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— ATLA
Zuko
Exhaustion & Etiquette
synopsis: a worried Zuko catches a determined y/n drowning in grueling royal etiquette training
Suffocating
synopsis: an overprotective Firelord and a Firelady desperate to prove herself get into a fight after she runs off to deal with Ozai loyalists
Blazing Sun
synopsis: (prequel to suffocating, though it can be read as a stand-alone) after an intense battle with Taga and the Denied, y/n gets hurt and falls unconscious
Robes
synopsis: there's much more to being a Firelady than traditional robes, at least Zuko thinks so
Aang
You'll Always Have Me
synopsis: aang takes y/n out on a surprise picnic date
Sokka
Letters
synopsis: sokka's been neglecting y/n, and she's had enough of it
...more coming soon ;)
Requests
— accepting on my ask page !
rules:
any fandom/character (no rpf)
no smut
usually don't like doing ships but i'm open to ideas
almost done w all the requests in my inbox !! ty for those who sent them in :) i had sm fun getting to write them. to others interested, my reqs are open btw so feel free to send in more — the rules are on my masterlist
OMGOMG PLEASE ADULT!SOKKA HURT/COMFORT, he was beautiful in the movie, maybe something about jealousy over how much flirtatious attention he’s getting? anything to do with being in an established relationship would be so slay 😋
Letters
⋆˚꩜｡ Sokka x Reader | angst and fluff | cw: none | wc: 2017 | a/n: ur so right, he's underrated ash too. thank you for the request !! enjoy reading :) | masterlist
synopsis: sokka's been neglecting y/n, and she's had enough of it.
Letters. Stone coloured envelopes, each decorated with stamps of a variety of designs and stuffed with ink-inscribed paper, sometimes neatly folded, sometimes crumpled. It is often thought that the words of the heart are shown most intimately when put down in writing. The effort one puts into not just carefully articulating their words, but also making sure their handwriting looks neat so they don’t strain the eyes of their reader; the patient wait for the ink to dry to prevent smudging; the caution in folding it just right so that it fits into the envelope; and finally the stamp, the letters first impression on its receiver, the beautiful hues signifying how far it had travelled to lay in their hands. But perhaps y/n was overthinking it. Well, at least that’s what she’d thought until now.
Letters. Sokka’s workshop was full of them. All were stained with dried ink that shaped words. Words that spoke heartfelt compliments and teasing flirts. Heartfelt compliments and teasing flirts that stole the very oblivious Sokka’s attention. Sokka’s attention that y/n had been trying so hard to grab.
Letters. Damn those letters.
“Ahem.” A rather vexed y/n leaned at the doorframe to Sokka’s workshop, wearing a scowl on her face. The side of her body was pressed and settled against the wood as she had been standing there for quite a few minutes. At some point, she gave up hope that he would notice her any time soon and thus broke the silence that restrained her speech.
At the clearing of her throat, it did not take too long for Sokka’s eyes to find her and light up instantly at the sight. “Y/n! What brings—” A pause to the enthusiastic squeal. A calculated pause of a man who noticed the sharp glare of her gaze and the enraged frown on her lips. He knew the look. He was in trouble. And thus, in a situation like this, one would hope that their next words were also calculated. But not everyone is gifted at that. “You look mad…”
“Really? What on earth gave it away?” Her voice spat out high-pitched sarcasm.
“Well, the—”
“Don’t answer that, genius,” y/n scoffed, her heels pressing against the floors with a thud as she stomped forward. “You promised to help me with—”
The realisation hit Sokka in an instant. The tension left him, relief flourishing in its place. A misunderstanding was all this was. “Dinner? Already done, my dear,” he smirked, satisfied with himself. Crisis evaded, or so he thought. “Headed to the kitchen right after I— Whoa, you look really mad.” Genius.
Her mutter was laced with the kind of hush that reeked of outrage, “I ask you for one thing.” Y/n stomped forward again, earning a quiver and a slow step back from him in reaction. A misunderstanding was all this was, but certainly not the kind Sokka knew of.
“And I did it! It was a three-course meal too—” he pleaded.
She continued on her path, eventually cornering him against the wall. Y/n’s stare was narrow, complementary to the tight clench of her jaw, as if she was scrutinising him for failing to understand why he hadn’t caught on to the reason behind her fury. His eyes, on the other hand, were round and doe, having accepted defeat long ago despite not knowing why he was put in a position to do so. With the intention of relieving the poor man of his confusion, she finally decided to explain after a tired sigh. “I asked you to make dinner with me, not go and do it all by yourself.”
Uh oh. Sokka’s eyes widened with comprehension. “I thought I was making your life easier by doing all the work—”
Her lips rounded in understanding — his intentions were pure. In that second, y/n was ready to back off, apologise even for misunderstanding his efforts, invite him to have dinner with her, and talk about their day. Well, until he continued;
“...and mine too! I had to answer those letters you see—”
And just like that, the rage returned to her bloodstream as if it never left.
“Oh, forgive me for asking my husband to spend some time together with me and interrupt his precious letter writing!” she yelled before he could even find the end of his sentence.
“You know that's not what I meant—” he scrambled.
“All you ever do is lock yourself up in your workshop responding to your stupid letters, which I've been reading by the way! It must be so nice having Lee tell you how 'great your mind must be' or Yun with how 'gorgeous your hair looks as you fight.' And that's not even the worst of the lot! I've been complimenting you way before them, so how come—” she paused abruptly, eyes widening as she realised the words spilling out of her. Words she didn’t know she was saying but meant nonetheless. Y/n was jealous, and the thought of it brought a sour taste to her tongue.
His eyes were equally as wide, digesting each and every statement she made. “Oh y/n— You know it's not like that. They're all guys—”
“That really doesn't make it any different.”
It seemed the tension in the room was too much for the man, as he stumbled over his speech. “What?! How come? You know I only like girls! Wait, not girls— a girl. You!”
“They're still flirting with you. And you’re giving all your time to those damn letters— One of them was literally an invite to sleep with him!” She groaned in frustration as she internally duelled between her urge to keep yelling and her urge to calm down. Unable to decide, she soon stormed out of the workshop, feeling overwhelmed. The door slammed against its frame with a thud.
“What? The only invite I received was to chill at— oh,” His face melted in realisation. And before he could react, she was already out of the room.
She darted for their bedroom, not caring to wipe any of the hot tears she'd been holding in for months from streaming down her cheeks. Finally, once she’d settled on the cold floors, her back against the door, she allowed herself to breathe. The air entered her in a cool heave, and left her in a warm long huff. It was the kind of breath someone takes in battle as they contemplate their next move. Except she realised she wasn’t in battle. She was in a conversation. A heated conversation, but also a conversation she shared with her lover. Her lover, who, while oblivious and struggling to put together words to respond to her anger, always listened. Her lover, who never judged her, even as she bled with jealousy. “That dumbass,” she muttered. A rather odd pair of words to state with an endearing tone.
Half an hour had passed. Y/n had moved under the covers of their bed. Reflecting, sulking and doing whatever the heat of her emotions led her to do. If there’s anything she hated more than fighting with Sokka, it was the time after. Agonising hour-like minutes spent thinking of the worst. What if they never spoke again? What if their relationship was scarred for life? Her thoughts were interrupted by the swinging of the door. Her face instantly grimaced at the sight before her.
“Oh, you can’t be serious.”
