Zuko X Y/n - Blog Posts

Fireside (Zuko x Reader)

Word Count: 1,775

Author’s Note: I am so deeply sorry this took so long to post. I don’t know what happened but after Thanksgiving the creative part of my brain completely shut down and all I could do was lay in bed and play video games. But it’s back now so 🎉🎉🎉 happy new year to all of us! 

I got this request a WHILE ago and had written something else for it but after reconsidering, I totally hated it, so this is the rewrite for some cozy, wintery goodness. I also love this idea because I’m constantly cold - my feet and hands are always freezing and even in summer I’ll wear sweaters and hoodies because aircon can get pretty chilly when you have the body temp of your average vampire. 

Now for a little update: in the new year, I’ll be focusing more on original works than fanfiction. I’m still going to finish Two Halves, and I’ll still write fanfiction (because it’s still super fun) but I have so many ideas for original works that are taking over my brain that it seems only fitting to shift that direction. If you’re on my subscriber list and would like to only receive alerts for fanfic, let me know and I’ll add you to a separate list. 

I hope you’re all having a wonderful holiday, taking time to relax and spend time with loved ones, and generally just glad to have survived this shithole of a year. Here’s hoping that 2021 goes better - 2020 set the bar pretty low so it shouldn’t be too hard. 🥂

Snow was a rare occurrence in the Fire Nation. Summers typically scorched, followed by peaceful autumns and mild winters; a little rainfall was all one typically expected during the colder months in the Imperial City. 

This year, however, was much different. The mountains that bordered the villages and towns throughout the island were white capped under gray skies; streets were slickened by thick layers of ice that settled between cobblestones and creased the panes of windows; bracing breezes swept through landscapes unaccustomed to such unforgiving weather, carrying flurries of snow that bit at cheeks and cloaked the world in a dull ivory veil. Winter came to the Fire Nation seeking a cruel, unwarranted vengeance.

Keep reading

Home (Zuko x Reader)

Summary: Zuko asked you to stay in the Fire Nation so he could come back to a friendly face, and you more than fullfil your promise.

Word Count: 550

Author’s Note: Two sequels back to back? A girl is on some emotional bullshit. This is the epilogue for From Eden - I sort left it open for a little continuation, and I just read an incredible fic that also ripped my beating heart from my chest and held it sadisicially in front of my face, so I decided to jot down a little 3AM tenderness. Enjoy.

~ Muerta

“When I do leave… will you stay? So I have at least one friendly face to come back to someday?”

Zuko’s words ricocheted around your head as you flew between the buildings of the imperial city, your feet carrying you faster than you ever thought they could run. The moment you heard about his confrontation with Azula, you were gone, not even waiting for the messenger to finish his sentence before you darted through the threshold of your quarters and into the humid late summer air, orange sunlight slanting the shadows of the world around you as it guided you forward.

The war was over. Ozai was defeated.

As you approached the gates of the palace, the guards stationed outside didn’t pause to question you - instead they stepped aside, allowing you to rush past without suspicion or inquiry. Zuko sent for you, he knew you were coming, yet you still felt as if you couldn’t reach him fast enough, like the only thing that could truly bring you back together was to see each other, unimpeded by distance at last.

You crashed through the doors of the royal infirmary, panting wildly with sweat dripping down your face, soaking through the collar and back of your tunic.

Your childhood protector stood by the room’s open window, his torso wrapped in bloodstained bandages and draped with a silken robe. He snapped his attention toward you, startled at first by the sudden intrusion, his gaze easing with relief the moment his eyes met yours.

“Zuko!”

You flung yourself into his arms and he caught you, unaware of the pain that shook his body as you slammed into the burns in his chest. His arms viced around your waist, fingers digging into the fabric of your shirt and the skin beneath it as he clutched you to him, face buried in the crook of your neck. You took in a quivering breath, breathing in the scent of him as sobs began to shake you; smoke from the hearth of a sturdy house filled your lungs.

“You’re okay,” you whispered into Zuko’s neck. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

For ages, you and Zuko held each other, knuckles white and bodies sore with the tightness of your grip. Zuko’s fingers knotted themselves in your hair, while your face nestled deeper into the space between his jaw and shoulder, tears raining on his exposed skin. He said nothing, simply hushed you in the calming way he used to do when you were children.

You missed him. Spirits, had you missed him.

When you finally pulled away, Zuko rested his palms at either side of your head, the heat of his skin warming your cheeks while his thumbs stroked over your cheekbones. He gazed at you deeply, with an expression you’d never seen in him before, his eyes lidded yet somehow agape, lips slightly parted as he still held you close.

“I missed you,” he rasped. “I was so worried… I missed you. I love you.”

Before his words had even fully pieced together in your mind, your hands rose to his neck and pulled him to you, moulding your lips to his in a desperate kiss. He kissed you back, and you felt as if a painting left unfinished were finally completed.

Zuko was home.

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Everything You Wanted (Zuko x Servant! Reader) PART ONE

𝗔/𝗡: 𝗶 𝘀𝗽𝘂𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗶𝗳𝘂 𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗶𝗺𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗵𝗲𝗵𝗲

𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚: 𝗮𝗴𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿, 𝗿𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗹𝘁𝘆/𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽, 𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗜𝗟𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝟮

𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁: 𝗼𝗻𝗲 || 𝘁𝘄𝗼 || 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 || 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗿 || 𝗳𝗶𝘃𝗲 || 𝘀𝗶𝘅 || 𝘀𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 || 𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 || 𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗲 || 𝘁𝗲𝗻 || 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲

𝙒𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚? ⇒ 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩

𝙟𝙤𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚𝙧?

For the first time in years, the room of the Banished Prince looked inhabited.

You swallowed down a shiver as you pushed the large doors open and stepped inside. You had no right to do this. You had no right to walk through one of the royal bedrooms with curious eyes and curious hands rather than a downcasted head and shuffling feet. Your purpose in life was to serve the royal family. You were to worship the very ground they walked on and to cherish the very air that they breathed. Yet here you were, acting as if you were their equal. Acting as if you belonged here. As if you didn’t know your place. 

No matter how cruel the royal family was, you knew that you never amounted to nothing more but just another grain of sand in the Si Wong Desert. Insignificant. Expendable. Replaceable. You should know this. You do know this. You’ve always known this.

Yet, you couldn’t help it. You had almost lost all hope. It was no wonder you had lost yourself within your own passion when you heard he was coming home.

Stepping lightly on the expenses floors, you made sure to carefully leave the door open just a little. It was the same way as you found it- no doubt a result of Prince Zuko leaving his room in a hurry to a meeting that was just abruptly called. The thought made you frown as you gripped the hem of your dress and silently made your way across the large room. 

You hadn’t seen him since his return except from afar. You couldn’t dare to. From the day you met him as just a little servant girl, hiding behind her mother’s legs, you felt the blossoming of a crush within your naive, child-sized heart. But as time grew on, you matured. You grew and grew and grew, but you never could quite outgrow your feelings for the Crown Prince. Instead, your feelings seemed to evolve over time. Shy glances and soft stutters from a little girl that desperately wished for her puppy love to go away moved on to become warm faces and daring thoughts from a teenage girl with a brain bolder than a servant should ever have. 

