#zuko ignoring iroh's confused questions: FINALLY

[evienyx]

Even though I'm months away from it being a possibility, I'm already thinking about possible fics to write once the current two, along with Fractures Book 2 and Broken Mirrors and Fragile Things, are through.

And boy am I liking the idea of an ATLA Time Travel fic.

[ultfreakme]

The only thing about NATLA Kataang that confuses me is that Netflix hasn’t been promoting it at all? I’ve seen them promote clips about every single relationship, romantic or platonic, but I haven’t seen them promote any Kataang, which is really odd because Katara’s speech to Aang is kind of the penultimate moment of the finale. So I’m just kind of stumped on that. Any insight?

I think they're doing it for a couple of reasons.

They left out Kataang because of the age difference, so in the show, Kataang isn't there in any overt level. All questions in interviews have been about the Netflix adaptation and events. I think I have seen platonic Kataang promo though. The only real duo they promote are Zuko and Iroh, Gaang falls into a trio, and there's very little I've seen on Sukka and Yuekka (they don't even ask about the romances in interviews). So there's just, no need to promote it yet and they're ignoring the romance for all characters for the most part.

The actors are young, like, in school young. When the ship isn't confirmed yet but they talk about Kataang, it might lead to shipping wars getting into their mentions. Idk about the PJO fandom but I know Percabeth is very present in the show & they promote it, but I'm p.sure everyone is unanimous on Percabeth being a thing, no one's fighting it so they can more safely go about it without people getting in their mentions. Kataang though, garners attention from people engaging in ship wars. To the point they asked the show runner about it and even HE, a grown man, said he didn't want to talk about it and avoided it implying that it's been going on too long(and then talked about the Kataang scene). The ship wars in ATLA are brutal and the kids really don't need to be exposed to that. Like already I've seen people being very weird about Dallas and Kia and dismissing Gordon entirely because he's "too baby" or "not handsome enough" and that people are waiting for Kia to turn 18 to "ship her with Dallas" gross gross barf even typing it made me feel disgusting (about a million stereotypes about POC and indigenous people and young girls and boys are at play here and I am appalled). I think this is why Zukka of all things is being promoted on any official capacity (more than Sukka or Yuekka): it's not gonna be real and no one thinks it has a chance, it's harmless. If any ship war harm does come they can handle it, and baiting always brings views and it's mostly harmless since they play it off as fun anyways (like no one is legit upset, most are rolling their eyes or know what's happening and playing along).

Kataang in Netflix right now, would be considered spoilers. They still promote Zuko as the villain in interviews(or at least, bad guy antagonist). They don't mention any season 2 things or future storylines. If they get more into it in season 2, I'm sure the talks will begin. We have to keep in mind that many people watching NATLA might not know what Avatar is about, what the dynamics are. This is their first intro to the world. So they're keeping all cards close to their chest I guess.

[idkaguyorsomething]

Sailor Earth and the Crystal Senshi and Firelord Katara both sound interesting, could you tell me a little about them?

¡Absolutely!

Fire Lord Katara is a slight AU fic where, after the Agni Kai in the finale, Zuko ends up in a coma for a hot minute, leaving something of a succession crisis as to who will take the throne. As it turns out, Katara. Katara takes the throne and becomes Fire Lord because technically she’s the one who defeated Azula in an Agni Kai. What follows is her trying to navigate the royal court, dismantle the bender’s prisons, and pay reparations to other nations without getting overthrown, at least until Zuko’s recovered enough to take back the throne. Iroh, Ty Lee, Mai, Suki, Hama, and maybe Azula are all involved. There’s not actually much romance, mostly just Katara trying to make the best of a tough situation while being her awesome self. A story of politics, trauma, unexpected friendships, Katara badassery, dismantling the prison system, and tea. Technically more of an outline than anything else at the moment.

Sailor Earth and the Crystal Senshi is a Sailor Moon roleswap between the Inner Senshi and Heavenly Kings with a bit of mystery. Mamoru rescues a talking cat one day who discovers that for some reason he is the guardian of the moon, even though by all accounts this shouldn’t be possible. Even more mysteriously, four other teens manifest the power of the other planets despite being boys, and there’s a weird blonde vigilante that keeps shooting top hats at people, plus reports of four young women going missing whose descriptions match up with the generals they’re battling… it takes more inspiration from the old anime than the new one, but it’s not a beat-for-beat retread, and there’s a lot of exploration of gender roles and identity going on in between everyone trying to figure out why all these people have the wrong powers. A story of transgenderism, dysphoria, questioning one's assigned roles, confusing feelings, fabulous crossdressing, mystery, and THE POWER OF FRIENDSHIP Also I changed the ages to make it a bit less squicky. Here’s an excerpt:

Masato set his drink down and looked at the binder again. The picture stared up at him, that stoic face inscrutable. He’d reread all the information over and over again, and all he’d gotten out of it was a headache.

“Heeeey!” a shout made him look up. Usagi stood across the street, waving at Masato. Behind her stood Jirou, both of them carrying several brightly colored shopping bags.

“What’s going on?” before long, the duo was seated across from him, setting their bags down in the cafe floor, and Jirou was asking him questions. “Weren’t you supposed to be paying off that shrine today?”

“That’s already done,” Masato waved him off. “Something more important’s come up. Where's Mamoru?”

"He was called in to work today," Jirou shrugged. "Some flash-in-the-pan diva idol showed up at the studio and they needed all hands on deck to record a music video."

"I wanted to come along, but he said no," sighed Usagi. She looked up with a dreamy expression on her face. "Could you imagine being an idol and having all those adoring fans?"

"I don't need to," Jirou grinned haughtily. A bit of his model's grace found its way into his pose. "It's good of you to keep imagining, though. Everyone should have at least a few impossible fantasies."

Usagi smacked him with one of her shopping bags. She turned her attention towards the spread of paper that Masato had laid out over the table. "What's all this?"

"Paperwork for the shrine," answered Masato. "I was reviewing how many people worked there to see how many people to compensate."

"How interesting," said Jirou, rolling his eyes. "I don't suppose you have any of that huge allowance of yours left over to compensate the brave heroes who saved the shrine?"

Masato ignored him and kept talking. "However, I learned that one of the workers there had disappeared a few months ago. The granddaughter of the owner, a young lady who was by all accounts very hard working and dedicated to her job. What's more, she disappeared only a few weeks before the youma attacks began, according to Luna."

Both Usagi and Jirou's expressions grew more serious.

"Hey, what're you implying here?" asked Jirou.

Masato laid down the photo on the table and Usagi immediately snatched it up. Both she and Jirou's eyes widened when they saw who it depicted.

"General Mars?" she gasped. Masato nodded solemnly.

"Wait, but- no, the youma transform their victims all the time, so their leaders-" Jirou curled his hands into fists and let out a cry of frustration. "This is a joke, right?"

"Do you think I'd joke about something like this?" Masato snapped. "We may have been responsible for the death of an innocent girl brainwashed by the Dark Kingdom."

Usagi, looking down, clutched the photo to her chest and asked softly "What do we tell Mamoru?"

"I don't know," he rubbed his fingers against his temples.

"We tell him the truth, obviously," Jirou glared at Masato. "And we ask that stupid cat if she knew about any of this, and if there's a way to turn people back from being generals."

"Yeah, maybe Luna can help!" Usagi said with a sense of renewed hope.

"Maybe," Masato let out a sigh. "But let's just give Mamoru some time before telling him anything, alright? It would be counterproductive to not tell him, but with his work and this new 'General Venus', he already has a lot on his mind. Let's just not put everything on him at once, alright?"

The others agreed that it was already a busy weekend, perhaps they should wait until the end of it to lay this revelation on Mamoru. The stresses of leading a double life were known to all of them. Just focusing on one or the other instead of trying to juggle both was practically a break at this point. A little bit of tedium might have been what all of them needed right now, especially Mamoru.

Elsewhere, Mamoru was being chased by a giant record label youma hurling exploding vinyls at him.

[sokkastyles]

Hello do you know any fics that have a good Azula redemption arc? I hate the trope of making Zuko (or any other character actually) be a some sort of caretacker for Azula. Like, I saw a few fics that literally just made Zuko be like "No, she totally changed and is good, promise" and Azula didn't rally change, she is still abusive and cruel, she just isn't trying to physicaly harm everyone around her and that's it. Perfect redemption arc. Sorry if i'm a bit confusing, but i don't really know how to describe my frustration at those Azula redemption fics. I just really want to read a fic where the redemption is actually good and Azula works for it herself. Yes, she can get help from other people, but at the end, other people (most of who where hurt [or even abused!!!] by her before) shouldn't be forced to help Azula. And being honest, I can't see Azula actually accepting help from anyone from the show, because in her eyes they are below her. Zuko? Weak failure who got banished (also someone who should not be responsible for helping his abuser when he still needs to heal and is vulnerable to her manipulation and gaslight). Ty Lee and Mai? Even if we ignore the fact that both of them were emotionally abused by her, i do think there is a reason why both of her closest "friends" were non-benders, powerful ones, but still non-benders (maybe because she wanted someone who could keep up with her but at the same time was "below" her so she felt like she could easily defeat them?). Anyone from the Gaang? She literally tried to kill them and unlike Zuko never even tried to do better, so I don't think any of them would even think of helping her when she didn't show them any form of change. Iroh? He actually maybe would be a good person to help her (both were the golden children of their parents) but she has no respect for him so she wouldn't accept. At the end of the day, no one owns her anything, especially the fire nation kids. You are justifed in ignoring your abuser, you are justifed in never talking to them, you are justifed in not coming near them! Even if your abuser is a kid or your sister or anyone, you don't own them anything and you aren't resposible for them geting better. It's their choice and their resposibility. Anyways, I'm just really frustrated at this fandom for the fact that they can't accept the characters when they don't fit in their little boxes. Azula is a victim and was abused by her father but she also abused Zuko, Mai and Ty Lee. Her trauma doesn't make her actions okay. You can like her, she is a cool character and villian but you need to accept the fact that there was no "rivaly" between her and Zuko. She was the one with all the power in her realtion with Zuko, she could be cruel and abusive, but if he has done the same, he would be punished. The first time I watched the show I was so amazed by the bravery of portraing an abusive relationship between sibling with the younger sister who is the abuser (And you know that if Azula was the older brother there would be no questions about if Azula is abusing Zuko). I don't undestand how this fandom can see her character and decide that she is either an abuser or a victim. She is both and it's important to her character! I do belive that she can change but it should be her choice to change. She should be the one to put all the work, not someone else for her.

Anyways, this started as me asking for fics and developed into me ranting about how this fandom is ruining a fascinating character (and by doing so is also draging other characters along). Honestly, it felt good to write this, I still think I can be a bit confusing at times (sorry for that, i still learn english) but I'm happy to finally put at least a bit of my thoughts into words.

Have a nice day/night!

Hi!

I haven't read any fics that focus on Azula's redemption, sorry. Mostly because I haven't gone looking for them, and when I read fic, I'm very selective about what I read. Most of the fics that I read that have Azula in them do work with an already "redeemed" Azula or at least have her playing a non-villainous role, and I have similar frustrations as you with even the fics I've read like this that I've thought were really well done in other aspects. Even in a universe where she's not written as an antagonist for Zuko, she's still often cruel and nasty to him and manipulative, and my frustration is that most of the time, like you said, she still acts abusive, it's just that the writer doesn't write it as abuse, which leads me to believe the writer doesn't realize that it's abuse, and that's a problem. These fics also often focus on Zuko being responsible for repairing his relationship with her. And while I can appreciate the well-written ones as AU stories, they don't resemble Zuko and Azula's canon dynamic.

The fic I actually read that jumps out at me as one that was refreshing because it didn't soften Azula or her dynamic with Zuko was a zutara fic where Zuko was hospitalized because Azula had stabbed him, and he told everyone that she didn't actually mean to kill him so it was fine. This is actually very in character especially for a Zuko who is still making excuses for his family, and I thought the fic did a good job of portraying how abuse victims sometimes defend their abusers. The fic I was, I think, only one chapter, but I wished it had dug more into Zuko and Azula's relationship because it took such a different angle than what I usually see, and acknowledged something I rarely see about their relationship amid all the victim blaming being directed at Zuko or literally anyone else for Azula's behavior.

And the thing is, a lot of the "redemption" scenarios proposed by the fandom read exactly like Zuko's mindset in this fic, or like Zuko's canon mindset about his father in the early episodes. They want Azula to be redeemed but they don't want to acknowledge her bad actions and in some cases want those actions to be allowed to continue, but never acknowledge that they are abusive or harmful in any way.

I agree that less people would defend her if she was an older brother rather than a younger sister, but I've also seen Azula fans stan the likes of Billy Hargrove and say the same things about him, that he was somehow treated unfairly by the narrative or the characters. This despite season four of Stranger Things spending a great deal of time exploring Max's guilt over his death! Guilt that the show also acknowledges that Max should not have to feel because abuse victims don't owe their abusers anything, and it was also clear how traumatized she was after his death by those guilty feelings BECAUSE of what he put her through. The way that the show allowed Max to ALSO voice that she hated her brother and was afraid of him because he terrorized her and made her life miserable was one of the best things about that season. Of course she feels sad about his death, because she's a good person, but I'm not here for crap about how the show or characters were "unfair" to him just because you liked his greasy mullet. People need to realize how this kind of rhetoric is often what retraumatizes victims even after they're able to leave, because they're told how much sympathy they owe to their abusers, or how their perception of events is false and the abuse wasn't as bad as they thought. I've said the same thing about Zuko and Azula.

I still have yet to write the remaining chapters of "KIng Rat," - life is pretty busy right now! - but I will say that the Zuko and Azula interactions in that story were one of the things that inspired me to write it and I've had them in my head for a while, and one of the things I wanted to do with that story was explore how things that aren't typically recognized as abuse are traumatizing. Zuko in that story will have PTSD from being kidnapped but will realize that he already had it long before that from living with Ozai and Azula, and it will take him a while to realize why he's not fine now that he's been rescued. 

[enmy-writes]

Just Let Me Help You

Summary: Zuko, trying to keep is girlfriend safe, unintentionally gains the trust of the Gaang after a showdown with Combustion Man.

Word Count: 2728

Fandom: ATLA (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

Pairing: Zuko x Fem!Reader

Genre: Mostly fluff, is fluff-angst a thing? Idk guys I’m soft, you tell me.

Rated: 18+

Content Warnings: Profanity, some gore graphics (brief mentions of blood, killing, murder), uhhhh that’s it I think I’m sorry if I forget anything else.

****Huge shout-out to my friends Kenz and Jenna for editing this and hyping me up. Hopefully, since this semester from Hell will be over soon, I’ll be able to write more. Please request things! Thank-you all for supporting this and let me know more of what you want to see in the future :) Also, feedback is always welcome. Enjoy!****

_____________________________________________________________________

They had landed the war balloon days ago, stalking the tired and defeated Team Avatar and trying to figure out how the complicated Fire Prince would convince the people he chased for months that he wants to help them now.

(Y/N) was stoking the hot flame provided by the fire bender, making sure the coals were burning a cherry red before she added leaves and herbs into a pot to make a stew for the two to enjoy. Her eyes followed Zuko as he paced back and forth, practicing what he was going to say when he finally decided to confront the rebel group, lips turned upward in an amused smirk.

“Hey, Zuko here…” she heard him say before he started rambling a bunch of nonsense about his past; from his discovery, to Azula, to his father-- all the tragic topics. It took him about three minutes, but he finished with a hopeful look in his direction.

“Well?!” He clenched his fists at his side in a nervous gesture, only wanting to get this right.

The girl on the log cleared her throat before speaking, obviously hiding her laughter from the sensitive boy. “Well… it’s perfect. I especially liked the ‘Hey, Zuko here’ part. I’m sure that Aang and his friends with be very pleased to finally learn your name instead of thinking you’re called ‘Angry Ponytail Hotman’.’’

He groaned loudly, rubbing his eyes with clenched fists. The melodic laughter from his companion tempted him to give up his quest and just run away with her and live a happy life free of his father and his destiny… whatever that may be.

Still laughing, (Y/N) stood from her log by the fire and made her way to Zuko, coming up behind him. Her arms slid right around his slim body, holding on tight as she tried to pull his mind from the depths of his insecurities.

“Zuko, love.” Her voice is soft, but intense. “Just go down there. I won’t lie, they might not take you right away. You have done a lot of damage to them and their goals.”

His warm hands slide down the tops of her forearms and slide between her chilled fingers, entwining them together as Zuko grips her like she’s holding him down on the land they’re on.

“I… I just…” He struggles to get his feelings out, finding it hard to convey how he feels even to the girl wrapped around him.

She shushes him. “I know.” Is all she says, as they stand there in a momentary comfortable silence before she detaches from him to continue dinner.

____________________________

Zuko had told her to stay behind, that he’d be back to either get her or because he failed to convince the group that he came to support them, instead of harm them.

“Zuko! I could easily be an alibi for you. A reason for them to trust you!”

“No. End of story. They could attack me and you’re in Fire Nation clothes. You’re staying here.”

A staring match between the two only lasted a few seconds, but (Y/N) let it go; remembering Iroh’s advice that sometimes the boy has to do what eases his mind to grow.

The empty pot gleamed an orange glow from the flames, a light in the dark woods that surrounded the two as they lounged by the fire.

(Y/N) was carding her fingers through the upset prince’s hair while he stared at the sky; confused. His emotions spilling onto (Y/N). He didn’t talk much about the encounter, only enough to tell her that they wouldn’t be helping the Avatar defeat his father anytime soon. Rather than pressure him, she offered her solace with calming actions rather than words.

The two had met in their early childhood, (Y/N)’s father being the leader of the Yuyan Archers and of course the Fire Lord wanted the talented girl to meet his… troubled son. In hope that she could help bend his son into the ruthless leader the nations needed to proceed him. Though they didn’t see each other as much as they should have due to (Y/N)’s schooling, the two quickly became close friends and were often found with Lady Ursa quietly running around the palace grounds.

His banishment led to (Y/N) perfecting her skills, and becoming the master she was destined to be, given there was no more distraction. No one could understand her in the way that Zuko did— they fit together like they were made for one another. Where he was hotheaded, she was cool; Where he was nimble and direct, she was resourceful and hidden. The two were the perfect set of opposites who ultimately balanced each other. And one without the other was a heartbreak everyone could see.