Sokka strode into the room, clad in a bathrobe, hair down and rose between his lips, dragging in a tray of warm dinner. He carefully laid down the tray on the bedside table and then stretched his arm out, holding the red flower towards her. His other hand was used to support him as he leaned against the wall and pinned himself above her. The intentional sultriness of his voice rang in her ears, “Well, hello there, my beautiful wife, I've come to—”
She didn’t hesitate to interrupt him, confused and flabbergasted at his actions. “Get—”
“Wait, don't kick me out yet!” he whined, placing the rose on her lap — a stark shift from the confidence he entered with.
She rolled her eyes. “Fine.”
A moment of silence erupted between the two as she waited curiously for words to leave him.
“I didn't accept his invite by the way—”
“Is that really how you want to start this?” She clicked her tongue, the tips of her fingers trailing to her temples to massage the tension in them.
“I meant even before I knew what it meant! I didn't know they were flirting! Honest,” he pleaded, praying she’d believe him.
Her eyes scanned his face, mind clouded with contemplation. “So you seriously didn't know?”
He shook his head earnestly. “I promise. And I’d never flirt back with others! You know I wouldn’t.”
“Well, I thought I did until you spent the entirety of the past few months writing back to your ‘fans’ without sparing me something as small as a look. Now that I think about it, I wasn't really upset about the attention you were getting; it was more of the lack of attention you were giving to me.”
“And for that, I really am sorry. I should've been more careful with my time. I wasn't paying attention to what mattered the most. I'll do better. Promise.”
She sighed, a hint of acceptance and adoration crowding her eyes. “I know you will.”
“And about dinner, I truly thought I was helping when I did it myself...”
Her hand caressed his cheek. “Dinner was an honest misunderstanding. I get it. Thank you, I see the thought you’ve put behind it.” She glanced at the tray, radiating aroma next to them. She turned back to him. “I’m sorry too. I should’ve communicated better rather than waiting months to do so, and yelling. I truly felt forgotten, and I didn’t know what to make of it.”
“Y/n, even if it all came out in a yell, I’m just glad you were finally transparent with me. I’m sorry for neglecting you, but I truly never intended it. You know there's no one else I'd rather spend my time with. I love you so much.”
Her head sagged as she reflected on his words. Shortly after, her eyes raised up to meet his, “I love you more.” She smiled. “Impossible!” he exclaimed in an exaggeration, causing the two to burst into a fit of laughter.
“So uh… can I stay?”
She feigned being trapped in thought, earning an even more nervous look from him. She stifled a laugh at his reaction before beaming, “Of course you can!”
Eventually, the two shared dinner in the comfort of their bed. Y/n had indeed enjoyed the meal Sokka had so thoughtfully prepared.
“This is amazing!”
“My mother's recipe,” he winked. “Katara taught it to me.”
“You should cook more often,” she grinned.
He smirked, wanting to tease. “With you or—”
“Don't push your luck, pretty boy.” She pointed a fork at him in reaction, eyes narrow.
He raised his hands in surrender. “Okay! Okay!”
“What on earth were you planning dressed like that anyway?” she asked, eyebrow raised in curiosity, as she went back to eating.
“I was trying to seduce you,” Sokka’s tone radiated with boldness. “And it worked!”
Y/n had nearly choked on her food at the words he spoke. “And what makes you say so?” She'd also tried to sound bold, though not as successful.
“Well, for starters,” he paused, giving himself a second to enjoy his drink. “I've never seen you so red—”
“Shut up!”
“Hey— you asked. So hot and bothered too—”
“One more and you're eating dinner alone,” she said harshly, a contrast to the flush of her face.
Sokka’s lips quickly shut, not wanting to further his chances of eating the rest of his dinner alone on the floor outside their bedroom. He rushed his focus back to the meal before him in a newfound silence.
A few seconds passed, and then y/n finally broke. “I was a bit flustered,” she mumbled.
May I request zuko x clumsy firelady!reader like Shes not used to the long royal ropes and is always tripping on them or is just naturally a klutz I love the idea of zuko constantly trying to stop his wife from falling on the time you give him baby grays😭 thank you I love your writing!
Robes
⋆˚꩜｡ Firelord!Zuko x Firelady!Reader | fluff | cw: mentions of a small wound | wc: 1513 | a/n: thank u for the request and your sweet words <3 !! enjoy reading :) | masterlist
synopsis: there's much more to being a Firelady than traditional robes, at least Zuko thinks so.
“I see you’ve had quite a day…” The Firelord's voice reverberated throughout the room, a slight breathiness evident in his speech, clearly belonging to a man who had rushed to the scene but was trying to hide it. Y/n scoffed in response to his words, a cover-up to the hiss that was supposed to leave her in reaction to the stinging sensation of alcohol touching the crimson scab on her ankle as the palace physician tended to her.
He noticed her irritation, much like he noticed every other little thing about her. Zuko knew her well enough to deduce that her annoyance was hardly directed at him, rather at the situation. Thus, a smart man like him waited for the physician to leave before he tested whether he could poke the tiger; a slightly injured tiger, but a tiger nonetheless.
A second of silence had passed after the door shut behind them with the exit of the physician. He was worried, and so was she, but he had a strong feeling they were worrying about completely different things. “Does it hurt?” Zuko asked softly, finally making his way towards her and kneeling to inspect the bandage-clad skin on her foot. A sigh of relief left him instantly; the wound was not as big as he feared. It was hardly anything at all, especially for someone as fierce as her, and he knew that.
“Nope, it’s just a scrape. I didn’t even notice it at the start…” y/n casually replied, a mask over her vexation.
“What happened?” He asked, face lifting to expose the luminous glint in his irises. Zuko’s worries no longer sat at her injury, but at the urge to know that, if not for the wound, what had been bothering her? It was as if his eyes, with their earnest glow, were pleading for her to open up to him. Y/n and Zuko always strived to be transparent with each other, though internal battles always made expressing oneself a tad difficult.
Hence, she unsurprisingly avoided his gaze; a reflex. “You'll laugh,” her voice came out in a mutter. However, y/n knew it would be no more than a matter of seconds before he noticed the striking rip at the edge of her robe. Answering his question was useless, as the state of her clothing would speak much more than words.
And she was right. A simple wander of his eyes, and there he spotted the obvious tear of silk. “Again?” he heaved, eyebrows raised and eyes wide, facing her own. His hands instinctively moved to caress the bandaged skin. Perhaps his worry over her injury didn’t leave entirely.
Her lips rounded into a scowl, existing in contrast to the newfound redness of her cheeks from humiliation. “You say that like it's a usual thing…”
“Because it is,” he responded, oblivious to her embarrassment.
Her mouth immediately opened with a rushing desire to retort, though shut just as swiftly. The words never came. He wasn’t wrong, and she knew it. So with a frustrated huff, she began, “I was walking through the East Wing once I'd wrapped up this evening's council meeting, and I tripped on my robe. I didn't notice the wound until I came back here to get a change of clothes.”
And there, Zuko finally caught it; the flushed look on y/n’s face and the slight crack in her voice from the flusteredness. He finally realised why she was bothered. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean he knew what to say. "At least it was as the day was ending,” he responded with his usual awkwardness in an attempt to lighten her mood.