You sighed longingly as you walked up to the large four-poster bed that sat in the middle of the room. Moonlight poured in the window, giving the ornately decorated but mostly empty room a haunting glow. Never in your life have you ever done something as audacious as trespassing on one of the royal bedrooms. But only in private could you act on your whims and wishes. Only in private could you dream up a double meaning for every single glance or word he had sent in your direction. You could fantasize what it was like to be held in the arms of his forbidden affections. But you were only a peasant. Nothing but a simple girl. You would never see a truth in your daydreams. You would forever have to play make-believe about a Prince who didn’t know your name would one day love you. 

So lost in your thoughts, you didn’t notice how far you traveled into the room until you found yourself sitting on red sheets that held small, beautiful patterns. The bed wasn’t made. It served as another sign of his hasty departure. But it was another sign that you shouldn’t be here. You don’t know when he’ll come back. He might even appear in the middle of your dangerous game. Even so, you could not help but reach out a hand to get a feel of a luxurious material you’ve only washed and dried. The fabric was still warm in some places. Hardly a moment of rest for royalty, you suppose. But surely the Crown Prince deserved a break after his banishment, right? You heard of his noble feats. No ordinary man could do what the great Prince Zuko had done- you were sure of it.  

Trailing your fingers of the fine silk, you froze, drawing in a sharp breath as you realized the weight of your actions. These thoughts of yours were reckless in every shape of the word. You were getting far too comfortable with breaking rules tonight. Or was this carelessness? Either way, this would surely result in your if you didn’t-

“Don’t stop now. You looked like you were getting comfortable.” 

You should have never come here.

“My Prince!” You stood up suddenly, backing into one of the large golden pillars of his four-poster bed. The light from the hallway casted a large shadow across his face as he stood with his back against the large door. His arms were folded over his red-robed chest, and a familiar scowl rested on his face as he looked at you in what you could only imagine being disgust. You couldn’t help but gulp at his expression, heartbreaking into pieces, as you bowed your head deeply and upturned your palms in submission. “F-forgive me, my Prince! When I heard of your return, I-”

You were an idiot. A fool. Deep down, you knew this was going to happen. How could you ever think to sneak into the crown prince’s bedroom without any repercussions? There were guards posted everywhere. The Fire Nation Royal Palace was built not unlike Boiling Rock. A heavily guarded, heavily armed fortress with eyes posted everywhere. No matter how innocent your intentions may have been, there is no doubt that your hubris will go not go unpunished. Maybe you even wanted this to happen. Perhaps you were so desperate for his attention- so desperate to stand out to him that it drove you to do the unthinkable. In the pursuit of your dear Prince’s adoration, you found yourself the object of his glare.

Or so you thought. 

Amidst your mindless babbling, you missed how he pushed himself off of the door and shut it with a loud thud. He unfolded his arms and stalked his way over to you shaking form with a confidence you had never seen before. The time he spent away from his home had hardened him into a warrior. A predator that had spent countless nights honing his skill to be the best of the very best. The man who killed the avatar. And now you were his prey. He was taking his time with you. Toying with you. Enjoying you. Drinking in your very being with insatiable, glowing gold eyes. With slow, calculated steps, he inched closer and closer until he was able to shove your back into a pillar. 

Instinctively, a gasp poured through your lips as the back of your head hit the hard surface. You couldn’t tell if that felt worse than his tight grip on your arms or the ache in your heart. Either way, something had to be the cause of the tears that threatened to spill. The way he caged in your body with his own intimidating physique was suffocating. While the position looked intimate, the situation was dangerous. At this moment, he was both your jailer and escape- a conflict of emotions and interests that sent your dizzy mind in an uproar. 

His right hand loosened its grip on your forearm before it let go of it completely. He turned his palm towards you, and you felt your eyes widen in silent distress. Was this your punishment? Were you to be burned right where you stood? With no hope of mercy, repentance, or forgiveness? 

By the hands of the man you loved?

But deep down, you knew you had no right to complain. Your eyes closed slowly as you fell limp in his grip. You truly had no right to argue or barter about your punishment. You were a peasant. You had rules. But you broke them. Now you have to pay the price. You dug your grave. It was only right that you take everything that was given to you with blurry eyes and a thankful heart that reminded you of how things could have been worse. 

But your punishment never came. 

“I’ve lost everything, you know?” 

Light as a feather, his right hand circled your left wrist and pulled it towards his figure. This was unexpected. His movements were slow and shaky- as if he was the one who should be fearing for his life. Never in your life did you imagine that you’d ever find yourself in such a situation. A situation that stemmed from what should have been a punishment, no less. And yet, his touch was delicate as he placed your hand on a part of his chest that was left open through his robe. Your eyes flickered open to meet his intense golden gaze as your palm made contact with burning skin and a soft but steady beat. His heart.

“Everything.” He repeated, not once taking his eyes off of you. Nodding shakily, you mouthed the powerful word with silent lips. You had never seen his scar before. You thought it made him look very handsome. “Everything.”

His voice had become raspy and low with age. It held a certain heaviness that weighed down your own heart as you detected the swirl of emotions that lived behind the voice. It was as if despair and rage had grabbed at his throat with an iron grip and crushed and crushed until there was nothing left but bitterness, regret, and loss. Despite this, it was soft. Soft and quiet in an almost soothing way. Was this acceptance of his own secret troubles? Was this relief to be home? Or… was this voice reserved for you?

But like fire, he changed his course very quickly.

“My pride. My honor. My status. My throne. My family.”

His next words came out in a deep and threatening growl. If he had gotten any louder, you’d be inclined to call it a shout. You could feel the threat that punctuated all of the things he lost as he snatched up your other wrist with unexpected strength. You were trapped in the way he wanted you to be as he held you in a tight grip. One hand made to be pressed against his chest. Another hand held suspended in the air. This was the warrior you could hear behind the voice. But this was not the boy you once knew. This was not the boy you fell hopelessly in love with. This was not your Prince Zuko. This was all that was left of him. All that was left of the boy who was forced to leave home.

So you whimpered. 

And he softened. 

He relaxed his hold on you with a sigh and hung his head. But he didn’t let go. His long hair created a shadow over his eyes and face making his expressions unreadable. You didn’t know what to think. For a while, he was as still as a corpse. If it weren’t the soft pulsating of his heartbeat beneath your fingertips and the slow rise and fall of his chest, you could have been convinced that he was the one who died right where he stood. And that scared you.

You were surprised when he brought his head up and started to move again. Moving slowly and with that feather-light grip he had earlier, the hand held your wrist in the air guided your hand closer and closer until finally…it rested on the left side of his face. The second you made contact with the burned skin, you watched his eyes grow steely and hard as they trained on your face. He was watching you. Almost daring you to indulge. A challenge you selfishly accepted. 

Your thumb trailed little circles on his cheek, causing gold eyes to slip close as he pressed against your hand. A deep inhale followed by a quiet exhale as he cuddled into you like a young child. You could not believe it. Your poor heart has been through too much excitement today. The chance to live out your crush was starting to feel like too much. But every touch- every little feeling as your thumb circled over the cold, rough, red skin of his burn reminded you that this was real. That this was happening and that this was now and that he was in pain and you are the one to comfort him. Tonight, you weren’t dreaming. His body is far too warm to think otherwise.