When she heard the news of his return, she rushed to the palace; radiant as ever. In an instant, the two fell back into where they left off;  barely any words needed between the two. Her fingers and lips had trailed over his scar often in those few days, brushing away the tears and insecurities that came with it.

Leaving the Fire Nation with Zuko wasn’t even a debate in her mind. She was tired of the life of lies and torment that her nation inflicted upon the world. She had spent the last two years relocating and rebranding people who were targets to the Fire Nation. In total, about one hundred innocent lives were saved from her dangerous missions. Her skill level was better than even her father’s, and she prided herself in her abilities. (Y/N) was truly a professional in her art with the eye of an eagle.

When she caught Zuko writing a letter to her with packed bags on his bed, she instantly went into the shadows and caught up with the boy easily, hiding in the balloon behind the engine for a while until it was too late for him to turn back. It was hot and the most uncomfortable thing she has ever done, but she regrets none of it. She joked with the boy; how did he not question a pile of fabric behind the piece of equipment that holds fire? She let it go after he hugged her close and cried for a while.

“Don’t do that shit again, Zuko.” Her voice was stern, though her voice stern, she held him close. She ghosted her fingers over his tense shoulders; the shoulder that carried such burdens. She pressed her fingers into his shoulders; trying her best to rub the tension from his body. 

“I won’t. Never again. Don’t leave me, I need you.”

A rustle of leaves and broken trees in the forest near the edge of their little camp put the two into defense, instantly gripping her perfectly crafted bow and quiver. Her ears pricked at a slight movement and she aimed her bows in the direction of the noise without even looking. Suddenly, green clothes fill the area as a younger girl makes her way into the clearing. Startled, Zuko sends a wave of fire towards the intruder, burning the girl.

Everything happened fast.

(Y/N)’s left foot—her plant foot—sunk into the ground and twisted inward, releasing a loud crack into the air. The Earth girl was long gone now; Zuko had been screaming at himself when he heard the cry of pain and the sickening noise that left the lips of his girlfriend.

The earth has released its hold on her, but the damage was done. She kneeled, trying to hold back tears but failing as they kept streaming down her face in a pain response. Zuko’s own eyes filled with tears as he ran over to her, helping her sit down and take the tension off of it.

The joint was already beginning to swell, black and blue and purple and yellow starting to show up in swirls around the area. Zuko carefully tried to feel the injury, barely touching the girl in fear of hurting her more. (Y/N) sighed, pushing his fingers away and ignoring his protest. She rotated her foot outward, cringing at the pain, but crying out when she turned it the other way. Zuko cupped his hands around her ankle, hands heated slightly to hopefully alleviate the pain.

“Baby… it’s okay—”

“No, you’re hurt! I knew this would happen!” He cuts her off with a panicked yell. (Y/N) places her hands on the sides of his face, forcing his eyes upon hers with a slight wince of discomfort.

“It’s most definitely, at worst, a fracture. I can still move it outwards without a lot of pain. It’s, like, a week off my foot at most and then another week with a splint and a crutch. I am okay, Zuko.” They stared at each other for a solid minute, saying nothing.

"Promise?" Zuko whispered.

"You think I would lie to you, Zuko?" She says as she wraps her pinky his for good measure

They turn in not too long after, (Y/N)’s ankle wrapped up in some extra clothes for stability. Zuko’s arms hold her to his chest as they slip off into the world of dreams.

_________________________

Oh shit. She thought from her perch on top of the cliff edge. The assassin that they have also been trying to find has been blowing up the place, really testing the stability of the edge of the cliff in shakes after shakes like an earthquake. Zuko had told her to stay at camp, but unfortunately for Zuko; (Y/N) was never that good at listening to commands.

She was sitting down, watching the Avatar, his friends, and her boyfriend try to figure out how to win this fight against the combustion bender, feet dangling over the edge. She didn’t want any pressure on her foot from standing on it; settling for the dull throbs of pain coming from the force of gravity alone.

Some third eye. (Y/N) thought to herself as she watched her boyfriend get too close to being blown off the edge of the cliff, wincing. She quickly strung her bow, aiming it at the man. She smirked, a devious smirk, and aimed it in a precise location.

Zuko was still trying to talk the man out of it when suddenly, his eyes went blank and the grossest sound he has ever heard reached his ears. Everyone watched the man, confused as to why he just stopped. It’s not until red trails down his forehead and around his nose in a slow trickle that they look at his eye.

In the middle of the red eye, that at one point seemed indestructible; an arrow sat; a perfect shot — his perfect shot. "Bullseye!" (Y/N) howled, her voice resonating in his ears.

In the midst of Zuko's panic, he failed to recognize the cliff he was standing on becoming increasingly unsturdy; turning he locked eyes with the archer. A ghost of a smile graced her lips, pride radiating off of her. Though he was angry, he couldn't help but share her pride. He locked eyes with his girlfriend who was sitting nonchalantly on the cliff edge above them all, waving nonetheless, when he told her to stay back. It’s then that the earth beneath him rumbles and falls, taking him with it.

“Zuko!” She screams, jumping to her feet; a loud crack coming from her ankle, buckling under the pressure and bringing her to her knees.

With a hobble in her step, (Y/N) climbed down the cliffside. The tears ran down her face at a ferocious pace, making her way over to the cliffside, a loud sob relented from her mouth as she saw Aang helping Zuko up over the edge of the cliff. 

"Spirits, Zuko!" She breathed, limping her way over to him and hugging him tight. "I should kill you, you fucking idiot!" She sobbed, pulling him into her chest. 

Zuko huffed out a laugh, wrapping his arms around her. He took deep breaths, calming his nerves from his near death experience; he focused on the feeling of her hand carding through his hair to grip it tight, and the hold on his shoulders. As he calms down, he remembers that he told her to stay put; and he sharply pulls away.

"I told you to stay at camp!" He huffed, "I told you I was coming back for you!”

She scoffs pushing on his forehead with two fingers. “In case you have forgotten, Zuko, I have authority issues. If I weren’t here, who would be saving your stupid royal ass? No one! You’re welcome, by the way. He wasn’t going to negotiate, Prince Pouty, and you and everyone else here is no good to the world dead.”

“You—You---You could’ve been hurt! (Y/N)! Or worse!” His protest was a whisper, trying to make the scene more private as he’s aware of the crowd around them.

“Zuko, love, I can handle myself. I’m a master at my craft--.”

"—your craft of carelessness, you could've been killed—"

"—but I wasn't Zuko!"

"That's not the point." His voice stern, making it clear that the conversation was done for now. (Y/N) simply nodded, pulling away from him and fixing her clothes.

Aang, Toph, Katara and Sokka watched the two as they argued; watching as they continuously tried to out-care the other. They watched as the two eventually stopped arguing, instead remained staring, as if daring each other to speak

“That was a ... nice shot? I guess?" Aang spoke, clearing his throat and drawing the couples attention to him. "He's definitely you know, dead."

(Y/N) smiles at the boy. “Thank you, Avatar, for helping save this dumb ass from falling off a cliff.” She gets up and bows to him. Zuko suddenly picks her up, the world turning sideways as he put her bridal style in his arms.

“Stop putting weight on your ankle!”

“I’m literally showing respect to the person who just helped you, is that a crime?”

“What if you break your ankle so much that you have to cut it off.”

“Oh, now you’re just being ridiculous.”

“Okay well you were first when deciding to sit on the edge of a cliff with a broken ankle.”

“You’re right! Sitting is dangerous. Next time, I’ll make sure to stand so at least I’ll have a better chance of reacting if the cliff side starts falling from under me. Oh wait, you were standing, and you still fell.”

Zuko sets her down on a broken rock that’s suitable enough for her to sit on. “Will you just shut up already and let me help you.” He reaches for her ankle, but she moves it from his grasp. Their eyes meet again and narrow in competition.

A mess of limbs as the (Y/N) evades the grip of Zuko, occasionally slapping his hands away if they get too close.

Sokka tilts his head in confusion and opens his mouth. “Is he—is he actually caring for someone?”

Aang nods. “I think? I don’t know, they’re kind of fighting a lot.”

Toph cringes, “Guys, I think it was me who hurt her in the first place. Last night at their camp. Zuko instantly stopped trying to help me when I heard her scream.”

“Guys… I think I’m supposed to let him be my master. I mean, he did just risk everything to save us.” Aang says, eyes locked on the one member who he cares more about than anyone.

Katara, still holding off on agreeing, looks to the two Fire Nation kids again.

“Ow! You bit me! Are you crazy?!” Zuko yells, shaking his left hand out.

The stranger girl laughs cheerfully. “Only crazy for you, stupid.”

And a phenomenon occurs. Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation blushes and looks down at the ground, a huge smile on his face.

“I hate you.” Is all he says.

“Yeah, I love you too.”

Katara, seeing the humane side of the prince, finally lets her guard down and walks over to them. Zuko’s eyes widen at her proximity, but the water tribe girl holds his gaze.

“I’ll heal the girl if it gets you two to shut up. And you have to find dinner for tonight.”

Katara’s eyes widen again at the sight of the crying prince who suddenly bows to her feet, thanking her with his whole heart. He then turns to his smiling girl beside him and pulls her into a hug.

“Thank you, (Y/N). For everything.”

“I’ll always help you… stupid.”

[beifongsss]

fake it till you make it [zuko]

Pairing: Zuko x reader

Requested?: Yes! By a very amazing anon!: “u should totally write a zuko fic wherein he persuades the reader to fake date him so he could make mai jealous but in the end falls in love w the reader ^-^ i love ur writing btw!!”

Summary: Takes place during season 3, “The Beach”. As the request said, fake dating to make Mai jealous but it backfires. For Zuko that is.

w.c. ~4.3k

.masterlist.

~

You had no clue how you had ended up in your current situation. 

Actually, scratch that. Looking back, you knew exactly how you ended up in your current situation. It was all Zuko’s fault but then again, things usually were.

“Will you be my girlfriend?”

Your breath had caught in your throat at Zuko’s question, and you had to hold back your gasp. “W-What?”

“Will you be my girlfriend?” Zuko had repeated, looking at you hopefully. You had looked at him in surprise, your jaw dropping. After years of crushing on the prince, here he was, asking you to be his. You couldn't believe that he returned your feelings.

“I-I, what?” you had finally stuttered, still gaping at him in disbelief. His gaze focused on someone behind you and a blush bloomed on his cheeks. 

“Please (Y/N). You’re my best friend. I-I want to make Mai jealous and you’re the only one I trust to do this with,” he’d admitted quietly, his eyes never leaving the dark-haired girl.

You followed his line of sight, your heart aching when you realized that he didn’t like you; at least not the way you liked him. With a big sigh, you had pushed down your tears, forcing a smile onto your face.

“It’d be my pleasure to court you, Prince Zuko.”

~

That conversation had taken place a few days ago, but your heartache never lessened. 

It was funny, really. After joining Azula on her quest to track down Zuko, Iroh, and the Avatar, you had planned to confess your feelings for the prince. In your head, it all worked out. It was the stereotypical story of two childhood best friends who grew up, fell in love, and got married. 

But it was never that simple. And now here you were, playing girlfriend to Zuko as you watched him pine for Mai. You were, quite literally, acting out your dream.

What made it worse for you was that Zuko was the perfect boyfriend. He was a good listener and always made sure you were comfortable no matter where you were. He would plan little dates and picnics when he knew Mai would be at the palace and treat you as if you were royalty. You knew your crush had turned into something stronger when even the slightest of touches made your heart race. It was time to stop the act before you got hurt.

Unfortunately the news about you and Prince Zuko spread like wildfire through the palace and soon enough, the entirety of the staff and residents knew. It was too late for you to come out and say it was all a lie because both Ozai and your parents were very pleased with the new relationship. To your parents, your relationship meant that you were set for life. They had always been Ozai’s biggest supporters and your relationship with Zuko only cemented their loyalty to the royal family. For Ozai, he was simply glad that Zuko would be distracted; which was why he suggested that all the teens take a vacation to Ember Island while he met with your parents and the rest of his trusted advisors.

You had been walking through the royal gardens with Mai and Ty Lee when Zuko had jogged up to you. He had greeted you with a short hug before nodding to Mai and Ty Lee.

“You three should get to packing,” Zuko said, causing the three of you to exchange confused glances.

“Why?” Ty Lee chirped, looking at Zuko curiously.

“My father has just told me that we’re going on a vacation to Ember Island,” Zuko replied. “We leave immediately so I suggest you all start packing as soon as possible.”

Ty Lee clapped excitedly, already excited to go to the beach. Mai simply nodded in acknowledgment before smiling lightly at Ty Lee’s excitement. 

“Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a few things to sort out before we leave,” Zuko said, walking away before doubling back and pressing a soft kiss to your cheek. “I’ll meet you on the ship.”

You nodded wordlessly, a bright blush spreading across your cheeks at his action. You faced your friends, being met with a large grin from Ty Lee and a small smirk from Mai as they observed you. Nodding at the palace’s doors, you began to walk away from them. 

“I’m so glad you two are finally together!” Ty Lee exclaimed as she bounced up to your side. Mai trailed after her quietly. “It’s about time you guys finally confessed.”

You chuckled lightly at her words, glancing at Mai to gauge her reaction. “I guess it was perfect timing.”

“I’ll say,” Mai spoke up, her smirk growing into a tiny smile. “I was getting real tired of watching the two of you pine after each other.”

A laugh escaped your lips as you all split up to go pack. You finished quickly enough, choosing a few casual outfits and a bathing suit to last you for the few days you’d be on the island. On your way to the ferry you bumped into Zuko, who fell into step with you as you boarded the ship.

“So?” he questioned, looking around to make sure you were alone. “Anything? Is she jealous?”

“No,” you said, shaking your head. “I was trying to get a read on her but all she said was that it was about time we got together, whatever that means.”

Zuko groaned softly before leaning against the ship’s railing. “I thought the kiss would surely tick her off. I guess we’ll just have to keep on trying.”

“Zuko,” you said hesitantly, looking away from him. “I-I don’t think we should keep doing this. I mean, it hasn’t worked so far. What makes you think that it’s gonna be any different on Ember Island?”

He looked at you quietly before coming up to you and taking both of your hands in his. “Let’s keep doing this until after the vacation. If nothing changes, then we’ll stop. I promise.”

You bit your lip softly as you thought over his words. Zuko stared at you intently, trying to ignore the way you bit your lip. After a few minutes of contemplation, you nodded slowly. You would only be at Ember Island for a few days, things couldn’t possibly get any more heartbreaking for you. “Ok. I’ll do it for you, Zuko.”

“Perfect timing,” Zuko said, a rare smile on his face. You glanced behind you to see Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee approaching before looking back up at Zuko. “I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”

Zuko slung his arm over your shoulder, pulling you in close as the three girls boarded the ship. The ride to Ember Island was spent with the two of you sitting together on a bench as the three girls whispered amongst themselves, occasionally throwing glances your way.

“So,” Azula finally addressed you, a knowing smirk on her face. “I can’t believe you two are finally together. I always thought Zuzu had a thing for Mai.”

You felt Zuko stiffen up next to you at Azula’s words. You kept a straight face, looking at the younger girl as you panicked internally. Zuko’s arm tightened around you, pulling you in as he pressed a kiss to your temple.

“What are you talking about Azula?” he asked roughly, his eyes never leaving her. “I’ve always had a thing for (Y/N/N).”

“So you guys won’t mind me asking what it is that you like about each other,” Azula said, a very fake smile on her face. “Right? (Y/N/N), you first.”

You exchanged a mildly panicked look with Zuko before answering Azula. It wasn’t like thinking of an answer was hard; the problem was that you were going to be telling Zuko the truth about how you felt about him, even if he thought you were just playing along. You were baring your feelings not only to him, but to his sister and your friends.

“Well,” you began, taking a deep breath and glancing at Azula before refocusing your gaze on Zuko. “He’s attractive-”

“Even with that scar?” Azula asked, a wicked smile on her face as she noticed Zuko’s uncomfortable expression.

“Yes,” you stated firmly and without hesitation. Zuko looked at you in surprise. “He’s attractive even with the scar. But he’s not just physically attractive. He’s kind and sweet and just a little bit of a hothead but it’s kind of endearing. He’s always there for me no matter what and he’s always put my needs above his own, even though my needs are nowhere near as important as his. He’s my best friend and honestly, I like everything about him.”

The ship was silent as Zuko stared at you in awe. There was an unreadable look on Azula’s face before she turned to face Zuko. “Your turn Zuzu. What makes (Y/N) so attractive to you?”

“W-Well she’s pretty, and she has nice...hair?” Zuko said, stuttering for a moment before shaking his head and looking at you. He stared at you for a few seconds before speaking again. “What I mean is, I like (Y/N) because she’s been with me through everything. She made me feel like I was special, even when we were little kids. She always knew just what to say to make me feel better and she was the only one who was ever willing to put up with me no matter what. She’s the only person I truly trust, and that’s why I’ve chosen to trust her with my heart.”

You looked away from his stare when he finished speaking, knowing that what he had said was probably how he felt about Mai. In Zuko’s head, he began to question his feelings for Mai. Sure, what he had said applied to Mai but as he spoke, he began to realize that you were the one he was truly speaking about. He kept his eyes on you as his inner turmoil raged on, only getting worse when you glanced up at him and sent him a soft smile. 

“Well, I have to say, I was a little skeptical about whether or not your little relationship was real or not,” Azula said, clapping her hands twice before turning away from you. “But now I can see that you truly like each other. You have my blessing.”

Zuko scowled at her before speaking. “I wasn’t aware that we needed it.”

Azula waved him off before walking to the railing and looking out at the water. The rest of the trip was spent in silence as everyone did their own thing and you found yourself drifting off to sleep.

~

“It smells like old lady in here,” Zuko complained as you walked into the beach house. 

“Gee, I wonder why,” you replied sarcastically, yawning as Zuko sent you a half-hearted glare. You nudged his shoulder with yours, giving him a teasing smile. He rolled his eyes and wrapped his arm around your waist from behind, resting his chin on your shoulder.