“Doesn’t change the fact that I fell in front of four guards! It was so embarrassing! The fact that this keeps happening is embarrassing!” she whined. “Whatever… I need to wash up—” She stood, though too quickly for her feet to steady themselves on the slippery silk fabric beneath her. Her heel tripped, almost causing her to fall face-first on the ground. How lucky for a pair of large, brawny arms to catch her right in time before the palace physician would have to visit again.
His hands on her waist steadied her. Zuko eventually heaved a breath of ease, a stark contrast to the yelp that left his mouth seconds ago, before he caught her. He took the opportunity to drag her onto his lap. “Are you okay?” he asked, ever the caring husband.
“Not again…” Y/n whined into the crook of his neck. “I hate these robes. They're ruining my life.” She lifted her head to catch a glimpse of him. “You’re enjoying this!” she howled, noticing the faint smile on Zuko's lips and the blush of his face.
“What? How could I?” gasped the innocent Firelord. While he surely didn’t find amusement in his wife’s suffering, he couldn’t help but savour getting to hold her so close. Nonetheless, he wanted to comfort her more than anything, so that meant letting her in on a secret he’d been hiding. “Uhm, this was supposed to be a surprise, but I've been talking to the Royal Tailor about a new wardrobe for you.” Excitement was evident in his tone as he began to ramble. “I’ve seen her designs, too. One of them is a pair of trousers with an open-front robe, instead of the regular long robe! I think you'll like her work. It's—” he paused, noticing the expression on y/n’s face: a slight frown, and a furrow of her brows. “You don't look so pleased…” he mumbled. “Are you doubtful of the designs? We can look over it together tomorrow.”
“It's not that,” she replied with hesitation. Her hand found its way to Zuko’s face, as if she were seeking calm from his presence, thumb brushing gently over his scar out of habit. “I appreciate you reaching out to the tailor for a new wardrobe. That was a lovely surprise indeed. You’ve put a lot of thought into this, as always, my love.” This earned an even redder blush from the usually stoic man. Y/n pinched his cheek once she’d noticed, soon continuing with her words. “Though what bothers me is that I can't even wear a robe right,” she groaned, her other palm rubbing over her face. “What kind of Firelady—”
“Nope, I hear you out usually, but I’ll hear none of that,” he interrupted. “You've gone above and beyond for our Nation. From the educational initiatives to the defence training to so much more. I don't even have words for how much I love and admire your work. What is a change of clothes next to everything else you’ve done? If anything, you should be dressed comfortably as you work. Being a Firelady is a lot more than just a long robe, and you’ve shown that.”
She nodded, acknowledging the correctness of his words. Her reasoning, on the other hand, was slightly elsewhere. “What I meant was that people will talk—”
“People always talk,” he interrupted again. “I think you know better than to place a few opinions over your comfort.”
Y/n faltered at his words; she truly did know better. “I hate when you’re right.”
“Forgive me, my darling,” Zuko quipped with a grin.
“You’re right about how clothing and what people have to say really do not matter at the end of the day. Thank you for going above and beyond. You didn’t have to go as far as to ask the tailor to design me new clothes, but you did. And if I’m being honest, I’ve wanted it for a while now. Trousers sound heavenly." Y/n paused before a titter left her lips. “And clearly, a change of robes means a lot to you too,” she joked.
“It's you who means a lot to me. No more long robes, no more tripping over and hurting yourself…” His voice then trailed off into a mumble, “and of course, driving me insane with concern over your safety.”
She laughed at his not-so-silent comment. “You mean a lot to me, too. I can’t wait to see the pieces the tailor has put together,” y/n beamed.
“Tomorrow then. Now you need to rest. Let's get you all cleaned up.” Zuko’s hands then wrapped around her, wanting to carry her to the warm bath he'd asked the maids to prepare before he entered.
She protested immediately, “I can do it myself—”
“You're injured,” Zuko said, as if stating the obvious.
Y/n squirmed in an attempt to escape his grasp, which, in response, led him to throw her over his shoulder, hand secure on her back. “Hey! Zuko, it’s literally just a scratch on my ankle!” she yelled, actually stating the obvious.
“It's also my excuse to ignore my work and spend more time with you,” he replied slyly.
She scoffed. “You’re lucky I love you.” And with that, y/n finally surrendered, letting him carry her to the bath chambers.
The edges of his lips lifted into a smirk. “I love you too, dearest.”
⋆˚꩜｡ Avatar!Aang x Kyoshi Warrior!Reader | fluff | inspired by this request | cw: none | wc: 1100 | a/n: first aang fic kinda nervy ;0 ty for the request n enjoy reading ! | masterlist
synopsis: aang takes y/n out on a surprise picnic date.
Being an active member of the Kyoshi Warriors meant witnessing the entire world, including its most vulnerable parts, through one’s very own eyes. Y/n adored her job for that very reason. Getting to travel on all sorts of expeditions to help train defence forces all around the globe, assist refugee efforts and occasionally serve on the Fire Nation’s royal guard were responsibilities she undertook with pride. However, that also meant rarely ever getting to spend days away from work. She’d often have to scrounge for time with the person she'd wished to spend it with the most, Aang. What made matters worse was that his role as the Avatar required him to constantly venture around the world, too, so the two were rarely ever in the same place at once.
But after months of waiting, her wish had at last come true. She now sat on Appa’s saddle, Aang close at her side, as they glided over terrains of land.
“It's been about an hour. Can I open my eyes now?” asked y/n, her tone laced with suspicion.
“Nope! Just a few more minutes,” he protested. “You won’t regret it… At least I hope not,” he whispered the last bit, hoping she wouldn’t hear.
Nonetheless, her ears caught on to it. Her lips immediately curved in an attempt to stifle a laugh.
Eventually, Appa’s feet landed on the ground with a thud. The bison wasted no time in settling down comfortably and snoozing away, clearly exhausted from the journey of flying all the way to the Patola Mountain Range.
“We’re here!” Aang exclaimed. “Well, kinda— So no eye-opening yet.” Before she could protest, he quickly helped her off the saddle, one hand on her waist and the other over her eyes. “It’s not that far from here, I promise.”
Her hand wrapped around his wrist as she fell into step alongside him. “I don’t mind. I could use the walk after all that sitting. Though it would be lovely if I could see—” But before she could manage to get his hand away, he’d already done so himself.
“Surprise!”
Her gaze fell on a large spread of traditional air nomad foods and treats laid out on a plaid picnic blanket, from fruit pies to sky bison biscuits to bowls of tsampa, and finally, her favourite, custard cream puffs.
“You’d mentioned you were craving them in your last letter, so I bought that and a little more—” he spoke, nervously anticipating her reaction.
“Oh, Aang…" she paused at a loss for words. "This is beautiful. Thank you!” She turned to embrace him, her arms wrapping around his neck warmly.
His face was painted with a smile of relief as he held her. “So you like it?”
“Like it? I love it! All that covering my eyes was so worth it,” she peppered him in kisses. “You’re the cutest person ever.”
At that, his cheeks tinged with red even more, as if he wasn’t already flushed enough from her words.
The two had finally settled down on the blanket, y/n’s hands not wasting a second in reaching out for a pastry. “Ugh, I’m starving.”
“I’m partly to blame,” Aang quipped.
“You’ve paid your dues. Tremendously might I add,” she joked back, eyes deciding on what treat to pick at next.
Her vision then wandered above, catching the view of the Southern Air Temple at a distance. “Everything looks so stunning from here.”
His gaze fell on her. “Oh, you have no idea.”
