#zuko x non bender

[jana2071]

MY OTPs!

[kakusu-shipping]

I have a really funny concept for an Azula reverse self ship (because I can't make a regular self insert work with her), and I'm trying to decide if it'd be funnier to make her a History RPF girlie or if the reason Zuko had to sit through Ember Island player's butchering Love Amongst the Dragons was because Azula had a massive crush on one of the characters and DEMANDED they went to see it every year.

[floatyflowers]

Dark Platonic! Fire Nation Royal Family x Non-bender Reader

Part 2

With Ozai:

At first he didn't accept the fact that you, his youngest child, is a non-bender, and ignored your existence.

That was until he noticed how his older brother, Iroh, spends time with you, Ozai got extremely jealous.

And decided to spend time with you, only to realize that you are his favorite child, and felt like an actual father.

Yes, you can't firebend nor do you even have the ability to protect yourself.

But why would you need to protect yourself when your father is going to be the Phoenix king of the fire nation?

Ozai will burn down the world for you.

"You, my sweet child, will grow up in the presence of a very powerful father"

With Ursa:

When Ursa found out that you couldn't bend, she became overprotective of you to the point of paranoia.

Since childhood, she refused to allow you to play with anyone except Zuko.

One time, one of her handmaidens scolded you harshly for playing outside without your mother's permission which resulted in you bursting into tears.

The next day, that handmaiden was fired and Ursa made sure that she gets no other jobs.

While thinking of escaping, she thought to take you with her.

However, Ozai has forbidden that from happening.

"When you find out the truth, promise to come find me"

With Azulon

While still alive, he made sure you had the best education and guards.

Azulon also made sure to have you believe that the fire nation is without mistakes or faults.

He tried manipulating you into believing that just your loyalty to your people is enough duty.

However, you are kind, too kind.

Yet, he Azulon didn't hate you for it even if he considered a weak trait to have in the royal family.

He also still has the flower crown you made him stored away safely so it doesn't rot.

It is rumored that the last word he muttered was your name.

With Iroh

Uncle Iroh isn't really as possessive as the other characters, but he focuses on advising you from time to time.

You enjoy drinking tea with him and gossiping about everything.

Even though, Ozai has forbidden him from speaking with you, you would sneak behind your father's back to drink tea with him.

After the loss of his son in the war, Lu Ten, Iroh felt depressed.

Yet you managed to comfort him with your cheerfulness and playful attitude.

It reminded him of his son.

"The best quality in a princess is her kindness, something which your sister clearly lacks"

With Zuko

Zuko thought you would be like Azula but you have proven him wrong.

You are kind, gentle, and nurturing just like your and his mother.

That's why Zuko always found himself by your side, being your playmate...being your protecter.

His mother told him that it's his duty to protect you from danger considering that he is your older brother.

Even though Azula has never hurt you, but Zuko was always wary of her, especially after his mother disappeared.

When Ozai challenged him to an Agni Kai, you were the first to cry out and plead with him to let Zuko off, but Ozai felt jealous of your relationship with Zuko and was determined to teach his son a lesson.

However when your brother got banished, Zuko took you with him in secret not wanting you to be left with Azula.

"I know the journey will take long but once I restore my honor we can return home together"

With Azula

Azula was extremely jealous when you were born, thinking that you will take all the attention from her.

But she realized that you deserve all the attention.

You didn't treat her like a monster, you weren't scared of her.

Instead you showed her love and called her 'big sister'

You would cling to her as a toddler, whenever there was lightning, you would secretly sneak to her room and sleep beside her.

"How can you be scared of lightning, we control it, silly"

Mai and Ty Lee saw how Azula softens whenever you are around.

And when Azula discovered that you have left with Zuko, she destroyed everything in her way and burned a few servants.

"She's mine, and only MINE"

[queenpiranhadon]

A/N: You all voted on this poll, and this poll, and this poll, and after a LOT of voting, I present you this :) BIG thanks to @that-multi-fandom-hijabi for beta reading this go follow her writing acc rn (@novaaaaaa-writes). Here's my masterlist!

Warning(s): Enemies to lovers trope, mentions of burning, stabbing, blood, bad descriptions of both fire of water (ice, snow ?) bending, Zuko is whipped, just a little confused about it, reader is a baddie, water benders unite (not me tho), reader is GN but written with f!reader in mind, reader looks non-threatening, is underestimated a lot, this takes place at the end of season one, I think that's it

Pairing: Prince Zuko x GN!Reader

•──•°•❀•°•─── ʜɪꜱ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴡᴀᴛᴇʀʙᴇɴᴅᴇʀ ───•°•☁︎•°•───•

“You shouldn’t be here” you glare, your gaze sending shivers down his spine. 

But that could just be because of all the snow and ice surrounding the both of you. 

The fire prince remains unfazed though, his amber eyes sweeping over your form- assessing the threat you posed. 

He could take you down in seconds. 

Zuko doesn’t respond to your jab though, because he knew you were wrong. He had to be here, it was the only way he could finally receive his father’s favor- as the heir and as the son of Firelord Ozai. It was his duty, his honor. 

And he wasn’t going to let a non-threatening waterbender get in the way of that. 

Reaching back, he unsheathes his dual swords, the glint of the waning moonlight reflecting the dangerous glint in his eye. 

And yet you didn’t back down.  

Pooling some water from your waterskin, you assumed the stance you had trained yourself to take whenever you honed your skills. One with the water, one with the ice.  

‘Power should flow, not force itself” Master Pakku had told you once.  

People had always underestimated your skills, saying you were better suited for healing. But after showing Master Pakku how you could use your bending to control the falling snow around you, he gave you a chance.  

He had told you to let the power settle in your body before releasing, instead of forcing it out immediately. Conceal and then control. 

You met Zuko’s fiery gaze with an icy one of your own. You were going to protect your home.  

With a yell, you form flurries of snow, whipping around your form as you channel your strength to change the form of your flurry, snow turning to water, water turning to sharp daggers of pure ice.  

Zuko scowls, setting his hands ablaze and you run at each other, fire meeting ice.  

Time slows down, as the intensity of your elements picks up, until all you could hear was the steady thump – thump – thump – of your heart, and the roar of crystalline knives swirling around you. 

Flames lick the side of your leg, wincing as the raw burn of the fire sears through your skin in white-hot pain. Razor sharp icy shards cut into Zuko’s skin, finding chinks in his armor, piercing his flesh and drawing blood. 

The snow beneath the both of you was dotted red now, both of you staring at each other, panting heavily.  

“You really shouldn’t be here.” you repeat again, but this time, it was barely a whisper, swallowing down tears as the cold wind of the Northern Water Tribe stung your gaping wounds. 

Zuko growls, grunting in pain as he pulls a shard of ice out of his skin.“I don’t take orders from a little waterbender” he spat, venom dripping from his words. 

You reciprocate with a snide comment of your own. “This ‘little waterbender’ just sunk 5 icicles into your skin.” 

Zuko was just about ready to tear your head off, hands igniting with vermillion flames before you collapse, the burns along your thigh and calf were much more severe than either of you realized.  

You choke out a sob of pain but keep your control of the water left in your waterskin. You couldn’t die, not today, and not at the hands of the prince of the Fire Nation.  

Zuko’s heart throbs unexpectedly, the look on your face too familiar for comfort. The face of someone who worked so desperately hard, only for all that effort to go down the drain. But he didn’t care for you. He couldn’t- couldn’t grow attachment to a non-threatening waterbender. Yet you sat there on the snow, dotted with blood, with that raw look in your eyes. His flames extinguished, without him meaning to.  

You flinched as he threw his swords down frustrated, impaling themselves into the nearby snow mound, standing straight up. 

He stomps over to you, and you frantically move back, but your leg flares up in pain again, and you yelp, hissing in pain.

“Stop moving, you’ll make it worse.” he says, glaring at you, but not as intensely as he had before.  

You want to scream, kick him, punch him, anything, but your body betrays you as he sweeps you up into his arms, carrying you to the nearest place he can find, where he can keep you safe. You feel his strong arms hook under your knees and under your back, holding you securely to his firm chest. Even through his armor, he radiates warmth, a gentle heat, unlike the flames he threw at you merely minutes ago.  

He hates this, with every fiber in my being, his voice screaming at him to drop you and burn your frail body to a crisp, vengeance for the blood dripping from his own body, but he keeps moving, step after painstaking step. 

You try to stay awake, you really do, yet channeling so much energy from your battle, the numb throb in your lower leg, and the comforting heat radiating off the fire prince who refuses to look at you, you slip into unconsciousness.  

Zuko feels a weight press against his chest, and he huffs, honey-colored eyes catching onto the details of your face, the curve of your nose, the apples of your cheeks, the slight pout of your lips as you nuzzle into his armor unintentionally, how pretty you were when you were at peace. 

He stops himself there, reprimanding himself for thinking such things. He can’t have feelings for the enemy. 

And yet, even as he and his troops head home, battle wearing and dejected from the loss of a major battle, Zuko can’t help but think about his little waterbender.  

*** 

When you wake up, the kind woman tending to you tells you all about the mysterious and handsome man who carried your sleeping form across the entire Northern Water Tribe because he didn’t know where the healing center was.  

[melzula]

Okay I have an request

So like we are azula and zuko sister and we adored by both but like in the catacombs we choose gaang over azula and zuko of this and please can y/n x sokka and now zuko now wants to join gaang and yeah I am not good with words I hope u understand what I said😁

Y/n can be a firebender or non bender its ur choice anyway

a/n: okay so there’s a lot to tackle in this request which is why i chose to do it as headcanons so i hope you don’t mind !

summary: being the middle child isn’t easy, especially when your siblings are Zuko and Azula

As the only non-bender and middle child of the royal family, you never felt like you mattered

You were the Black Swan of the palace, a disgrace to your father and his image

You kept to yourself, staying in the shadows and out of his way while your siblings took the spotlight

However, just because your father looked down upon you didn’t mean your siblings shared his sentiment

In fact, they adored you

Zuko was an attentive older brother. He let you follow him everywhere, defended you against anyone who dared speak badly about you, and was your shoulder to cry on whenever your father was feeling particularly cruel

He saw you for who you were, and who you were was an intelligent, kind, talented young woman meant to do great things in her lifetime

Azula, while being particularly mean to Zuko at times, never once treated you the way she saw her brother

Despite you being a nonbender, she surprisingly never speaks down to you or makes you feel less than

It could be because she doesn’t see you as competition as she does Zuko, or maybe she truly does just feel genuine sisterly love for you

Maybe it’s because whenever she felt your mother was unfairly favoring your brother over her, you were always there to assure her that she was a wonderful bender and just as important

Maybe it’s because sometimes she wished you could be her mother instead

Whatever her reasoning, Azula sees you as a comforting presence in her life. She seeks your validation constantly almost as much as your father’s, and she’d do anything to protect you and your honor

Things became worse for you when Ursa left. She could no longer intervene when your father felt like tormenting you, and your siblings knew better than to say anything in your defense. Shortly after her banishment, Ozai deems it best to send you away to the academy since he has no other use for you

Your departure is hard for both siblings. Zuko is gutted that he can no longer be there to protect you or look after you. Though she acts as if she couldn’t care less, Azula is devastated at your leaving. Her source of comfort is being ripped away from her, and she has no one to look out for her

At the academy you learn various forms of physical combat and weaponry wielding. You’re especially fond of using tanto swords in battle and they’ve become your weapon of choice when in a fight

Zuko and Azula send you letters during your stay at school behind your father’s back updating you about your home, their lives, and their annoyance of each other. You keep every single one they send, and it eases the ache of your home sickness

It’s also at the school that you learn of the Agni Kai and Zuko’s banishment. Your heart breaks for your older brother, and you’re devastated at the fact that you never got the chance to say goodbye and you may never see him again. He still sends letter for a time, but as the years pass they become less frequent and almost nonexistent. Azula’s letters follow the same path

Years pass and your father deems it time for you to come home. Now that you’ve made a decent fighter out of yourself he finds your worthy of being his daughter again

However, your stay is short lived. Azula recruits you to be part of her little team to capture the Avatar and your brother, and you don’t really have any other choice but to agree

You downplay how skilled you are in fighting so that she doesn’t expect much from you and force you to do too much of the work. You don’t want to go against her, but you also don’t want to have to fight your brother and your uncle

You also don’t exactly feel good about destroying the world’s last hope for peace

And that’s why, when the time comes, you choose the Avatar over your siblings

You’re tired of being pulled back and forth, of always being stuck between your siblings with no real purpose, of not being able to do anything for yourself

Zuko is astonished by your choice and conflicted. Just when he finally had found his way back into the family you chose to leave it. Why were you doing this? Why were you ruining everything?