“Who are those beautiful women?” Ty Lee gasped, looking at the hanging painting.

“Can’t you tell?” Lo asked. “It’s Li and me.”

“It’s Lo and me!”

You all grimaced as Lo and Li copied the pose from the painting, Zuko digging his face into your neck to avoid looking at the scene in front of him.

“Zuko, stop,” you whispered, giggling as his hair tickled your neck. He glanced up at you, smiling at your reaction before he continued to do it. You swatted at his arms, desperately trying to get out of his hold. He simply tightened his grip, grabbing your hands to stop you from hitting him. 

He glanced up to see everyone staring at the two of you, loosening his grip when he met Mai’s gaze. He was surprised to see that she didn’t seem annoyed or upset. If anything, she seemed almost happy, watching the two of you with the faintest of smiles. He loosened his grip slightly, allowing you to slip away from him. You bent down to grab your bag, only for Zuko to step in and take it from you. 

“So, there are only four bedrooms,” Azula said, looking around. “(Y/N), Zuzu, you wouldn’t mind sharing one, would you?”

“Not at all, Azula,” Zuko replied instantly. Your eyes widened before looking at Azula and nodding meekly. 

“Great. Let’s go to the beach, I want to have some fun,” Azula said, stalking off. 

You soon found yourself down at the beach, helping Ty Lee as she tried to find the perfect spot to settle down in. Azula was off terrorizing little kids and Zuko was trailing behind you as he walked with Mai. You ignored the pang in your chest as you glanced behind you, instead focusing on the two boys that were now standing in front of you and Ty Lee. 

“Hey, need some help?” one of them asked, taking Ty Lee’s bag.

“Sure! Thanks,” she said, smiling at them. The other boy took your bag as well, setting your towel down besides Ty Lee’s. The two of you sat down next to each other, squinting in the sun. 

“Could you scooch just a little bit to the-” Ty Lee trailed off as the boys moved to block the sun. She sent them a smile and a wink. “Thanks.”

A few yards away, Zuko was sitting next to Mai under an umbrella. He noticed a shell next to him and picked it up, looking at it while he turned it over.

“(Y/N) would like that,” Mai said dully, glancing at the shell.

“What about you?” Zuko asked, meeting her eyes. Mai snorted.

“No way. A dumb shell? I’m not that type of girl,” she replied. Zuko looked at her for a few seconds before tossing it aside. It landed farther than he meant it to, one of the boys that was with you picking it up and examining it before turning to face you.

“Here, this is for you,” the boy said quietly, handing you the shell. You looked at it before placing it down next to you.

“Wow, thanks. It’s beautiful,” you said bashfully, sending the boy a polite smile. 

“Just like you,” the boy replied instantly, bringing a faint blush to your cheeks. 

Mai watched the scene in amusement, noticing the way Zuko tensed up slightly. “Told you she’d like it.”

“Hey beach bums!” Azula called out, standing by the kuai ball net. “We’re playing next.”

You all made your way over to Azula, both you and Ty Lee giving the boys apologetic looks. The game was pretty intense, all because of Azula. At the end, your team was victorious and you were left standing around as Azula gloated to the other team about her victory.

“Hey, I’m having a party tonight,” a boy said, approaching you and Ty Lee with his friend. “You should come by.”

“Sure! I love parties,” Ty Lee chirped. The boy looked at you expectantly.

“Sure, I’ll go,” you said, nodding softly. 

“Your friend can come too,” the boy added, glancing at Mai. 

“What about me and my brother? Aren't you going to invite us?” Azula asked, staring at the two boys. You don't know who we are, do you?”

“Don't you know who we are?” the boy shot back. “We're Chan and Ruon-Jian. But, fine, you're invited. Just so you know, though, some of the most important teenagers in the Fire Nation are gonna be at this party, so try and act normal.”

“We’ll do our best,” Azula replied, smiling sinisterly. 

~

You had arrived at the party way too early. Watching Azula trying to flirt was painful and so you found yourself tucked away in a corner with Zuko, the two of you quietly munching on some food. 

“So, does Mai seem jealous?” you asked quietly, leaning against the wall as more guests began to arrive 

“Kind of? Maybe? I don’t know, it’s hard to tell,” Zuko muttered, his gaze on Mai as she looked around the food table for something to eat. “She was kind of emotionless when we were talking about you but she usually is so I’m not sure.”

You nodded amusedly, glancing around before your eyes landed on Ty Lee being cornered by a group of boys. “Oh no. Sorry Zuko, I’ll be back.”

You darted away, pulling Ty Lee away from the group before she could chi-block them. She gave you a thankful smile before bouncing away making her way to Azula. You turned around to go back to Zuko to find your path being blocked by Chan. 

“Enjoying the party?” he asked, leaning against the wall as he smiled down at you. 

“O-Oh, yeah,” you replied softly, looking around for any of your friends.

“Yeah, I’m known for throwing the best parties,” Chan boasted, leaning down towards you. “How bout I show you around? Give you a tour of the house?”

“No, that’s fine,” you said meekly, meeting Mai’s eyes. She gave you a nod, understanding that you wanted her to come and save you from Chan. Unfortunately, before she could approach you, Ruon-Jian stopped her and began to talk to her. 

“C’mon,” Chan said, placing his hand on your lower back as he guided you away.

“Stop talking to my girlfriend!” 

The room went silent at Zuko’s outburst and you sighed in relief, before turning around and seeing Zuko standing in front of Ruon-Jian. You swallowed harshly as Mai met your eyes, surprise evident on her face as she looked from you to Zuko. Sensing the tension in the air, Zuko glanced towards you, a panicked expression on his face. 

“I told you they weren’t really dating,” Azula scoffed, looking from you to Mai. “Poor (Y/N) likes Zuko but Zuzu here only has eyes for Mai. Fake dating was the furthest she was ever going to get with him.”

Feeling the tears welling up in your eyes, you ducked under Chan’s arm and sprinted out the door. The room burst into chatter as people began to gossip about what had just happened.

“Mai, I-” Zuko began to speak, stopping when Mai held up her hand.

“Zuko, I’m not stupid,” she said blankly. “We all knew you were fake dating, we just wanted to see how far you’d go until one of you would fess up.”

“Then why didn’t you say anything?” Zuko asked, following Mai as she walked outside. 

“Because after the ferry ride, we realized something,” Mai said, turning around and facing Zuko as she came to a stop. “You’re in love with each other.”

“No we’re not,” Zuko argued. “This whole thing started because I wanted to make you jealous.”

“I know,” Mai said, causing Zuko to look at her in surprise. “You’re not exactly subtle. We could tell that your focus wasn’t on her but I’m telling you that after the ferry ride, something changed. Whether you want to admit it or not, you love (Y/N). You said it yourself, she’s the one that’s always been there for you. She’s the one you trust. What you said was true, Zuko. You just don’t want to admit you’re in love with her because you’re afraid of losing her. But trust me, she feels the same way. You have nothing to worry about. Besides, you can’t tell me you don’t feel anything for her, not after seeing the way you were holding her at the beach house.”

Zuko stood in silence for a few minutes, thinking about Mai’s words. She was right, and he knew it. He had loved you since you were children and he had never told you, too afraid of the rejection that would inevitably follow. Mai was simply a replacement for you, as harsh as that was. He had wanted Mai because she was easy and convenient to be with. But you had always held his heart because as he had said earlier, you were the only one who was trustworthy enough to have it. 

“She’s down by the beach,” Mai said, breaking Zuko out of his thoughts. He looked at her questioningly. “She finds it peaceful down there, it’s where she’d go to be alone.”

Zuko nodded, sprinting down the house’s steps before pausing. “Thanks Mai.”

Mai smiled as she watched him sprint away. After many long, long years you were finally going to be together. And if Zuko messed this up, she would personally make sure that he’d regret it.

~

Tears streamed down your face no matter how hard you tried to keep them at bay. You knew that it was a bad idea to go along with Zuko’s dumb plan but you had always had a hard time saying no to the prince. And look where that had gotten you, heartbroken and crying on an empty beach. 

You picked up random rocks and shells, throwing them into the water as you tried to quiet your sobs. A part of you had always hoped that Zuko would wake up and magically fall in love with you but deep down you knew that you would never be the one for him. When you were younger, maybe. But not anymore. Sighing deeply, you sat on the sand, bringing your knees to your chest and crying quietly as the water lapped at your toes. 

You closed your eyes when you felt someone sit next to you, knowing it was probably Ty Lee trying to make you feel better. “Go away Ty Lee. I just want to be alone.”

Ty Lee didn’t answer, instead wrapping an arm around you. You leaned into her embrace, eyes widening when your head landed on a muscular chest. You looked up to meet bright golden eyes and you threw yourself backwards, escaping Zuko’s embrace. 

“What are you doing here?” you asked quietly, putting more space between the two of you. “You should be inside with Mai.”

“Is what Azula said true?” he asked, his voice equally quiet. “You like me?”

“Yes,” you whispered, looking anywhere but him. You could feel his eyes burning into you, causing you to swallow harshly. “Zuko, please. Just go away. Just forget that tonight ever happened. Once we get back to the palace, we can just ignore each other. Just leave me alone.”

“I like you too,” Zuko said, pausing for a few seconds. “Wait no. I don’t like you, I love you.”

You shot him a look, his figure looking slightly blurry due to your tears. “Please don’t make this worse than it already is.”

“I’m serious,” Zuko said, scooting closer to you and brushing away your tears. “Remember the time we were feeding the turtle ducks in the royal gardens and my mom left us to go get more food for them? You pushed me into the pond once she was gone, as payback for the time that I accidentally made you fall out of the palanquin. I was so angry but when I looked up at you, you were laughing and I couldn’t do anything but stare. That’s when I knew I loved you.”

“We were nine,” you snorted, remembering the incident. “We didn’t know what love was. We still don’t.”

“Maybe not,” Zuko replied. “But I know that I felt something for you. After that, every time I saw you I couldn’t breathe right and I couldn’t stop blushing. Trust me, I fell in love with you a long time ago, even if i didn’t know what love was.”

“Then why were you trying to make Mai jealous?” you asked quietly, wanting to believe his words. 

“Because I’m stupid,” Zuko said, chuckling softly. “Because I didn’t think that we could be more than friends. I didn’t think you’d ever like me back so I went after Mai because she was a safe choice. But it’s always been you, (Y/N). And it will always be you.”

You looked at Zuko, seeing nothing but honesty in his eyes. You scooted closer, resting your head on his shoulder as you looked out at the water. “I knew I loved you when I first met you. I had been so scared when my parents had left me with one of the maids. They had a meeting to get to and the maid was leading me to the kitchen to keep me busy. You came out of nowhere, running from Azula as she chased you and you knocked me over. When you held out your hand to help me up, I knew I had a crush on you. You led me to the gardens and you made sure that I was okay and you even stole a cookie from the kitchen for me to apologize for knocking me down. I was a goner.”

Zuko smiled fondly as he remembered the incident. He had been so worried that he had hurt you. Looking down, he saw you smiling contently, still looking out at the ocean. Softly, he grasped your chin, turning your face towards him. You sent him a questioning look, sighing softly when he leaned down and pressed his lips against yours. You tilted your head up, his arm wrapping around your waist and pulling you flush against him. Your hands trailed up his chest, circling around his neck and pulling slightly on his hair. He pulled you onto his lap completely and you shifted, straddling his lap. You felt his tongue swipe at your bottom lip and you opened your mouth, letting him deepen the kiss. You pulled apart after a few more seconds, both of you breathing heavily as you looked at each other with a large smile on your faces. 

“I told you I’d make it up to you,” Zuko whispered. The two of you laughed lightly before he spoke again. “Will you be my girlfriend?” 

Your breath caught in your throat again as you recalled Zuko asking the same question a few days earlier. You leaned down, pressing another kiss to his lips before you answered. 

“It’d be my pleasure to court you, Prince Zuko. This time for real.”

~

taglist!

@musicalkeys, @mywigglybaby​, @bubblebars​, @iguessthefloorislava​, @dekahg​, @boxofteenageideas​, @bottledcotscowater, @butterflycore​, @coldlilheart​, @the-firebender-girl​, @ajediherowitchrunner​, @lammello​, @astroninaaa​, @samsmultifandomblogs​, @sadskater25, @oddment-niwit-blubber-tweak​, @duh-dobrik, @eternallyvenus​,

[imnotusedtobeingloved]

PLEADING FOR MERCY

(PLEASE DON’T REBLOG!)

Warnings: heartbreak, betrayal.

Pairing: Zuko x f!Reader

Characters: Zuko, Iroh, Azula, Katara, Aang, Sokka (mentioned), Toph (mentioned)

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, nor the gif. Credit to the owners.

Summary: Part two of “destiny is a funny thing”

A/N: Since I’ve been asked for a next part to my last Zuko fic, here it is. (tho further requests only per inbox please haha)

“(Y/N)?” You felt someone’s hand on your shoulder, lightly shaking you awake. “(Y/N)!” A groan passed your lips, feeling every limb ache. “You have to wake up, we need to get out of here!”

The sudden sound of water irritated you, but one second later relief flowed through your body. The pain disappeared. Slowly you blinked your eyes open, seeing a slightly blurred version of your friend. She looked no different than the last time you’d seen her. Her braid was a bit more tousled than usual, but her ocean-blue orbs were like the calm after a storm. “Katara?” You slurred, stumbling slightly when she helped you up, but her healing powers were quick to work. She drew you into a hug, as soon as you’d gained full balance. Immediately the smell of salt and sea overcame your senses. Something you constantly associated with her. “I’m so glad you’re back. We were so worried,” She pulled away slightly, analyzing your face. “What happened?” Her voice was soothing. It felt good. Knowing that they had, indeed, thought about you. “I was-”

The tunnel above you began to rumble. You took a hold of Katara’s hand, spotting one of the earth benders against the bright sunlight. “You’ve got company,” Another one sneered, pushing their next victim down into the Crystal Catacombs. “Gaah!” He screamed as he tumbled downwards, landing on his stomach directly in front of you. It took you a second to recognize it was Lee. “Zuko!” Katara said, surprised, before her face disorted with anger. You calling out “Lee!” at the same time didn’t help the situation. His eyes widened when he saw you, but the shock was gone in a flash. You’d wanted to help him up, but upon stepping closer he turned his back on you, still sitting on the floor. Your smile disappeared. “Don’t get close to him, (Y/N). He’s dangerous,” The water bender murmured, grabbing your upper arm to hold you back.

This wasn’t a happy reunion. Instead it was all a big puddle of confusion.

Katara hadn’t even registered you calling him by the wrong name, too caught up in her rage. “Why did they throw you in here?” She asked, only to answer herself a second later. “Oh, wait. Let me guess. It’s a trap. So that when Aang shows up to help us you can finally have him in your little Fire Nation clutches!” He briefly looked over his shoulder, but stayed silent. “Katara, what are you talking about?” You asked, bewildered. “This is him, (Y/N)! This is Prince Zuko, who hunted us down countless times to capture Aang!”

You swallowed dryly. Was this supposed to be some kind of bad joke? His feelings for you. The stories you’d shared. The caring touches when he’d changed your bandages. All a lie?

Of course you hadn’t been truthful yourself, at first. And you didn’t blame him for being precautios. But you’d told him in time, when things got more serious. Didn’t you deserve the same?

Weeks were wasted with a prince, who’d hunted your friends for ages.

Now you blankly stared at the back of his head. His shoulders seemed more slumped than before, but he didn’t deny the accusations that Katara had thrown at him. Your love was lost. Lost to someone who’d probably never been honest with you. Not once. Deep regret formed in the pit of your stomach. You felt sick. Speechless.

“You’re a terrible person, you know that?” Your friend remained unimpressed by his Royal heritage, continuing to yell at him. “Always following us! Hunting the Avatar! Trying to capture the world’s last hope for peace!” She growled, pacing around like a panther in it’s cage. “But what do you care, Fire Lord’s son? Spreading war and violence and hatred is in your blood!” Katara spat, which eventually gained her the response she was waiting for. “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” She whirled around. “I don’t? How dare you? You have no idea what this war has put me through. Me, personally!” She turned and sunk to the floor. “The Fire Nation took my mother away from me,”

You choose to interrupt, standing between both sides uncomfortably. “Maybe we should calm down...” You didn’t know how to explain that you’d spend the past weeks with the enemy. Surrounded by rocks and crystals there wasn’t much room for you to comfort her, but you choose to help her calm down before you’d attempt to talk to... Zuko. It was hard not to think of him as the ‘Lee’ you’d met him as. Wrapping your arms around her, you swayed her softly, trying to soothe her outrage. Something scraped over the stone behind you. The prince must’ve shifted in his seat. “I’m sorry about your mother. That’s something we have in common,” You pulled Katara up to stand next to you, gently wiping the tears from her face. When you lifted your gaze, Zuko stood directly in front of you.

You didn’t know what to think. Couldn’t even look at him. So you kept your eyes focused on the crystals around you. “(Y/N)...” He mumbled, but you shook your head. No more lies. You couldn’t take it anymore. “No,” Tears stinged in your eyes, but you refused to let them go. A throbbing headache soon formed, from your tightly clenched jaw. Katara looked between the two of you, sensing a new kind of tension. “But-”

“No!” You said with more force, glaring at his face. It was the first time that his eyes met yours, since you were down here. “You lied to me,” your voice wasn’t as strong as usual, shaking with emotion. “All this time was just a big lie!” You could see the big questionmark on your friends face, but you couldn’t bare to tell her what a stupid mistake you’d made. “It wasn’t! Yes i did lie about my identity, but i didn’t lie about anything else! Besides you never told me you were with the Avatar!” This was unbelievable. “Why would i? I didn’t think it would matter to our-” The walls shook around you. A part of it exploded, making stones and crystals fly everywhere. The three of you covered your faces, coughing from the whirled up dust. To your relief it revealed Aang and Iroh behind it.

“Aang!” Katara exclaimed, running up to him and embracing the Avatar in a tight hug. The man you’d formerly known as “Mushi” did the same to Zuko, while you stood in the middle. Silent. Unmoving. “Aang, i knew you would come. I found (Y/N) down here!” The water bender said. He smiled as you walked up to him and shared a hug with both. “It’s good to see you. We tried searching the city, but we couldn’t find you. Then i had a vision about Katara and you being in danger... What happened? Did they hurt you?”