She turned to him, with an eyebrow raised. Her face then scrunched in laughter. “Who on earth taught you to flirt like that?”
“Hey! That wasn’t flirting— I meant it,” he pouted.
She smirked, “Mhm, I’m sure." Her gaze fell on the food once again. Y/n had already eaten thrice, while he had not once, seemingly distracted by her presence. “You haven’t eaten yet,” she offered him a pie, obviously expecting him to grab it from her. Instead, the mischievously grinning man simply took a bite with the food still in her hand. “You know what? Go ahead,” she continued to feed him, already used to his shenanigans.
The day drew on as the two fell into multiple conversations about life updates, training, things they’d seen along their journeys, and whatever other topics their talk opened room for. The sun, rather generously, took the opportunity to make the moment even more heavenly, spilling beautiful warm rays of red, orange and pink as it lowered into the horizon. Though perhaps the sun, in all its beauty, didn’t realise the irreversible damage it had done to their moment, and that was calling for the day’s end.
Y/n’s head settled on his shoulder as they watched the sunset. “Thank you for today. You didn’t have to put in all this effort. Seriously.”
His arm shifted to wrap around her shoulders, pulling her close. “Please, this is the first time we’d seen each other in months. I needed to make sure you enjoyed it.”
“I’d have enjoyed myself wherever as long as I got to spend time with you. You have no idea how much I appreciate everything you did. It really was a surprise!” she beamed. However, it was a matter of seconds until a wave of hesitation washed over her — a bite on her bottom lip to restrain her words as she contemplated letting them go. And as always, he didn’t fail to notice.
His face now completely faced hers. “What are you thinking about? That too, it seems very deeply,” he asked, tone laced with a hint of laughter but words ever so serious.
Y/n sighed, a breath escaping her mouth in an attempt to steady herself. “As much as I love the life I live, and heavily admire yours, moments like this really make me wish we could stay like this forever,” she confessed.
A knowing, ardent smile grazed Aang’s lips. “I’d want nothing more.” He paused, also releasing a breath; one he didn't realise he was holding in. “But you know what I think? I think that our time apart makes our time together seem a lot more special.”
At his words, y/n's eyes swiftly drifted away from the colourful sky and to his face. Her hands then travelled to caress the apples of his cheeks. “You somehow always know what to say,” she spoke softly, now smiling. “At least I have you now,” she muttered before pulling him in for a warm kiss, which he returned without delay.
His response left him in a whisper, “You'll always have me, y/n.”
Heyyyy can I please request an aang x reader fic where him and the reader go on a cute picnic date, finally relaxing and being away from their duties
And they share a bunch of yummy snacks, some are air nomad snacks like custard cream puffs or peach fruit pie and they feed each other and they just have a sweet romantic time together
so cute :(
I'm working on this rn! will be out soon ;)
lmk if anyone would wanna be tagged !!!
(ps to all my other atla requests,, I see you and I shall get to you too 🙂↕️ and thank you for all the love on the recent zuko fics :>)
⋆˚꩜｡ Firelord!Zuko x Firelady!Reader | angst w/ happy ending | inspired by this request | cw: mentions of violence, falling, severe injuries, being in an unconscious state, the new ATLA movie (i haven't watched the movie, some of it is just things i made up, i've also included things i've heard abt) | wc: 3637 | a/n: thank you guys for loving "suffocating" ! as always, enjoy reading :) | masterlist
synopsis: (prequel to suffocating, though it can be read as a stand-alone) after an intense battle with Taga and the Denied, y/n gets hurt and falls unconscious.
Disaster had struck Republic City. Whirls of wind destroyed its walls into nothing but rubble, fired by none other than Taga, the vicious airbender who stood before the Gaang. His impressive skill was hardly a product of rigorous training; rather, it was fueled by fierce spiritual energy emanating from a staff he held ever so tightly. A relic belonging to former Avatar Sonam. A relic that no ordinary human being, especially a supremacist, should possess. A relic which the Gaang had helped him secure. And so, they found themselves amidst a battle to right their wrongs and protect the peace they’d worked so hard to restore years ago.
Aang took on Taga, aiming to seize the staff, while the rest faced the Denied, the villain’s team of non-bending extremists. Though outnumbered, fighting this group was certainly no competition for them. The clang of weapons colliding, torrents of water, streams of fire which set the ground ablaze, and peaks of earth all sent the Denied tumbling down. “Keep going, guys!” yelled Katara, sweat beading on her forehead as she commanded a stream with her hands.
“They're good, I’ll give them that,” y/n mumbled as a comet of fire left her hands, setting ablaze a rather bold bunch who attempted to lunge at her altogether. “Not good enough though, my love,” quipped Zuko, appearing suddenly, firing an explosion of inferno towards a man sneaking behind her. Her heart raced dangerously fast as the adrenaline coursed through her blood, exactly how she liked it.
Their fight, however, was interrupted. A bright stream of blue light, the Avatar’s glow clashing with the glare of the staff, distracted the combatants on the field. They all gazed in astonishment for a moment, only for their expressions to turn pained as they abruptly hit the ground. The force of two air storms colliding had sent all of them up and away from the site. The Denied, most of whom were injured in the fight, had scurried away long before they’d noticed.
“Pathetic,” Suki mumbled as she stood up, faltering a bit.
Sokka was the next to rise, ready to run back rashly, “Aang needs help! Let's charge—”
“No!” interrupted y/n. “Taga’s too strong. Trying to separate him from the staff isn’t working. We need to rethink this,” she paused for a minute.
Toph gestured towards the fight, which only seemed to get more intense. “Would it hurt you to rethink a little faster?”
“His bending makes him and that staff seem untouchable. How on earth do we get to the staff without him noticing?” said Katara, staring at the fight.
Y/n’s eyes also drifted to Aang and Taga, eventually spotting a cliff behind them. It was high enough to keep her out of Taga’s view but low enough to keep him in hers. A thought entered her head. “We can’t, but we might be able to get to him instead,” muttered y/n, earning a puzzled look from all of them. Isn’t that what Aang’s been trying to do all along as he fought him?
She continued, noticing their confusion, “We need to destroy Taga alongside the staff, but in a way he wouldn’t suspect a thing. We bite him from behind rather than up front. It's the only way of putting an end to this madness. I have an idea, but there’s no time to explain. I need you all to buy me some time and try to tire him out. Tell Aang, too. He’s Taga’s biggest challenge and now, his biggest distraction.”
“How long do you need?” Zuko asked, his brow raised in contemplation.
“Ten minutes. Then you all have to get out of there.”
Scepticism immediately showed on their faces, but disappeared just as quickly. They trusted her. “Got it!” they said unanimously.
They began running towards the battlefield. “Toph! Give me a boost!” yelled y/n. Immediately, the ground beneath her shot up, her feet soon meeting with the terrain above. She ran towards the cliff, stopping at its edge, the closest point to the chaos below.
The noise of the fight was now but distant murmers. Nonetheless, she could see everything: Zuko’s blaze, Katara’s powerful currents, Toph’s boulders, Sokka’s and Suki’s blades, Aang’s glow as he fought head-on in his Avatar state and finally, Taga’s back. Almost as if Zuko had known she was looking, he glanced up for a split second, his lips curving into a smile before turning his attention back to launching another stream of red. He trusted her enough to count on her. They all did.