Azula is furious. Your betrayal hurts worse than mother’s. You’d always taken her side, always comforted her and supported her, you’d always been there, and now you were leaving. How dare you leave her?

“You fool!” She’d cried, angrily sending a blast of blue flames your way knowing you wouldn’t be able to stop it. If not for Iroh, surely her strike would have ended you. The fact that your own sister was willing to hurt you for the cause was enough proof to know you were making the right decision

You help the Avatar escape and join his group, vowing to help them in any way you can to win the war. Your fighting skills and knowledge of the Fire Nation makes you a big help and they appreciate your assistance

It doesn’t take long for you to win their trust and acclimate into their group. You become fast friends with everyone, growing especially close to Sokka who may or may not have a huge crush on you

He definitely becomes your shoulder to lean on when things get tough, because he knows it can’t be easy for you to just leave all you’ve ever known behind. you struggle constantly over having to choose the Avatar over your siblings, but he constantly assures you that you’ve made the right choice

Least to say your departure makes Zuko’s return home even more conflicting and turmoil filled. How can he enjoy being back home when you’re not there to enjoy it with him? How could he be happy knowing his sister was out there risking her life to help the Avatar?

Your decision definitely inspires his own to leave the Fire Nation and aid Aang and his friends

Your abandonment of your siblings also fuels Azula’s descent into madness, fueling her fire to continue her mission to capture the Avatar

It’s a rough position you’ve found yourself in, but it’s not like your whole life hasn’t been you stuck in a terrible spot

Being the middle child is hard, especially when your siblings are Zuko and Azula

[o-solemioo]

it's everybody's favourite season! click here if you need a referral as to what i'll be doing for kinktober. we're starting out pretty tame, but it will get better pretty quickly!

— kinktober 2024 - hickeys

☾ pairing: zuko x male!reader x sokka (could be read as gn!) ☾ summary: if you can't beat 'em, join em. or you just can't seem to get a moment's peace away from zuko and sokka ☾ warnings: 2nd person (you), suggestive but no outright smut, hickeys (obviously), set in season 3, reader isn't technically dating either of them, throuple/love triangle, reader is a non-bender, reader doesn't really know how to handle mass amounts of affection, not proofread. ☾ w๏rd c๏unt: 751

—

Finally, a moment to yourself.

You hadn't been left alone once in all the time you've been travelling. You couldn't be mad at Aang, he was on a mission. Toph and Katara were cool, so you didn't mind their presence. Sokka and Zuko, on the other hand? If they talked to you one more time, you might die. Sokka kept bugging you to teach him how to fight, and Zuko just would shut up; he was talking your ear off, and it seemed like no matter what you did, you couldn't get away from them.

Wandering around the Earth Kingdom? Zuko would be giving you a history lesson. Relaxing on the beach? Sokka was splashing you with water or kicking sand onto you.

Now, here you were, a few feet away from the camp everyone had set up, trying to get some well-deserved rest.

You heard a twig snap behind you and whipped your head around, only to find Zuko standing there with a deer-dog in the lights look. "Sorry," he muttered out, looking genuinely apologetic.

"Why are you awake?" You sighed, adjusting yourself on the tree you had been leaning against. "Just... couldn't sleep. Too lost in thought." He slumped down beside you, careful not to get too close to you; he knew how much you valued your personal space.

You hummed in response, expecting him to start rambling into your ear again and getting zero sleep. But when you glanced over, you could only see how tired he actually looked. Without warning, he leaned against your shoulder and closed his eyes with a tired sigh. "'M sorry," he managed to slur out again. For some reason, you didn't seem to mind.

It was like that for a while, just quiet, the two of you drifting off peacefully, before Sokka stumbled over. "Why are you two so far away?" He exaggerated in a voice that was entirely too loud. Zuko groaned, frustrated at being disturbed. You just shushed him, furrowing your brows with your eyes still closed. Sokka decided to sit himself on the opposite side of you from Zuko, still grumbling and half-asleep. You continued to nod off, barely able to keep your eyes open with how tired you were.

Suddenly, you felt something on your neck. You went to swat at it, thinking it was just a bug, but when you brought your hand up, the only thing you felt was soft hair. You blinked yourself awake and glanced down to find Zuko with his lips against your neck.

"Zuko, what the hell are you doing?" You whispered, too tired to put a voice behind the words. Zuko just hummed, still brushing his lips against your skin, hiding his face in the crook of your neck. Sokka's head left your shoulder as he shifted. "I thought we had an agreement..." He huffed as he sat himself up more. Sokka's words didn't register in your mind as Zuko began to nip gently at your neck. Your breath hitched; you were definitely awake now. Sokka nearly ripped Zuko off of you, arguing with him in a hushed tone, with words you couldn't make out with the crackling of the campfire outweighing the sound of any conversation.

You sat up, forcing yourself fully awake, and cleared your throat. "Hey," you spoke groggily. Zuko and Sokka both turned to face you, Zuko almost as red as a tomato. "What... was all that for?" You looked up at the two of them. Zuko was still embarrassed, and Sokka still looked upset. From there, something just sort of... clicked.

"Come here," You gestured to both of them, waving them over. They both sat back down on their respective sides, and you placed a tender kiss on both of their foreheads. Zuko immediately took that as confirmation and began to damn near ravish your neck, pressing fiery kisses against the sensitive skin and sucking dark marks into the flesh.

You subconsciously tilted your head, granting better access for Zuko. When your head hit Sokka's shoulder gently, you tilted it up and he gently pressed jealous kisses to your lips, seeking any form of 'retribution' after Zuko "practically stole you" from him, in his own words.

You wouldn't talk about this in the morning. You would hide the marks, though Zuko would catch a glimpse and his eyes would soften. You really didn't know if you would ever talk about this again. But for now, the feeling of those burning marks and passionate kisses was enough.

—

[atla-confessions]

Imagine an Arcane x ATLA AU (this is not a perfect swap, but I think it will make sense for the story) where Piltover is a city dominated by Benders and Zaun by non-benders. The rivalry and duality between Benders' spirituality and non-benders' high technology would be the center of the story. Katara and Sokka live with the Freedom Fighters, and everything changes for Sokka when Katara liberates a frozen Aang from a Piltover house. This event starts the story until Sokka and Katara get separated. Now, Sokka is an extremely genius engineer who has created great weapons and has become a revolutionary symbol of Zaun and non-benders (pretty much like Jinx). He is tormented by the memories of his family's death and the last fight he had with his sister. Katara ends up in jail and wants to find her brother. Zuko and Toph both have the role of Caitlyn but with different purposes: Toph joins Sokka and the Zaun because she is sick of Piltover's hypocrisy and regiment (after all, she hates a big city with walls and rules), while Zuko investigates Zaun and seeks the help of Aang and Katara. Azula is a twisted and manipulative version of Mel Medarda who wants to use hextech to gain more power and exploit the inventions and studies of a gentle scientist, Yue (who, in the second season, is turned into a galaxy goddess like Viktor) and Suki is the "Savior Girl" ;) . Thus, Azula has both Jayce's and Mel's roles. The rivalry between Katara, representing Piltover, and Sokka, representing Zaun, is going to be really strong. Aang, as the Avatar, needs to find a way to maintain balance in the world between the essence, philosophy, and spirituality of bending and the sudden technological advancements of non-benders, while also reconciling Sokka and Katara.

X

[imagines--galore]

||The Thread of Fate|| Part Thirty-Six

Summary: Soulmate AU. They say the Thread of Fate connects you to your one true love. It may tangle. It may stretch. But it will never break. Wrapped around your little finger it tightens when it feels your soulmate is close and loosens when they are far. And becomes visible with the colors of your soulmate’s Nation when you finally fall in love with them.

Pairing: Zuko x OroraOC (ATLA)

Rating || Genres || Warnings: T+ Romance. Adventure.

Previous Chapters - Masterlist

A/N: I had WAY too much fun writing this chapter :3

Their walk down to the local market area was uneventful.

To anyone watching, it would be a rather normal sight to see several teenagers laughing and talking as they went about enjoying themselves.

No one would ever suspect that the small group of children were actually rather lethal when it came to a specific set of skills. Not to mention the raw power and talent each of them carried within them.

There was Aang, the Avatar who was well on his way to mastering all four elements, an unassuming young boy of thirteen who was smiling from ear to ear as he walked behind the hooded figure of Zuko, Crown Prince of the Fire Nation, a skillful firebender, not to mention a prodigy when it came to sword fighting. He was leading the group because he knew the way to the Market.

Though he would've much preferred to walked beside his soulmate even if it meant being teased mercilessly by the rest of the group.

Then again, Aang wasn't exactly letting up either. He nudged Zuko, a playful smile on his lips. "You sure firebenders don't burst into flames Zuko?" He asked, to which the Prince frowned in confusion. "No, they do not. Why would you ask that?" He said, to which Aang simply grinned wider, if that were even possible.

"I was afraid I'd have to find a new firebender teacher there, you looked like you were about to go up in flames when you saw Orora." Zuko's nostrils flared, and Aang was almost sure he saw steam coming out of the older boy's ears. His entire face turned red, and he opened his mouth to tell the grinning boy off.

As if on cue, the two laughing figures of Katara and Orora raced past the two boys, with the former having teasingly flicked the latter with some ice cold water. The two boys followed their soulmate's playful and giggling figures, watching as Orora tackled Katara and began to mess up her hair in retaliation.

Though she was unaware of it, Orora had reached the same level of Mastery over waterbending as Katara. They were both talented and powerful benders in their own right. Though their fighting styles were distinctly different. Katara was always more on the defensive side, seeking to cause minimum damage while she protected herself as well as those around her who needed aid. Orora, meanwhile, was the opposite. She wasn't afraid to attack first and neutralize the threat if she had the opportunity. The two girls complimented one another, with Katara and her more nurturing side, and Orora with her more protective side.

"Get off Orora!"

"Make me!"

Though their childish tendencies did tend to come out every now and then, since well, they were still children.

Zuko and Aang were standing there transfixed, for lack of a better word. It was rare to see the two girls just laugh and be themselves without the worries of the world weighing down on them. The adoration in Zuko's molten gaze, and the longing in Aang's stormy eyes was evident as the two girls linked arms and began to lead the way instead, chattering non-stop as they went.