You detatched yourself with a sigh. “It’s a long story,” He nodded, letting you off the hook for now. “Uncle, i don’t understand, what are you doing with the Avatar?” Zuko growled from behind you. “Saving you, that’s what,” Aang replied, still clinging to Katara. “Ugh!” The prince made a step forward, but the general held him back. “Prince Zuko, it’s time we talked. Go help your other friends!” he said to the Avatar. “We’ll catch up with you,” Aang didn’t waste any more time. He bowed to Iroh with a thankfull grin, before disappearing into the tunnel. Katara followed him without hesitation.

“(Y/N)?” At first you wanted to ignore the man. But you owed your life to him. He’d been the one to take you in, nursed you back to health, and now he seemed to help you once again. So you stopped for a second to look back at him. “I’m sorry we had to lie to you. But for what it’s worth, i’m glad to see you alive and well. I hope you can forgive us one day,” He mildly spoke, without force. You acknowledged his words with a brief nod, not sparing a glance for his nephew. Then you moved to follow the others.

The three of you took off, running deeper into the Catacombs. “We’ve got to find Sokka and Toph,” Katara called out. Suddenly a hiss rang out behind you, a wave of heat following the sound. You turned around just in time for Aang to block Azulas attack, barely escaping her flames. You’d never seen her before. Tough the resemblance to Zuko was undeniable. Knowing who he was helped to connect the dots between them more quickly. They had the same shade of umber hair. Shared some particular facial features. And nearly the same intruiging eyeshade. Just almost. You’d never known golden eyes could be so cold.

Producing a large wave Katara ran up to her, letting the water come crashing down. The princess deflected the attack with an offense of her own, transforming it all into hot mist, clouding the room. It didn’t take long for her to attack again. You redirected the fire balls with some of your own, staying in the defensive. “I see you’ve added a firebender to your little group,” She mocked, landing on a stone pillar. “How does it feel being a traitor to your own Nation?” You ignored her bribes, watching her every move.

The rock crumbled under her feet at Aangs next command. She had to jump, meeting the three of you on even ground. Minutes of deafening silence passed. No one dared to make a move.

A deep red flame interrupted the tension, landing right in the middle of the ring. Zuko had joined the field. And he was ready to fight. The question was: Which side would he choose?

You had no idea. You’d thought you knew him before. But now he was unpredictable. The boy you loved never existed in the first place. And yet you still tried to catch his eyes with yours, pleading for mercy.

He didn’t even look in your direction. He couldn’t. Because if he did, he wouldn’t be able to fullfill his destiny. Wouldn’t be able to go home.

His burning hot flame shot directly at Aang.

Azula responded accordingly, sending her fire in Katara’s direction. The blue flames clashed with her water and the air sizzled, as a relentless fight erupted in the hall of the Catacombs.

In mere seconds pure chaos ensued. You tried defending Aang from the prince as best as you could, both of you working together. But as he bend a large rock to knock Zuko back, you found yourself at the ground as well. You landed on your back, directly on the wound the prince had treated. A sharp pain travelled up your spine.

Katara had Azula at her mercy, who was quickly freed by her brother while you and Aang got back to your feet. “I thought you’d changed!” Your friend yelled at him, using her water as an extension of her arms. He did the same with his flames. “I have changed,” He striked with all his might. It was a painful sight to look at. Her braid didn’t exist no longer, hair flying freely from the blow. She was knocked into a pair of green crystals, stained red around the edges one moment later.

“You’re right,” you mumbled, coming up behind him. “You really have,” For a moment his stance faltered. Nevertheless he faced his opponent. Neither of you made a move for a long time. Out of the corner of your eye, you could see Azula hunting after Aang. She got the best of him as she pushed him back into the crystal wall. “Aang!” you screamed, rushing forward. Zuko stepped in your way, now producing flames, to hold you off. A rush of energy went through you, calling out to the fire within. It formed in your palms, pulsating and strong. They collided with his. Smoke rose around you, fighting tooth and nail.

But your heart wasn’t in it.

Only rage. Pure and powerful anger. You shoved him back repeadiately, the despair fueling your fire. In a moment of carelessnes he managed to grab your wrists, pressing your back against the wall. The troubles of your injury caught up on you, weakening you faster than normal. You were no fool. It wasn’t a secret that he was a better fighter than you. Zuko was holding back.

Your heart clenched in your chest. This time you couldn’t hold it in. Tears spilled on your cheeks. “Please,” you gasped desperatly. You’d tried to concentrate on your hatred towards him. You really did. But your heart played a different game. “I don’t want to fight you,”

Doubts crossed his mind. It showed on his face and a tiny piece of hope flared in your chest. “You can still choose differently,” you whispered. Right now he was closer to you, than he had been in days. Once again you discovered all those tiny details in his face, that you’d loved so much. For a second you saw Lee. But before you was standing Zuko. His thumb catched one of your tears, gently wiping it from your cheek. And then he left. You weren’t worth his alliance. Weren’t even worth a fight. He left you sinking to the ground, the taste of ashes in your mouth.

All it took was one look upon the battlefield to know you’d lost. Aang’s next attack didn’t even reach the fire benders. Surrounded by Azula, Zuko and a number of Dai Lee agents, you had no chance. Katara had gotten back up, drawing a circle of water-tentacles around her. But you knew it would be of no use. There were too many. You got up despite the defeat, refusing to lose sitting down. Distanly you registered Aang producing a tent of crystals around his body to protect himself. You wondered how long it would take, before Azula burst through it. You positioned yourself in front of it regardless.

The princess smirked at you, raising her hands. Like a cat watching it’s prey.

Then the makeshift tent began to glow. From the inside. Aang floated in the air, his marks and eyes glowing brightly. He’d made it. He’d reached the Avatar-State. Everyone watched, entranced by the sight. Until a blaze of lightning striked. His body convulsed under the pressure of it’s power. And then the Avatar fell.

All you could do, was watch.

You were by his side before anybody else, still protecting his lifeless body with a circle of flames around you. Katara produced a large wave, reaching you just in time before the siblings. And to your luck, she wasn’t the only one who did.

Someone burst through the wall near the exit. “You’ve got to get out of here. I’ll hold them off as long as i can!” Iroh screamed, sending flames in every possible direction to create an opening. You took it. Carrying Aang, you and Katara ran for your lives. The waterfall of the Catacombs was your loophole, and you managed to get through, thanks to your friend producing a pillar of water.

Your eyes remained on the prince, until you were no longer able to see him.

find part three here!

tagging u beautiful ppl: @zvkonation​ @viva-la-millennia​ @randomness501​ @drheinzd​ @kaylove12​

[my-bated-breath]

Do you think Aang and Katara would still end up together if Katara killed her mother’s killer? How would that affect their relationship?

Hey anon! Sorry it took me a while to answer your question, but the truth is that there is no clear trajectory regarding Kata/ang in this situation, especially when we take into account that Kata/ang in the show canon was abrupt and significantly underdeveloped. More specifically on Kata/ang, both Katara and Aang’s arcs were twisted to accommodate for their endgame romance, but while Katara’s arc reaches its culmination by the end of the Final Agni Kai, Aang’s character had become inconsistent in its direction throughout all of season 3.

As such, two conflicting outcomes can result from this hypothetical scenario — one outcome which upholds Aang’s flaws and stagnated growth, or another outcome which forces Aang into growing, accepting, and understanding, as was the original intent behind his character.

From a broader context, Aang’s entire journey since he woke up in the iceberg has been about him reconciling his airbender and Avatar identity, and by the end of season 2 when he is with the guru, Aang is on the cusp of fully accepting his Avatar responsibilities, of letting go of his selfish attachments (or in other words, his blinding biases).

Except Aang cannot let go as he hoped he would be able to. Because his attachment to Katara is selfish, but beyond that his attachment to Katara is a replacement for his attachment to the Air Nomads — and it draws him away from his duties as the Avatar, causing him to embrace an ideal he does not comprehend. After all, the Air Nomads were not perfectly pacifistic either.

Still, just as Aang refuses to recognize the complexity in the Air Nomads’ legacies, dismissing what he may deem as an act of violence, Aang refuses to recognize the complexity to Katara’s rage and compassion, to her violent and protective nature. In my meta “On Ideals and Idealization,” I elaborate on Aang’s idealization of Katara:

Aang loves Katara, yes, but he is in love with an idealized version of her. In his mind, he holds close the idea of a gentle Katara, a smiling Katara, a compassionate and all-loving Katara. Even though he has seen her darkest moments when she bloodbends Hama - arms bent in disjointed angles, fingers curled as if manipulating puppet strings -  it does not tarnish his image of her because, at this moment, she is not the persecutor, but the persecuted.

After her experience with Hama, Aang is there to comfort her and help her come to terms with the terrifying power she now possesses. With her face streaked with tears and eyes widened with horror, it is clear that this is a power that Katara does not want, that it has been thrust onto her against her own will.

The conclusion that Aang draws from this is that Katara’s inner darkness is a separate entity from her inner light, and he perceives this acquired part of her as a blemish on her inherent goodness. As such, in “the Southern Raiders,” when he witnesses how Katara’s anger and grief drive her to hunt down her mother’s killer, he equates Katara seeking closure to Katara succumbing to darkness, tainting her purity and compassion in the process.

Thus, given Aang’s reaction to Katara’s bloodbending, he may be inclined to love her in a piteous, nearly-obligatory manner. He’ll love her as the victim who lost sight and control and he’ll love her as a being of compassion and pacificity, but nothing more. Just like in the Southern Raiders, he may magnanimously grant Katara his forgiveness and his continued love even when she never asked for it. And in the end, Aang and Katara will kiss on the balcony of Iroh’s tea shop, only this time it’s not only “the hero winning the girl,” but “the bright and cheerful boy fixing the broken girl” as well.

This is the ending where Aang clings onto idealization even when it renders him a hypocrite, in the same way he is a hypocrite for shouting at his friends for pushing him to kill Ozai when it is implied he killed thousands at sea in the Siege at the North Pole.

This is the ending where he does not grow.

Note: Aang retreating into a ball of earth as a narrative parallel to the beginning of the series when he was encased in a ball of ice would have been much more powerful if only Aang entered the Avatar State through character growth rather than by the power of the Pointy Rock of Destiny (TM).

Now, let’s consider an ending where Aang’s perspective broadens rather than narrows and where Aang unroots himself from the past, pulling free from stagnance. Let’s consider a hypothetical scenario in which Aang finds out Katara killed Yon Rha. How may he react?

He may not be able to at first, too torn between his belief that Katara only uses violence as a last resort and the reality that Katara uses violence as a means of agency as well. Revenge corrupts; it is a stain that cannot be washed away. There is no reconciling Katara’s previous compassionate and loving nature with this dark path she has now chosen.

Except this is Katara he’s talking about, Katara who he loves and gave up the Avatar State for. Surely there’s a way to save her, right? Yes, just as Aang told Katara before she left, forgiveness is the answer. And while Katara may not have chosen forgiveness in the end, Aang can guide her by example.

The next day, he approaches her with the offer to exempt her from her wrongdoings.

Katara, tired and mournful, looks down at Aang.

“What was so wrong about what I did?”

Inside she is hurting. There is truth to what Aang said, that revenge is poisonous both to the victim and the perpetrator, but it is not poisonous for the reasons he thinks it is. As George Orwell writes in his essay, “revenge is an act which you want to commit when you are powerless and because you are powerless: as soon as the sense of impotence is removed, the desire evaporates also” (Revenge is Sour). There’s no doubt that Yon Rha was despicable, and there’s only a little doubt in saying that his punishment should fit his crime — the only regret Katara may have here is that killing Yon Rha is a meaningless act, for she has already gained power over him in every meaning of the word. Revenge is only a gateway to senseless violence and hatred; it is not a slope from which there is no recovery, and given Katara’s emotional intelligence, she likely has or will recognize this. Although she may feel regret, she needs no one’s forgiveness.

Aang is shocked. “But violence is never the answer,” he stands by, he pleads by. His voice grows quieter. “You know that… you knew that, didn’t you?”

Katara answers him, but it’s all a blur. She says something about agency, protection, and justice. He remembers something about that too, about the fury that burned in her eyes when she declared, “I will never, ever, turn my back on the people who need me!” Then there was the hostility simmering in her glare towards Zuko, the way she muttered that she didn’t trust him, not when he could still hurt them — hurt Aang — again. 

Because Katara’s anger and compassion do not simply split themselves into two identities. Instead, they coexist and coalesce into one. They drive each other; they feed into each other; they are two sides of the same coin.

Excerpt from my meta Rage, Compassion, and the Bridge in Between

The beloved ideal of Katara — the one that he thought was on the verge of being tainted, the one that never existed — shatters. But just because it’s broken doesn’t mean Aang doesn’t want to fix it. So in the days leading up to Sozin’s Comet, he tries to pick up the fragments to the Katara-he-knew and piece them together again, all the while avoiding Katara’s mournful (yet resolved) stare. He ignores the way Zuko and Katara share glances with a heaviness as if they were the only two people in the world, full of some significance he cannot grasp. Still, it haunts him like the way Zuko’s touch lingers on Katara’s shoulder or Katara’s hand brushes Zuko’s briefly whenever they don’t think anyone’s looking, reflecting a togetherness escaping loneliness.

But there’s no answer that arrives quick enough to save Aang from his doubt and confusion. All too soon, Sozin’s Comet is upon them, and Aang wanders to another world on the lion turtle's back — but this time when he listens to the past Avatars’ advice, his perspective undergoes a paradigm shift.

They are right. The Air Nomads that he prioritized, that blinded him to his duties — they do not exist. Their love is still there, pure and human but not all-encompassing, tucked in the corner of his heart. And Katara was the same. She was and is not all-loving or all-compassionate or all-anything, really, because she is more human than that.

This time Katara’s image shatters again. But Aang does not follow the falling pieces to the ground, desperate to find them and force them together again. No, he sees past the remains and sees Katara for who she is. For who she wants to be. For who she can be (around someone else), when she’s not compelled to take on the caretaker role just for him.

(And he thought he was so generous, offering to forgive him. But it was never his forgiveness to give in the first place.)

Aang lets go of his last attachment.

The last airbender lives on, but so does the Avatar.

[miyanom]

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."

[bubble-tea-bunny]

pretty please

[zuko x reader]

author’s note: wowowow it’s been a minute. until this story, i literally hadn’t written anything since april. i really don’t like to write unless i’m in the correct headspace and it took about 4 months to get back into one ^^’ anyway, i’d been sitting on this idea since july, and i’m glad to have written it. hope you enjoy

word count: 3,341

The doors of the Jasmine Dragon are always open to welcome patrons and a cool breeze. Zuko marks the beginning and end of each day by the size of the crowd—which grows in the early hours and keeps him and Uncle Iroh decently busy until finally it begins to shrink—and by the crisp air which greets him in the morning and again in the evening, both instances when the sun is hidden by the horizon. Heavy rain has been pouring over Ba Sing Se as of late, but today is the first day where the clouds have cleared, and Zuko is once again able to gauge the time by the color of the sky: at opening, a wash of indigo with strips of pale yellow at the horizon like the sands of a faraway land, and at closing, reds and oranges like fire.

Dusk paints the rug in the center of the shop in a warm-toned light, the jasmine dragons embroidered upon it more like crimson dragons now. Zuko gently sets the tray with its empty pot and teacups down on the counter before turning around to wave at the last customers of the evening. They’d lingered to chat with Uncle Iroh, and Zuko had spent the time tidying the rest of the shop, so that once it’s just the two of them left, most of the cleaning is done.

Zuko yawns, feeling the fatigue catching up to him now that the place is silent but for the quiet clinking of ceramic dishes. Uncle Iroh chuckles.

“Tired?” he asks.

Zuko shrugs, a noncommittal answer. “A little, but I think I’d rather eat dinner than go to sleep right now.” As if on cue, his stomach growls. It had been busier than usual today, and as consequence, he’d decided to work through lunch.

“Did someone say ‘dinner’?”

A loud voice carries from all the way across the threshold, prompting Zuko and Uncle Iroh to see who it is. Sokka leans against the doorframe, arms crossed and crooked smile on his face. “Because I could do with some food right about now.”

Upon realizing who is standing there, Zuko smiles widely. “Sokka! You didn’t mention you’d be in Ba Sing Se.”

“To be honest, I didn’t really plan on it, but I was in the area, and you know how the saying goes: spontaneity is the spice of life, and yada yada.” Sokka waves a hand dismissively.

Catching up with a friend he hasn’t seen in a while makes Zuko look forward to dinner even more, but he stops short and glances to his right, where Uncle Iroh is already watching him.

“Go,” he encourages with a nod. “I’ll clean up here.”

“Thank you, Uncle.” Zuko gives a respectful bow, and then he’s traipsing across the teashop to join Sokka, and they descend the steps together into a dark and brilliant night.

The first subject of conversation is figuring out where to eat, and after tossing a few suggestions back and forth, they settle on a noodle bar that stays open late. If they get caught up talking for too long, they could remain there a while. The rest of the walk, then, is spent swapping stories of what they’ve been up to since last they saw each other. Zuko listens attentively, smiling absentmindedly, truly interested in the adventures his friend has been on.

It’s when the tables are turned and Sokka asks What about you? that Zuko heaves a sigh, shoulders sagging. He’d been so busy back in the Fire Nation with diplomatic affairs, talking to this person and then that person, visiting other regions and welcoming ambassadors to his own. By now, he handles his position as Fire Lord with grace and respectability, but he’s still human and gets worn out too.

“That’s why I came to Ba Sing Se,” he explains. “To get away from all that and just spend time with Uncle.” And sure, he gets tired after working at the Jasmine Dragon all day, but it’s mostly from being on his feet, going from the back of the shop to the front to serve customers, a route he repeats for hours. It’s a different sort of tired from fulfilling his duties as the Fire Lord, and is entirely worth it to him, to take a moment to be no one but Zuko, a guy who works at a teashop.

Sokka smiles sympathetically. “I’m glad I chose to stop by Ba Sing Se. I was wondering how you’d been doing.”