Not wasting another moment, her eyes shut tightly. With a deep breath, she drew her mind away from any distractions, concentrating all her energy into her palms. “Blazing sun,” she whispered. It was the name of an ancient technique in which one’s life force is put at risk. A technique only individuals of extreme firebending mastery could perform. A technique she’d learned but never imagined using until now. The heat radiating between her hands only became hotter. She knew of the detriment she might face, but the fate of the world, her friends, and, most importantly, the love of her life proved far more significant to her. Ten minutes had lapsed. Her eyes shot open, catching the barren battlefield, with only a confused and slightly exhausted Taga at its centre. “Asshole,” she muttered before a ball of flame as grand as the sun shot towards him.
Watching this all from behind the trees made Zuko’s stomach flip, a contrast to the rest of the Gaang, who gazed in awe, as he was the only one aware of what she'd just done.
Taga reacted quickly to y/n, but not quickly enough. His wicked gust of wind was released far too late to save him and his precious staff from being submerged in solar flames and burnt to ash.
Victory was finally nearing the Gaang’s horizon, or so they thought. The storm of air collided with the bottom of the cliff; the firebender that once stood strong upon its peak was now too drained to react to its collapse, accepting her fate as she plunged with the ruins. Her world, that had just been so full of flaming light, was now pitch dark.
“NO!” yelled Zuko, as he rushed towards the cliff ruins, extinguishing any fire that stood in his way. The rest followed behind him only to freeze in horror as they spotted the once vivacious y/n lying lifeless on the wreckage.
Zuko scurried to pick her up, refusing to acknowledge any of the grave thoughts that roamed his mind. “Please, please, please…”
“Her heart’s still beating,” Toph croaked out. “I can hear it.”
Katara snapped out of her trance. “Quick. Lay her down.” She approached y/n’s limp body, kneeling before running a small stream of spirit water through her with the expertise of a healer. “We can still save her.”
Minutes felt like hours spent in anticipation, all eyes observing, tearing, praying. “What’s taking so long? Why isn’t she awake yet?” Zuko squalled, an explosion amidst the sorrowful silence. But who could blame him? The man’s face alone held the torment of someone whose life was crumbling down before them. Well, that’s because it was.
“She has a few fractures and wounds…” Katara finally spoke. Her tone slowly shifted to one of bewilderment. “But what’s weird is that her spirit is what’s damaged the most. It’s almost like she let it happen.”
Zuko’s palms rubbed across his face in agonising frustration. “The technique she used— it’s called the Blazing Sun. It’s so advanced that it requires you to use your life force.” Zuko’s words came out in sobs, his fingers now laced with her cold ones. “Master benders rarely ever end up like this when they perform it for the first time. They just end up really spiritually exhausted for a while, so when the cliff fell—,” he choked on a cry, struggling to continue. “I think she accepted that she couldn’t save herself then. The fall and the injuries she suffered damaged her already broken spirit even more…”
Once again, no one could muster up a word to speak as the lumps in their throat only got heavier and the chill on their spine got colder with the realisation that she’d placed herself in jeopardy to save them.
Katara finally spoke. “I’ve taken care of her physical injuries. As for her spirit— that’s for her to decide. She’s the only one who can save it.”
“Y/n is literally the strongest-willed person I’ve ever known. We need to trust her as we did before.” Suki breathed, the first to break the teary-eyed silence that governed the rest of the Gaang.
“She gambled with her life. That’s badass. If anyone could do it, it’s her.” Toph followed.
A bitter-sweet smile formed on Katara’s lips. “Her condition’s a bit better than when we first arrived. She’s already started to fight for herself. Though we do need to get her somewhere she can rest.”
“We must help y/n, as she helped us,” Aang affirmed. “I’ll ready Appa. Let’s head to the palace.”
“I’m coming too. I’ve got pillows in my bag— it’s not much, but she’ll be a lot more comfortable.”
The mood around them shifted. While sadness and sorrow remained, hope and faith began to blossom. And Zuko was watching it all before his eyes, the rapid race of his heart settling slightly.
“You know,” Katara whispered to him. “If there’s anyone she needs the most right now, it’s you.”
Zuko sighed. “How could I even dare look at her face? After I let this happen—”
“You couldn’t have stopped her, even if you had known. She’s y/n after all. She couldn’t have known that bastard’s final shot even had a chance, and neither could you. She risked so much to save us. So after all that, you, of all people, especially, shouldn’t doubt her ability to save herself, Zuko.”
He gave himself a second to breathe in and slowly let it out. “I could never doubt her. It’s just—” His tone started firm and sure, but splintered as he struggled to form the words.
“I know,” Katara nodded in understanding. “But you’re not going to lose her.”
He sighed, eyes drifting back to her closed ones. He’d long since lifted y/n’s head and placed it on his lap. “I am not going to lose you,” he whispered against her hand, a reassurance to himself more than her. And with that, he slowly lifted her, head on his chest, and arms wrapped around her legs, heading to the bison ready to fly them home.
The time spent during their journey was quiet, but purposeful. Sokka and Toph had made y/n a makeshift bed with his pillows. Suki had helped her into a fresh set of spare clothes she’d kept just in case. Katara was on healing duties, with Zuko next to her, committed to helping out in any way he could. Aang was, of course, busy guiding Appa towards the Fire Nation, taking extra care to ensure that the ride went smoothly. While the weight of anxiety still sat on their chests, hope made them strong enough to carry it.
Once they finally reached the palace, not a second was wasted in rushing to their royal chambers. Servants, council members or guards were barred from entering their quarters unless an emergency arose.
Zuko had laid her on their bed, crouching low so his fingers could comb through her hair.
“There are a few hours until I should be starting water therapy again. We should probably all get cleaned up first,” Katara said.
“What about y/n?” asked Suki.
“I’ll take care of cleaning her up,” Zuko answered with no hesitation. “The servants should have rooms ready for you all.”
They hesitated to leave, but the room emptied gradually. Katara was the last to depart. “She’s getting better, you know? She’ll be okay.”
“I know,” a breath leaving Zuko before he lifted her once again and carried her to the bathroom.
Katara could only watch his silhouette disappear, a sigh escaping her in sympathy, before she too turned to walk away.
Zuko had taken utmost care in washing her. He’d make sure the water was as warm as she liked, and that he’d used her favourite soaps, ensuring he hadn’t missed a single spot as he scrubbed her. Once he’d finished, he’d dried her and dressed her in a soft nightgown. He then laid her back on the duvets before he left to shower himself, intentionally rushing as even seconds apart from her in such a state felt torturous to him.
He finally approached the bed in a fresh robe, before lowering down to place a soft kiss on her forehead. “I’m so scared, my love,” he whispered. “I really don’t doubt you, but the thought of you being in this condition alone that pains me. Please come back to me.” Tears fell from his eyes, falling on her cheek. He’d quickly reached to wipe them off her face. “You’ll wake up. I know you will. You have to.”
Two weeks had passed. Two weeks of Katara's healing sessions. Two weeks of Zuko never leaving y/n’s side. He’d abandoned his royal duties long ago, working tirelessly to care for her. He’d bathe her, dress her, brush her hair as he did before, dress her wounds every time Katara had finished treating her, and this was all only to name a few. He paid attention to every little detail, such as adjusting the room temperature so that it was neither too hot nor too cold, making sure her clothing was neither too thick nor too thin, or ensuring her bandages were wrapped neither too tightly nor too loosely. Taking care of himself, on the other hand, was the least of his concerns. He vowed to do everything in his power to enjoy even a sliver of her presence again, though it seems even if it was at the expense of his own.
