amber, and the immense weight of love that settled in the air like a morning fog.

He could feel his cheeks blooming with a blush, but he cleared his throat and continued, “Farmboy, could you, uh, fetch me that pitcher?”

In the year since they had met, Aang had grown substantially, and he now stood a handful of inches taller than Zuko and was perfectly capable of reaching the pitcher himself. But...he just wanted to see. He wanted to see if the farmboy would walk up to him, as he had done before, look into his eyes, as he had done before, and come close enough that Aang could smell his sweat and touch his chest.

Zuko did come towards him, but it was nothing like before because, this time, Aang felt that he might never catch his breath, and this time...Well, this time Aang wanted to kiss him.

Zuko looked into grey eyes, and a smile, the only smile that need ever exist to Aang, grew on his face. He reached up and retrieved the pitcher.

He hardly got the words out, those same three words, “As you wish,” before Aang stopped them at the threshold of Zuko’s lips with a kiss.

#so there ya have it #i tried #zukaang #princess bride au #aang #zuko #they're in love #might write katara/inigo v zuko/westley duel at the top of the cliffs of insanity next #just for funsies

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kurlyfrasier · 4 years ago

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No-One But Her: Part 2

Zuko x Katara

Synopsis: Katara flees from the newly crowned fire lord, thinking it's what is best for him, but the moment she sets foot on a Fire Nation supply ship she starts hearing Zuko’s voice and dreaming of how he handles her disappearance.

Word Count: 1409

Warnings: none

In all his finery, Zuko looks imposing, intimidating, feared. Even with the front open, revealing the scar (or maybe the scar helps the look). Her scar. She wishes he would take it off. She wishes he would go back to wearing his comfortable travelling clothes she remembers the smell of; campfire, sweat, spice. She wishes she could walk into his open arms and feel the warmth that can only come from Zuko.

He sighs, tracing the scar as he stares into the mirror.

“Why did she heal me if she wasn’t going to stay?” The question echoes in his chambers, now empty of fire whiskey bottles with light shining in through the cracks of the curtains.

She wants to scream that it’s because she could never live without him. That she could never live in a world knowing he doesn’t exist, she rephrases.

“I would’ve preferred death to this agony,” he rasps.

She wants to punch him. Kick him. Shake him as he closes his robe, hiding the scar. The thing that proves his love for her.

“Time to be Fire Lord,” he whispers. Straightening up, shoulders back, and holding his head high he turns away from the mirror and walks out the door.

She follows unwillingly down the hall and into a large conference room with a long table in the middle, snacks set on a side table (she notices what she thinks are fireflakes in several bowls) under windows that lined the outer wall. The sunshine was blinding compared to his room. In this light she sees the dark bags under his eyes. She hopes it’s not lingering pain from the lightning bolt causing restless nights.

“Fire Lord Zuko,” the advisors greet and bow in concert, their chairs screeching over the floor as they stand up.

“Please sit,” Zuko says in the most serious tone she’s ever heard.

They obey as he walks toward the end of the table - the head of the table. After sitting, he stares at the other end longingly. Katara wonders who is supposed to sit at the empty chair there.

The advisors’ curious gazes follow their fire lord’s.

“Ah, Fire Lord Zuko,” an advisor- Ruzu?- smiles knowingly. “Might you be searching for a Fire Lady?”

“No,” Zuko glares at Ruzu, daring him to continue.

“But you need a Fire Lady by your side. You will appear-”

“I’m not looking because I’ve already found her-” the advisors gasp in astonishment and murmur to themselves with curiosity. Katara feels a pang of jealousy towards whomever her friend was talking about.

“Wh-who?” An advisor asks, barely able to meet his Fire Lord’s piercing gaze.

“None of your concern. I know what’s best for this country and myself and it is she.”

“If it is that waterbender,” Ruzu spit out. “Then she will never be welcomed on the throne.”

“That waterbender has a name and you know it well, Ruzu,” Zuko said pointedly, his golden eyes molten in his fury. Katara knew that if Zuko was not in the meeting his fists would be flames. “She saved your Fire Lord’s life. If I hear even a whisper of any negative rumors about Master Katara-”

“But she is a peasant-”

“She is the equivalent of our royalty being the Chief’s Daughter,” Zuko snapped his eyes in the direction of the advisor who dared call Katara anything less than what she is. “This conversation is over. Do not bring up marriage again. I will marry one person only and there is nothing any of you could say or do to change my mind.”