The stress slowly melts away as Zuko smiles back, his shoulders not feeling nearly as heavy as when he’d first arrived in the city. He misses his friends whenever they’re all apart, and he too has lingering thoughts about their wellbeing always in the back of his mind as he goes about his days, and now that he’s finally reunited with one, he’s beginning to feel more like himself again, pulled back down to the ground.

As they turn the corner, the Firelight Fountain comes into full view, yellow lanterns illuminating the ground and the nearby buildings. Though it’s dark, there are still people here, either passing through on the way to their destinations or choosing to congregate on the benches and the edge of the fountain itself. It’s in the latter location that Zuko spots you.

You’re seated a little farther away from the only other two people who have chosen the fountain as a place to rest, perhaps to afford you some quiet as you read a book. The gurgle of the water behind you serves as a perfect white noise, enough to fill the silence but not to pull your attention away.

“Ah… She’s pretty cute.”

Zuko blinks and glances at Sokka. “What?”

Sokka tilts his head in your direction. “I saw you looking at her.”

“Wha—I was not.” But Zuko’s avoiding eye contact and his cheeks feel warm, embarrassed to have been caught (even if he hadn’t exactly been attempting subtly to begin with).

“Hey, come on, nothing to be shy about!” Sokka playfully nudges him with his elbow, and they slow to a complete stop, finding themselves now under the lights of all the lanterns, stopped just on the inside edge of where the light meets the darkness it couldn’t quite reach. Zuko’s still not looking at him, and Sokka’s grin grows. He is thoroughly amused. “You should go talk to her.”

Zuko shakes his head. “No!” he replies hastily. And then, more slowly, “She looks busy anyway.”

Sokka raises a brow. “I bet she’d make time for you. Any girl would.”

The matter-of-fact way in which Sokka says this is flattering, truly, but it doesn’t convince Zuko that approaching you would be anything but a bad idea. “Forget about it. Let’s just get food.” He tries to continue walking but Sokka is quick to clap him on the shoulder, halting his steps, and he just barely keeps from stumbling backwards from the sudden stop in momentum.

“Oh no you don’t,” Sokka declares. Zuko brushes his hand off with a groan and twists around, a silent plea to let the subject drop inherent in his eyes, but Sokka easily ignores it. “What if she’s your soulmate? You can’t just keep walking!”

“My… soulmate?” Okay, now Sokka is starting to blow this out of proportion. He’d spared a glance your way because you were pretty and that was it. “There’s no such thing—”

“You don’t know that!” Sokka exclaims.

“And you do?” Zuko counters.

Sokka shrugs but it’s not a sign of defeat. “I’m just saying, when the soul knows, it knows. You didn’t pick her out of the crowd for no reason.”

It’s awfully dramatic and Zuko opens his mouth to respond but then closes it, deciding he wouldn’t win this debate. Sokka is persistent when he wants to be, and when it comes to the topic of love, Zuko’s on the losing side every time. He knows, however, that if he were really insistent, Sokka would let it drop and they would resume their walk to the noodle bar, but it wouldn’t be without a warning that Zuko was making a huge mistake and that he’d regret it, going to bed thinking about you and then dreaming about you but he’d never be able to find you again—

Even imaginary Sokka is hard to handle and Zuko takes a deep breath, momentarily diverting his gaze from the real Sokka in front of him over to you, and back again.

“So…” Sokka trails off, watching him expectantly.

“I’d mess it up,” Zuko offers weakly in the way of an excuse.

“You’re the Fire Lord,” Sokka says as if that solves the issue. “You got this!”

“I don’t… really see how that’s supposed to help me…” Zuko tilts his head, confused.

Sokka rolls his eyes. “Just go!” He gives Zuko an encouraging shove.

With a quiet huff, Zuko ambles in the direction of the fountain, where you still sit reading, none the wiser to the fact you were the subject of their conversation. Halfway through the walk, he looks over his shoulder at Sokka, who gestures enthusiastically for him to keep going and to stop looking over here because you’re over there and you’re what’s important.

Is it too late to turn around? Zuko thinks begrudgingly to himself as he sets his sights on you. He ruminates on the question with every step he takes, reasoning that perhaps he could deal with Sokka talking off his ear about how he will regret not doing anything, because surely Sokka couldn’t keep it up for that long, right? (The immediate doubt Zuko feels upon considering this point speaks for the contrary.)

But before he can make up his mind, suddenly he’s in front of you and though he’s said nothing, you sense his presence and your eyes slide up from the pages of your novel to him, the lower half of your face concealed by the hardcover. The few seconds of silence that follow feel instead like a few years, panic filling Zuko as he fails to say anything. Your eyes flicker to the side, which he assumes you do to check if he’d actually meant to approach someone else because, well, why would he be talking to you? You don’t know each other.

“That book seems really interesting,” he says finally, and he wants to crawl into a hole and hide. Five words in and it is already not going well. What kind of opening was that?

You blink and lower the book, using a finger to mark your place before closing it to get a better view of the cover. It’s blank.

“W-Well, I just thought it was really interesting there’s nothing on the cover!” Zuko rushes out. “Since, you know, you usually don’t see that, and… and…” His intention was to segue into asking you what it was about, having decided that to be his way into a longer interaction with you, but the words die in his throat the longer he looks at you now that your face isn’t hidden because you’re a lot prettier up close and he learns tonight that you’re what all those love stories must be talking about when they extol the levels of beauty which render a lovesick heart speechless.

If you’re bothered by the bouts of silence, this most recent one stretching longer than the first, you don’t say anything. In contrast, you continue to sit there, watching him steadily, waiting patiently, and Zuko feels bad that he’s so bad at this. Never has the act of talking come less easily than it does now, in a situation where the stakes are lower than any dialogues he has with diplomats or government officials. It really shouldn’t be this difficult talking to a girl, but maybe he has it backwards and the stakes here are higher, because if he entertains Sokka’s admittedly outrageous claim just a few minutes previous about what you could possibly mean to Zuko, and if in fact the hands which keep the world turning are also those which keep hearts beating with purpose to seek out their companion, then the stakes as he stands here are the highest of all.

He’s still scrambling for what to say next, entirely unsure how to salvage a conversation that hasn’t even taken off yet. Nervously he rubs the back of his neck. Sokka must be observing the whole situation unfolding with equal parts stress and exasperation because even if Zuko isn’t actually flailing his arms, helpless and drowning in an open sea called love, his awkward posture and anxious spluttering are enough of a metaphorical signal. Sokka’s on the shore, too far to come to his rescue right away, but maybe this will go the way of those romantic tales and it will be you who holds a hand out to save him instead.

However, you’re beaten to the punch by those aforementioned invisible hands of destiny as they, quite literally, push Zuko closer to his own. A couple of kids dash past the fountain, laughing loudly as they chase each other in a game, and one of them checks Zuko in the back, which causes him to stumble forward.

He manages to catch himself with a hand braced on the edge of the fountain, and luckily too, because if he hadn’t, he would’ve fallen on you and knocked both of you back into the water. But now the two of you are face-to-face, mere inches away, and your eyes are wide in surprise and he is mortified. This entire conversation (if one could call it that) he had been plagued with the urge to apologize for being so skittish and acting so strange and the urge multiplies now because he could’ve accidentally kissed you and he’s honestly not sure what would be worse—that, or the two of you tumbling into the fountain.

This close up, the top half of your face takes up most of his field of vision, but in his peripherals he notices the curl of your mouth, and his gaze briefly drops down to it, to the smile which has found its way there.

“Looks like you just fell for me,” you remark teasingly, the quip slipping from your lips so easily and in this moment he can think only of two things: one, that your voice is incredibly soft, like the first warm light of morning settling on his skin, and two, that you have no idea how right you are.

Zuko’s wrist begins to feel slightly sore from bearing the brunt of his weight and that’s when he realizes he’s stayed that way for too long, and he clears his throat and stands back up straight. “S-Sorry…” he says quietly. For being skittish and acting strange and, now, for almost falling on you.

Your smile widens and it reaches your eyes and in their depths are the reflection of the lanterns surrounding you both and Zuko can’t help but liken them to stars strung across the sky. “It’s okay.”

The tension has slowly ebbed away, your almost-collision the perfect ice breaker. It had been a shocking one, certainly, but that was what Zuko needed. Anything more subtle and he probably wouldn’t have felt relaxed enough to think clearly. From the few words you’ve said, he knows you’re far from bothered by him approaching you, and he’s able to calm down a little bit.

“So as I was saying, that book of yours…” Internally he cringes. Why did he have to go back to the book? This was the perfect chance to steer the topic elsewhere! What was he supposed to follow up to that?

“It is interesting,” you comment. Zuko’s cheeks heat up. You’d noticed his struggle. But he is grateful nonetheless that you’re helping carry the conversation along. The fact you’re seemingly in no rush to end it must be a good sign.

“I could explain it to you, the plot, since there’s no summary or even title on it or anything, so…” You trail off and he wonders if he’s imagining the nervousness suddenly inherent in your amiable grin, as you go quiet and look up at him and—oh. Oh.

This is the opening he’d been looking for, the one he’d been unable to find himself because he is completely helpless in scenarios like these. If the universe and its mysterious machinations had been the hand to keep him from drowning, you’re on the lifeboat checking to make sure he’s okay, the sun behind your head a halo and maybe heaven feels like a warm day and smells like salt in the ocean. And maybe it looks like you.

“That sounds like a great idea,” Zuko states. “Maybe over some tea?”

“I’d like that.”

Then, before he has the chance to change his mind, “Are you free right now?”

The question stops you short, and he’d completely understand if you said no. This is incredibly short notice, and there was no issue with making plans for another day. But you have no qualms about the sudden invitation, for you place your bookmark to save the page then stand, clutching your book close to your chest. “I am.”

Zuko grins lopsidedly. “Great.”

He guides you in the direction of the Jasmine Dragon, and as you begin to walk, while your focus is on the path in front of you, he glances quickly over at Sokka. He wouldn’t have made the split second decision to ask you out right now if he didn’t think Sokka would be fine with it. But he knows his friend well and Sokka is, indeed, perfectly okay with the unexpected turn in the evening. From across the way, by the lanterns farthest from you two, he is smiling proudly and giving a thumbs up. They would have time to catch up tomorrow (and Zuko is sure Sokka will want him to recount everything about his time with you).

At the teashop, he tells you to pick any table you’d like while he goes to prepare a pot of tea. You both lose track of time as you talk, for the conversation opens up to other avenues aside from your novel, and Zuko notes that the tea he’s drinking has never tasted so good. It reminds him of something he heard a while ago, hazy in his mind currently, and he wracks his brain trying to recall it. What was it that Uncle said?

The best thing to have with tea is a good friend. Yes, that sounds correct. Zuko can envision him as he says that, a teacup clutched in his hands and wise grin on his face, and at the thought, Zuko hides his smile behind his own as he takes another sip. But the move doesn’t escape you, and you catch the small smile. It makes you halt in the middle of your sentence to address it.

“What?” you ask, amused and curious.

Zuko shakes his head. “It’s nothing.”

Your eyes are sparkling and he knows that you know he’s lying, but for his sake you drop the subject, instead returning to your original topic. And he continues to listen and hang on all your words and he is the luckiest man in the world because he’s sharing tea with someone who is beginning to feel like so much more.

He’s left wondering if this is the feeling of finding the one, the right one, the one for him. He doesn’t want to give this to Sokka, to admit that okay, perhaps there had been substance to what Sokka had claimed and maybe the idea of soulmates is real, and not just written about in stories for the lovestruck and the romantic. But then you dazzle him with a large smile in response to something he says, and he doesn’t dwell on the question for long as he comes to the conclusion that honestly, the answer doesn’t really matter to him.

[flameo-firelord-hotman]

(Not So) Complicated — Zuko x Fem!Reader

Genre: angst/fluff

Warnings: none

Words: 2.6k

Summary: you and Zuko had eyes for each other, but Zuko was afraid you wouldn’t return his feelings because of his identity. One day, you ask him on a date.

A/N: this is my contribution to @fromthewatertribe‘s 1k event! I used prompt #23: “I really like having you around.” It was heavily inspired by the date Zuko had with Jin. I didn’t intend for it to be so long, but alas...this always happens whenever I write anything. This is my first fic btw, please go easy on me. Enjoy! :)

Masterlist

The boy noticed. He noticed the girl who always sat in the corner coming in more often. He attributed it to becoming more familiar with frequent customers, but that wasn’t entirely true. How could he not notice her? She was pretty and kind. He wanted to asked her out, but he was afraid to. He wondered how she would react to his true identity.

A banished Fire Nation prince who spent years searching and hunting down the avatar only to become wanted by his country…that’s who he was. She would hate him, turn him into the Dai Li if she found out. It would be too risky, he decided. And so, he pushed his feelings away to focus on his new job: making tea.

“Zuko,” whispered the boy’s uncle.

“What?”

“She’s here!”

Zuko furrowed his eyebrows. “Who?”

“That girl!”

Zuko finished wiping the teapot before turning around. And there she was: the girl who always sat in the corner, who was, of course, sitting at the table in the corner.

“You should take her order, and...maybe have a little chit chat,” uncle Iroh said, nudging Zuko with his elbow.

“Ugh, no,” Zuko grumbled, “I’m not flirting with a customer, uncle.”

“Oh, come on. I see the way you look at her. I also see the way she looks at you.” Uncle Iroh turned to face him. “I think it’s mutual,” he said, bouncing his eyebrows up and down.

“Tch, you’re ridiculous. I’ll take her order, but that’s it!” Zuko hissed.

Secretly, Zuko was a happy to take her order. Another secret was that Zuko didn’t need to take her order. He had it memorized. The girl always ordered a cup of ginger tea. As much as he ignored his feelings, he had to admit that he still enjoyed seeing her.

Zuko grabbed a pad of paper and pencil, though he didn’t need it, and walked up to the girl. “Hello, how can I help you today?”

She looked at him and smiled sweetly. “Hi! Can I have ginger tea?” she asked.

He nodded. “Sure, I’ll bring it to you in a moment,” said Zuko as he (unnecessarily) noted her order. Ignoring the smirk on uncle Iroh’s face, he brewed a pot of ginger tea, poured it into a simple, clay cup, and returned to the girl.

“Here you go,” he said, offering the warm cup. The girl thanked him, took the cup and handed him several coins in exchange. Just as he was about to leave, she asked, “what’s your name?”

Zuko was a little surprised. They never talked beyond greeting each other and ordering tea. It seemed out of the blue, but, then again, it was just a simple question. It didn’t really mean anything, right?

“My name? It’s, uh, Lee,” he replied, giving her his fake name.

Finally, she could put a name to his handsome face. After frequenting the tea shop almost daily for the past couple weeks, the girl thought it was about time she learned his name and introduced herself. “Nice to meet you, Lee. My name is [y/n].”

“Nice to meet you too, [y/n].”

[Y/n] also thought it was about time she made a move. “I know we’ve only just introduced ourselves,” she began, her fingers anxiously tracing the rim of the cup, “but I was wondering if, maybe, you’d like to go out sometime?”

Zuko was very surprised now. Maybe his uncle was right; the feelings were mutual. Still, things were complicated. He was a Fire Nation prince; she was an Earth Kingdom commoner. There was no way [y/n] would be okay with who he was really was: an enemy. But as risky as it would be, he couldn’t say no. He couldn’t break her heart. That would be harsh, he thought, but it would only be one date, one night out…how bad could it be?

“My nephew would love too!”

Zuko snapped back to reality. He didn’t realize it, but he had been standing there, staring at her in shock for quite some time. Uncle Iroh patted him on the back as if to say “you’re welcome.” Zuko looked at his uncle and internally thanked him.

“Uh, yes, sorry about that, yes, I would like to,” Zuko blurted with a blush forming across his cheeks. It made [y/n] giggled.

“Great! I’ll meet you outside the shop at sunset tonight,” she cheered.

[Y/n] was so excited for her date. She spent all afternoon getting ready. After going through her entire closet, she decided on a long, jade green dress with long sleeves. Then, she spent the rest of her free time doing her hair and makeup. Her heart pounded as she made her way to the tea shop. When she rounded the corner, she saw him waiting outside.

“Lee!” she shouted as she jogged up to him. He was wearing a dark green tunic over an olive green shirt and pants. “It’s weird not seeing you in your uniform, but you look great,” she grinned.

Zuko blushed. “Thanks. Um, you look nice too,” he stuttered, scratching the back of his neck. As much as he wanted to tell her that she looked absolutely beautiful, he didn’t want to come off too strong. This was supposed to be a one-time thing, and then he would come up with some excuse to not go out again and forget about his crush.

“Thanks. Come on, let’s get some food,” said [y/n] eagerly. She clutched his hand and led him to one of her favorite restaurants.

Dinner wasn’t too awkward, but it could’ve been better. [Y/n] tried to make conversation, but the two didn’t go beyond small talk. Zuko just didn’t want to talk much, not because he was shy, but because he didn’t enjoy lying about himself, especially to the girl he liked, and feared he might give himself away. Unfortunately, he was not as good of a liar as his sister. Silence was his friend tonight. Despite that, [y/n] was determined to have a good time with him.

“I want to show you one of my favorite places in the city. Come on!” [y/n] said, grabbing his hand. She ran down the empty, cobblestone street, dragging Zuko behind. The street opened up to a large intersection with a stone fountain in the center covered and surrounded by paper lanterns. However, none of the lanterns were lit. [Y/n] frowned. This date was not going well at all.

“I can’t believe it. The lanterns aren’t lit tonight! It’s always so beautiful when they are...” said [y/n] cheerlessly. She looked away from Zuko to hide her watering eyes.

Zuko felt bad. It was his fault that dinner was so awkward, but it was too late to do anything about that now. This, however, was something he could fix. It would be so easy, yet so dangerous. Zuko would be risking everything, but it would be worth making [y/n] happy. Maybe if I’m quick, no one will notice…but what would she think? He pondered for a moment. Then, he decided.

“Close your eyes,” he told [y/n], “and don’t peak!”

[Y/n] did as he said. She closed her eyes and covered them with her hands. Zuko looked around. The area was empty; no one was around. Quickly, he got into a firebending stance and flicked his hands in all directions, aiming small blasts of fire at each of the lanterns. Soon, the soft, golden light from the flames of the lanterns illuminated the space. Water flowing in the fountain appeared to glow and sparkle. It really was beautiful just as [y/n] said it would be.