The Gaang had worried for him. Aang suggested a schedule to take turns looking after y/n, but that eventually turned into a schedule to keep Zuko company. Every time any of them were to walk in and suggested a rest, he protested, saying he'd be only a few minutes more.
It was now Sokka’s turn on the schedule. Lucky him. He sighed at the sight of Zuko, perched on the edge of the bed. “Yo, your food’s getting cold.” He gestured to the table in front of the window.
Zuko’s face lifted to the table. He and y/n would often enjoy dinner there when they wanted a break from the crowd of the palace; not unusual a Firelord and Firelady who often begged for a getaway from the formalities expected of them.
“I’m not hungry, I'll just ask the servants to reheat it later.”
Which, of course, never happened. And just like that, meals were sent back daily, more often than not, untouched, to the royal kitchen.
It was sunset that same day when he'd first noticed. The warm colours of the sun spilt through the window. His face rested on his arm that lay on the bed, eyes struggling to stay open — the cost of days without proper rest. So logically, when he saw the tip of her finger twitch, he thought he'd finally gone mad. Was his mind playing tricks on him?
But then he saw it again, followed by several beads of sweat that started to erupt all over her.
Zuko shrieked in fear. Katara and the rest of the Gaang were soon called to the royal chambers.
“I don’t know what happened. She just started sweating out of nowhere after she moved—” Zuko’s voice breaking as he fell further into panic.
“She moved?” Toph’s mouth hung wide open. However, she wasn’t the only one shocked, as the rest of them also stood wide-eyed.
“Her finger,” he said. “I thought I was just seeing things.”
Katara took a few minutes to examine her. “Don’t worry. This is good. Her spirit is curing. The sweat seems to be coming from her rejuvenating firebending energy and strength. I think— I think she’ll be up soon,” her lips curved into a small grin. “It’ll be a bit difficult for her, but we shouldn’t try cooling y/n down. Her body is regulating its temperature.”
The air in the room lightened. It was still hot, most of which radiated from the unconscious bender before them, but the hope they’d been carrying like life support since the battle, finally felt real.
“So… How long?” Suki asked.
Katara sighed, “I don’t know.”
“It could take years, and I’ll still wait right here,” Zuko mumbled under his breath.
Midnight finally came in silence. No one left the room, forcing themselves to stay awake despite the desire of their eyelids to fall so they wouldn't miss another movement from their dear friend. Zuko hadn’t been bothered too much by it, as pushing through exhaustion with minimal sleep had become second nature to him in the past weeks.
What broke the silence was not one, but several gasps for air, leaving a wide-eyed y/n.
“What’s happening?” they yelled in unison, turning to Katara.
A response proved useless as the picture in front of them was what they’d been waiting for all along. Y/n had clung to Zuko’s arm that rested beside her. He was quick to respond and hold her close. “Breathe,” his fingers laced through her hair as he cradled her close. Her breath eventually relaxed.
A minute of relief and quiet excitement passed. “You’re alive,” he whispered into the crook of her neck. Her eyes trailed over his features, noticing the sheer exhaustion that encompassed him. Strands of his hair lay messily, his eyes were sunken, with the skin around them dark, and his figure a bit thinner. “I very much am,” she whispered back, albeit a lot quieter. The rest observed on the side, not wanting to interrupt despite their urges.
Y/n’s head turned, finding them in the corner of her vision. A small smile found its way to her lips. “Are you waiting for an invite?” She rolled her eyes playfully as she gestured for them to come close, followed by a long-awaited group hug.
“Told you she was a badass,” mumbled Toph.
“How do you feel?” Katara asked as everyone, except Zuko, stepped back. In truth, she wanted to give y/n a quick check-up, but having witnessed the way the man clung to her, she figured a short delay wouldn’t hurt.
“Really good, actually. Which is surprising after what happened.”
“You remember?” Suki gasped.
“Everything, until I fell off the cliff. Please tell me that jackass is dead.”
“Oh, you burnt him to ash,” Sokka responded, a smirk on his face. “And that shitty staff too.”
“Good riddance.” She scoffed. Her eyes then drifted to the grandfather clock in their chambers. “It’s past midnight. Have I been out for an entire day?”
Hesitant glances were exchanged throughout the room.
“You were out two weeks, my love,” Zuko finally answered, whispering into her neck again.
Her eyes widened again, “Two weeks—?”, but soon relaxed. A sigh left her lips. “It was worth it. Saved you guys, saved the world, burnt that jackass and his staff, and at the end of it all, I’m still alive.”
“Thank you, y/n,” Aang now spoke. “We wouldn’t have been able to handle that without you doing what you did. It shouldn’t have gotten that bad, but you took it on anyway.”
“It really isn’t something you should thank me for. It’s what being part of a team as great as ours is all about. Just like I said, it was so worth it. Besides, I’m sure you all tired yourself out having to take care of me.”
“That’s basically nothing compared to what you did. It was the least we could do,” replied Katara.
Sokka joined in. “I’ll be honest, we were kinda scared you wouldn’t make it… But we realised how dumb it would’ve been to suddenly not trust in your abilities after all that.”
“Pfft… It’ll take a lot more than a man, of all things, to end me, you know. How badly was I injured, though?”
“You had a few fractures and wounds. I was able to treat them with my bending. However, most of the damage happened to your spirit. Now healing that was all you.” Katara detailed.
“Blazing Sun,” y/n muttered, before speaking loudly again. “Thank you, Katara. Thank you all,” she paused and then turned to Zuko. “Thank you especially, you look like you haven’t rested in ages.”
At that, everyone slowly made their way out to give the two some long-overdue privacy.
“None of that mattered if I’d lost you forever,” he murmured, still holding her. “I was dead-scared, y/n. But I know how incredible the woman I fell in love with, and keep falling for, is. And I know all the amazing and absurd things she's pulled off before, so I shouldn’t be surprised she woke up fine. I’m so damn relieved.” As if to show her the truth of his words, he placed all his yearning into a gentle, warm kiss on her lips, to which she didn’t hesitate to respond to with equal fervour.
She pulled away, her hands cupping his face. “Damn right. But no more avoiding rest, eating and taking care of yourself, alright? Regardless of what happens. I love you so much.”
“I love you too,” his hands held her cheeks. “I’m never letting you go ever again,” he whispered, far too low for her to hear, before diving to kiss her again.
I really enjoyed reading "Suffocating" likeee i love reading such a brave reader and an utterly devoted of a husband Zuko 🤭 and i saw that you'll be writing kind of like a prequel for the fight with Taga? OMG I AM SEATED FOR THAT! already looking forward to it!!! thank u!! 🫶
sjsjsjsjj I'm so glad you liked it ! the weekend has finally arrived so i'll hopefully be posting the prequel tonight 🤞😗
waaaiiiitttt, would you ever write a fic about the firelady!reader during the fight with taga? i’m so curious to know what happened that led her to being unconscious for so long :0
omg yes yes yes coming soon trust,, i'll try to have it out by next week !!
⋆˚꩜｡ Firelord!Zuko x Firelady!Reader | angst, fluff ending | cw: mentions of falling unconscious, injuries, fighting, the new ATLA movie (no major plot spoilers) | wc: 1975 | a/n: thank you for reading ! my requests are open on my ask page btw. feel free to let me in on your thoughts too. enjoy :) | masterlist
synopsis: an overprotective Firelord and a Firelady desperate to prove herself get into a fight after she runs off to deal with Ozai loyalists.