"Are you two gonna keep staring at them all day?" Came the gloating voice of the World's Greatest Earthbender. "Cuz if your heartbeats go any faster then they already are, I'm gonna assume we ran into the Fire Lord on his shopping spree or something." Toph's voice seemed to snap them out of whatever reverie they were experiencing. Zuko reached up to pull the hood even tighter around his face, while Aang pushed his hat down further, nearly covering his eyes. The blind girl let out a cackle as she lightly punched both boys in the arm as she passed by. "Keep walking Lover Boys." She teased,

Though she missed The Duke fiercely, a realization that had surprised her more then anything, Toph was happy that her friends were finally starting to relax and enjoy the companies of their soulmates. Honestly, in her opinion, they were all making issues out of nothing. Except Sokka and Suki.

Still, she was willing to nudge Twinkletoes and Sugar Queen in the right direction if the need arose. And Toph was sure the need would rise. As for Ice Princess and Firebug? Well Toph was happy with simply teasing them both whenever she felt like it.

And that was all the time.

Who knew a girl like her, who had been treated as an invalid and had been kept in isolation her entire life would be part of a group of people who were just as extraordinary as she was.

Well maybe not exactly as she was, because lets face it, she was still the best out of them all, the girl figured smugly.

Though she was glad for every single one of them.

Bringing up the rear of their small group, Suki and Sokka walked hand in hand, with the former simply enjoying the scenery around her. She'd been locked up for way too long, and had missed the landscape she had gotten so used to seeing. Now though, after all those months at the Boiling Rock, Suki wasn't about to take the beautiful scenery around her for granted.

From the well worn dirt path they walked on, to the plants and foliage on either side, to the beach that ran along the right side, the waves crashing against the shore. The wind carried the smell of the sea, yet she had never felt something so free. A ridiculous notion, air having the scent of freedom, and yet for Suki it fit.

The leader of the Kiyoshi Warriors was an intimidating and formidable warrior, Anyone would testify to that. She could take down opponents bigger then her, and do so without breaking a sweat. Extracting information from those unwilling to speak was a skill that had come quite easily to her.

And yet, in that moment, she was just a girl, holding hands with her soulmate, as they followed after their friends. "You're not gonna go and join Toph?" She asked, knowing just how much Sokka adored any and all opportunities he could get to annoy Zuko. The Water Tribe Warrior shrugged. "I'll get to him later. Let Toph have her fun first." He chuckled, glancing at Suki with a smile. "Besides, I like walking with you more." He admitted, squeezing her hand lightly as he did.

If any of the others heard him, Sokka was sure he would never hear the end of it. And yet, he didn't really care. Ever since Azula had told him of Suki's capture, he had been beating himself over and over for not going to her rescue. But then where would he have even begun?

Not like he could go to every single prison in the Fire Nation to try and see if she was there.

And though he could've used his string for guidance, other more pressing matters had stopped him from doing his heart's bidding. So he had waited and fate smiled on him that day at the Boiling Rock. The Sokka from just a few months ago would hit him over the head for wasting time and not continuing his training as a Warrior. But then during his travels Sokka had seen just how badly some soulmate destinies could turn out. Look at what had happened to all his friends, even his sisters.

Toph, who was separated from The Duke until the foreseeable future.

Aang and Katara, who were refusing to even speak of their bond, just because they were too scared of being a distraction to the other.

Zuko and Orora, who had been on the opposite sides of the war, were only just beginning to find themselves with one another.

As he glanced at Suki's smiling face, Sokka couldn't help but thank Yue for sending her to him.

Turning a corner, the small group came to a halt at the sight of the market that sprawled in front of them. They were mostly stalls and tents, set up by the merchants who were passing by. Ember Island was a good source of income for merchants who brought goods from all over the world. The food stalls were run by the locals though, dabbling in local cuisine mostly.

And since Zuko had been there before, all eyes turned to him, looking to him for guidance. A rather uncomfortable notion for the Prince since all his life he'd been sidelined and told to keep his opinions to himself. By everyone other then Iroh and Orora of course.

A brief brush of a familiar warmth against his fingers, had the boy glancing briefly at Orora, who was smiling at him in an encouraging manner.

He cleared his throat. "We can split up and get what we need, or we can travel in a group." He shrugged. "I vote we stick together, so we can keep an eye out for one another." Aang said, to which the others quickly agreed. Nodding Zuko continued. "Alright then."

Reaching underneath his cloak, the young Prince pulled out a large coin purse that was filled to the brim with Fire Nation currency. "I took the liberty of taking some money out of the safe back at the house." He explained, as he showed everyone the money.

Toph cackled. "We get to spend the Fire Lord's money." Sokka smiled gleefully as he clapped his hands like an excited child. "I can't wait to visit the weapons shop."

                                            ————————–

Suki wasn't exactly picky with what she wanted to buy for herself. It was just that she was a little sad about not wearing the colors she was familiar with. The others could at least wear the clothes of their Nation whenever they felt like it because they had that option.

While she was stuck wearing red.

Seriously the Fire Nation had so many varying shades of red it was ridiculous.

Holding up two blouses she glanced at one, then at the other. "Er....what exactly is the different between these two?" She asked, glancing at the shopkeeper from the seemingly similar items of clothing. The shopkeeper looked at her as if she had frown two heads. Or perhaps three, depending on his imagination.

"How can you not see the difference?" He chided her, prompting Katara to lift an eyebrow at his sudden change in tone. As if he were speaking to someone beneath him. "This is carmine, while this is ruby red." He clarified, pointing to each blouse as he named the colors. The two girls glanced at each other out of the corner of their eyes. Clearly they shared the sentiment that neither of them could see any difference.

Still, best not to aggravate someone they would be haggling with soon.

Picking up the items of clothing she would need, in varying shades of red, Suki disappeared into the changing room that had been set up. Katara was still browsing through the different clothing materials on display, Orora at her side.

Running her fingers through the fabric of one of the clothing material Suki had rejected, Orora couldn't help but marvel at the silkiness of it. A figure came up to stand next to her, enveloping the hand that rested atop the silk.

"The last time we were at a dress shop, I distinctly remember you complaining about there being not enough red around." She said, turning her head so she could smile at Zuko. "Is this red enough for you?" The girl gestured to the various stalls and racks around them, all stacked high with rolls and bundles of red with her free hand.

Zuko looked around, though his gaze was half-hearted before he was looking back at her again. "I kind of miss the greens and brown." He admitted, the fingers of the hand covering hers locking with her fingers. "And I do prefer the reds, but," He paused, bringing their joined hands up.

All so he could whisper against her skin.

"More so when you're wearing it."

She may have rendered him speechless with her new appearance. However, Zuko returned the favor with just his words. Her cheeks darkened and she could feel her blush travel down along her neck as she swallowed, lips parted slightly, unable to break away from the intensity of his eyes.

"Didn't know your skin could change colors Orora."

The two teenagers snapped out of their intimate moment, only to see Aang standing just beside Orora, checking out the different robes on display as nonchalant as any other buyer. The barest hint of a smile was the only indication that he had heard the entire exchange between them both.

Their hands unglued, with Zuko turning slightly away, a little embarrassed that they'd been overheard. Orora pushed Aang's hat down over his eyes in retaliation. "Just like yours did when you first saw Katara in her Fire Nation clothes Lover Boy." She teased, though her words had the opposite effect.

Where she had been expecting Aang to smile in embarrassment or even blush, he did neither of those things. Instead, his shoulders dropped and his eyes darted to where Katara was standing, waiting for Suki to come out. Orora frowned slightly.

"You alright there Little Brother?" She asked, the concern in her voice prompting Zuko to pay full attention to the conversation. Aang sighed before nodding. "Yeah, I'll be alright. Its just soulmate stuff." He admitted, to which the Prince raised an eyebrow. "What you still haven't told her? Even after you told me you kissed her?"

The new information had Orora gasping sharply, her ice blue eyes holding Aang in place. "You kissed Katara, and you told Zuko before me?" She hissed, looking just a little angry at having being kept out of the loop.

"No offense." She quickly added.

"None taken." He responded with a shrug.

"Whats this I hear?" Toph spoke up from where she had been passing by. "Twinkletoes kissed Sugar Queen?"

"Shhhh!!!!!!!!" Aang hissed, slapping a hand over Toph's mouth as he looked around his gaze frantic. Spying Katara a good ways away from their little group, he relaxed before removing his hand from Toph's mouth before she licked him.

It had happened to Sokka before.

"Could we not talk about this?" He pleaded, looking every bit as forlorn as Momo did whenever someone refused to share their food when he asked for it. If Aang had big floppy ears, Orora was sure they would be drooping now. "Wait so, when did you kiss her?" Toph asked, a little too invested in the new piece of information. Then again, Orora looked just as expectantly at the younger boy who pursed his lip, glancing at Zuko, blaming him for the situation he had put him in.

"Before the Invasion." The boy muttered. The revelation had the waterbender wincing. "That long and you still haven't spoken to her about it?" She asked. Toph shook her head. "I'm new at the whole soulmate thing, but even I know that that's way past the point of talking it over."

Aang shrugged. "We've had so many things happen that I haven't had the time to do anything about it! I mean first, we lost the Invasion, then Orora sacrificed herself, then Zuko came back, and so did Orora." He was gesticulating wildly as he recounted all that had occurred the past few weeks or so. "Then Katara was unsure about Zuko being around, and then I had to learn firebending from dragons. Then Orora and Katara had their fights, and then Katara's dad came back, and then Azula attacked and she went off to find the man who killed her Mother, and now we're here."

During his tirade Orora glanced at Zuko out of the corner of her eyes, meeting his gaze as he did the same. He shrugged, and she nodded. Best not to stop Aang and allow him to let it all out. Once he was finished, the young Avatar breathed deeply, trying to catch his breath as he panted.

Though as soon as he was done, Zuko stepped forward. "Look Aang, I told you before while we were trapped at the Sun Warriors Temple, its never a good thing to leave things unresolved." His golden gaze flitted briefly to Orora. "You can still talk to her about it." He urged, softness in his eyes as he regarded the younger boy.

Had he grown a soft spot for the annoying yet bright student he was training?

Yes he had.

Would he admit it out loud?

He would rather eat bland food for the rest of his life.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but Zuko is right." Toph said. "Who knew you could give some good advice Firebug?" She quipped, before turning her attention back to Aang. "And really Twinkletoes, every single thing you just said, has been one excuse after the other. I mean look at Sokka and Suki." She waved an arm in the general direction of the duo in question. Suki had appeared wearing her new clothes, and was being admired by her soulmate, with Katara standing by, pretending she wasn't related to her brother. "They found each other despite Suki being in jail." Pressing a hand against her chest, Toph continued. "I'm blind, and I had no hopes of ever finding my soulmate, but I still did."

Her hand shot out to gesture at Zuko and Orora as they stood side by side. "And then take these two. I mean they were enemies at one point, but now they're together, and stronger then ever." The compliment had a proud smile rising to Orora's lips as she gently nudged Zuko with her shoulder who responded with a gentle nudge of his own.

"So don't give me the 'there was never a right moment' excuse." Toph said, pausing as Zuko took over. "There is never a right moment Aang. Trust me, if I waited for that, I would never be where I am now."

Finally, Orora spoke up. "Aang? You've waited a hundred years for your soulmate. Even though they were spent in a catatonic state, that doesn't mean your soul wasn't waiting for her. Yearning for your other half." She reached out to rest a comforting hand on the younger boy's shoulder. "You deserve to be happy with your soulmate." She urged as he looked up at her.