“Starting tomorrow,” He spoke with his eyes closed- voice barely above a whisper as you both selfishly gave in to your desires as servant and master. Prince and peasant. Everything and nothing. “Your new orders are to serve me and me alone, got it?”

“Yes,” You whispered, voice barely traveling to his ears. It was almost lost in the ambiance of the world outside the Prince’s moon-lit bedroom. But you knew he heard it. You could tell by the way he shivered in your hold. “Yes, my prince.”

There was a pregnant pause before he opened his eyes and stepped away from your touch.

“You are not to leave my side. Wherever I go, you go. No matter what anyone tells you.” He ordered with all the firmness and finality a prince could hold. With his face set in a straight line and his eyes holding you in an intimidating stare, you couldn’t do anything but quietly nod your head and avert your gaze. But with one last bold movement, he stepped towards you and grabbed your chin, and forced your head up to meet his eyes.

“I’ve lost everything.” He repeated quietly. How he managed to sound more heartbroken than the first time he told you, you’ll never know. But oh, how you felt it. 

“ But I will not lose my everything. Ever. Again.”

And with a final growl, he was gone. The moment between you two has ended, leaving you with nothing but questions you will never ask. Questions you’ll never get answers to. Questions you’ll never fully understand.

But you couldn’t complain. You couldn’t dare complain about what just happened. You got his intimate hold. You got his kind eyes. His kind voice. His attention. And now? You get to be by his side from now on. 

You got everything that you wanted, didn’t you?

Right?

transferred masterlist - zuko x fem!reader // atla smau

⇦ back to masterlist ⇦

status: complete!  

i decided to make a separate masterlist for this just for easier navigation + since its my most popular series rn. thank you guys for the love on it <3 

summary: trying to run from your past is hard, but falling for your brother’s roommate is even harder. little do you know that he’s falling for you as well.