“My Lord! The Firelady has arrived!” yelled a guard as he burst through the doors of the throne room, interrupting the chaos that crowded it.
Zuko’s ears caught y/n’s voice before he could form a reply. “I can walk by myself, you know!” she squirmed, freeing herself from the grip of the guards attempting to help her as if she’d been injured. “Apologies, my lady,” the two guards spoke simultaneously, withdrawing their grasp around her and stepping away.
Y/n was dressed in a dark black robe, a hood hanging behind her and a sword strapped to her waist. Her dishevelled hair also complemented her enigmatic allure, a stark contrast to the royal elegance that normally adorned her. Her face lifted, finding him standing in the middle of the room, surrounded by many uneasy council members, maids and guards. It was obvious that what they feared at that moment was the wrath of the Firelord rather than her demise, as the latter was unlikely.
A few seconds of tense eye contact passed between the Lord and the Lady, as if they both were scrutinising the other. He was the first to break.
“Everyone dismissed. I’d like some privacy with my wife,” the loud, commanding voice of the Firelord echoed through the room, swiftly emptying it.
It was almost as if the gravitas that just graced him left, too. One would certainly agree, having witnessed how hastily he moved to her, his hands reaching to cling to her shoulders, eyes scanning her for any injuries. “What on earth were you thinking? Do you have any idea how worried I was? You were gone the entire day!” the once authoritative voice now unsteady.
“Zuko, I’m fine—”
“The palace physician. We’re going to see the palace physician.”
Almost instinctively, she wanted to disagree, but having finally seen the weariness painted across his face, from his sunken eyes to the slight quiver of his lips, she could only sigh and agree. “Fine, but I’m okay, really. There’s not a scratch on me.”
“The physician will be the judge of that,” he replied tautly. Not a second later, his hand was already gently holding her arm, guiding her to their shared chambers.
She wanted to protest his grip on her; she could walk on her own after all. However, she had once again melted at the sight of the unease that seized him; she realised a few steps in that his actions were more to reassure himself than her.
An hour had passed with the physician in their chambers. Mostly because Zuko would demand one check-up after another, claiming that the physician might have missed something.
“My lord, I assure you that her Ladyship is perfectly alright. There is not a scratch on her—”
“Once more,” he demanded.
She sighed and tugged at the edge of Zuko’s sleeve. “Zu, I promise I’m fine. Another check-up, after the many you’ve already ordered, won’t change that,” her tone was calm as if she was trying to soothe his nerves.
A sigh left him. “Thank you for your help. You may leave us.”
The physician bowed, wasting no time in leaving.
A moment of silence passed, the elephant in the room waiting to be acknowledged.
“What on earth were you thinking?” he repeated from earlier. His gaze at her was now sharp, though the shaky tone of his yell showed the opposite.
“Zuko I—”
“You weren’t hurt, but you definitely could have been! Why on earth had you not said anything? And how on earth did you manage to evade all the guards I sent after you—”
“Let me speak, will you!” y/n’s shout broke through the resonance of his voice.
Zuko’s eyes widened, but he complied. A bite settled on his bottom lip as if to restrain himself.
She now sat up straight on the bed she’d been lying on, her eyes never leaving him. “I’d received intel from my shadow knights about a group trying to infiltrate a carriage of goods heading through one of the trade routes headed here. It was an attempt by banished Ozai loyalists to map out routes to the palace, and from what I’ve been told, the rest of the Fire Nation. I’m assuming they're aware of the significant infrastructure development that's taken place since you came into power. It was all in the note I left, remember—”
He rolled his eyes, followed by a groan, “Y/n, a note isn’t nearly enough—”
“Shut up and let me finish,” she interrupted. “As I said in my note, I wouldn’t have left in a rush had this not been a matter of urgency. The infiltrators were already en route to interfering with the passage of the goods. I wouldn’t have left alone either had I thought this wasn’t a matter I could handle. There were only about three of them. I couldn’t let them get close to accomplishing what they wanted, especially—” she hesitated. “Especially knowing that their final goal is to hurt you.”
“You still should have told me, y/n. I would have sent members of the royal guard to handle it. You could have gotten hurt—”
The fury had now gotten to her. She had stood up from their bed, her steps slow as she cornered him. This was her way of forcing him to acknowledge every word she spoke properly.
“Hurt by three out-of-shape men? I told you I wouldn’t have gone had I not known I could handle it. My shadow knights already reported on who was heading our way. I’m one of the best firebenders there is. I’m a skilled fighter too. You know this. You were fine with me going on my own ventures before—”
“That was different,” he muttered, avoiding her gaze as his back hit the wall.
“Different how? You’ve been treating me like a child ever since Republic City! I fought three men and pushed the Ozai loyalists off our track. What can I do to make you stop doubting me, Zuko? I’m suffocating here!” she pleaded desperately as her hands tugged at the lapels of his robes.
His lips pursed as his mind drifted back. Republic City. The fight with Taga. The love of his life, his everything, unconscious for days he’d lost count of. He inhaled a sharp breath, letting go of it instantly in an attempt to steady himself.
Her eyes widened at the worsened shift of his demeanour; she was confused to say the least. Had she hurt him? “I’m sorry I—” her concerned voice was interrupted by a loud ring. It seems the Grandfather Clock in the room decided that midnight was far too late for the lovers’ quarrel.
Zuko huffed, momentarily shutting his eyes and knitting his brows to relieve the tension in his forehead before facing her with open eyes again. “Get some sleep. We’ll talk in the morning.”
Her hands clenched his robe again, “But Zu—”
He shushed her gently. “It’s okay. I just need some time to think, and you could use the rest after the adventure you had today. I’ll ask the maids to draw you a bath.”
She faltered, but soon sighed in defeat, loosening her grip on him and taking a step back. “Morning then.”
He lowered himself and placed a kiss on her forehead. “Love you,” he whispered.
She held his jaw, momentarily restraining him from standing up straight again. A soft kiss on his cheek followed. “I love you too,” she whispered back.
Zuko retired to his study. He could have headed to his own chambers, of course, but a smart man like him knew he would not get a wink of sleep.
Y/n was no different. She’d thought through her bath, thought as she’d changed into sleepwear, thought when she should’ve been asleep and thought again as the yellow rays of the sun seeped through her window.
As the hues of sunrise disappeared, she got out of bed and began getting ready for the day. Having dismissed her ladies-in-waiting, as she usually did, since she preferred doing her morning routine alone, she had more time to compose herself.
Breakfast arrived, and the two decided to eat in the private dining room of their quarters.
“Sleep well?” she asked as she picked at her food, too tired to eat.
“Yeah,” the ends of his palms rubbed at his eyes. “And you?”
“Same,” she spoke as she stifled a yawn.
A stretch of quietness held the room for a while. Not the awkward kind, or the relaxing kind, but the kind that usually precedes a climactic event.
“I don’t doubt you at all. Far from it,” he broke the stillness.
For a moment, she hadn’t fully absorbed what he’d said, still stuck in an exhausted haze. Though her eyes soon widened as her ears caught on the weight of his words. “What?” The question left her, barely a whisper.