Aang glanced over his sister's shoulder, seeing Katara standing beside Suki as the latter paid for her clothing items.

He nodded.

"I'll try and talk to her." He said as a way of promise, as he looked around at his three friends who smiled back in response.

Toph nodded. "That's the spirit!" She urged, wrapping an arm around Aang's shoulders. "You guys come on! We're going to the armor stalls next!" Sokka called out where he was waiting with Suki and Katara. Toph began to drag Aang with her as Orora and Zuko followed, with the former turning to the latter and stating with a laugh.

"Who'd have thought you would be giving love advice to the Avatar?"

                                            ————————–

If Sokka had to choose one aspect of shopping he loved more then anything, he'd have to pick weapons shopping.

There was just something about browsing through the weapons display that had him feeling excited. And since he had someone who shared his love for weapons, Zuko, he could make comments that someone actually understood.

"Woah! Look at these!" He called to Zuko as he leaned forward to examine a display of several razor sharp looking Uchigatanas. Zuko whistled under his breath as he moved closer. "These look so light to handle." He observed, his eyes roving over every single detail of the gorgeous piece of weapon. "Bet they can cut through steel." Sokka gushed, stars in his eyes as he admired the sword.

That is before his eyes fell on the price and he winced. "Katara and Orora will kill me for spending that much money." He muttered under his breath, glancing to where the two girls were riffling through an entire stall of leather arm gauntlets. "Maybe once we defeat my Father we can have access to the treasure volt of the Fire Nation and buy whatever we want?" Zuko suggested, to which Sokka grinned. "I'll take you up on that offer!" He exclaimed.

Just a few steps away, Katara glanced up at her brother's voice, before returning her attention to the black leather gauntlet she had picked up and was weighing in her hands. "I don't know, they feel a bit too heavy Orora." She mused while her older sister browsed with interest.

"I dunno, I kinda like the feel of them." The waterbender admitted, as she pulled out a pair of them that were hidden well under the pile. "Oooooo these are gorgeous!" The girl muttered to herself. Immediately she pulled off the arm bands she had been wearing and pulled on the gauntlets.

"Mind tying them up?" She requested Katara, who quickly did up the laces along the length of the gauntlets as they ran up Orora's forearms. The insides were soft against her skin, but the leather outside was sturdy. They leather split into two colors, with the more dominant color being a deep crimson, with an added hint of gold along the edges as well as the laces that kept the gloves firm around her arms.

Orora flexed her fingers, trying out the stretch of the leather. "How do they look?" She asked, turning to show them off to Katara who smiled and nodded. "They look amazing! You should get them!" She urged, grabbing Orora by the shoulder, turning her around and marching her towards the owner of the shop.

The two girls passed Suki and Aang as they stood observing a contraption they had never seen before. They both had their heads tilted to one side, and had identical expressions of curiosity on their faces. "What do you suppose it does?" Suki asked, her fingers itching to reach out and touch the contraption, just to see how it worked. But she held her hand, a trait Aang had not yet mastered as his hand darted out to run his fingers along the smooth metal.

"It looks too....innocent to be a weapon." He said, leaning down so he could look underneath the weapon. "And yet here it is, in a weapon's shop." Suki murmured as Toph came up behind them. "What're you two looking at?" She asked, feeling the strange shape of metal in front of her.

Aang shrugged. "We don't know. Some sort of weapon." He admitted, his exploring fingers finding a small indent in the metal overlay. An indent that pressed down. "Hey, what does this do?" He asked, even as he pressed down against it.

The reaction was instantaneous.

Whatever weapon it was, it was one that shot some sort strange iron darts out of it. They flew through the air with deadly precision, before coming in contact with the skins of several other patrons as they milled about.

The three of them watched, dumbfounded, as the people who were hit dropped to the ground after a bit of swooning.

Reaching out, Toph quickly swatted Aang's hand away from the weapon. Aang and Suki glanced nervously at one another, before they quietly, and as sneakily as they could, stepped away from the contraption.

Toph stayed where she was.

Until Suki's arm darted out and grabbed Toph's hand before she yanked the earthbender away from the scene of the crime.

                                            ————————–

"Are they still following us?" Orora asked Suki out of the corner of her mouth as the two girls pretending to be entranced by a truly horrendous piece of art that depicted the Fire Lord. The Kiyoshi Warrior nodded, her eyes never wavering from their pretend distraction. "And from what I heard, they're rather persistent when it comes to their conquests. And yes, that was the exact word I heard them use." She added with a look that had Orora rolling her eyes.

No sooner had she stopped speaking, when the two girls found themselves flanked on either side by very two people concerning their conversation.

"Don't think we've seen you two around before." The boy at Suki's side said, grinning a little too smugly for someone who looked like he had never seen a good fight before. He had too much muscle for either of the girl's tastes. "You probably haven't." Suki replied in a tone of complete indifference as she lifted a stage mask and examined it with more interest then she was giving Muscles.

His friend, whom Orora dubbed Earring, on account of the several earrings he wore in one ear, sought to add to the conversation by saying. "May we ask where you lovely ladies are from?" He asked, grinning down at Orora, who's fingers itched to embed an ice dagger somewhere on his person.

Preferably where the sun don't shine.

"You just did." Orora responded, her tone mirroring Suki's. "And where we are from is none of your business because I doubt you will see us again." With that Suki looped her arm through Orora's and the two girls began to walk away.

But the boys were persistent.

Something the two girls had noticed, when they had been harassing some other girls just half an hour earlier, before their attention was diverted towards them.

Muscles quickly stepped in their path, blocking them. "Woah! Woah! Come one girls. We're just being friendly." He said with a chuckle and a wink in Suki's direction. The Warrior only glared back. "Leave us alone." She said as a way of warning them to back off. But of course, in the eyes of the two idiots, they didn't appear to be a threat.

Earring chuckled. "Awww, don't be rude. We just wanna show you girls a good time." He drawled as he moved to wrap an arm around Orora's shoulder.

Only to find himself on the floor, with the same arm twisted behind his back in a painful hold that had him whimpering. His friend blanched, taking a step forward to try and help him, but stopped at the look of sheer disgust and anger that was directed towards him by the two girls.

Suki, standing to the side, arms crossed over her chest.

And Orora , holding Earring down in a painful hold.

"We'll be staying here for a few weeks." Suki said, adopting the very drawling tone Earring had used moments ago. "So it would do the both of you some good if you were to disappear for those time period." She added as a friendly suggestion.

Orora smiled maliciously, her ice blue eyes glittering, promising pain. "Because if either of us see you again, our little vacation will be ruined." Her hold on Earring didn't let up. "And trust me, you don't want to annoy us."

She stepped away, allowing the boy to scramble to his feet and scurry to his friend. "Plus if we see either of you harassing any other girl." Suki continued with a sweet smile on her lips. Her eyes, however, were another story.

Just as Orora, they promised pain.

And perhaps death.

"We'll be sure your kind doesn't.........spawn."

The idiots ran.

Leaving Orora a little surprised. "I didn't think they would understand that last threat." She commented, the look of pure ice and anger melting away. Suki shrugged. "I don't think they did. They were just cowards."

So saying, the two girls moved to where Katara was busy haggling over the price of a new waterskin, completely missing their other halves as they stood just a little ways away, having just seen what had happened.

"That was......scary."

"Was it?"

"No not really. That was....."

"Hot."

"So hot."

Oblivious to their inner turmoil, Aang grinned at the mask he had found. "Hey Zuko! Look what I found!" He called out to the Prince, who snapped out of his reverie to glance at the Avatar.

As he stood there, proudly wearing the mask of the Blue Spirit.

"Look familiar!" He said, his voice muffled behind the mask. Zuko rolled his eyes, moving to ignore Aang so he would drop the subject. However, Sokka was quick to pick on Zuko's annoyance. "Whats that?" He asked Aang to which the boy grinned as he removed the mask. "Its the mask Zuko used to wear as the Blue Spirit." He explained to which Sokka raised an eyebrow at his friend.

"You know, Orora wasn't exaggerating when she said that you lived for the drama." He said, feeling that maybe his sister had been right in judging the Prince for what he was. Zuko shot the water tribe boy and annoyed look. He wasn't even fazed as Aang handed over a few coins and bought the mask.

Zuko blinked. "Did you actually buy it?" He asked, to which Aang responded with a shrug. "What? I didn't say it wasn't a cool mask." Placing it within the shoulder bag Sokka had purchased, Aang glanced at a figure approaching them.

"Er.... Zuko? How much money did you give Toph?" He asked, prompting both him and Sokka to turn and look at what he had spied.

And sure enough there was Toph. Barely able to walk under a staggering pile of......well......things.

"Where did you get all of this?" Sokka asked, the amazement coloring his tone as Toph dropped everything at the boys' feet. The girl grinned. "This blockhead bumped in to me, and I played the blind card. Next thing I know, everyone was offering me free stuff." She shrugged, looking much too proud and smug. "And who was I to ignore their kindness and charity?"

Zuko looked over the knick-knacks Toph had been donated. "I don't think Orora is gonna be happy about this." He muttered, glancing in the direction of his girlfriend who was still busy with Suki and Katara. Sokka nodded. "Yeah, and neither will Katara."

Toph raised an eyebrow. "Why? Are you two scared of them?"

A beat of silence.

And then:

"Yeah that was a stupid question. Of course you're scared of them both." She answered her own question, to which Aang added with a shrug. "Aren't we all?"

The four of them made small noises of agreement. "What're you gonna do about all this junk?" Zuko asked, to which Toph shrugged. Taking a look around the inventory Toph had accumulated, Sokka hummed. "Well most of it could be used at the beach." Suddenly his eyes brightened and he grinned wide. "Why don't we have a beach party?" He suggested.

His words were meant with quite the enthusiasm on Aang's and Toph's part. Zuko however, was remembering the last party he had been invited to, and how disastrous it went.

"A beach party?" Katara said, once Sokka had raced over to his sisters and soulmate and told them the plan. Suki shrugged, smiling. "That sounds fun. And with all the extra stuff Toph was donated we can have a really good party."

Orora narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Yeah." She said, not believing the story for a second even as Toph gave her an innocent smile.

"Donated."

                                            ————————–

"Now! For the final and most important items on our list. The food!" Katara declared as the group finally made it to the food section of the market. The air was heavy with the spices and scents of the various items being cooked. There were many stalls set up that sold produce, but the majority of them offered cooked meals.

"And since we're having a party, I think its best if we get double. That means we'll need to buy twice as much meat, thrice as much as vegetables and fruits since that is what Aang and Momo eat." The boy smiled in relief, prompting Katara to smile back at him. Sokka, already excited about the prospect of a party, was barely able to contain his emotions over the fact that they would be buying and eating meat that night.

And so their final task began.

Katara was in charge of haggling, making sure they only paid enough and didn't overpay just because they were children. She was ruthless in her tactics too. Orora and Suki were in charge of picking up and putting away the best of the produce. Aang joined them once they reached a vegetable and fruit vendor. Sokka and Toph were taste-testing. Or rather they were eating whatever they could until they had the chance to reach the stalls where they were selling food that sold cooked food. Zuko was simply standing to the side and holding whatever Orora, Suki or Aang would pile into his arms.

The young Prince also made sure that an extra few moon-peaches were packed. Because he knew they were Orora's favorite.

Maybe they could share some later.