final wc: 23,623

~~~~~~~

INTRO  PART ONE PART TWO PART THREE PART FOUR PART FIVE  PART SIX  PART SEVEN  PART EIGHT  PART NINE PART TEN PART ELEVEN  PART TWELVE PART THIRTEEN PART FOURTEEN PART FIFTEEN PART SIXTEEN PART SEVENTEEN PART EIGHTEEN PART NINETEEN PART TWENTY EPILOGUE

Fiery Familiarty - Part 4

i’m so sorry yall ;;; i really meant to post before now, my brain has been all over the place. but finally, here you have part 4, please forgive me!! i hope you guys enjoy <3

words: ~2.1k

prologue | part 1 | part 2 | part 3

When you awoke the following day, you were almost nervous to leave your room. As you dressed, you mentally prepared yourself, taking a deep breath before you walked out to greet everyone else. You greeted everyone politely, elbowing Toph and Sokka as you fought for your morning meal. You thanked Pipsqueak before taking your food, settling in to watch Aang and Zuko training. 

You couldn’t help but cringe as Zuko let out a particularly frustrated growl, changing form in an effort to get more out of his bending. “Don’t patronize me! You know what it’s supposed to look like!”

“Sorry, Sifu Hotman!”

You snickered around your breakfast at the nickname.

“Hey, jerks!” Sokka sat beside you, munching his apple. “Mind if I watch you two jerks do your jerk bending?” 

You elbowed him, “Shut it.”

“Get out of here!”

“Okay, take it easy.” Sokka drops his apple, “I was just kiddin' around.” He snickers to himself as he walks away, “jerkbending, still got it.”

You watched Zuko sink in on himself, groaning in frustration at his own failure. You decided to leave them to train in peace, not noticing Zuko’s eyes trailing after you as you went. 

Once you caught up to Sokka, you shoved him. “Hey, idiot, what was that for, do you have a death wish or something? Willingly bothering an angry bender? Has Katara taught you nothing?”

He chuckled to himself shoving you back, “Hey, not my fault I’m so naturally hilarious. Besides, he’s so fun to tease now that he’s on our side.” He threw an arm around your shoulder, “besides, I think he’s got other interests. Somebody was asking about you this morning.”

Your eyes widened as you looked over to him, “what?”

Sokka’s face pulled into a Cheshire cat grin, “oh yeah, he was asking all about you this morning. Who you were, where you were from, what we knew about you. Seemed to reaallllly wanna get to know you. You got something going on with Prince Grumpy?” 

Your heart was pounding so loud that Sokka’s voice sounded muted. Had he figured it out? Surely not, or everyone would know. Right?

You laughed nervously, trying to keep your voice steady. “No way, I think he’s just asking 'cause I talked to him yesterday. Asked him about some stuff, he probably just wants to know more about who he’s teamed up with.”

Sokka swung his arms behind his head, crossing them to support it. “Okay, whatever you say! But I’m telling you, he’s more than just curious. There’s something more there.”

You felt heat rise to your cheeks, you tried to will it away as you grumbled, “whatever.” You passed him and went to check on Toph. You chose to spend the rest of your day with the others, exploring the Air Temple and playing mindless games to entertain yourselves. 

Around the campfire, after Zuko came to the realization that he didn’t have the rage and anger to fuel his bending, Toph explained how she learned from the original source, the badgermoles. Though, seeing as the dragons had since gone extinct, he and Aang decided they were going to visit the civilization of the Sun Warriors. They set off bright and early the next day. 

You paced all day until they returned, rushing to check on them. Aang laughed, assuring you they were alright before launching into another of his long-winded stories. You all got a good laugh out of their very sacred dragon dance.

Later that night, you guys sat around the fire, sharing food and laughter. 

“You should’ve seen the look on his face, I’ve never seen a kid so scared about a baby tiger seal!” Katara’s cackle was infectious, everyone joining in as Sokka whined at her for exposing him.

You chuckled softly, nudging him, “Don’t worry Sokka, I remember back home when we would visit the turtleducks, Zu-” You panicked, coughing to cover the fumble. “My friend Zumon, he used to bug them and the mother would bite him.”

The others laughed softly but mostly continued to tease Sokka and tell more stories. You could tell Toph felt your heart start pounding. She tapped your leg in concern, to which you tapped back twice for “I’m okay.”

You could feel Zuko staring at you. You lifted your gaze to meet his, your breath catching in your throat. He knew. There was no way he didn’t, not with the shock in his expression. He almost looked hurt, and you couldn’t take it. You stood up, quietly bidding everyone a good night, claiming you were tired. In reality, you barely slept.

You woke up before the morning sun had even risen, a hand on your shoulder. You panicked, sitting up so fast it made you dizzy.

“Sorry,” Zuko whispered, “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

You felt some tension bleed as you realized it wasn’t someone coming to attack you, but some came back when you realized that it was Zuko. Your Zuko. The Zuko you deceived into thinking you weren’t his childhood friend. Who found out by accident because you had slipped up in your stupid story. “Zuko… hey.”

“Hi,” his awkward attitude strikes back. “I was… Well, I was wondering if you- If you’d like to train. With me.”

“I’m not sure if that’s such a good idea-”

“Please.”

You could see the hope in his eyes, even in the dim light.

“...Okay”

You got on some light clothes, following Zuko out to where he’d been training with Aang. He sat down, patting the spot beside him. “So…”

You laughed softly, “so…”

“Why… didn’t you say anything?”

The dreaded question. “I didn’t mean to lie to you… I just couldn’t tell them. You have to understand, having someone from the Fire Nation try to join them? That was not an option. I couldn’t tell anyone. After I left, I had to blend in. I became a lost child, an orphan. Everyone assumed my family had been killed in the war, and I couldn’t tell anyone the truth. The family of the Fire Nation generals, even a child, are not treated kindly. I didn’t get my scar from a trip and fall,” you laughed bitterly.

Zuko paused, taking in your words before responding, “I didn’t mean why you didn’t tell anyone. I mean, why didn’t you say anything to me before you left? Y/n, you were… You were my only friend.”

Your heart dropped as you looked at him, grabbing his hands, “I never wanted to leave you, Zuko. There was never a day when I didn’t regret leaving you behind, you were my best friend. But after what I heard, their plans to enslave a town of innocent people… I couldn’t stay there.”

As Zuko studied your expression, he could see the distress in your eyes. His eyes softened, “If anyone understands the cruelty of the Fire Nation, it’s me. I’m just glad you got the chance to get out of there. It just… hurt. Losing my best, my only friend. Then when mom left…”

You leaned forward, hesitating before hugging him, tears welling in your eyes. “I’m so sorry for not being there when you needed me. I can’t imagine how hard it must have been to lose her, Ursa was so kind and loving… I’ll never let you go through something like that alone, not again.”

As you pulled back, you saw a sole tear stream down his face. You raised a hand to his cheek, swiping your thumb across it as he leaned ever so slightly into your touch. “I promise, Zu.”

And as the Zuko in front of you looked into your eyes, you could see the broken boy he used to be, a weak smile finally gracing his face.

He closed his eyes, taking a moment to gather himself before pulling back. “Will you train with me? I… can teach you what I learned from the dragons.”

Your eyes widened, “I’m honoured, Zuko, but if they catch me-“

“The sun isn’t even awake yet, Y/n. Just this once, bend with me. It’s been years.”

You couldn’t resist those puppy dog eyes.

You nodded, stepping towards him as you bowed to each other. “I haven’t used my bending in years, I can’t promise I’ll be any good to practice with.”

A soft laugh, “I supposed I'll have to show you how a real master does it then, huh?”

You let out a scoff, shaking your head playfully, “you, a master? I saw you a couple days ago, that little smoke show wasn’t master level.”

He grinned, sliding into his first form, “that was before a dragon showed me my true power. Here, I’ll show you.” He moved so fluidly, from one motion to another before he struck. The sheer amount of fire, the heat radiating from his bending, it was mesmerizing.

You smiled, “Oh great Sifu Hotman, show me your ways!” You waved your hands in fake worship, eyes swimming with mischief.

“Spirits, not you too!” You let out a cackle as he grumbled about the ‘stupid nickname’. 

“Well, come on, teach me.”

His grumpy expression seemed to soften, his eyes betraying him. He slid behind you, “may I?”

You nodded without even thinking about what he was asking to do.

You gasped as he placed his hands ever so softly. You had forgotten how bending heated his hands. His touch felt deliciously warm with the morning air cooling your skin. You inhaled, holding your breath as his feather-light touch slid over your arms, guiding you. 