“Back then, after you got hurt at Republic City— I thought I’d lost you. It’s hard for me to even think about it. The way you looked, the fear in Katara’s eyes as she rushed to heal you, the unusual silence and loneliness in the palace walls— it made me think that I’d never be able to wake up next to you every morning, or listen to your words as you talked for hours, or hear your laugh, or share a meal, or do every other thing I enjoy doing with you ever again. It scared me so much that I couldn’t eat, sleep, or even move. None of it mattered if I didn’t get to breathe alongside you anymore.”
Her lips pursed as she struggled to come up with a response.
He continued, “I’m sorry for making you feel like I doubted you or that you weren’t enough. You’re so talented, my love. I admire and learn so much from you, whether it’s your firebending, your fighting or your intellect. I was afraid of losing that back then, and yesterday, I feared losing it again.”
She sighed, taking the opportunity to collect herself after being overwhelmed by the information she’d just learned. And then began, “I ran off to prove to you that I could handle it. I didn’t even think of how bad what had happened back then would have been for you. I genuinely believed that you thought little of me because I got injured. I’m sorry. I should’ve told you where I was going because I’d want you to have told me. I just didn’t want you to stop me—”
“I probably would have,” he paused. “But it’s not my place. Caging you has hurt you more than freedom could ever have. I know that now. I’m sorry, I really am. And I could never think little of you— I’m not that stupid. It’s not your fault you got hurt.” his hand wrapped around hers.
A small laugh left her mouth at his comment before she began talking again. “It’s okay to be protective. Heck, the whole reason I left was that I feared for your safety. But respecting one’s space is always important. We live, and we learn. We’ll be more transparent about our feelings and actions from now on,” she kissed the back of his hand.
He nodded, a little flustered at her kiss.
A moment of peace governed the two, a stark contrast to the tense atmosphere that had inhabited them the previous night.
“So you really took down all three of them? Not that I am shocked.”
“Oh, you should’ve seen how marvellous it was. No one gets close to hurting my Zuzu,” she kissed his cheek.
“Shut up,” he rolled his eyes in an attempt to counter the flush of his face.
“We should go together next time. Not that I'm hoping there is a next time.”
⋆˚꩜｡ Firelord!Zuko x Firelady!Reader | angst, fluff, slightly suggestive ending MDNI | cw: mentions of misogyny and mistreatment | wc: 1065 | a/n: thank you for reading ! | masterlist
synopsis: A worried Zuko catches a determined y/n drowning in grueling royal etiquette training.
Her lashes fluttered as her eyes squinted from fatigue. Too entranced in forcing herself to stay awake as she skimmed through the stacks of papers on her desk, she failed to notice the slow creak of the wooden door and the footsteps of the man she adored ever so deeply as he entered her new study.
“Y/n?,” he'd called out for the second time now, a bit louder than the last.
She flinched, startled at the voice that broke the quiet she was entrapped in, but only for a millisecond. Her face eagerly lifted to find his.
“Zuko! Come, sit!” she spoke as if the exhaustion had left her. The Firelord didn’t hesitate, quickly placing himself close next to her on the wooden floors, already scanning the papers before her critically.
“You’re still working on this?” he now fully faced her, his eyes brushing over each intricate detail of her face. Regardless of how thrilled she sounded to see him or how large her smile had been, he still fixated on the evident weariness that held her; from the darkness beneath her eyes to the slight droopiness of her lids as she struggled to keep them open — it all pained him.
“I’m almost done. My advisor demands that I get all of this done in time for the Earth Kingdom delegation's arrival. It’s my first public diplomatic appearance, so…” her voice trailed into silence as she returned to focus on her papers. She had been slaving away, practising all sorts of absurd things in her etiquette training, from learning how to laugh “like a lady” in public appearances to the appropriate posture of her neck, whatever that meant.
The court had found it of utmost priority that y/n be mended into a prim and proper Firelady. That’s not to say that y/n was not already deserving of such a position. Her impeccable wit in matters of politics and global affairs impressed many, including the young Firelord, though he had many reasons to pine over her, of course. Perhaps her knowledge intimidated the court so much that they found it significant to demean every little thing she did through strenuous etiquette training. At least that’s what Zuko thought, and deep down so did she.
“Hey!” she yelled as he’d grabbed one of the sheets from her view. Albeit confused, she quickly reached to snatch it, “What the hell are you doing this for?”
He grabbed her by the waist and settled her on his lap. “Oh, shush, I can tell you hate this,” he muttered.
“It’s not so bad,” her arm reached out once again, successfully snatching the paper.
“Mhm,” he mumbled, unconvinced.
She attempted to scoot back to her former seat only to be restrained by his arm on her waist once more.
“Hold on a second, I’ve been meaning to talk to you.”
She huffed followed by a sarcastic tone, “Yes, oh great Firelord?”
“Don’t start. It’s about all this etiquette training you’ve been doing. Don’t you think it’s a bit much?”
“My advisor said that a proper Firelady follows all of this to the full stop.”
“It doesn’t matter what others think—”
“It’s not about others,” she was quick to interrupt. “It’s about you. While ordinarily I’d be quick to call out irrationality, my motivation to do all this is for you. I want to be a good Firelady and represent the nation as well as you have, because you deserve it. I don’t come from a background suited for that, and thus I need to work a little harder.”
“You can’t be serious. You know I love you just the way you are. And if I’m being honest, what part of learning to speak softly enough screams Firelady—”
“It’s about tradition,” she interrupted more firmly.
“Tradition is not always good, you know that. There’s a fine line between respecting culture and calling out disrespect to oneself. There is nothing respectful about someone spending hours belittling your every little move. I know that deep down you know this as well. But honestly, I’ve gotten sick and tired of waiting for you to admit this, and so there will be no more etiquette training. You’re already well-versed in basic formal etiquette anyway; there’s no need for this misogynist crap.”
A long-awaited breath finally escaped his lips after his rushed rant.
She must admit that it wasn’t rare to see this man, her man, speak so fervently at times when they were alone, but he was more often than not the shy and lovey-dovey type. She’d find herself falling in love a bit more whenever she witnessed this front, that’s not to say she didn’t like him cute. Nonetheless, she quickly dragged her thoughts back to responding to his words. A sigh left her mouth as she struggled to disagree with him.
“You’re right. I do know better; in fact, I have stood for better, and I really should not have let myself be treated that way. I think what bothered me was not being the perfect firelady—”
“You’re smart, passionate and fearless. Every member of the court, the Gaang, the Fire Nation and the rest of the world knows it. If anything, those traits are what make a perfect Firelady more than I don’t know… hushing your laugh in public — a laugh that I love hearing, by the way. You worked tirelessly to help restore world peace when we were younger and have been nothing short of amazing serving on my council and, though I didn’t even think such skill was possible, have done even better as Firelady. I love you, and everything that makes you who you are, and that’s exactly who I want leading the Fire Nation with me.”
She blushed at the words that escaped his lips. She was quick to reach out and kiss his cheek, “Love you too, my Firelord.”
His face ran pink and hot as he fell bashful at her actions.
Y/n took this as a splendid opportunity to spread plenty more kisses across his face. “It’s late. Perfect time to take things further, don’t you think, my lovely husband?” her voice dragged playfully.
“Stop teasing,” he muttered, voice struggling to leave his lips.
And with the wave of her hand, the fire lighting her study dimmed into darkness, leaving the two lovers to bask in what the quiet of the night offered.