Having slapped Sokka's hand from taking yet another fruit to devour, a strange smell wafted through the air, that had Katara crinkling her nose. "What is that smell?" She asked Zuko, who was standing right next to her, Sokka have sulked away to nurse his red hand. The scarred Prince looked up from where he had been putting everything in one of the many shopping baskets Toph had been gifted.

"Burned Jasmine." He admitted, his eyes finding the source. A tea vendor nearby had apparently boiled the brew for far too long and was now being scolded by the customers. "He should've stepped it for only four minutes over a steady flame. That's when you can get the proper scent and taste of the tea leaves." He added, as if the knowledge of making tea was common and everyone should know it.

The girl grinned. Yanking at his arm, she began to pull him towards the flustered looking tea vendor who looked up at them in confusion. "Tell him what you just told me." She urged him. Zuko looked uncomfortable for only a minute before he glanced at the desperate looking tea vendor and sighed.

A few minutes later, the entire group was standing a little ways away from the small tea stall and sipping on a freshly made brew of perfect jasmine tea. They had to move away from the stall because it suddenly got too crowded.

Mostly because the scent of the jasmine tea, after the tea vendor brewed it under Zuko's instructions, had attracted more then a fair share of the customers. The tea vendor had been in tears when he offered the entire group a cup of jasmine each for free to thank Zuko for his help.

"I always knew you were paying attention to Master when he would give he tea brewing lessons." Orora teased as she stood beside Zuko, enjoying her own cup of tea. The boy shrugged in response. "I just wish I had paid more attention." He admitted in a low voice, his gaze trained to his own reflection within the cup he now held.

Reaching out to pat his shoulder, Katara smiled. "I'm sure your Uncle would be really happy to know that even when you weren't paying attention you still actually listened to him." She reassured him as Aang nodded. "Katara's right. This is really the best tea I've had, and I'm a hundred and twelve years old." He added with a grin, no one mentioning how he had been trapped in ice for a hundred of those years.

"I don't normally like tea." Sokka said, looking down at his cup of tea with a critical eye. Suki rolled her eyes at him. "What he means to say is he liked it." Sipping from her cup, Toph made sure to add her opinion in as well. "Out of all of us, I'm the only one who's had tea made by Zuko's Uncle, other then Orora."

She pointed towards the girl. "And since Ice Princess is a compromised, what with her being head over heels for Firebug here." Both teenagers blushed at the words, unable to meet the other's eyes as they sipped their tea. "I can tell you that this is a close interpretation of his tea making skills."

Despite her teasing, Zuko couldn't help but glance around at the smiling, open and encouraging faces of his friends. "Thanks." He muttered, unable to say anything more as he felt Orora reach out to take his free hand in her own and gave it a squeeze.

This.

This was what she had always wanted. People who supported and encouraged one another. Who helped lift each other up and help however they could. People who loved one another unconditionally because they genuinely cared, not because it was a necessity. Who teased and made fun of you, but would not hesitate to lay down their life if the situation called for it. People who had your back no matter what.

A family.

"You alright there Orora?"

She blinked, not realizing she had started to follow Zuko when he began to lead her away, once the group started to move. Blinking away the suspicious moisture that had gathered at the corner of her eyes, the girl smiled up at her boyfriend. "I'm alright." She said with a nod.

Zuko glanced around him, seeing their group disperse slightly as they began to go over the different food stalls to try and find something to eat before the beach party.

Now was his chance.

He had been meaning to ask Orora before, while they had been shopping for Suki's outfit. Then Aang had gone and interrupted them, he was still a little miffed about that because it had been the perfect moment. With his soulmate flustered and him with the upper hand feeling confident and sure of himself.

Now though, his heart began to pick up speed, and he could actually feel his hands start to feel clammy. Which was ridiculous because what he was about to ask had been a long time coming.

So why in Agni was he so nervous?!

He opened his mouth. "Orora?"

Just then a loud scream cut him off, followed by a loud cackle.

The two teenagers looked to the source. Only to be greeted by the sight of Toph rolling around on the floor, laughing her head off, while Sokka screamed and yelled, clutching at his throat, his tongue hanging out, tears streaming down his face.

Spying the stall they were standing in front of Zuko groaned. "He ate the fire flakes." He muttered to a confused looking Orora, who winced in sympathy. Katara quickly handed Sokka the waterskin to try and quench the heat.

"Why'd you go and eat the whole bag?" Suki scolded her boyfriend as she watched him gulp down the water, though most of it spilled from the sides. "Becauth Thopth tholdh mthe ith wath thweeth." Sokka responded, or at least tried to.

His attempt to speak around the spice had the rest of the group laughing as well. Toph, who had only just begun to sober up, began anew. "Come on Sokka! They can't be that hot." Aang said, reaching out for a couple of fire flakes which he put in his mouth. The boy chewed, and instantly his face turned red and steam came out of his ears.

"On second thought." The Avatar said, wiping the heat sweat from his forehead. "Maybe Sokka's reaction isn't an exaggeration." Both Suki and Katara tried a few fire flakes as well, only to agree with Aang and sympathize with Sokka.

Orora rolled her eyes. "Oh come on! They're not that bad." So saying she reached out and grabbed a handful. Despite the loud protests, the girl threw the flakes into her mouth and chewed.

No reaction.

The entire group, minus Zuko, stared dumbfounded.

If Orora were honest, he looked a little proud even.

"How are you not crying from the spice?!" Aang demanded to know, to which Orora shrugged. "Firebenders love spicy food, and I traveled and stayed with two of them for months." She gestured to Zuko who was standing beside her. "Guess I built up a spice tolerance." She grinned, and reached for another handful.

"And a Zuko tolerance." Sokka muttered darkly under his breath, glaring at the flakes as if they had done him some personal offense.

Where she would've been insulted at the comment, Orora tilted her head. Contemplating.

"Huh! I guess I did."

                                            ————————–

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[tree0frog]

Hii! Can i req a fem!reader x toph where the r is a firebender and toph didnt know and felt betrayed (toph thought r was a non-bender), but the gaang™️ knew r was a firebender and try mending their relationship for the two?? tysm!!

hii thank you so much for this iv made something similar to this it's here if you want to read it. its been some time since I wrote for this fandom sorry if its shit.

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ATLA masterlist

You sighed pulling your hood down to cover your face from the harsh winds, your friends sitting around you talking and enjoying a meal together.

“So {y/n}” your head perked up to meet the young avatars eyes.

“Hmm”

“What your plan for after the war”he asked a small boyish smirk on his face.

“Hmm I’m not sure probably help my brother and uncle re build our home once I see them agein why?”

“You have a Brother ?”toph asked her feet resting on a small rock allowing her to take a brake from ‘seeing’ things.

“Yeah thought you knew that?”you asked before she could speak you heard a voice you hadn’t hear in over three years.

“Hello Zuko here” Turing around you saw your brother.

Princ Zuko hair to the fire nation and your older brother.

Your eyes met.

“{y/n} are you know your heart rate is high “toph voice was filled with confusion and a slight hint of concern.

“H hi zuzu”your eyes looked to the floor.

“{y/n} what are you doing here I thought you were back in the fire nation!” Zuko voice was strained making you wince back.

“Yeah funny story I em well left”you laughed eyes still never meting his.

“Hold on your from the fire nation and your related to him!”Tophs voice was growing louder.

“Surprise I thought you knew?”you looked at your friends though her eyes were a milky white you could sense anger in them.

“How long did you all know” her voice had a small crack in it.

“Toph I we didn’t mean to hide it from you” Kataras Spock.

the young earthbender sighed before turning to walk away from the group a single tear fell from her eyes.

You sighed watching your friend's 'crush' walk away from you.

"go after her kid" Sokka said messing up your hair a little.

It took some time before you found Toph sitting on a small cluster of rocks not to far from camp.

"toph i I'm sorry i honestly thought you knew, "she said nothing as you sat down.

"I'm sorry firefly"Toph said now facing you her hand rested on the scar that went from your cheek down to your neck, before resting her head on your shoulder.

"you know they're behind the bush to your left or right" you laughed now resting your head on top of her your hand coming to rest in hers.

"toph it aang and Sokka they don't know how to be quiet if it is right in front of them" you laughed.

"hey after the wars are over do you want to come back home with me?" you asked toph a small burst of heat raided off the girl.

"i'd like that firefly"

[umeumeumee]

𝐀𝐓𝐋𝐀 & 𝐋𝐨𝐊 𝐎𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐭 , 𝐡𝐜 & 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐨 (𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭!)

ᥫ᭡ i was thinking.. since i am doing an event for james cameron avatar movies I & II , why not do the original avatar, as well as LoK? <3

ᥫ᭡ requests are open, characters + (some) prompts are listed below, feel free to request your own prompt/ideas/scenario’s and i will be more than happy to write it!!

(୭౿ fluff / ᡣ𐭩 angst)

♥︎ - romance・★ - platonic・📥 - request・🗓️ - most recent

ᥫ᭡ RULES AND GUIDELINES ೃ༄

rules are simple, please follow<3 love u!

I don't get to answering requests as often as I used to, so if i don't answer your request for a couple months don't worry, i will most likely get to it! If i don't ever answer your request, it probably accidentally got deleted so feel free to request it again!

things like Abuse, manipulation, references to sexual themes and mentions of gore will absolutely not be found on my blog.

They are tiggers for some people so it is an avoidance!

im not super selective with my requests, but I will only do the ones that i find i have motivation for- because i want to give you guys good fics!!

please do not copy, translate, transfer, or claim any of my work! If you would like to, please ask me. If i say yes, please give me credit.

WILLS ; Fem! reader, Fem! Character, male! character troupes; bffs to lovers, enemies to lovers, etc. Fluff, Angst, Hurt/comfort

WONTS ; Incest r/pe p3dophilia, male! reader poly relationships, e/him pronouns for reader, pregnancy

ᥫ᭡ CHARACTERS ೃ༄

ATLA

༊*·˚ princess azula

oneshots

only you - princess azula x fem! earthbender! reader📥 , ♥︎

red lipstick stains - princess azula x fem! maid! reader 📥 , ♥︎ , 🗓️

balance - azula x fem! waterbender! princess! reader 📥 , ♥︎ , (coming soon!)

turtle ducks - princess azula x fem! reader 📥 , ♥︎ , (coming soon!)

show off! - princess azula x fem! reader 📥 , ♥︎ , (coming soon!)

headcannons

༊*·˚ toph beifong

oneshots

whispers in the dark - toph beifong x fem! firebender! reader 📥 , ᡣ𐭩 , 🗓️

seriously? - toph beifong x fem! non!bender! reader 📥 , ♥︎ , (coming soon!)

past, but not future - toph beifong x fem! firebender! reader 📥 , ♥︎ , (coming soon!)

the only one i see - toph beifong x fem! waterbender! reader 📥 , ♥︎ , (coming soon!)

by your side - toph beifong x fem! nonbender! reader 📥 , ♥︎ , (coming soon!)

headcannons

༊*·˚ katara

oneshots

heartless - katara x fem! reader 📥 , ♥︎ , ᡣ𐭩 (coming soon!)

headcannons

༊*·˚ prince / fire lord zuko

oneshots

the unfamiliarity of a gentle flame - prince zuko x fem! airbender! reader 📥 , ♥︎ , (coming soon!)

promise - prince zuko x fem! reader 📥 , ♥︎ , (coming soon!)

headcannons

༊*·˚ suki

oneshots

my kind of woman - suki x fem! reader 📥 , ♥︎ , (coming soon!)

headcannons

༊*·˚ sokka

oneshots

headcannons

༊*·˚ ty lee

oneshots

headcannons

༊*·˚ mai

oneshots

headcannons

TLoK

༊*·˚ avatar korra

oneshots

headcannons

༊*·˚ asami sato

oneshots

headcannons

༊*·˚ bolin

oneshots

headcannons

༊*·˚ mako

oneshots

headcannons

༊*·˚ lin beifong

oneshots

headcannons

༊*·˚ kya

oneshots

headcannons

༊*·˚ kuvira

oneshots

headcannons

ᥫ᭡ SOME (ROMANTIC) PROMPT IDEAS ೃ༄

of course, these are only some prompts. You can request headcannons you want and also scenarios! once again, request are open!!