“Uncle always told me that your firepower comes from breathing, not muscle.” He pressed gently on your diaphragm, “breathe, Y/n.”

You drew a shaky breath, closing your eyes to try and steady yourself. You focused on his voice, on the electricity buzzing under your skin everywhere he touched.

“Good. Your breath becomes your energy. It powers you, it extends out and becomes your fire. Let the air fuel your flame.” He was so close you could feel his breath against your neck and he pushed you into form.

Your eyes shot open as you felt all the energy culminating, a flame shooting out of your hand. Your eyes lit up as you turned to him, “I did it!”

He laughed, “I told you, you just needed a master to teach you.”

Your smile turned to a cocky grin, “oh yeah? We’ll get ready to get your butt whooped, O’ Great Fire Master. You can’t stop me now that I’ve got my spark back!”

You let out a laugh as you pushed, a flame forcing him the deflect. That was all it took to get him going. You mimicked him, mirroring his forms in a perfect act of push and pull. It brought back old memories of long-forgotten childhood games, and silly moves you once used. You let out an excited yelp as he threw his ‘Super Mega Prince Fireball’ at you, nearly tripping over yourself as you dodged it. Zuko couldn’t help but play fight when it brought such a lovely shine to your eyes.

Then suddenly, as if the puzzle pieces had fallen into place, you remembered an old dance. One from such a distant memory, you were sure he had forgotten. But as you took your first step, and hummed a note, hoping he would remember… You could see recognition cross his face as he took the next step, humming the note to match. The raspy notes in his voice matched with the even tone in yours, creating the melody you’d missed so dearly. 

You danced around each other, letting out plumes of fire, your bodies brushing against each other in an intricate dance. As the tune built to its crescendo, your eyes met and suddenly it was like the world ceased to exist outside of him. He danced so perfectly, it’s like you were an extension of each other. You could feel your heart pounding as your feet moved in sync, a harmony you had never known until now. Then, on the last note, he swept you up, the way he’d never had the courage to do as a child. Zuko held you close before he dipped you, and both your opposite hands reached up toward the sky. Then, in your final pose, your hands wove together, shooting out flames that mixed so hot it burned white. 

You both held the pose, bodies pressed together as your chests heaved from the exertion. You were staring into his eyes as though you’d never see each other again, drinking each other in with a breathless smile. You almost forgot that you weren’t the only people in the temple.

“Well well, looks like Sparky finally found his match.”

taglist:  @mochminnie @martinys-world @shinyakii @typicallydepressedandanxious

Fiery Familiarity - Part 3

hey guys!! sorry it took longer than i expected to get this part out, i’ve been busy at work lol. also i realized i forgot literally like 3 paragraphs at the end of part 2 ;; they’re there now and they’re not crazy important but it’s something lol. enjoy part 3!!

words: ~1.9k

prologue | part 1 | part 2 | part 4

You resorted to carrying Toph, having her bend through the ground to tunnel closer to the camp. You stumbled out and fell to the ground, holding her defensively to shield her from more harm. “Katara, we need some help over here!”

“Toph, Y/n! What happened?” Katara cried, crouching at Toph’s side.

“My feet got burned!”

“Oh no, what happened?”

Toph’s sass started to come back, “I just told you, my feet got burned.”

Katara glared, “I meant how.”

Toph hesitated, “Well… We kind of went to see Zuko last night.”

“You WHAT?!” Aang yelled.

“Zuko?!” Katara cried incredulously.

Sokka let out a noise before Toph continued, “I thought he could be helpful to us.” Katara began to heal her feet. “And if I talked to him, maybe we could work something out.”

“So he attacked you?” Sokka asked.

“Well, he did, and he didn’t. It was sort of an accident.”

Aang had to ask, “But he did firebend at you?”

Toph sighed, reluctantly responding, “yes.”

Sokka started again, “See? You trusted Zuko, and you got burned. Literally!”

You needed to say something. “It wasn’t all his fault, Sokka! He was asleep and thought we were someone coming to ambush him. He tried to apologize, but she’d already been hurt.”

“It’s gonna take a while for your feet to get better,” she paused her healing, putting her water away. “I wish I could have worked on them sooner.”

“Yeah, me too,” Toph grumbled.

“Zuko’s clearly too dangerous to be left alone. We’re gonna have to go after him.”

You stopped listening as Aang and Sokka spoke, choosing to help support Toph and carry her to the fountain for some rest. But of course, you couldn’t get a moment's rest, as an explosion sounded moments later.

You all panicked, grabbing Toph protectively.

“Stop!” You all turned as you heard Zuko’s voice. “I don't want you hunting the Avatar anymore! The mission is off. I'm ordering you to stop.” Zuko tried to block Combustion Man, only to get shoved aside as he let off another explosion even closer to you.

You watched in vain as Zuko tried to stop him. When Combustion Man turned, you felt like everything went in slow motion. Your heart stopped as the explosion pushed Zuko off the ledge, you couldn’t help the scream you let out.

“Zuko!”

Sokka forced you down behind the fountain, only letting you back up once the explosion passed. You almost cried in relief when you saw Zuko had managed to catch himself on the roots hanging between the rocks.

As Aang and Katara used their bending to shield the group, you helped Sokka carry Toph behind the pillars as fast as possible.

“He's going to blast this whole place right off the cliff side!”

Katara tries to peek out, only for another explosion to set off, “I can't step out to waterbend at him without being blown up and I can't get a good enough angle on him from down here.”

You see Sokka’s eyes light up, “I know how to get an angle on him!” He grabs his boomerang, watching before aiming and winding up. “Alright buddy, don't fail me now!”

The boomerang whips into the distance and you hear Sokka cheer as it hits Combustion Man in the forehead. He tries to set off an explosion, but it backfires, and he only succeeds in blowing himself up along with a whole pillar of the air temple. You watch with bated breath, only releasing it when you see Zuko climbing up the root and onto stable ground.

You wait with the others as Zuko makes his way to you.

Aang looks up, “I can’t believe I’m saying this but… Thanks, Zuko.”

Sokka poses as he speaks up, “hey, what about me? I did the boomerang thing.”

“Listen, I know I didn't explain myself very well yesterday, I've been through a lot in the last few years, and it's been hard. But I'm realizing that I had to go through all those things to learn the truth. I thought I had lost my honor, and that somehow my father could return it to me.” He paused, looking down before continuing. “But I know now that no one can give you your honor. It's something you earn for yourself, by choosing to do what's right. All I want to do now is play my part in ending this war, and I know my destiny is to help you restore balance to the world.”

Aang’s face softened with those words, and you could feel hope rising in your chest at the sight.

Zuko turns to Toph, “I'm sorry for what I did to you.” He gave her a bow, “It was an accident. Fire can be dangerous and wild, so as a firebender, I need to be more careful and control my bending, so I don't hurt people unintentionally.”

You could tell that hit Aang in the heart, the memories of his first attempt rushing to the surface as his eyes widened and he looked down in quiet contemplation. He looked up, “I think you are supposed to be my firebending teacher. When I first tried to learn firebending, I burned Katara, and after that, I never wanted to firebend again. But now I know you understand how easy it is to hurt the people you love.” Aang bows to Zuko, “I'd like you to teach me.”

Zuko smiles, bowing back. “Thank you. I'm so happy you've accepted me into your group.”

“Not so fast. I still have to ask my friends if it's okay with them.” Aang turns to Toph, “Toph, you're the one that Zuko burned. What do you think?”

She grins, pounding her fist to get palm jokingly, “Go ahead and let him join. It'll give me plenty of time to get back at him for burning my feet.”

Aang smiles and looks at you, “Y/n?”

You hesitate, looking into Zuko’s eyes as you speak. “I know that there is good in his heart. He deserves a chance to show it. He’s the best shot you have at learning firebending.”

Aang nods, looking to the left, “Sokka?”

Sokka shrugs, “Hey, all I want is to defeat the Fire Lord. If you think this is the way to do it, then, I'm all for it.”

Aang nods once more, looking at the final person. “Katara?”

You watch sweat roll down Zuko’s face, a look of pure hope and fear in his eyes. She glares as she speaks, “I'll go along with whatever you think is right.”