“Okay, you can open your eyes now,” said Zuko. And [y/n] did. Her jaw dropped at the sight.

“Wow,” [y/n] said in awe. The fountain looked exactly like it always did when it was lit up, but it never ceased to amaze her. But something wasn’t quite right. “I don’t understand. What happened? How did…” she trailed off, turning to look at Zuko. He gave her a small, nervous smile for an answer. [Y/n] decided not to push it. She knew. There was no other possible explanation.

And she was okay with it, but Zuko wouldn’t know it, because what Zuko didn’t know was that [y/n] was unlike most Earth Kingdom citizens. She never immediately hated someone for being a firebender. Her parents taught her that there are good people and bad people everywhere—even in her home town—and that everyone is capable of change—even our enemies. So, she was determined to prove to him that she was okay with who he was.

Gently, [y/n] moved her hands to take his. They were sweaty, he was obviously nervous, but she didn’t mind. Facing each other, the two locked eyes.

“Now, it’s your turn to close your eyes,” said [y/n].

Zuko did as she said. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, preparing himself for whatever was to come. To be honest, he wasn’t sure what it would be. A kiss? A slap to face? He wasn’t sure which one he was more afraid of. His eyelids twitched from the anticipation.

Slowly, [y/n] stood on her toes and leaned in to softly press her lips to his. Zuko impulsively reciprocated, but only for a moment. Suddenly, his eyes widened as he realized what was happening, and he pushed himself away from her. [Y/n] was startled and confused. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

Zuko paused and looked at the ground in shame. “It’s complicated,” was the only answer he could give her. “I have to go.”

“Wait!” shouted [y/n], grabbing his wrist. “Just tell me. Why is it complicated?”

Zuko didn’t know how to respond. How was he supposed to explain that he was the crowned prince of the Fire Nation, and that he had been banished for years, and that he had been tasked with capturing the avatar, and that he had become wanted, and that he had a huge crush on her, and that she deserved someone better? He didn’t know. Again, he looked at the ground in shame.

“It’s because you’re a firebender, isn’t it?”

Zuko’s snapped his head up in shock. Not necessarily because she figured it out, but because she said it out loud and so plainly. It was a genuine question. He sensed no anger, no fear.

[Y/n] chuckled when he didn’t respond. “Oh, come on, Lee. Those lanterns didn’t light themselves. It’s okay. I’m not afraid of who you are.”

“You’re not?” he asked in disbelief.

[Y/n] shook her head and clasped his hand with hers. “I’m not. Come sit with me.” She led Zuko to the edge of the fountain. Zuko was hesitant, but followed and sat next to her. [Y/n] wanted to be someone he could trust. She wanted Zuko to feel comfortable with her. There was no doubt in her mind that being a firebender in Ba Sing Se made making friends difficult, let alone going on dates.

“There are good people in the Fire Nation. I know it. Just like how there are bad people in the Earth Kingdom. Maybe not as many or as bad, but still…it’s like what my parents used to tell me: there’s good and bad in every person, every group and every nation.”

She sounded like his uncle, and Zuko found it endearing. He also appreciated the fact that she was being so kind and optimistic, but he had to be honest with her. “Well, I’m not a very good person. I’ve actually done some pretty bad things…” he mumbled.

Despite his confession, [y/n] wasn’t scared. Zuko had many chances to hurt her on their date, and he never did. “So why are you here then? Why aren’t you living in the Fire Nation? Why aren’t you burning down villages or attacking people? Why did you come to Ba Sing Se?” she asked persistently.

Zuko thought for a moment. He thought about telling her everything, but it was one thing to be just another enemy and another to be the son of the Firelord. It would be too much for her to handle.

“It’s complicated,” he said, looking at the ground yet again.

“Was it to run away? To have a fresh start?”

“In a way...yes,” Zuko replied.

“Good. There’s no better place to change yourself than here! It’s safe and full of opportunities. Though, it must be hard not being able to be ‘yourself,’ if you know what I mean,” said [y/n].

Zuko sighed and nodded his head in agreement. “It sucks, but it’s not nearly as bad as what others have to experience because of my people.”

“I’m glad you recognize that.”

“How can I not? I feel ashamed of who I am…”

“Don’t be.” Zuko turned to [y/n], curious as to why he shouldn’t be. Any other Earth Kingdom citizen would’ve hissed at him and called him an ash-maker. [Y/n] continued, “we can’t choose where we come from. But every day we have an opportunity to be a better person!”

It was probably another proverb her parents told her, and it was just what he needed to hear. Zuko smiled. For once in his life, he felt okay with his identity. He felt at peace. “You’re right. Thanks,” he said gratefully.

“Of course!” [y/n] cheered. “It’s getting late now. We should go home.”

The two walked hand in hand to [y/n]’s apartment. Neither of them said anything on the way. They didn’t need to. They had done enough talking for tonight and just wanted to enjoy being together.

“I had a good time tonight, even if things got a little…awkward. Um, do you think we could do this again?” asked Zuko, scratching the back of his neck.

[Y/n] beamed. “I’d love to!”

“Really? I mean, great! How about...this weekend?”

[Y/n] nodded, “sure!”

“And please feel free to stop by the tea shop,” Zuko begged, a blush dusting his cheeks. “I really like having you around.”

[Y/n] felt her heart flutter. He didn’t have to tell her to stop by, she already planned on it, but hearing him say that filled her with joy. “I will,” she promised, “good night, Lee!”

“Good night, [y/n]. Oh, by the way, Lee isn’t my real name,” Zuko said, leaning in to whisper in her ear, “it’s Zuko.”

[Y/n] gently cupped his cheek. “Your secret is safe with me, Zuko,” she whispered back reassuringly. She softly pecked his cheek before walking into her apartment. All the while, Zuko watched her, the girl who always sat in the corner, completely lovestruck.

Back at Zuko’s apartment, uncle Iroh was tidying up the place, when Zuko walked in.

“You’re back! How was your date?” his uncle asked, raising his eyebrows.

“Um, it was nice. We’re going out again this weeken—”

“Oh, I’m so happy for you!” his uncle exclaimed, leaping to Zuko and embracing him tightly. “I never thought I’d see the day my dearest nephew would have a lady friend! Tell me about her. Have you kissed yet? When are you inviting her over for dinner? Did you confess your feelings for her?”

“Okay, uncle, that’s enough!”

[jessiewritesthings]

Saudade - Pt. I

Prince Zuko x Reader

Hello I am here and I am obsessed with my boy Zuko so I decided to write this and now i’m sad but still obsessed!!! Hope y’all enjoy x

Part II - Part III - Epilogue

____

Breath hitched in your throat, anger coursed through your body as Aang fell, the energy from Azula’s lightning still pulsing through the air. Katara stood across from you, surrounded by waves of water. The Dai Li agents stood in shock; Azula smirking with her brows furrowed, and Zuko – Zuko.

 Mind swimming, you discarded everything Zuko had told you while you were imprisoned with Katara. He always lies, just like his sister, you thought. Quick to action, Katara rode a wave collecting Aang in her arms with tears in her eyes. Azula and Zuko made their way to Katara, preparing to claim their prize and ship him back to the Fire Lord without so much as a second glance at you.

 Narrowing your eyes, you focused on the pair as Azula and Zuko both prepared to attack, using the water around you and channelling it, intent on pummelling them down with fast, heavy plumes of water. Releasing, Zuko turned to you as the rush of the water skidded through the air, knocking him off his feet and distracting Azula.

“Now, Zuzu, don’t go getting complacent,” Azula murmured as she blocked your attack and faced you with a malicious stare. As Azula raised her arms, you prepared yourself to deflect her next attack, but Azula was cut short when a hot flame was thrown in front of her. Using the flame as a distraction, you launched yourself through the water to Katara’s side, as General Iroh spoke.

“You’ve got to get out of here – I’ll hold them off as long as I can,” he urged, fighting his own family and confirming his state as traitor to his nation.

“Go, Katara!” you yelled, intent on standing by Iroh’s side. Katara didn’t argue as she took Aang to safety, albeit with tears in her eyes as she watched you fondly.

Glaring at Azula with only one thing on your mind, the water surrounding you crept to Azula’s feet, creating a gimbal around her before turning the rings of water into a razor, cutting through layers of her clothing and leaving an angry red welt on her cheek. You would have been able to cause more damage if Zuko hadn’t attacked you, sending a brusque flame your way. Your fingers seared in pain, the water dry and sizzling as the flame hit.

Biting your lip, you quickly used water to partially heal the burn, before opening both your palms with arms open, channelling all the water you were able to. With arms raised, you grunted heavily as you brought them down with intense force. Eyes narrowed on the siblings, the wave you created pummelled towards them, parting where you stood. A quick flick of your wrist ensured Iroh was clear of your attack, and the satisfaction you felt as Azula was caught off guard was like nothing you’d ever felt before.

Iroh continued to send more fire at the pair, keeping a close eye on Katara and Aang, before relenting as they made it out of the catacombs. It was clear that Iroh was not going to fight his niece and nephew further, and you started to move to his side before a searing pain engulfed you. Azula glared at you, an eyebrow cocked in satisfaction as you writhed in pain, gritting your teeth as the blue flame coiled itself around your left leg. Your brain roared, the flame sinking through your clothing and embedding itself in your skin. It took every ounce of concentration you had to bend the closest water and extinguish the ugly flare.

Collapsing onto your forearms, the only thing you could think about was how much you wanted to hurt the royal siblings, even though any attack now would be futile ��� as much as you wanted to take it further, you had to reserve your energy to heal the wound.

Iroh moved towards you, kneeling down to hold you against him as Azula and Zuko approached.

“Well, brother, it looks like we’re done here. Apprehend these traitors and throw them in a cell on our ships!”, Azula commanded. “Father will be pleased that we have recovered his disgraceful brother, and I’m sure he’ll enjoy his little waterbending trophy,” she continued. Your brows furrowed in anger and a rush of nerves ran through your body at the thought of being delivered to Fire Lord Ozai on a silver platter.

“Ready to return home, Prince Zuko?” she asked, folding her arms and facing her brother.

Zuko glanced at you, heart swelling and pulsing before he steadied himself and gave you a steely glare.

“Yes. I’ve been waiting a long time for this,” he snarled. You felt Iroh as he shuddered at Zuko’s words, his disappointment in his nephew almost palpable in the atmosphere. Zuko, purposely avoiding his Uncle’s gaze, turned his back on the two of you and stalked off with his sister. Dai Li agents roughly picked you up and dragged you along, taking no care for the injury you had sustained. One bump too many and you felt yourself slipping as you watched Zuko, his back to you and his head held high.

____

“Zuko!” Katara exclaimed, surprise etched on both of your faces as the banished prince tumbled onto the floor of the catacombs. Ignoring the two waterbenders, he turned his back to sit in silence. You sat across from him, watching his back as his breath rose and fell. It was the first time you’d seen him without Fire Nation red, and the green of the Earth Kingdom complimented him.

Katara, pent up in her anger towards him, began an endless tirade of questions, saying anything and everything that she’d ever thought about Prince Zuko. You watched on carefully, and it wasn’t long before Zuko retorted, causing Katara’s anger to swell even further before she broke down in tears. Moving closer, you draped an arm over her shoulder and held her close, glancing behind her to see Zuko watching you carefully.

“We have that in common,” he murmured quietly. Katara wiped her tears, shuffling away from you to seek some privacy, fingers gently fondling her mother’s necklace. Turning to face Zuko, you were surprised to see he had come closer, legs once again crossed in front of you.

“Your mother was taken from you?” you asked Zuko, hesitantly. He glanced down, flicking his fingers before raising his eyes to meet yours. You nodded, understanding what he was conveying without words. If the Crown Prince could have his own mother taken away, how safe was he? Fire Lord Ozai had forced his wife to flee and banished his own son – what wouldn’t he do to gain power? You shuddered, watching as Zuko sighed glumly, flicking a stone away. His scar moved almost like an afterthought with the rest of his face, and you swore you could almost hear the strain it pulled on his skin – taught, angry and discoloured. His angry amber eyes glanced at you once again, and you gave him a soft smile in return. The green Earth Kingdom robes gave a different aura to the Prince and his eyes seemed softer than when he was adorned in his Fire Nation red. You caught the corner of his lips raise in return and felt your breath swell in your throat.

Despite all his misgivings, there was something about Zuko that made you want to reach out, caress him softly and murmur sweet nothings into his ear. Despite all that he had done, you knew that deep down he was lost, confused, and caught up in something much bigger than him. Spirit knows, having Ozai for a father would be one of the worst upbringings anyone could think of. You wanted to reach out, touch his face and feel him, alive and pulsing beneath your hands. And so, you did.

____

Weeks had passed in the small, metal cells that Azula had thrown you in. Iroh had been placed in a cell next to yours, which offered a small comfort. He was chained to the walls of the ship, wrists and ankles bound, his grey hair growing longer as sweat kept it to his face. You had been shown small mercy a few days after being taken into the cell – Azula had been observing your wound with satisfaction, thoroughly pleased with her work. The flame had wound up your leg like a whip, and a final sharp edge had splayed across your stomach leaving you mottled and marred.

“It’s rather breathtaking, really,” she had commented. “Art.”

The burn still seared – you had managed to bend a small amount of water into your water skin before being removed from the catacombs, but that hadn’t gone very far in your attempts to heal your wound. You were a talented healer, renowned in both the Northern and Southern Water Tribes for your abilities, but without water you were helpless. You had attempted to heal yourself using Bloodbending, something you made sure to hide from watchful eyes, but it had proved ineffective – your lack of training and absence of the full moon meant you would have to beg.

“I will die soon,” you started. “Do you not want to present me to the Fire Lord, a trophy or a pawn, whatever it may be?” you asked Azula. Guards flanked her, and to your right you could see Prince Zuko hovering behind his sister.

“You’re exaggerating, water rat. What makes you think I’d willingly hand over water to a captive waterbender,” Azula sneered, looking down the ridge of her nose with an angry glare. 

“If you want me to make it to the Fire Lord alive, then I’d recommend it,” your breath raggedy in your chest. Your body ached; the right side of your body bruised from holding yourself up in efforts to prevent your burns coming into contact with anything that would worsen the injury.

Zuko moved to stand next to Azula, breathing heavily.

“You must think us stupid,” he spat. His anger started to dissipate however, as you raised your eyes to meet his. Words caught in his throat as he saw you, covered in a thick film of sweat and dirt. The burn was awful. He would choose his scar over yours one hundred times, and then probably one hundred more. Your body was draped in such a way to prevent infection on your wound, but he could see near your ankle where it had started to take a more sinister turn. You were exhausted, eyes sad, defeated. When he had been trapped in the catacombs with you, he could feel the pulsing of life within you – something had been magnetic. Now, he couldn’t even be sure if he was looking at the same person.

“Stupid, no,” you murmured. “Do you really think I’m asking for water under the guise of a surprise attack? Even if I was, look at me. You’d have me hit before I’d even be able to bend anything. I need to heal myself.” Your eyes narrowed on Azula, taking a deep breath as you waited for her response. You knew that if Zuko were alone he would relent – especially if the Fire Lord wanted you for a pet.

Azula folded her arms, still unspeaking. Zuko shifted next to her, raking over you again with an odd sort of soft sympathy in his eyes.

Iroh grunted from the cell next to yours. The siblings had left him relatively unharmed, though treated him with seemingly even more disdain than they did you.

“It would be wise to give y/n the resources she needs in which to heal herself. She is a talented healer; she will not need much in order to prevent the damage until we arrive in the Fire Nation.” Iroh shuffled in his cell next to yours, moving as close as his chains would allow as he spoke up in your defence.

“Seems you still think you know best, Uncle,” Azula commented. “Very well. Zuko, why don’t you go and fetch y/n a small bowl of water. I’m curious to see how our little healer works. Perhaps we can keep her, if she proves useful.” One corner of Azula’s mouth raised in a little smirk, only for you to see. You knew she was taunting you, doing her best to make you aware that no matter how you tried, you were here now. A sharp groan escaped your mouth as the ship sharply lulled to the side, pushing you to your back. Another rough wave and you were forced on to your left leg, hissing as the shock of pain trembled through your body.  

Closing your eyes, you concentrated on your breathing as you pulled yourself on to your right hip, back resting against the wall of the cell. Glancing at your leg, you saw it was coated in dirt, and thick black pieces of ash. As Azula and the guards watched, you ripped a piece of your shirt, revealing the tip of the burn that coiled around your back and ended above your navel. The sudden jolts had caused your body to react in a sweat, but you waited for Zuko to return with the water bowl before bending your own sweat to remove the dirt and ash, instead choosing to delicately wipe at your leg with the fabric from your shirt.

“Charming,” Azula commented, as Zuko returned. “Wait, brother. Take a moment to admire my work.”

You ignored the hot, steely gazes of the spectators and continued dabbing at your wound, your heart beating as a drop of water fell from the bowl in Zuko’s hands. If you wanted to, you could take it from him now – bend it from the bowl and into your palms – but you knew better than that. You’d have to be careful, aware that any sudden movement could cause them to attack you and leave you to rot.

Azula motioned for the guards to open the cell door, and Zuko gingerly stepped inside, watching your slumped form. The desire to fight was there, and it was urging. Sure, it would be risky, but Azula underestimated how talented you were. As Zuko approached your side, bowl in one hand and a soft orange flame bouncing in the other, you could almost feel the pulsing ocean around you, as if it wanted you to take control, as if it wanted you to seize it and unleash a vicious ferocity you weren’t entirely sure you were capable of.

Zuko knelt in front of you, however, and any fantasy of wielding the ocean in your defence vanished as his soft flame doubled in size with a vicious flick. Gulping, you nodded in thanks as he placed the bowl down, heart racing in your chest.

His eyes didn’t meet yours, but you could feel their heat as they travelled from the burn on your ankle, following its length until the fabric covering your waist hid it from sight. You watched as his eyes trailed over your stomach, and his lips curled down in a slight frown. He knew how you were feeling - he’d experienced it first-hand. The scar covering his eye tingled, a strange sensation flowing through him. Zuko had the strongest urge to reach out and touch your wounds, as if one smooth caress would fix the damage caused by his sister. Fingers trembling, he fumbled with the seam of his shirt, before clenching his hands into fists and closing his eyes. 