"i can't pretend anymore."

"you need to know that i have grown to care for you. deeply."

"i've loved you since the moment i first laid my eyes on you."

"you deserve to know."

"it's you. it's always been you."

"are you really so oblivious?"

"there isn't anything that i wouldn't do for you."

"I was made to love you."

“I cannot bare to be apart from you anymore."

"please. please just listen to me."

"don't make me say it. i can't say the words."

"you are all i can think about."

"'I can't fathom the idea of my life without you in it."

"i dream of you. all i do, is dream of you."

"i am so very in love with you."

"is it so obvious how infatuated i am?"

"for years i have yearned for you, in secrecy and silence."

"we have just met and yet it feels like i have known you for a lifetime."

“you are everything. everything."

"it hurts me, just how much i ache for you."

"i don't know if i can't bring myself to speak it."

"I know that this is not what you want to hear..."

"after everything you've done, i still love you. with all i am."

"it's true."

"i cannot stand you, and yet i also cannot stand to be away from you."

[noblehouseofgay]

Marauders x avatar (au idea)

Loooong ass post but it's so worth it

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

The Blacks are a powerful firebending family. One of the most powerful actually. Orion is obviously firelord. Sirius and regulus have a healthier zuko and azula dynamic. They obviously keep their own personality, but I think regulus is more like zuko and sirius is more like azula personality wise, action wise it's the other way around. But they kind of mix and match. I think alphard and Andromeda are the Irohs of the family

I think sirius got banished (zuko) and regulus stayed back being the perfect child (azula). And sirius went to find alphard and Andromeda for help (iroh). Down the line tho I think regulus finally leaves and goes to his brother and his new friends to help them (zuko). So like I said, they trade off.

Tho since sirius has Andromeda and alphard, regulus has narcissa. Bellatrix is essentially azula tho character wise. So they're all kind of just sharing the characters around. But you see the vision. Bella and sirius are the more reckless unhinged sibling, regulus and narcissa are the more quiet and calculated sibling.

The Potters are a water tribe. James is obviously sokka (spreading both my zukka and jegulus agenda).

I think remus would make a good earth bender. And it would be an easy way for him to have scars. Plus- disabled remus (maybe not blind, but still)!! Marlene has major toph energy so she's earth as well

Pandora is an air bender. No explanation needed. And since they're siblings, Evan is also an air bender. Twin avatars maybe 👀??

Dorcas and barty live in the fire nation. Easy way to make them best friends with reg. Dorcas gives mai energy 100%.

But if barty wasn't a fire bender he'd be earth bender, another one with toph energy. He would also love throwing rocks.

Yk actually, earth bender works well for barty bc of his dad. His dad would definitely be in thr group trying to hide the war from the earth kingdom, and all barty wants to do is fight back against him. So barty could go either way

Lily isn't a bender, but she lives in the earth kingdom. Other non benders would be mary and Peter. Peter lives with the water tribe (potters), mary lives in the earth kingdom

Lily c o u l d be a water bender instead, filling in as the katara. Bc I like james and Lily being more like siblings than anything

Bonus content:

- lily meeting an ethereal air bender and falling so hard

- fire x water zukka/jegulus!!!!!!

- sirius and remus having a petty rivalry going on at first (ysuft vibes)

- Remus and Lily (toph and katara) bonding

- barty thinking Evans air bender tattoos are super fucking cool

- pandora being the first to want to trust regulus, even if the rest of the group isn't as trusting yet

- for the play episode, remus gets the "the scars NOT ON THE WRONG SIDE" line

- Regulus gets "don't see the family resemblance?" line

- lily with healing abilities <3

- painted lady lily!!

- blue spirit regulus!!

- instead of the blind bandit, remus could be the scarred bandit

- remus "sounds to me like you're scared boulder" lupin

- pandora "I laugh at gravity all the time" rosier

- pandora teaching all the sheltered fire kids how to dance <33

[stingynugget]

Mario Bros. X Last Airbender

Has this been done before? A late night thought I had lol:

Bowser: Fire bender (obviously). His people would be fire nation. Maybe Zuko redemption arc?

Peach: Air bender (floats w umbrella). Her people are air nomads

Mario: Earth Bender/The Avatar

Luigi: Non bender, Sokka-coded

Daisy: Sand People

Wario & Waluigi: Swamp People

Koopalings & Bowser Junior: Some fire bender, most non benders

Kamek: Previous Avatar (so… he would be dead?). Or Uncle Iroh coded.

Kammy: Fire Bender, but would know how to use lightning

Rosalina: Water bender

Donkey Kong: Earth bender, along with his people

Penguin King: Water bender (obviously) with his people

King Boo: Ruler of the Spirit Realm

King Bob-omb: Not sentient, but a war machine built by the koopas

[floatyflowers]

Dark Platonic Father! Zuko x Non-bender Reader

Unlike your older half sister, Izumi, you were born a non-bender.

At first, Zuko thought you were a late bloomer in fire bending just like him when he was young but it turned out that you actually can't bend.

Zuko is actually happy about it, because his overprotective and possessive attitude will be seen as valid.

Your mother died when you were a baby, so Zuko always tried to fill up that role.

When the firelord is not around, his guards and spies watch over you in case anything happens.

Your time and attention has to be always on him whenever he is around you.

If it is on anyone other than family, Zuko will make sure that this person who 'stole' your attention suffers.

Fun fact, his friends have never met you, they only heard about you from your father.

As you grow into a young teen, Zuko makes sure that you are dressed in proper clothes, and no make up is allowed.

One time, a rumor spread through the palace that you aren't the firelord's biological daughter.

Zuko made sure that such a rumor doesn't ever spread again by using his firebending in torturing.

If someone approaches him for your hand in marriage they will face trials of hard tasks.

Those tasks usually result in that person's death.

Zuko thought he could protect you from everything.

At the age of nineteen, your chambers burned down, and your body was completely deformed.

However, you two met again when you were helping Avatar Korra.

"(Y/n)...you are alive"

Turns out, you wanted freedom from your father's clutches, and decided to fake your death.

You ended up getting married to Unalaq and had twins with him, Desna and Eska.

"The firelord is our creepy grandfather that mother spoke about?"

"Gross"

[novaae]

Very fascinated by Bumi ii/Tarrlok and Bumi ii/Zhao (Fog of Lost Souls) as ships ngl 👀

Like for Bumi ii/Tarrlok in which Tarrlok and Noatok survived the crash and Tarrlok tries to live under a new guise despite what had happened only for Bumi ii to come swooping into his life. Or like for Bumi ii/Zhao, Bumi ii being the one to just drag Zhao’s sorry lame ass outta that fog and helping to reintegrate him into the new world that had long since moved on from the war.

Hi hello!

First of all, my sincerest apologies for answering late. I have no excuses.

And now, onto the ask. I'll be honest I do not think Bumi would have any sympathy towards Zhao to help him move on and get better.

Bumi understands that Zhao grew up in an era of propaganda and war, but knowing that there existed people like Piandao and Iroh, who despite being FN understood the harm it had done on their own; and knowing that Zhao had been to Wan Shi Tong and had the opportunity to knowing the truth, Bumi would... simply not like him, in the mildest terms possible. Them being romantic is a bit far-fetched as well.

But! That's just my opinion, and considering how Zhao's only real purpose was to have an actual evil guy to set up Zuko's redemption arc early, a good writer could definitely careen me into a more complex Zhao dating Bumi.

-

And Bumi and Tarrlok ughhhh where do I even start. I just recently published a modern au smutfic of them too. I actually had a fic in mind that I probably will never write, I do have a tentative starting to that fic online too.

Bumi x Tarrlok makes me insane in ways I cannot explain properly. They're both so oddly similar... Both geniuses in their fields (Tarrlok can bloodbend without the full moon, Bumi is a non-bending commander in a world that shows time and time again how undervalued non-benders are), both of them ignored for the other sibling, both with an increasingly complex relationship with their father and brother, and both of them clearly have mental issues.

I like to imagine them as people who could have maybeeee had a better life had they not fallen in love with each other, but they'd rather have a worse shot at life together than a better shot at it alone.

Being with Bumi brings Tarrlok closer to the people he hurt and to his memories of bloodbending, and to Republic City; being with Tarrlok brings Bumi closer to the man who bloodbent his brother, had a hand in the curfew thingie of S1, and is just... fundamentally a man I think Bumi would be uncomfortable with, if it wasn't Tarrlok after everything bad been taken away from him.

(Also on a completely unrelated note please tell me you agree that Tarrlok has something going with uniforms and shit, like I need this man to be a whore for this guy who's a solid twenty years older AT LEAST and was in the army and is buffer and taller than him)

[melzula]

All I Ever Wanted

pairing: zuko x reader

notes: this was originally requested by an anon but i also took inspiration from mitski’s song “your best american girl” while writing this. give it a listen during your read !

summary: as a peasant and servant girl for the palace, you should have known better than to fall for the Prince

The sun is warm against your skin and the grass is soft beneath you as you land on your back in a fit of giggles. Azula is unamused by your antics, but Zuko finds himself laughing right along with you. It’s a peaceful summer’s day in the palace gardens, and you spend it as you would any other day by playing with your friends.

“I caught you,” you tell him with a breathless laugh after turning your head to face him.

“No way, I was just going easy on you,” he argues with playful grin, his nose nearly brushing against your own due to your close proximity on the grass. Your heart beats fast in your rib cage as you try to ignore the rising heat on your face and play it off as a result of your exhaustion and not your nerves from lying with the Prince. You haven’t realized it yourself, but you have a crush on Zuko, a painfully obvious one that he hasn’t seemed to notice yet. What you also don’t realize is that he reciprocates the feeling, and he shares the thrill that comes with being your playmate.

“Are you two done yet?” Azula finally interrupts with a roll of her eyes as she offers you her hand and helps you up from the ground. “It’s my turn to hide this time.”

“I don’t think we can play anymore,” Zuko notes with a frown as his mother makes her way towards your group. You quickly bow in respect to the Fire Lady, but she waves you off with a smile.

“I’m sorry, y/n, but Zuko and Azula must attend their fire bending lessons now. I’m afraid playtime is over for today,” she informs you apologetically.

“Yes, Fire Lady Ursa,” you reply politely before turning to give both of your friends departing hugs. “Bye Zuko, bye Azula!”

“It’s too bad you’re not a fire bender,” Azula remarks after halfheartedly returning your embrace. “Maybe dad would let us play with you more if you were.”

Her words make your body hot with embarrassment and shame, and though you don’t voice your discomfort Ursa is instantly able to pick up on it. With a scolding glare, the Fire Lady quickly urges her daughter to apologize.

“Azula, that is not a nice thing to say to a friend.”