Tension bleeds from Zuko’s shoulders as he steps forward. “I won't let you down! I promise!”

You carry Toph as the group bleeds out of the area, watching as Sokka tells Zuko to grab his things.

You hear Sokka calling to Zuko, something about lunch, after he shows him to his new room. As he slips out of the room, you watch Sokka turn to Aang and say, “Okay, this is really, really weird.”

You slot yourself behind a pillar, watching silently as Zuko pulls a photo out of his bag. You stay quiet for a moment as you watch his thumb rub against it. You see Katara lean against the doorway, his head whipping up as he feels her eyes on him. He stands as she begins to speak.

“You might have everyone else here buying your... transformation, but you and I both know you've struggled with doing the right thing in the past.” You watch as she walks toward him, standing inches from his face as she sneers, “So let me tell you something, right now. You make one step backward, one slip-up, give me one reason to think you might hurt Aang, and you won't have to worry about your destiny anymore. Because I'll make sure your destiny ends... right then and there. Permanently.”

You watch as hurt blooms on his face, his eyes wide and sad as he watches her leave. You hide behind the pillar as she slams the door. You wait until her footsteps and mumbled curses subside before you approach the door.

You knock on the door softly, “...Zuko?”

You hear shuffling before the door opens, a disheartened look on his face.

“Have you come to give me a piece of your mind, too?”

Your eyes softened before you shook your head. “Can I come in?”

He watched you with an indiscernible look before he stepped to the side and opened the door, giving you more than enough room to step inside. You slid in, taking a deep breath before you spoke up, “I’m sorry for Katara’s… outburst. I’m sure you can understand it comes from a place of love for her friends, but her protective nature comes out more threatening than it needs to.”

He looks down, “No, she has every right to be angry. After the things I’ve done, what my nation put them through… I don’t blame her for being mad at me.”

You nodded sadly, trying to find something else to take his attention off of the past. Your eyes lit up as you looked down at the bed, “Is that your uncle Iroh?”

His eyes snapped to meet yours, “I… Yes, it is.”

You picked it up gently, studying the painting. “Tell me about him.”

You could feel Zuko’s eyes studying you, but when you turned to meet his eyes, they were focused on the photo. “He is… the closest thing to a real father that I’ve ever known. He stood by me, no matter how childish, stubborn, or foolish I was. He cared for me in a way that my father never could. He is crazy and wise and tea obsessed, but I wouldn’t have made it this far without him. He loved and supported me, and I still couldn’t see it. I just wish I could go back and make things right.”

You studied his face as he spoke, awed at how beautifully he’d grown into himself. The sharp cut of his jaw, the gentle slope of his nose, the way his hair fell perfectly, long enough but somehow not in his eyes. And his eyes, Spirits, his eyes shined like gold, even in the muted sun. He looked ethereal. You could still see the youth in his face, just the slightest bit of softness left in his cheeks even with how active he was. You could see how the years had worn him down, his face full of worry lines even at 16. Even his scar, the skin now healed and rough, his left eye permanently squinted just so. He was perfect.

You realized he stopped speaking, looking at you with a sadness in his eyes you couldn’t bare. You traced the edge of Iroh’s portrait softly as you whispered, “You really love him, don’t you?”

Zuko inhaled sharply, his eyes widening as he searched your face. He smiled almost imperceptibly, “I guess I do.”

You held your breath, wanting so badly to hug him, reassure him that Iroh would forgive him, that everything would be okay… but you didn’t know him that well, not anymore. So you settled for a reassuring hand on his shoulder as you handed the portrait back. “The next time you see him, tell him. I’m sure he feels the same.”

You paused for a moment before slipping your hand away, beginning to trail towards the door. His raspy voice made you pause.

“What was your name again?”

You stopped in your tracks, inhaling sharply before casting a glance over your shoulder. “Y/n.”

You walked out before you could see his reaction.

taglist:

@mochminnie

Fiery Familiarity - Part 2

here’s part 2! it was a lot of play by play from the episode, but i tried to make it more interesting. we’re getting into the meaty bits, hope you guys enjoy!!

words: ~1.9k

prologue | part 1 | part 3 | part 4

“Hello, Zuko here.”

Like the others, you were shocked. The LAST person you expected to see here was Zuko, especially so soon after the Black Sun fiasco.

“Hey, I heard you guys flying around down there, so, I just thought I'd wait for you here.” You watch with a barely contained smile as Appa let out a roar and licked him. “I know you must be surprised to see me here.”

“Not really, since you've followed us all over the world, “ Sokka sneered.

“Right. Well, uh…” You could see the hesitation on his face as he took a breath to prepare himself. “Anyway, what I wanted to tell you about is that I've changed, and I, uh, I'm good now, and well I think I should join your group, oh, and I can teach firebending…” Zuko met Aang eyes, “to you.”

You could see Aang's posture relax slightly, his grip on his staff loosening as Momo chittered softly.

Zuko started, “See, I, uh-”

“You wanna *what* now?” Toph asked incredulously.

“You can’t possibly think that any of us would trust you, can you?” Katara furrowed her brows as she continued, “I mean, how stupid do you think we are?!”

Sokka chimed in, “Yeah, all you’ve ever done is try to hunt us down and capture Aang!”

You piped up, trying to diffuse some of the rising tension. “Everybody, please, just calm down-”

“I've done some good things! I mean, I could have stolen your bison in Ba Sing Se, but I set him free. That's something!” He gestured to Appa before giving an awkward shrug. You watched his eyes widen slightly as Appa licked up his back once more.

“Appa does seem to like him,” Toph said, her tone significantly softer this time around.

“He probably just covered himself in honey or something so that Appa would lick him. I'm not buying it.” Sokka made a show of gesturing along with his obvious disdain for the prince.

Zuko took a breath before beginning again, “I can understand why you wouldn’t trust me, and I know I’ve made some mistakes in the past.” You could tell from the look in his eyes that he meant it. The way he looked to the side, ashamed of his past actions.

Your breath hitched as Sokka raised his voice. “Like when you attacked our village?”

“Or when you stole my mother's necklace and used it to track us down and capture us?”

“Look, I admit I've some awful things.” He buried a hand in his hair as he continued, “I was wrong to try to capture you, and I'm sorry that I attacked the Water Tribe. And I never should have sent that Fire Nation assassin after you.” You could see Toph and Sokka’s posture change as Zuko continued, “I'm going to try and stop-”

Your eyes widened, “that was you?”

Sokka pulled out his boomerang, ready to attack, “Wait, you sent Combustion Man after us?!”

Zuko’s hand fell as he looked up, a look in his eyes you couldn’t quite place. “Well, that's not his name, but-”

“Oh sorry, I didn’t mean to insult your friend.” Sokka’s voice was laced with angry sarcasm.

Zuko’s fiery temper set in as he raised his voice angrily, “He’s not my friend!”

Toph pointed accusingly, “That guy locked me and Katara in jail and tried to blow us all up!”

Zuko closed his eyes as he composed himself before looking at Aang. “Why aren't you saying anything? You once said you thought we could be friends.” You could hear the quiet desperation buried in his words. “You know I have good in me.”

Aang looked to the rest of you, and the hope in your eyes dulled as Sokka shook his head. Aang’s expression turned harsh before he replied. “There's no way we can trust you after everything you've done. We'll never let you join us.”

You couldn’t help but gasp softly as you watched Zuko’s face fall, “Aang-”

“You need to get out of here. Now.”

Zuko’s face contorted as he tried to speak once more, “I’m trying to explain that I'm not that person anymore!” He took a few steps forward, desperate to plead his case.

Sokka positioned his boomerang, “Either you leave or we attack.”

“If you won't accept me as a friend, then maybe you'll take me as a prisoner.” Zuko fell onto his knees, raising his hands in surrender to be cuffed.

Katara shifted, getting ready to bend, “No, we won’t!”

“Katara, no!” You yelped in vain, helpless as she hit him with a blast of water. You took a step, reaching towards him as he grunted in pain.

“Get out of here, and don't come back! And if we ever see you again,” she stomped as Sokka stepped forward threateningly, “well, we'd better not see you again!”

Zuko’s wide-eyed expression changed to one of resignation as he lifted himself up and walked off.