***

Katara stirred awake in her darkened room. It was a starless, moonless night. She could feel the rage of a storm in the distance. She thinks rain is exactly what she needs to cool her flaming cheeks after witnessing Zuko defend her so fervently, until she remembers Zuko stating he already has a fire lady in mind. She now knows it was good she left. Her heart wouldn’t be able to handle seeing another woman by Zuko’s side. She thinks he may have been speaking of Mai and believes she would be a good fire lady. Perfect for the role, actually. Not quite what the advisors were hoping for, she thinks, but definitely someone who would stick to Zuko’s side.

“I know I don’t deserve forgiveness.”

She curled into herself as the whisper of his voice sent shivers down her spine.

“I know I don’t deserve her.”

His rasp tickled her skin.

“Will she ever come back?”

A solitary tear rolled down her cheek.

“Where is she?”

With a quivery sigh, she rolls over, the blankets tangled in her legs. Faintly, she wonders if his voice will ever leave her- if the dreams will ever disappear- and allows sleep to consume her once more.

***

The garden was just as beautiful as Katara remembered it. The pond glistened under the sun’s rays, warming the sleepy-looking turtle-ducks floating on the surface. She heard a blast of flames.

Then another.

And another.

Curious, she strolled through the garden, passed the gate, rounded the corner, and into the training field she had practiced in at one time. Before she heard the advisors speaking of how she would be a distraction, that she would never understand their ways. Anger formed in the pit of her stomach at the memory, until she noticed Zuko- shirtless- staring out at the ocean, chest heaving.

“What burdens you, Nephew.” Katara snapped her head in General Iroh’s direction. He sat by a pai sho table, seeming as if the current game consumed all of his attention. Katara knew better, though. The man always had a sense of his surroundings, especially when his nephew was nearby.

“Did you know, Uncle?” Zuko asked softly, gaze still toward the ocean. Katara wished desperately to see his face, although he didn’t look to be as lean as he was in her last dream.

So time had passed. She wondered when the last dream must have taken place and if this one was more accurate to the current time.

“You must be more specific. There are many things I know and even more I do not.”

“What the advisors had said about her?”

“And of whom are we speaking?”

“You know who,” Zuko snapped, finally turning around to find his uncle still bent over the pai sho table. “Ugh, isn’t that game over yet?” He muttered, walking over to sit on the opposite side of Iroh.

Katara’s heart soared to see Zuko looking well-fed and healthy, and rushed as if to hug him before she remembered- she wasn’t there. So instead, she settled with looking him over; his lean muscles were becoming a bit bulkier, powerful-looking, intimidating. She wanted to know if his hold would still feel the same in those arms. She felt a smile touch her lips when she saw his eyes no longer held bags under them, even if they still held a hint of sadness. And he seemed...taller somehow, now that she sat next to them.

“It is a long game indeed, to play by messenger hawk. Kanna is also a formidable player,” Iroh sighed and glanced up at his surrogate son.

Vaguely, Katara wonders how Iroh knows her grandmother, but is too consumed by Zuko’s presence to pay it any mind. She barely even pays attention to their chatter as she soaks every facet of Zuko in. Oh, how she wished she could spar with him, one last time.

“She writes that Master Katara has not been to the Southern Water Tribe.”

“Arg,” Zuko runs a hand through his shaggy locks. “Where could she possibly be!? She’s not with Suki, Sokka, or Toph, and Aang hasn’t seen her at any of the air temples. The men I sent out still haven’t sent back word. I don’t understand, Uncle,” he abruptly stands, marches to the middle of the training field, and starts aggressively fighting an invisible foe. “Why is she hiding? Do you think she really believed them? That she would only be a distraction?”

“Fire Lord Zuko!” A guard calls out, running into the training field, effectively getting their attention. Zuko’s stance changed from relaxed to ramrod straight, eyes narrowing as he waited for the guard to finish panting. “A cap- A captain claims he’s seen the Master Waterbender sir. Says she-”

“Speak no more,” Zuko cut the guard off with a wave of his hand. “I’ll speak to him in the throne room.”

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

Part 3

#zuko x katara #zutara #fanfic #atla fanfic #my writing #atla #zuko #katara #aang #sokka #suki #toph #kanna #avatar the last airbender #angst #happy #sad #water #fire #elements

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