“But it’s true,” the girl mutters under her breath only to have her mother drag her away before she can get the chance to say anything else. Zuko hesitates then, giving you an apologetic look and promising to play with you tomorrow before rushing after Ursa and Azula.

You’ve never really cared about being a non-bender, but there’s something about Azula’s words that has you questioning your worth. As the daughter of a royal family servant with no title or money to her name, you knew you were lucky to be able to grow up in the palace and play with the Fire Lord’s children. However, you never once realized that you weren’t their equal. They were royalty, a Prince and a Princess destined to become powerful benders and ruthless leaders of the Fire Nation, and you were simply a girl who would one day grow up to live a life of servitude. You had no real future or purpose ahead of you, not like they did, and yet you were the only one unaware of your unfortunate fate.

Perhaps it’s because they never treated you in such a way, and your mother did her best to shield you from your true heritage. For now you could grow up blissfully unaware of the fact that your friends would one day outgrow you.

“Mom?” Zuko asks once they’re safe inside the palace. “Do you like y/n?”

“She’s a sweet girl,” Ursa notes with a faint smile, “and she makes you both happy. So yes, I like her.”

“Then why doesn’t Dad?”

The Fire Lady’s smile fades into a remorseful frown, and she simply ushers her son forward with a shake of her head. “Let’s not worry about that now. You’re going to be late for your lesson.”

Zuko isn’t satisfied with her answer, but he isn’t give a chance to discuss it further with her. For now, he remains content with the fact that he likes you, and his mother likes you.

That is enough for him.

~~~

The day is calm as you carefully hang the clothes to dry and enjoy the warmth of the sun basking on your skin. It’s rare that you get tasked with the outdoor chores, so you savor the opportunity for as long as you can. Doing the royal family’s laundry certainly beats scrubbing the floors of the palace, and you are grateful the spirits have taken mercy upon you today.

You’re freshly fifteen and the summer is just beginning. You’ve grown into a well-mannered young woman, and you’re old enough now to be able to take on some of the work that once fell to your mother. One day you will take her place and continue to serve the royal family until you’re no longer physically able. You’ll never get to leave, but you consider yourself grateful to live on the palace grounds. You will forever have a roof over your head, food on the table, and, most importantly, your friends.

You take great care to pin Azula’s dresses down without getting any creases or wrinkles in the fabric, and you’re so lost in thought that you don’t notice the figure carefully creeping up behind you. You’re too busy reciting the words to an old Fire Nation folk song your mother had taught you to pay any mind to your surroundings, and it gives Zuko the perfect opportunity to catch you by surprise.

“Y/n!” He exclaims with a grin as his hands land firmly upon your shoulders. You nearly jump out of your skin at the act, and your reaction has the Fire Prince laughing so hard his cheeks begin to hurt.

“Zuko!” You scold with an irritated scowl as you chuck a handful of clothespins at him in retaliation. “You need to stop doing that!”

“I’m sorry, you just make it so easy,” he teases with a light nudge to your side before taking it upon himself to pick up the pins you’d discarded.

“Shouldn’t you be getting ready to leave for Ember Island?” You ask him with a quizzical look as you resume your previous work of hanging the clothes.

“That’s actually what I was coming to talk to you about,” he admits with a sheepish smile. “I want you to come with us.”

“What? You’re not serious, are you?” You retort apprehensively, halting your movements to gauge his reaction for any hint of insincerity or humor.

“I am serious. You deserve to have fun once in a while too,” he notes with a careful smile. You’re too oblivious to notice the look of admiration on his face and definitely too concerned with finding a way to let him down gently to realize he’s inviting you because he likes you. Despite your own feelings for the Prince you’ve developed over the years, you’re much too self-depreciating to ever believe Zuko could possibly feel the same. If only you knew.

“I can’t just up and leave! There’s work to be done, a-and my mother would be so upset with me if I abandoned my chores and-“

“Azula will tell our father she wishes to bring you along as a personal servant so you can come with us, and someone else will be tasked with taking on your work while you’re away. There’s no way your mom could be upset with you for serving the Princess, could she?”

“Azula would really do that for me?” You question meekly, a hopeful glint in your eyes as you hang on to his every word. You’re trying your best not to get your hopes up, but you wish for nothing more than to leave the capital city to see the ocean for the first time and feel the sand beneath your feet. As the daughter of a servant and now a servant yourself, you know you’d never get a chance like this if not for the fact that the siblings had grown fond of you over your years of friendship together. You’re lucky, because you know without them you’d truly be nothing more than a floor scrubbing peasant.

“Of course she would, she wants you there just as much as I do,” Zuko assures you. Gently taking your hands in his own, he gives them a comforting squeeze and looks into your eyes with a loving smile. “We leave tomorrow morning. Bring enough clothes to last you three days and a bathing suit.”

“I don’t own one,” you admit with an embarrassed frown, but your friend doesn’t display any sign of judgement in the slightest towards your shortcomings.

“Then I’ll take you shopping myself when we get there.”

Your heart melts at his words, your gaze falling to the ground bashfully as you try not to dwell on the fact that he’s still holding your hands. You’re in love with the Prince, and the Prince is in love with you, and everyone but you has figured out just how much you mean to each other.

Even Fire Lord Ozai, who odiously watches the scene unfold before him from the top of the palace balcony.

~~~

The shores of Ember Island are beautiful.

The waves almost seem to sparkle underneath the moonlight as they crash peacefully against the shore, and down below the lively chatter of your friends carries through the air and fills your heart with contentment. You’ve had the most perfect time here at the beach, and it pains you to know that tonight will be your last night of freedom before you must return home and resume your life as a servant girl.

The wooden doors behind you carefully slide open and closed, and soon a familiar warmth joins you out on the balcony. For a while you say nothing, simply enjoying the closeness of him as you watch Azula, Ty Lee, and Mai practice tricks in the sand below. You don’t know how to thank the Prince for all he’s done for you, for always looking out for you since you were children, for never once treating you as less than for your heritage. You don’t know how to tell him that you love him with your entire being.

So he does it for you.

“I got you something,” Zuko says after a moment’s silence, waiting for you to turn your gaze to him so he may pull out a small clam from beneath his robes. You raise a curious eyebrow at his offering as he gestures for you to take it.

“A clam shell?” You note inquisitively as you turn the gift around in your palms, carefully feeling out its grooves and intricate ridges.

“Open it,” he directs you quietly, anxiously watching your movements with bated breath.

You smile curiously at your friend before delicately pulling the top half of the shell open to reveal the contents inside. Your eyes widen in surprise at the gift that greets you, and you immediately look up to Zuko to ensure this isn’t some kind of joke.

Inside the clam sits a beautiful gold necklace with a dainty sun pendant resting in the center that shimmers under the light of the moon. It’s beautiful, and it’s certainly worth more than your own life, which is why you immediately try to hand it back to him.

“I-I can’t accept this!” You hastily insist with a quick shake of your head as you struggle to return the clam to him. “It’s too nice!”

“You can accept this,” Zuko reassures you as he carefully pushes the gift back towards you. When his efforts fail due to your persistent attempts to give back the shell, he lets out a sigh and carefully removes the necklace from the clam. “Y/n, I want you to have it.”

“But why?” You demand apprehensively, almost flinching away when he moves towards you with the necklace. You’re completely overwhelmed by his gift and unsure of what it means or why you’d ever be deserving of such a thing. You don’t want to take advantage of his kindness or his status, and you feel like he’s done more than enough for you by bringing you along on this trip, so it just feels wrong of you to take it.

“Because you deserve nice things too,” Zuko explains, and after giving you a pointed look you finally allow him to carefully put the necklace on you. The sun rests daintily along your neck, and he thinks it suits you perfectly. “I brought you on this trip because I wanted you to have fun for once, but also because… well, because I love you, and I thought a romantic setting might make it easier to tell you that.”

“You love me?”

“You haven’t noticed?” He retorts with a meek smile. “I’m not the best at words, but I know that I’ve loved you since we were children feeding turtle ducks in the pond and playing tag in the gardens. You have the purest heart of anyone I know, the sweetest smile, you are everything to me. I hope that by accepting this gift, you’ll be accepting me as someone worthy enough to be your boyfriend.”

“Oh, Zuko…” you murmur softly, eyes full of tears as you throw yourself into his arms and hug him as tight as humanly possible. You’re still shocked by the fact that the boy you love will all your heart feels the same, but you try to remind yourself not to look a gift horse in the mouth. Zuko is right when he says that you deserve to enjoy what life has to offer just as much as he does, so maybe it’s time you finally start allowing yourself the chance to finally let your guard down. You can be more than just a servant girl from the palace.

You can be happy.

~~~

You sit quietly before the vanity mirror as your mother tediously brushes through your hair to ensure not a single strand is out of place. The wrinkles in her skin crease with her nerves as she carefully begins to pin your hair back into the perfect top knot. Immediately after your return home from Ember Island, you were informed that the Fire Lord wished to speak with you. You were expected to drop your chores for the day and make yourself decent before presenting yourself to him. His request to see you surprised you considering the fact you previously believed he didn’t even know of your existence, but it made you nervous all the same. If anything were to go wrong during your meeting, you’d be jeopardizing both yours and your mother’s jobs.

“Make sure to sit up straight and no slouching,” she reminds you quietly while stopping to admire her work. “Hold your tongue until he allows you to speak and thank him for all he has done for us. It is a great honor to speak to Fire Lord Ozai, so you must treat it as such.”

“Mother, what could the Fire Lord possibly want to talk to me about?”

She doesn’t meet your eyes at first, looking away as if contemplating carefully what her next words should be. With a sigh, she sets the brush down and looks at you through the reflection. “Word has spread quickly about you and Prince Zuko, and I think he knows.”

You swallow nervously at her admission, absently brushing your fingers against the sun that hangs around your neck. You never once considered what Zuko’s father would think about his son’s choice of a partner; Ursa had always treated you as one of her own, and Azula considered you to be a good friend, but what would Ozai say of the peasant girl who had stolen his son’s heart?

You don’t have much time to mull over it further as a guard arrives to escort you from your quarters to the throne room. All eyes seem to follow you as you walk through the palace, the gold and red hues overwhelming your senses as you do your best to remain calm. You have no idea what awaits you at the end of the hallway, but there’s no escape now as the grand doors open and you’re pushed inside.

Ozai sits on the throne with a wall of flames roaring behind him. His features are stoic but his gaze is menacing as his eyes watch your meager form approach. You immediately bow in respect to the man once you reach him and kneel before his seated figure. Just as your mother instructed, you say nothing until you are spoken to.

“So you’re the girl my son has chosen to be his partner?” He drawls with a raised brow, obviously not impressed by the person before him.

“Yes, sir. It is an honor to present myself to you, my Lord,” you profess as earnestly as possible while adding another bow for good measure. You need his approval not only to continue dating Zuko, but also to ensure you and your mother are both able to continue living behind the palace walls. Even if you are there as servants tucked away in the peasant quarters, it certainly is a better place to be than out in the streets.

“I know who you are, child,” Ozai scoffs callously as he peers down at you from his place on the throne. “You are the peasant girl who managed to worm her way into the lives of my children. You are a lowly servant with nothing to your name and nothing special about you, and yet you have managed to corrupt my only son."

“Fire Lord Ozai, I-I apologize if my actions have upset you,” you quickly try to interject, but he holds a hand up and signals you to halt your pathetic rambling. Ozai does not have the time nor care to hear your excuses or explanations. That’s not what this meeting is for.

“Do you know how poorly it would reflect on me to have Zuko galavanting around the palace with a servant? Do you know how poorly it reflects on him to be seen with you? It’s a disgrace, and it is something I will not tolerate.”

“I know,” you utter quietly, trying to make yourself appear as small as you feel on the inside. Despite what Zuko has told you, you know that his father is right. You are nothing compared to him. He is the sun, the Prince, the heir to the throne. His future ahead is bright, and there is much for him to accomplish. You have no future, no plans for your life, nothing as grand or important as him and Azula. You are not the sun or the moon or even the stars that hang in his sky, you are insignificant, and you will never be worthy enough to be his.

“A future Fire Lord cannot have a maid as a wife. You must break his heart so that he no longer wants anything to do with you, so that he can move on and find a girl more worthy of becoming the future Fire Lady. You must make it appear to be your own doing and not mine, otherwise it won’t work. Have I made myself clear, child?”

“Yes, Fire Lord Ozai,” you whisper softly, a single tear sliding down your cheek as you bow to the cruel man before you. “I understand.”