You stood at Toph’s side as the others gathered their things and stalked off, grumbling angrily about the situation.

“Why would he try to fool us like that?” Katara asked.

Sokka piped up, “Obviously he wants to lead us into some kind of trap.”

Katara sighs, “This is just like when we were in prison together at Ba Sing Se. He starts talking about his mother and making it seem like he's an actual human being with feelings.”

You could feel your face fall at the mention of Ursa, “Katara, you don’t know that he was lying about his mother.”

Sokka shot you a glare, “He wants you to trust and feel sorry for him so you let your guard down, then he strikes.” Sokka motioned out a jab.

She knelt as she set her belongings down, “The thing is… It worked. I did feel sorry for him. I felt like he was really confused and hurt.” She paused for a moment, getting up, “but obviously, when the time came, he made his choice, and we paid the price.” She looked down, brow furrowing. “We can't trust him.”

You leaned into Toph, just enough that she gave you a questioning look before Aang caught your attention.

“I kind of have a confession to make. Remember when you two were sick and I got captured by Zhao?”

You listened as Sokka and Katara bickered about frogs and warts, in true sibling fashion. Thankfully, Aang cut them off once more. “Anyway, when Zhao had me chained up, it was Zuko who came in and got me out. He risked his life to save me.”

You could tell the confession only managed to rile Katara up more, crossing her arms as she ranted. “No way. I'm sure he only did it so he could capture you himself!”

Sokka jumped in once more, “Yeah, face it Aang, you're nothing but a big prize to him.”

Aang’s face fell slightly as he sighed, “You're probably right.”

Katara’s arms shifted, fists clenched at her sides, “And what was all that crazy stuff about setting Appa free? What a liar!”

Toph finally spoke up, “Actually, he wasn’t lying.”

You inhaled sharply, watching her with laser focus. You had almost forgotten about her ability to sense lies.

“Oh, hooray! In a lifetime of evil, at least he didn't add animal cruelty to the list.” You almost scoffed at the sarcastic venom in Sokka’s voice.

Toph sighed, “I'm just saying that considering his messed-up family and how he was raised, he could have turned out a lot worse.”

“You're right, Toph! Let's go find him and give him a medal. The "not as much of a jerk as you could have been" award!”

Your eyes narrowed as you looked at Katara, “that’s not fair and you know it Katara.”

“All I know is that while he was talking to us, he was sincere. Maybe you're all just letting your hurt feelings keep you from thinking clearly.”

Toph made a good point. However, you couldn’t help but wonder if your own feelings toward him were clouding your judgment as well.

Aang and Sokka turned to face you two as Katara continued, “Easy for you to say! You weren't there when he had us attacked by pirates!”

“Or when he burned down Kyoshi Island!”

“Or when he tried to capture me at the Fire Temple!”

Katara stomps like a petulant child, “Why would you guys even try to defend him?”

Toph stalks forward angrily, “Because Katara, you're all ignoring one crucial fact,” she pokes at Aang’s chest, “Aang needs a firebending teacher! We can't think of a single person in the world to do the job! Now one shows up on a silver platter, and you won't even think about it?” The ground rumbles as Toph stomps out her point.

You walk up and place a hand on her shoulder in a show of support, staring them down with her. “I’m not saying what he’s been through justifies his actions, but Toph is right. Right now, he’s the only chance we’ve got.”

Katara seems to contemplate this, looking down before Aang speaks. “I’m not having Zuko as my teacher.”

“You’re darn right you’re not, buddy.” Sokka glares at the two of you.

Katara crosses her arms again, “Well, I guess that settles that.”

Toph growls, shrugging off your hand as she turns, calling out to them before she stomps off. “I'm beginning to wonder who's really the blind one around here!”

You give one last look to the others before following her.

“So, what’s the plan Toph?”

She glares, “what are you talking about?”

You give a sly grin, “well if I know you, and I do, you’ve got a plan. I want in.”

Toph gives you a smirk before explaining.

When night fell, you and Toph snuck away to the ground above the Air Temple. You knew Zuko had to be camping close, and your suspicions were confirmed when you saw the distant flickering of a campfire. You walked with Toph closer to the camp, slowing when you heard an alarmed Zuko.

“Who's there? Stay back!”

“It’s me!” Toph cried, throwing up an earth shield as Zuko sent out a panicked fire blast. Your eyes widened, trying to reach and push Toph forward before she tipped back. You were a second too late, catching her as she fell.

She yelped in pain, “You burned my feet!”

You watched his eyes widen as he got up, “I’m sorry, It was a mistake!”

You helped Toph as she scrambled away, desperately throwing earth to defend herself. Zuko dodged desperately, “Let me help you! I'm sorry!” He reached forward, grabbing her shoulder.

“Get off me! Get off me!” She managed to elbow him away, throwing up an earth pillar to knock him away.

He tumbled to the ground with a grunt, pushing himself up onto his elbows. His eyes were wide as he cried, “I didn’t know it was you!” He grabbed his side, groaning, “Come back!”

You met his eyes, a mix of worry and pity crossing your face as you helped Toph shuffle away. You could see the desperate look he threw your way, and your heart ached to put a smile on his face. He reached out, but you knew you had to help Toph. You turned away, trying to catch up to her.

“Ugh! Why am I so bad at being good?!”

You felt your heart shatter at the pure frustration and sadness in his voice. You couldn’t help but think that even with all he’d done, he was still just a scared boy trying to figure out his place in the world. You just wished the others could see that too.

You met his eyes, a mix of worry and pity crossing your face as you helped Toph shuffle away. You could see the desperate look he threw your way, and your heart ached to put a smile on his face. He reached out, but you knew you had to help Toph. You turned away, trying to catch up to her.

“Ugh! Why am I so bad at being good?!”

You felt your heart shatter at the pure frustration and sadness in his voice. You couldn’t help but think that even with all he’d done, he was still just a scared boy trying to figure out his place in the world. You just wished the others could see that too.

Fiery Familiarity - Part 1

here’s part 1! this is some more world-building groundwork, establishing the reader's place in the gaang! i'll be posting part 2 soon and it'll be more exciting i promise lol. pls read the prologue to better understand the story

words: ~1k

prologue | part 2 | part 3 | part 4

Ever since you left the Fire Nation, you’d been having a bit of a hard time adjusting. Having become so used to the life of luxury you once knew, it was hard to survive. You had long since ditched your old clothing, opting for more muted, inconspicuous tones. You hopped from town to town, helping transport resources in order to further your journey. Eventually, you reached a far-off Earth Nation town, by the name of Gaoling, seeking refuge there. You learned to fend for yourself, taking odd jobs to pay for your meals.

You survived on your own for 5 years before meeting the Avatar. You had to get scrappy to keep up with the changing times. Life wasn’t always kind to children, even in Earth Kingdom cities. There was still a war going on, after all. In those years, you managed to earn yourself plenty of scars, including a nasty one on your face. It spanned from the left side of your chin all the way up to the bridge of your nose. It puts a damper on possible jobs when you look like you’re trouble just waiting to happen.

That’s how you ended up getting roped into helping Xin Fu with his underground fight ring. It was tedious, but it was all you had. Until you met “The Blind Bandit” who you soon came to know as Toph. She was an abrasive girl, but you could tell she was no weaker than anyone else despite her blindness. Then, somewhere along the line, the Avatar had found her, begging her to come be his earthbending teacher. 

Late one night, after watching Toph fight Xin Fu and his goons, you decided to follow her, and the Avatar, back to her home. 

“Of course it doesn’t change the way I feel about you, Toph. It's made me realize something.”

You saw Toph's head lift, milky eyes full of hope, “It has?”

“Yes. I've let you have far too much freedom. From now on you'll be cared for and guarded twenty-four hours a day.” You could feel your heart drop, the tension in the room so painful you couldn’t bare to hear more. You watched as a lone tear slipped down Toph’s face.

You waited until she had returned to her room before sneaking to her balcony. You slipped behind her guards, knocking them out as quietly as possible. You cracked open the door, “Toph? Toph, are you there?”

“Y/n? What are you doing here, you’re going to get caught.”