Slowly, you raised your hand, preparing to bend the water over your burn. Zuko rose, stepping back when he saw the water slowly trickle through the air until it floated above your palm. You weren’t sure why he wasn’t backing away and leaving the cell, though a quick glance at Azula confirmed why: she was carefully watching Zuko, observing all the small movements he made, the shift in his demeanour that had changed since he’d entered the cell. It almost seemed as if she wanted you to attack him, as if that would bring her some sort of pleasure.

“You may begin,” Azula urged, eyes roaming between the water in your palms and her brothers form.

Slowly, the water floating above your palm slipped from your hand and drifted atop your left  thigh. Inhaling, you closed your eyes, focussing all your energy on the soft vibrations in your palms, holding them above your wounds. The water, now spread out to lay with all of your burn caused your leg to light up in a silvery-blue glow. It would have been beautiful, if it hadn’t been so awful to begin with.

The glow shimmered as you moved your palms across your body, fingers clenching as you concentrated on the soft, soothing motion of the water as it soaked through the burn, purging your skin of all the dirt and ash of earlier.

“Incredible,” Iroh murmured, his voice coming from the dark of his cell.

Glancing up, you saw Azula staring at you, hands on her hips and a gleam in her eye. Guards and soldiers were crammed into the hold, everyone eager to catch a glimpse of Fire Lord Ozai’s waterbending prize – and even better, they got a healing performance for free. It wasn’t every day Fire Nation soldiers had left waterbenders alive long enough to see it. 

To your left, Zuko flinched as you placed your palm flat over the burn on your torso. It was particularly bad here, and silently you took a moment to acknowledge that this would forever be etched on to your skin. You watched him now, quickly. The flames held up by benders in the room fluttered across his face, his scowl present but that same, soft look in his eyes.

He feels bad for me, you thought. It almost looked like remorse, too. Or some odd sort of jealousy – he saw the water work with your burn, rolling and soothing its knots and scratches. It was still bad – loud, angry and demanding, but you could tell he was thinking about what his own scar might look like if you had been there to heal him with your silvery-blue glow. 

Bending slightly, you focussed the last of your energy on the burn that scraped along the sole of your foot. A silent, tired sigh rippled through your body and with a twist of your wrist you returned the water to the bowl.

“Thank you, Princess Azula,” you murmured, eyes open and trained on her, but desperately wanting to close. Healing was exhausting, and having a limited water supply didn’t make it any easier. Your audience was making you increasingly uncomfortable, beady eyes observing you in an eerie silence. 

“That was… fascinating,” Azula observed. “You’ll be an asset for our soldiers when the Fire Nation inevitably takes over the world.” While it was clear that you hadn’t been able to completely heal your wound, it couldn’t be denied that your healing powers had eased the angry red that wrapped around you. The pain had eased, and you let out a breath you didn’t realise you were holding in, feeling lighter than you had in days.

Soldiers started milling out of the hold, returning to their duties, leaving you alone with Azula, Zuko, and Iroh in his cell. Zuko collected the water bowl, handing it to a soldier outside your cell, as Azula turned to leave.

“I have some important correspondence with our father, Zuko. Secure her arms on your way out,” Azula commanded. Azula stalked out of the hold with a guard flanking her, watching you from the corner of his eye. It seemed that although Zuko was returning home, his banishment over, his younger sister still viewed him entirely beneath her.

“Arms out,” he said, holding the restraints in his hands. The cold, heavy metal felt clammy,  and your wrists ached as they rubbed on raw skin. His fingers lingered on yours, moving so softly over your hands that you couldn’t be sure he was even touching you. What did confirm his touch, however, was the heat that radiated from him. An involuntary sigh escaped you, as his closeness enabled you to feel warmer than you had since the Fire Nation soldiers had thrown you in your cell.

Once again, you felt an overwhelming desire to reach out to Zuko – feel his hands on you, memorize his face by touch alone, an appetite for the pressure of his body against yours tormenting you. The light was dim, a lone lantern dangling outside your cell. Zuko’s face was mostly hidden, but the light was enough that you could make out his amber eyes on yours. Raising your chained hands, you reached for his chin, fingertips gently caressing him before he clasped his hands around your wrists, fingers reaching under the metal to properly feel you. A heated breath escaped him, a small flame peaking from his parted lips.

Stop. Stop it. Let go. “Zuko,” you murmured, acutely aware of Iroh’s presence, and the fact that you were in the dark, quietly becoming enamoured with Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation – he who had helped put you in chains.

Bowing his head, he swallowed before releasing you, wiping his hands on his shirt. 

“I know. I’m sorry.” Zuko’s entire being was bewitched by yours, and he allowed himself to drop even further into his vulnerability as his mind ran through countless scenarios where he could touch you, feel you (maybe even kiss you) freely, without the fear of losing his honour breathing down his back. He’d only just regained it, and he couldn’t afford to lose it now.

In another life, maybe, we’d get out of here.

[radishaur]

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

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

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

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

- Zoe

•••

Stay For Dinner (Zuko x Reader)

Warnings: None

Genre: Fluff

Part: 1/1

Summary: See Request

•••

Reader’s POV:

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

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

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

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

“Y-You’re not?” I asked hesitantly.

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

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

“I missed you too,” I said softly.

•••

Zuko’s POV:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Y-Y/N!” I exclaimed in surprise.

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Dinner would be great,” I answered.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[dahliax]

Goddess of the Sun

Chapter Two

Description : Zuko x oc Dahila, Goddess of the Sun who was sent by the spirits crosses paths with Ursa, who changes her life forever.

Note : I started this fanfic for fun but now I like it. I haven’t posted fanfic in years but I thought it would be fun to start again. It’s obviously not amazing but I’m hoping to improve with practice. I’m also open to requests in my ask box preferably just Female!Reader x Zuko or Sokka (fluff, smut, oneshots, and headcannons are welcome). Right now I’m character building for the first few chapters soon we will get to the good parts :) Let me know what you think so far! 🌸 (im real soft so pls try not to be too mean)

Warnings : fluff, angst, eventual smut (in aged up chapters).

꧁𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑂𝑛𝑒꧂

꧁𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑇𝑤𝑜꧂

꧁𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑇ℎ𝑟𝑒𝑒꧂ Coming Soon

10 years later

“But Zuko, what if I want to be the hero this time!?” Dahlia’s voice echoed through the palace gardens.

With a sigh Zuko turns “I guess you can play the hero this time. But I am NOT playing the princess,” Zuko finally said yes to the little girl standing in-front of him. She gasped and squealed and ran as fast as she could to give her best friend a big hug.

“Yay! But who will play the princess?”

“I will”

Dahlia and Zuko turned around to see where the voice was coming from. Azula.

Dahlia’s stomach dropped. Azula never played fair and someone always got hurt by the time she was ready to quit playing. “Zuko, maybe we should just play with the turtle ducks,” Dahlia whispered so only Zuko can hear but she was wrong. “Well it would only make sense.. I am a princess in real life.. I would be perfect for the role!” Azula slyly slips closer to them igniting the fear in Dahlia she was all too used to here at the palace.

“Okay then I can play the villain!” Zuko faked being excited. He shot Dahlia a soft look seeing in her eyes that she was scared. He hated seeing her this way, she was his best friend after all. This always made Azula jealous seeing her brother constantly playing with Dahlia instead of her like Ty Lee and Mai. Azula knew there was something off about Dahlia, why would her mother bring a random peasant baby into the palace? This made Azula’s blood boil even hotter, mapping out her attack plan quicker than Dahlia could even blink. She’s been dealing with this for too long. She had to end Dahlia.

Azula smirked and pushed out a huge ball of fire at Zuko and Dahlia. Zuko’s heart stopped, “hey! You know we don’t use fire outside of training and around Dahlia you know it’s not fair!” Zuko squeaked after diverting the fire. Dahlia’s heart sank, another reminder that she could never stand a chance against Azula without bending.

“Well Dahlia, you wanted to be the hero, now be one” Azula’s words were like venom in Dahlia’s heart, everyone knew she couldn’t stand a chance. “Don’t hurt anyone Azula” Zuko said lowly. “Now what makes you think I’d do that Zuzu? It’s just a friendly game” Azula smirked and threw another fireball at the two children. It was always fun and games until Azula showed up. Zuko diffused the fireball while Dahlia ducked only to see Mai and Ty Lee coming through the entrance of the gardens. She was in big trouble now.

Zuko was trying to make a plan in his head. But he knew he wasn’t as strong as Azula, she was so much farther in training than him. Before Zuko could think another thought Azula sent another blast knocking Dahlia and Zuko on their butts.

“Guards! Arrest this man!” Azula yelled at Ty Lee and Mai. They ran to Zuko before he could get up and wrapped his wrists with Mai’s hair ribbon. A blush crept up on Zuko’s face from Mai’s touch, he had a crush on her. Dahlia watched, she felt so helpless. The boy she had a crush on was entranced by another girl and her bully was standing right in-front of her waiting to attack.

Deep in Dahlia’s heart she’d hope Azula would show mercy to the little girl sitting there with tears welling up in her eyes. She had no way out. And Azula never showed mercy, she seen it as weakness. And as soon as Zuko looked over from Mai’s eyes a crack of lightning came from the sky and the most disturbing scream rang in Zuko’s ear drums.

Everyone’s heart stopped. But Dahlia continued screaming. Tears immediately hit Zuko’s eyes.

“Finally! My best move yet! Daddy will be so proud” Azula squealed and kicked Dahlia over on her side. Zuko was almost positive she was dead. There’s no way a regular 10 year old could survive but somehow she was still screaming. The fire in Zuko’s heart made him see red and he immediately destroyed the ribbon around his wrists, running over to Dahlia and cradling her head in his small hands.

“Dahlia are you okay?” Zuko managed to speak even though he could barely hear himself. Dahlia thrashed in pain, blood trickling out of her side. Zuko noticed the lighting marks crawling up her hip under the destroyed part of her kimono. His heart sank. She’d have this scar forever if she survives. Soon they could hear frantic foot steps coming from inside the palace. Zuko pushes up from his feet fuming, “Why would you do this?!”

“Azula!” Iroh and Ursa scream in unison seeing Azula above Dahlia giggling. “Look mom you’re going to be so proud! I can use lightening now!” Azula smirked brightly but Iroh and Ursa were less than impressed. Iroh had been visiting and Ursa wanted the kids to be on their best behavior but obviously Azula couldn’t let that get in the way of her plan.

“Get the healers immediately and prepare the royal hospital room,” Ursa quickly said to the guards. “The royal hospital room? She’s a peasant!” the guard talked back. Iroh’s eyes widened, “I don’t think it’s your place to be questioning her royal highness in such a situation. Now go.” Iroh said coldly. Ursa ran to the children trying to ignore the tears threatening to spill over. To say the least Dahlia was the daughter Ursa wished Azula was.

“Azula. Go see your father.“ Ursa had enough of Azula’s antics. And everyone knew if Ursa sent anyone to Ozai that they were in big trouble.

ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ

Dahlia’s eyes finally fluttered open to see Ursa sleeping on the chair aside her. Dahlia panicked, she didn’t recognize where she was. Her eyes adjusted to see its the royal hospital room. She grabbed Ursa’s hand startling her awake. Tears lining Dahlia’s eyes as she remembered what happened. “I-I” she could barely speak, her throat felt like it was on fire from screaming, “I tho-thought I was going to die” she finally said with tears flowing down her cheeks like a waterfall. Ursa pulled her into a gentle hug minding her wounded side. “You’re safe now darling, I promise” she croaked out exhausted from crying and all the emotions the day brought.

ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ

“You know Zuko would like to see you,” Iroh says to Dahlia while she scans the book he brought for her to read during recovery. “Oh no Iroh.. I look so terrible right now” the redness in her cheeks told Iroh all he needed to know. “Don’t worry ladybug, he told me he thought you’re the most beautiful girl in the palace” he said in hopes to lift her spirits. Somehow Dahlia’s face got even redder, “You’re only saying that to be nice” she said as she crossed her arms.

“Well he’s got a present waiting for you and I’m sure you’d like to see what it is,” Iroh teased. “That might be true but I know he doesn’t think I’m the most beautiful girl in the palace” she said stubbornly. Iroh chuckled, “How are you so sure?” he says challenging her stubbornness as usual. “He told me he likes Mai and that Ozai thought it was a good idea”

Iroh sighed, realizing how quickly these kids were growing up now that Ozai was preparing a wife to marry off to his son when he turns 18. He knew Ursa would have none of it. But now Iroh was confused, Zuko really did tell him that he thought she was the most beautiful girl in the palace. “I’m not lying to you Dahlia, I’m not sure why he would change his mind” but they both knew why. Even if he chose Dahlia the nation believes she’s a simple peasant with no bending abilities who just got lucky. But Iroh knew one day the secret would come out.

“Ladybug, how things are now are not how they will always be. Your destiny is your own not Ozai or Azula can change it. Now, would you like some jasmine tea?” He says getting up to grab the pot. “Yes please! Can you mix the camomile in?” she says excitedly. “Zuko will be out of training soon. I told him to stop by” Iroh said and Dahlia just let out a loud huff, too tired to argue any further.

ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ

"Zuko! You're in luck..the tea just finished..How was training?” Iroh said getting the cups ready for them “Fine I guess. It’s weird not having Azula there though,” 

Dahlia almost questioned why Azula wasn’t there but then she saw that Zuko was hiding something behind his back. A blush rose to her cheeks. ‘He really did bring me something’ she thought. Iroh nodded at Zuko and said, “Oh I must have forgotten my cup. Excuse me for a moment.”

Dahlia wanted to crawl in a hole. She knew Iroh did that on purpose.

“So how are you feeling?” Zuko said walking closer to the hospital bed. “Fine I guess. I can’t walk yet.” she said sadly which made Zuko feel a pain in his heart. “I’m sorry I didn’t do better. I failed at protecting you. But I hope these fire lilies make you feel better” he said sweetly. Dahlia’s jaw dropped, the only place you can get pink fire lilies near the palace was to hike the the Eagle’s Volcano. Her lack of response made Zuko falter, “Do you hate them? I-I’m sorry it was stupid-“ “No no! I love them! They’re perfect..” she trails off admiring their rare color.

Zuko was feeling pretty used to rejection. All the gifts he got for Mai she hated. He was tired of trying to impress her for his father even if he had a tiny crush on her because he had a bigger, deeper crush on Dahlia that’s been lingering in his heart for as long as he could remember. She was the most beautiful, fun girl he knew and now that he was alone with her he was going to do something about it.

“You know where they would look perfect?” he said touching the soft petals “Where?” she replied looking into his honey filled eyes as he pulled a flower out of the bouquet. “In your hair,” he said as he pushed her hair behind her ear and placed the flower in her long brown hair. Just as she relaxed into Zuko’s touch, the door opened. “I brought an extra guest for tea, I hope you don’t mind” Iroh announces as Ursa follows in behind him.

The smiles on their faces were priceless, they knew exactly what was going on. “Well don’t you look just like a beautiful doll,” Ursa gushed and pressed a kiss to both the children’s heads. Both of them blushing like mad.

I hope you guys liked this chapter!! idk how I feel about it yet! Requests are open! I wanted to let everybody know that any suggestions are welcome!! Totally helps out when I get overwhelmed with ideas!!

Taglist: @darkskin-buttercup @marvels-gurl @haylaansmi

[jaxsteamblog]

Flowers POV Swap

Click here to read the full fic on AO3

“Are you sure you want to do the pick up? It can get messy and I have the staff for it.” Iroh asked, wiping his hands on the small apron tied around his waist.

“It’s a good way to spend some more time with an old friend.” Zuko replied, considering in the mirror if he should tie back his hair. Letting it fall in his face, he then turned and smiled at his uncle.

“I’ll be back in time for the lunch rush.” He said. Iroh shook his head and they descended the creaky stairs into the back room of the tea shop. Waving goodbye, Zuko exited out onto the back alley.

He twirled the keys in his hand as he walked out to the van. Zuko was irritated and hoped a nice chat with Sokka would clear his head. He was glad to be back in the city; when summer came and he could escape the Fire Nation it was always a relief. Things were getting more tense at the palace and this time he was especially glad to get away.

The drive was easy in the morning and Zuko had driven enough vans in his life to maneuver through traffic. The Ice Blossom was on the left, and as he passed it to get to the side street, he saw someone at the counter. A woman who was not Suki.

After parking the van in the side street, Zuko again twirled the keys in his hand. Curious, he walked to the front door instead of knocking at the back for Sokka.

Through the large window he saw a young woman looking very bored and flipping through a book. She looked like Sokka and he wondered if she was his sister.

Was that racist? Zuko frowned as he paused at the door.

He entered and she looked up. Before she could say anything, the woman saw his burned face and paused. Feeling exhausted, Zuko only smiled at first.

“It’s okay. It’s usually the first thing people notice about me.” He said easily and walked up to the counter. The woman’s face reddened and Zuko smiled easier.

“I am so sorry.” She said quickly and he laughed.

“It’s really okay. I wasn’t lying, it’s literally the first thing.” Zuko touched the bottom edge of the burn, thinking back. “It’s a bad burn.”

He shook himself, smiled, and leaned against the counter.

“My name is Zuko. What’s yours?” He asked.

“Oh, I’m Katara.” She replied.

Definitely the sister. Zuko thought.

“Did you, are you picking up an order?” Katara asked. She sounded unsure and Zuko stood up with his hands on the counter.

“I am, yes. It’s a large order though, for the Jasmine Dragon. Is your brother around?” He asked.

“How’d you know he’s my brother?” She questioned.

Was I not supposed to know that? Zuko’s mind spun for a second.

“You look alike.” He said. Shoot, that was probably racist.

“Mmmh.” Katara made a dismissive tone.

Yup. Racist. Zuko internally winced.

“Yeah, Sokka is in the back.” Katara continued, then eyed him curiously. “Do you have a van or…?”

“Yeah, it’s around back.” He said. Like a summons, the door to the back room opened and Sokka emerged, bringing with him the smell of cold, sweet water.