~~~

The clouds that hang overhead are gray as Zuko makes his way towards the servants’ quarters. It is unheard of for any royal to ever set foot on these grounds, and so all eyes watch the Prince curiously as he approaches your humble home and knocks gently on the door. Movement sounds from the other side, and after a moment he is met with the startled face of your mother. It’s clear that she hadn’t been expecting him, and he takes her by surprise when he bows to the woman in respect.

“I apologize for coming unannounced, but I was hoping I could speak to y/n,” he utters with a look of defeat on his face. His sullen features make his lack of sleep obvious, and his eyes are full of desperation. You’ve been avoiding him for weeks and he has no clue as to why, but he hopes to figure it out soon before he starts to spiral any further.

“She’s…” your mother begins to say, glancing unsurely behind her before looking back to him, “she’s not feeling well. You can come back another time.”

“But-“

“Please, Prince Zuko, we can’t risk you catching whatever it is she’s come down with. You must go.”

She gives him no time to argue before slamming the door in his face. Zuko is stunned, but his shock quickly turns to anger as he lets out a frustrated breath of flames from his mouth before stalking off to cool himself down.

His footsteps fade into the distance as he departs, and you can only sit by the window of your room and watch him walk away. There’s a tightness in your chest that makes you feel as if you can’t breathe, and once he finally disappears over the horizon you break down into an inconsolable mess.

You love Zuko with all of your heart, so it kills you to act as if he means nothing to you. You’re trying to do what Ozai has demanded of you, but it’s agonizing and difficult. You’re too much of a coward to face him and break it off for good, so you’ve resorted to avidly avoiding the Prince at all costs. You hope that by pushing him away he’ll take it upon himself to end the relationship; it would be much less painful that way, but he’s too stubborn for his own good, and he’s persisted despite your best efforts.

The days seem to blend together as you lock yourself in your room while your mother continues to turn Zuko away. You haven’t done any of your chores or worked in days, but Ozai has not faulted you for your incompletion of tasks. Breaking Zuko’s heart is your task, and so long as you keep your word he couldn’t care less what you did with yourself.

After another week has passed, suffocation finally catches up to you and you’re forced to leave your room in order to get some fresh air. You sneak out at nightfall when the palace is quiet and your mother is sleeping so that no one can detect your presence. You retreat to the well out in the back and stare contemplatively into the water below. Clutching the sun that hangs from the gold chain around your neck, you admire the moon’s reflection in the ripples and wish you could be anywhere else but here in the Fire Nation.

“I thought I’d find you here,” a voice utters quietly, causing you to jump in alarm at the intrusion. You turn to meet the solemn gaze of the Prince, and as your back hits the cool stones of the well you find that you are cornered. You can’t avoid him now, and it’s a fact both of you are aware of.

“Zuko, I… I was just leaving,” you stammer hurriedly as you try to push your way past him, but he catches you by the arm before you can get away.

“No, not until you talk to me!” He demands, his eyes full of desperation and despair. “You’re supposed to be my girlfriend, yet you keep avoiding me. Why? Was it something I did?”

“No, Zuko, you didn’t do anything,” you insist despite refusing to meet his gaze. You’re terrified that someone will see you both together and alert Ozai, and you wish he would just release you so you could go back to hiding away in your room.

“Then why won’t you even look at me?”

Slowly, you peek your head up to meet his exasperated face. It seems he’s not going to give up without a fight, so you’re going to have to resort to doing what you’ve been trying to avoid this entire time.

“I don’t love you.”

“W-What?” Zuko stammers in quiet surprise, his hold on your arm loosening slightly. He doesn’t believe what he’s hearing from you, and his mind is scrambling to process your words.

“I don’t love you. I want nothing to do with you,” you repeat firmly, your eyes hardening as you stare up at him and yank yourself free from his grasp.

“Y/n, you don’t mean that-“

“I do mean it! I feel nothing for you, Zuko. I never have. I just felt like I couldn’t say no to you because you’re the Prince, so I had no choice but to say yes to being your girlfriend.”

Hurt flashes across his features and you’re dying inside at having to be so cruel to him. The heart of your childhood best friend is in your hands and you crush it with every word despite how much it pains you. But it’s better for both of you this way, it must be. Ozai will never let you be happy together, but apart he still has a chance to capture the promised future ahead of him. You’re doing him a favor, and you hope one day he’ll be able to see it that way too.

“I don’t understand,” he murmurs weakly, tears beginning to well in his eyes. Then, with frustration clear in his tone, “This doesn’t make any sense!”

“Did you honestly think we could actually be together?” You retort in disbelief. “Azula always said you were a fool, but I didn’t think you were this naive. A servant and a Prince don’t belong together, and you’re the only one who can’t seem to get that!”

“Alright, fine,” Zuko mutters indignantly. His sadness has quickly morphed into anger, and you hate the way it makes you feel. “Can I just ask you one thing?”

You say nothing in response, and he takes your silence as a sign to continue.

“If you don’t love me, then why are you still wearing the necklace?”

Your eyes widen slightly as your hand immediately flies to your neck to clutch the pendant, and your heart slowly begins to sink to your stomach as you realize you’ve been caught in your lie. It’s your turn now to be at a loss for words, unsure what to say as you simply stare up at him with your mouth slight agape.

“You don’t mean what you’re saying,” Zuko says firmly as he moves closer to you. “Someone else is speaking for you, aren’t they?”

“I…”

“What’s going on, y/n?” He presses gently, carefully resting a hand upon your cheek. “Why are you acting this way?”

“I can’t tell you,” you argue weakly, your own eyes becoming full of tears as you allow yourself to melt into his touch. You’ve missed the feeling of his warmth and the comfort of his closeness, and despite your mind screaming at you to remove yourself from him your heart keeps you planted in place.

“That’s nonsense, of course you can. You’ve always been able to tell me anything, so why can’t you now?”

“Can’t you just believe me when I tell you it’s for your own good?” You plead emphatically despite the wavering of your voice.

“How can this possibly be for my own good?!” He retorts in exasperation. “I’ve been miserable without you. Life feels empty when you aren’t around, and I don’t know how to deal with the fact that the girl I’ve loved all my life can’t seem to stand me.”

“It’s not like that!” You cry defensively as the tears finally begin to fall.

“Then what is it?!” Zuko demands, and you can’t seem to take any more of this torture. The lies are killing you, and you can’t help but to finally crack under pressure.

“I’m not good enough for you!” You finally exclaim as you pull yourself away from his touch. You try to choke back your sobs but the ache in your chest makes the task difficult, and you can do nothing but let your words flow freely after keeping them bottled in for weeks. “I-I have nothing to offer you, nothing that makes me special, nothing ahead of me like you do. It’s an embarrassment to the Fire Lord for you to be with me, and it will be an embarrassment for you to have me as your Fire Lady.”

Stunned by your admission, it takes Zuko a moment to process your words. He steps towards you and you flinch, effectively breaking his heart in the process. It’s clear you’re frightened, but not of him. Your fear is geared toward someone else, and the culprit must be responsible for you now feeling this way.

“Who told you such nonsense?”

“Your father,” you admit quietly much to Zuko’s dismay. His eyes immediately harden and his chest is immediately tight with anger, but he does his best to keep his emotions at bay so as to not upset you further. “He spoke to me when we returned from Ember Island and told me we couldn’t be together. Ozai demanded I break your heart so that you can move on and find another girl more suited for this life than I could ever be. I didn’t want to, I still don’t want to, but I’m doing this so that you can have a better future. I’ll only hold you back, Zuko.”

After taking a moment to digest your words, Zuko carefully steps towards you again. You don’t reject his advances this time, so he allows himself the opportunity to carefully wipe away the steady tears that fall down your cool cheeks. Despite how much of a mess you assume you must look like, the Prince still sees you as the most beautiful girl he’s ever laid eyes on.

“I don’t care what my father says,” he assures you gently as he takes your hands in his own. “You’re not an embarrassment, and there’s no other girl that could ever compare to you. I love you, y/n, and I’m not going to let anyone ever get in the way of that.”

“You mean that?” You ask with a quiet sniffle, holding his hands tight as if he’ll leave if you let go.

“Every word. Let my father and anyone else who disapproves of our relationship say what they want to say. I want to be with you, and I hope you still want to be with me too.”

His looks to you with pleading eyes that seek your reassurance, and for a moment you hesitate. Being with Zuko is all you’ve ever wanted, and now he stands here before you professing his loyalty and his love to you. The boy from your childhood had stolen your heart, and you’d be lying if you said you wanted it back.

You know being with him won’t be easy, especially not with his father’s adamant disapproval of your relationship, but you trust Zuko, and so you have to trust that everything will turn out okay. You meet his desperate gaze and gift him a faint smile, and despite knowing you’ll regret this, you wordlessly lean in to meet his lips in a kiss.

You can worry about Ozai’s wrath later. But for now, you allow yourself to melt into his embrace by the moonlit well as you share your first kiss in weeks. It feels right being in his arms once more after spending so much time apart, and you hope you’ll never have to be without his touch ever again.

| zuko tags: @ilovespideyyy @yiyibetch @eridanuswave @lammello @a-monsters-love @taeeemin @livelaughlovekuni @lovialy @alexatiu

[thesunwillshineonusagain757]

As the @thelovelybookworm doing this and I loved the concept so I’m doing this for this blog. It want easy narrowing things down but here it is.

1. Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark ( A song of ice and Fire, George R.R. Martin )

If you follow me you saw this one coming from hey are my ultimate OTP have always been and probably will always be. Finding love in hopeless places is one things I’m very inclined to.

2. Viola and Duke Orsino ( Twelfth Night, Or What You Will, William Shakespeare )

I’m not a massive Shakespeare buff but these to ring my bell a lot. It’s the trans allegory, its the melancholic deeply bisexual man, and a deeply non binary person that make a very good duo! I think you can already see a pattern here.

3. Aragon and Éowyn ( Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien )

Here me out I know it’s fanon, and I know most purists of Tolkien will think it heretic but I love these two and their dynamic ! And yes I think they should’ve end up together. Aragon sees Éowyn and doesn’t think she should be lady like to be worthy of his respect! And the fact that Aragorn is the most badass man in the Middle-earth also helps.

4. Zuko x Katara ( Avatar : The last Air Bender )

The OG ship of ships, my OG OTP, they are still my shit and yes I’m still bitter about it. It’s the Fire and Water, opposites attract that always made me love their dynamic oh my so much. They are what I want to have in life! His redemption arc to me was Ken got he best parts of the show and I’m sad that new generations won’t know what is was like with them !