“Hurry, we don’t have much time. I’ve knocked out the guards but it won’t be long until more come. I’m getting you to the Avatar, even if it’s the last thing I do. I’d sooner get arrested than watch you rot here. You deserve your freedom, Toph.”

Toph smiled, “Well then, what are we waiting for?”

 Once you caught up with Aang, Toph insisted you come with them. The others had agreed, saying that any friend of Toph’s was a friend of theirs. So you’d begun your long journey. Appa’s shedding had brought you not only an unexpected visit from Azula, but also the knowledge that Zuko had been chasing after them for so long now. Hearing the stories you told of what he had done… Your heart ached. Not only for them, but for Zuko. A boy so sweet who had been so swiftly corrupted by his family's twisted perception of right and wrong, of their “victory”. 

You knew from then on that you couldn’t share your past with them, not truly.

You traveled on through the desert, where you lost Appa. You all watched as Aang spiraled, throwing himself deeper into despair. So you traveled to Ba Sing Se, where you searched for that loveable beast. But when you finally got him back, things crashed and burned once again. 

Azula, the coup, the Dai Li, it was all happening so fast. You had decided to go with Aang to rescue Katara, knowing that Zuko would be there. Suddenly, you were very thankful that you left the Fire Nation before you had the chance to meet Iroh. He was a kind, wise old man, but you couldn’t risk being recognized. Listening to his advice for Aang gave you hope that not all firebenders were bad. 

Arriving in the cavern was breathtaking for more than one reason. Not only were the crystals gorgeous, but seeing Zuko all grown up… It made your heart soar and crash simultaneously. You had heard the whispers of the banished prince, outcast by his own father in search of a long-lost enemy. You just hadn’t seen him until now.

Your voice tumbled in a whisper before you could stop it, “Oh Zuko…” His once youthful face was now so tired, so worn down. His left eye was scarred into a permanent squint, the burn spreading over his ear. You could feel your heart twist in your chest. He used to be so full of life, even with his awkward disposition. He was just a child. To think that his own father would do this to him…

Watching him side with Azula was almost as painful as seeing how far he had fallen over the years. After seeing the look of hope on Katara’s face when she thought he had changed, watching her face contort into horror when he attacked. Watching him stand by as Azula killed Aang… You couldn’t bare to meet his eyes as you left with Katara, praying that Iroh would be alright. You knew Azula wouldn’t show him any mercy, family or not.

Fiery Familiarity - Prologue

hey y’all! i haven’t written anything in a couple years, so please be kind if my writing isn’t the best. this is going to be a multiple part series about secret firebender reader and their adventures with the gaang (and eventually zuko), so let me know if you’re interested in the premise. words: ~ 1.1k

part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4

When you were younger, things seemed so much easier. Before all the weight of the world came crashing down. Growing up a noble in the fire nation had its perks, especially when your father was one of Fire Lord Ozai’s commanders. You spent a lot of time visiting the palace. While your father sat in what you thought were boring meetings, you got to run around and explore. Fire Lady Ursa was always so kind to you, it was hard not to enjoy your time there.

“Now, remember to be gentle, Zuko,” you heard a voice saying to the young prince. You peeked out from behind a pillar, watching as Lady Ursa knelt with Prince Zuko. They were crouched in front of a pond, though you couldn’t quite see what they were doing.

You crept a little closer, trying to lean forward enough to catch a glimpse. This, however, only ended in you stumbling over yourself. You whined quietly, causing Ursa and Zuko to turn at the sound. You scrambled to your feet, bowing to them with an apology. No matter how kind she was, Lady Ursa was still a ruler of the fire nation.

“No need to apologize, my dear.” Ursa hummed, giving you a smile. She looked down at Zuko, giving an almost teasing grin. “Zuko, is there something you’d like to ask your friend?”

Zuko’s head whipped up to glare at his mother, a flushed pout on his face. He grumbled something before turning to you, eyes not quite meeting yours. “Would you like to feed the turtle ducks with us?”

Your eyes lit up, “okay!” You ran to sit beside Zuko, smiling when he handed you half of his loaf of bread. You sat side by side, chatting and laughing happily as you watched the turtle ducks paddle their little feet to get the bread. You were both so caught up that you failed to notice the way Lady Ursa’s smile faded as she watched as the commanders came out of the meeting.

“Come now children, I believe the meeting is over. It would be best if your friend gets back to their father. Run along now my dear, I’m sure you can feed the turtle ducks together again some other day.” Ursa placed a hand on your back, gently nudging you in the direction of your waiting father.

You heard Ursa’s voice whispering before Zuko spoke, “b-bye Y/n. I hope to see you again soon.” His head dipped in a polite nod, a shy smile on his face.

You let out a giggle at his awkward disposition, giving a wide wave as you ran toward your father. You couldn’t hide your smile as you walked toward the palace entrance. You threw one last look over your shoulder, watching as a flushed Zuko said something to his mother before he disappeared from view.

The next time you were at the palace, it wasn’t as pleasant as the last few times. You’d been busy feeding turtle ducks, practicing firebending, and running through the yards with Zuko. This time, the meeting was going to run into the late hours of the night, so Lady Ursa offered to let you stay in one of the spare rooms of the palace. Your father gratefully accepted, urging you to behave yourself and not cause trouble any trouble. You promised you would, taking your time to run and explore the palace. You had never truly realized how huge it was.

You took extra care to avoid Azula and her “friends.” Truth be told, you’d never been much of a fan, you saw the way she treated others and how little she seemed to value the life of other beings. Plus, you loved the turtle ducks too much to respect her after you saw the way she threw things at them.

You ran through room after room, giggling to yourself as you looked at all the stuffy old people in the portrait room. You made faces, mocking them as you rushed to the next room. You hadn’t realized where you were until you stumbled into a small alcove. You could hear voices coming from just beyond the wall.

“There’s an Earth village here, they have abundant coal mines. If we were to take over their village, we could use those mines to power our ships, Fire Lord Ozai.”

Another man chimed in, “they have earthbenders at the ready, but they are no match for the might of your armies. If you would allow me, Fire Lord, I would be honored to lead our warriors to victory for you.”

You heard murmured agreement before the Fire Lord’s booming voice reached you. “Very well, Commander Takei. You will lead our troops to overpower their forces and take control of their village. I will leave it in your capable hands.”

You could hear the grin in his voice when the commander spoke, “Should they resist, we will cut them down like the scum they are. Any who survive will be put to work in those very mines.”

You had heard enough. How could your father just sit back and agree to this? All those people… They were going to be killed, cut down and enslaved just for their resources? Why couldn’t they just ask to share them, or at least make a deal? Your father had always refused to tell you what he did during those meetings. You had heard stories of the war and what the fire nation had done to the other nations. You never liked them, you thought they were just dramatics meant to entertain the children and reinforce how powerful the nation was.

You could feel yourself beginning to panic, fear clawing its way up your throat as you stumbled through the halls. You had to find your room, you had to get out of here. You couldn’t stay with people who would do things like this. You loved your father, but you couldn’t stand by and watch this happen.

As soon as you reached your room, you began packing your bag. You shoved as much as you could into it, realizing you’d need food if you were going to make it anywhere. You waited until dark before you crept into the kitchen, packing a small bag of food. Just enough that they wouldn’t notice, but it would at least last you a few days. You tucked it into your belt, peeking out the door. You began to sneak out but caught sight of someone.

It was Zuko, you could only assume he was out for a midnight snack. You could tell he saw you, even with his eyes bleary from sleep. They widened slightly, and you ducked down another hall. Just before you left, you heard a voice call out.

“Y/n?”

You couldn’t help the tears that fell as you rushed out into the night.