“Zuko!” He greeted enthusiastically, and Zuko smiled again. “I was wondering if that was your van. Is it new?”

Finally relaxing, Zuko stepped quickly to the end of the counter and shook Sokka’s hand.

“So you managed to wrangle your sister into working with you?” He asked.

“Only for the summer.” Sokka replied and Zuko turned to look at Katara.

“That’s right. Congrats on getting into med school.” He said. Sokka had called him in a panic when Katara was accepted, wondering how she was going to pay for the tuition and fees. Zuko assured him that everything would be okay and prompted him on some questions about financial aid and scholarships to ask her the next time the siblings spoke.

“Who are you?” Katara asked, bewildered.

Zuko and Sokka laughed.

“I was your brother’s roommate for the whole semester and a half he did at college. After he left, we still kept in touch.” He said.

“His uncle actually loaned me the money to open the shop.” Sokka added.

“And now look at it! I heard you did the flowers for some fancy wedding in the North Pole.” Zuko said with some gentle mocking.

Sokka put his hand in Zuko’s face, shoving him away unceremoniously. “That was my grandmother’s wedding and you know it.”

“Okay, I got it, you two are friends.” Katara muttered and Zuko grinned. “Are we getting the order or what?”

Zuko eagerly helped load the van, ignoring the spills and loose petals. Katara used her bending to fill the vases and he watched her with open curiosity. He hadn’t seen many Waterbenders in his life, having spent most of it in the Fire Nation with a few periods in the Earth Kingdom.

Well, there had been the one Waterbender.

Wanting to keep himself distracted, Zuko listened to Sokka and Katara bicker with each other over the water, the loading, and pretty much anything else. It was different from how he and Azula fought and it didn’t give him that same tight anxiety in his gut.

Sokka had talked a lot about Katara over the years, and she had even worked at the Ice Blossom before but he had never come out to see her. And she never went out with them as she apparently took online courses during the summer.

It was odd to know this much about her and when she turned to ask him questions, he felt the shift in his mind.

Sokka had told her nothing about him.

At first, it offended Zuko and stung. But as he put things together and saw the tired look in Katara’s face, he understood why. And it gave him the opportunity to be someone else.

Or to just be himself.

So he was evasive about his life outside of the Jasmine Dragon, explaining tersely about how he was working at his uncle’s tea shop and not saying much else.

Katara was kind and she was funny, finding Sokka’s weak points and needling him with impunity. She was also very pretty, which Zuko would never admit out loud.

Before he left, on an impulse that was only partly done to irritate his friend, Zuko plucked out a thin white flower from the center of the last vase. It was a filler flower, but Sokka had told him about what it was and where it grew. It was native to the South Pole and grew in abundance on the northern shores.

“Here.” He said, handing it to Katara. She took it, but paused as she stared at it.

“Why?” She asked with flat confusion. Zuko’s heart fell but he shrugged.

“I’m just glad to meet you.” He said. She looked back down at the flower and then back up at him. It was starting to bother him how unimpressed she looked.

Which was also curious in and of itself.

“I work here?” She stated slowly.

“Oh, well I’ll take it back then.” Zuko said with toying ease, covering his embarrassment. He reached out to take it back, but Katara yanked her hand out of reach. As she blushed, Zuko felt his heart stumble.

“No.” Katara snapped and then blushed. Her voice softened as she continued. “I mean, thank you.”

He smiled and ran a hand through his hair as he looked at her. Sokka, walking back from the van, shoved Zuko’s shoulder.

“Stop hitting on my sister.” He grumbled. Zuko laughed and glanced at Katara, who was looking away.

Had he been hitting on her? That probably wasn’t a good idea, all things considered. But it had been a long time since he had felt like this and it felt good.

Walking back to the van, Zuko whistled a tuneless song. There was nothing wrong with getting to know Katara. After all, she was the sister of his closest friend.

1 2 3

[beifongsss]

love amongst the dragons [zuko]

Pairing: Zuko x reader

Requested?: Yes! By an outstanding anon!: “hiya there I saw that you’re open for request and i’ve read all of your Zuko fics and they are incredible! I want to request a Zuko x reader too please in which it’s several years after his coronation and he’s back on vacation to Ember Island with the Gaang and Uncle Iroh, as it happens his favorite play “Love amongst the Dragons” is being performed and Zuko dragged them all to the theater, just for him to become mesmerized by the leading female performer which is the reader :) thanks xx”

i changed the request just a bit i’m sorry anon :(

Summary: When Iroh dragged everyone to the theatre while vacationing on Ember Island, Zuko did not expect to be so entranced by the lead play.

.masterlist.

~

Surprisingly, it hadn’t been Sokka’s idea this time.

Instead, it had been Iroh who had suggested that they go see “Love Amongst the Dragons” as soon as they got to Ember Island. It had been a few years since the Gaang had been on Ember Island but the stress of being Fire Lord was getting to Zuko so Iroh had written to all of his friends, inviting them to a week long retreat at the famed island. They had all accepted of course, especially when Iroh promised to bring them some of his favorite tea leaves.

Aang was undoubtedly the most excited, agreeing with Iroh’s idea almost immediately. Everyone else was a little hesitant, remembering the last time they had gone to see the Ember Island Players.

“C’mon Zuko,” Aang said, walking up to the older boy with a pleading look on his face. “Didn’t you say that it was your favorite play when you were a kid?”

“No,” Zuko snapped, looking away from Aang. “It was my mother’s favorite.”

The conversation had ended there, or so Zuko had thought. Halfway through the week, he had agreed to let Katara plan out a day’s schedule. He hadn’t expected her to give in to Aang’s request so easily although looking back on it now, he wondered how he expected her to deny her boyfriend anything. Especially when he had those big, sparkling eyes.

And so Fire Lord Zuko found himself being dragged into the theater by Toph, who was the only one he was scared of disobeying.

“C’mon Sparky Pants,” Toph said, tugging Zuko along as she made her way to the front row. “We got good seats this time so I can actually see what’s going on.”

Zuko huffed and rolled his eyes as he sat next to the small earthbender, Sokka sitting on his other side. Suki filled in the end of the row while Iroh, Aang, and Katara filled the second row. Toph turned to talk to Iroh, who was sitting directly behind Zuko, about the play and proceeded to ask him various questions. Zuko tried to ignore the girl, pouting as he realized that he was going to have to watch another butchered play.

After a few minutes, the lights dimmed and the theater’s manager stepped out on stage. His eyes quickly flickered to where the Gaang was sitting and Zuko sunk in his seat as he realized what was coming.

“Good evening everybody,” the man spoke, a wide smile now on his face “Thank you for joining us tonight for a very special showing of “Love Amongst the Dragons”. Tonight, we have our very own Fire Lord and the Avatar joining us. Please enjoy the show.”

The audience applauded as they all shifted their gazes to where Zuko was sitting. After receiving an encouraging kick from Iroh, he straightened up and forced a smile onto his face as he looked around and waved. Once the lights fully went out, he slumped in his seat, letting out a loud sigh as Toph snickered. 

He elbowed her softly, the two of them bickering quietly before Sokka suddenly began to repeatedly slap Zuko’s arm.

“Shh! It’s starting. Look!” Sokka was already invested in the play even though there wasn’t anything remotely interesting happening. Zuko let out another angst-filled sigh as he focused on the play, barely paying attention as the Dragon Emperor took the stage and the play began. Zuko couldn’t deny that the play wasn’t as bad as he remembered it being, but that still didn’t mean he was enjoying it.

Zuko’s eyelids were drooping as the play continued, the young Fire Lord barely paying attention as the Dragon Emperor was bound to the mortal world by the Dark Water Spirit and forced to take the name Noren. In fact, Zuko was about to give in and sleep through the play when his attention was caught by a loud, clear voice. He jolted up, his eyes landing on the actress who had just appeared on stage.

The entire theater went silent as you emerged, speaking your lines so smoothly that it seemed as though you were merely having a conversation and not acting. You were wearing a gorgeous blue dress, the hem swaying as you walked forwards. Your steps were swift but gentle, making it seem as though you were gliding across the stage.

Zuko was so entranced by you acting that he didn’t look away from you once, not even when you subtly looked over to the area where they had told you that the Fire Lord and his friends were sitting in. Your eyes swept across the audience as you spoke, and you had to take a deep breath when you accidentally made eye contact with a pair of piercing golden eyes. You mentally thanked the makeup artist, glad that your blush wasn’t visible.

Back in the audience, Zuko’s jaw dropped slightly as his eyes met yours and he mentally thanked the spirits that Toph had gotten front row seats. You were gorgeous, ethereal. Your (H/C) hair was styled perfectly and your eyes were sparkling. Zuko felt a bit breathless.

“So,” Toph whispered, leaning in towards Zuko. “I take it the leading actress is hot?”

Zuko stayed silent, looking at Toph with a panicked expression as he wondered how she knew that if she was blind. Snorting, Toph explained. “Your heart rate shot up when she came out Sparky. You’re not the most subtle.”

A scowl formed on Zuko’s face but before he could reply, Sokka did it for him.

“Hey Zuko, buddy,” Sokka said, looking at the boy. “Maybe you should close your mouth before you catch any flies. Not that I blame you, she’s beautiful.”

“Who is?” Suki asked, leaning in close so that she wasn’t too loud. Zuko stuttered for a moment before Sokka once again spoke.

“The lead!”

“Oh yeah, she’s gorgeous,” Suki agreed, leaning back in her seat.

“If only I were single,” Sokka and Suki sighed in unison, giving each other slightly offended looks before dissolving into a fit of giggles. Zuko rolled his eyes at their antics before focusing on the play once again.

The rest of the play passed flawlessly, and Zuko found his attention captured by you every single second you were onstage. For once, he didn’t feel bored. It wasn’t only because you were attractive (he had given up denying that statement after Sokka had elbowed him for the fiftieth time), it was because after years he was finally seeing his mother’s favorite play being performed the way it was meant to be.

Even on stage you didn’t remain oblivious to the gaze that followed you around. Sure, you had whole audiences who watched you, but the stare that the Fire Lord was giving you was intense and you began to wonder if he wasn’t enjoying the play. Your fellow actors had noticed as well, and during the intermission you found yourself being teased about your new “admirer”.

It was also during the intermission that the manager slipped backstage and informed the cast that the Fire Lord and his friends would be coming backstage after the show. The cast all slipped into a panic as you tried to clean up the space as best as you could. The rest of the play passed by in a blur, everyone anxious for what was to come. Even with the nervousness, you never messed up once and Zuko’s eyes stayed on you the whole time.

On stage, Noren managed to defeat the Dark Water Spirit and reunite with your character, who ended up being the Dragon Empress. In Zuko’s opinion, the play ended way too quickly. He found himself clapping a little too loudly, causing Sokka to give him a sly glance as he stretched slightly and began to make his way out of the row. He didn’t get too far before Iroh gently grabbed his arm, causing him to stop and look at the older male in confusion.

“We are not leaving yet Zuko,” Iroh said, a suspicious glimmer in his eyes as he smiled at the boy. “The theater manager is an old Pai Sho buddy of mine and he agreed to give us a tour backstage.”

“You mean we’ll get to meet the actors?” Aang asked, exchanging excited glances with Sokka. Iroh nodded. The group began to walk towards the stage, Toph staying behind slightly as she noticed that Zuko hadn’t moved from his spot.

“Try not to embarrass yourself Sparky,” she teased, punching his arm as she walked past him. Grumbling, Zuko followed the small girl backstage and came to a stop next to Sokka.

“Ah, Sotar!” Iroh exclaimed, embracing the theater manager. The two men laughed and greeted each other before he turned and bowed to Zuko.

“Fire Lord Zuko,” Sotar said before turning and bowing to Aang. “Avatar Aang. It is an honor to have you here. I hope the play was to your liking.”

“It was awesome!” Aang replied, bringing a smile to Sotar’s face. He turned to Zuko but before he could answer, someone bumped into him. Zuko turned to face the person, coming face to face with the lead actor.

“Forgive me, Fire Lord Zuko,” the actor said, bowing deeply after regaining his balance. “I lost my balance.”

“It’s alright,” Zuko replied quietly, shifting closer to Sokka. “Your performance was great.”

“Jenor is the finest actor we have,” Sotar boasted, smiling proudly at the actor. “We are truly lucky to have him.”

The actor, Jenor, blushed lightly at the praise before speaking. “Thank you, but I’m afraid the real star of the show is (Y/N). I wonder where she is.”

“I’m right here.”

The group turned around as a quiet voice spoke. Zuko’s breath caught in his throat as his eyes landed on you. Spirits, you were prettier up close.

“Um, thanks,” you said, the blush dusting your cheeks visible now that you had taken off your makeup. You ignored Jenor’s gaze as you remembered the teasing from earlier.

Zuko’s eyes widened in embarrassment as he realized that he had spoken out loud. He immediately avoided your gaze, instead shooting a glare at Sokka as the boy tried not to choke on his laughter.

“Good going Sparky,” Toph whispered, a smirk playing at the edge of her lips. Zuko rolled his eyes at the younger girl before focusing on you as you walked up to him.

“Fire Lord Zuko,” you said, dropping into a dramatic bow. You proceeded to do the same thing to Aang before giving slightly smaller bows to everybody else. “I am (Y/N) (L/N), lead actress of “Love Amongst the Dragons”. It is truly an honor to be in your presence. I hope you enjoyed the show.”

Zuko didn’t trust himself to speak without embarrassing himself again and instead chose to stay silent, merely bowing his head in response.

“Zuko, where are your manners?!” Iroh spoke, coming up behind his nephew. “My apologies Miss (Y/N), my nephew greatly enjoyed the performance. He was so impressed by it that his eyes didn’t leave you for a single second!”

This time, Sokka couldn’t hold back his laughter, resulting in Suki grabbing his hand and pulling him away from the group. “We’re gonna go look at the ummm, at the costumes!”

Aang engaged in a conversation with Jenor, and the two of them began to walk away slowly, trying to escape the awkward situation created by Iroh. Zuko stood in Iroh’s grasp, trying his best not to shoot a glare at his uncle as Katara stared as him.

“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” you finally said, smiling softly at the retired general’s words. “We all put in a lot of work.”

“It was most impressive indeed,” Iroh said, straightening up and looking around. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have quite a bit of catching up to do with Sotar.”

You gave Iroh one last bow before he hurried off, trying to locate his old friend. It was silent for a few seconds before Toph finally spoke up. “Hey Katara? Where did Aang go? He promised me he was going to be my guide for the night!”

Katara smirked slightly at Toph’s words, knowing that the girl didn’t need a guide. She reached over and grabbed the girl’s hands before looking at you and Zuko apologetically. “I’m sorry, we really have to go find Aang. It was nice to meet you (Y/N), you are an amazing actress.”

You thanked the Water Tribe girl as she walked away before facing Zuko, who was currently struggling as he tried to figure out what to say.

“So,” he finally spoke, losing his train of thought as he noticed the small smile on your face. “You like acting?”

The smile on your face widened at his words. “Yes I do, Fire Lord Zuko.”

Zuko’s face scrunched up at the use of his title, not liking how formal you were being. “You don’t have to call me ‘Fire Lord’. Just Zuko is fine.”

You nodded silently before speaking again. “Alright Zuko. If you don’t mind me asking, why did you choose to come watch the play? I’m certain that as the Fire Lord, you have more exciting things to do.”

Zuko smiled at your teasing tone, relaxing slightly as he realized that you were treating him as normally as you could. “We’re on vacation. My uncle remembered that this was my mother’s favorite play and Aang insisted on watching it.”

“Oh?” you asked mildly surprised. You vaguely remembered Fire Lady Ursa and you felt your heart ache slightly for the Fire Lord. “It was?”

“Yeah,” Zuko nodded, still not meeting your eyes for fear of freezing up. “She would make us watch it every year when we came here on vacation. I always begged her to leave me at home.”

“Why?”

“Because the Ember Island Players always butchered the play,” Zuko said immediately, his eyes widening when he realized what he had said. He glanced up to meet your eyes, prepared to apologize for offending you.

Instead, he was met with eyes full of mirth and his panic subsided faintly as you began to chuckle.

“I-I’m sorry,” Zuko said, trying to take his words back. “I didn’t mean t-”

“No, no,” you cut him off, sending him an apologetic smile. “You’re absolutely right. Not to sound rude or anything, but I think that was partly due to the fact that the previous lead actress was so hard to work with. I think that the play has become somewhat better since then.”

“Definitely,” Zuko said, chuckling along with you. “They certainly made the right choice when casting the lead actress. You did an amazing job.”

It was your turn to blush as Zuko kept speaking.

“You’re very talented, (Y/N). You have such a powerful stage presence and the delivery of your lines is flawless. You truly stole the show. I think that the audience was more focused on you than they were on Jenor and you managed to keep everyone captivated.”

“Including you, my Lord?” you asked, a flirtatious lilt to your voice as you spoke. Zuko’s next words faltered as his eyes met yours and you felt yourself smirk lightly as a deep blush spread across his cheeks.

“Especially him!” Toph’s loud voice rang as she leaned against Zuko’s shoulder. You burst into laughter at the young girl’s words and Zuko found himself speechless at your laugh. Apparently everything about you was beautiful.

“I thought you were going to find Aang,” Zuko said through gritted teeth, pushing Toph off of him.

“I was but Iroh sent me to tell you it’s time to go,” Toph said, a wide grin on her face. “Oh, and he also told me to tell (Y/N) that he’d love it if you joined Zuko here for a cup of tea at the Jasmine Dragon next time you’re free.”

Zuko groaned at her words and shot a glare at his uncle, not wanting to meet your eyes for fear of rejection.

“I’d be honored to,” came your reply. Zuko’s head whipped around and he stared at you as you grinned at him. “That is, if it’s okay with the Fire Lord.”

A little starstruck, Zuko simply nodded. You stepped closer to him, leaning up to press a kiss to his cheek. “It’s a date then.”

Zuko grinned dazedly as he was pulled away by Toph, a teasing smile on her face as she led him to the rest of the group. You looked after them for a few seconds before walking away, only pausing to laugh at their conversation.

“I can’t believe your uncle has to set up your dates for you.”

“Shut up!”

~

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