kay so i wasnt expecting to get 100 followers in the span of 3 days
but it made me decide to at least be semi-active! and bc of that, i unprivated most of my important posts! (rules etc.) not all bc i had over 1000+ posts and it was mainly anon asks LMAOO
but i unprivated the following stories:
CLUELESS (male rover)
MIC UP! MIC UP! (naruto and sasuke)
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN (kinich)
DATING A WHAT? (nagi s.) favorite
HOPELESS (yuuta)
ANÁSTASI TŌN HŌRŌN (phainon) favorite
ARE YOU DEAD SERIOUS? (blade)
DRABBLE.. (sunday)
DRABBLE.. (jingyuan)
WHY HIM? (phainon)
THE LANGUAGE OF LOVE! (phainon, mydei, anaxa)
if there are anyone wondering why didn't i unprivated "life's hard when you're inlove.." its actually tied to the fact why i was hiatus LMAO my far fetched dream is to create a graphic novel! that story plot is one of my favorites ever made and i put a lot of effort into the story and y/n's backstory, that she started to feel more of an oc which ik ppl dont vibe with (same here)! so ive been spending time learning art (obviously) and brainstorming all the changes i have to make (example removing all the blue lock aspects because i cant add that into my work)
YOU ARE A BUSY MAN NOW..
fortunately for you zuko, your wife is always here for you.
after your wedding, the workload came crashing down on the firelord, not to mention being a father on the side really takes the energy out of him. thankfully, his loving wife was always there to ease the pain for him.
NOTES: FIRST PART more jinshi themed yearning, its still sweet! maybe tad bit suggestive bc zuko is nat missing his opportunities! the events after the wedding scene happen after the events in the movie!, i gave their daughter a name btw. (in one of the scenes where reader was humming, she was humming this!)
PAIRING: FIRELORD!ZUKO X EARTH BENDER!READER
WORD COUNT: 3.9K
The palace has been the busiest it has been in years. Months of preparation, planning, and even more came down when the date got closer to your wedding. To you, it felt surreal, even when you showed Katara the dress. But what reminded you it was all real were the tiny footsteps echoing through the halls.
You did your best to ease Zuko's stress, as, unfortunately for him, even though his big day was coming soon, he still had a nation to take care of. You checked up on him on nights he didn't return to bed, took some paperwork to split the workload for him, and even kept Mei from crashing his meetings.
Every time you both even have something as small as a simple glance, the more you want to just pull him away from everything and go back to when you both could do anything without a care in the world. But then again, those days weren't the best for you both either way.
Yet finally, the day came. Everyone was buzzing, smiles and glee covered the nation. The morning you woke, the sun kissed your face. You were back in your old room, the same bed that felt memories. Fun ones. A smile appeared as your mind went back, but soon the knocking on your door cut it short.
Your head turned in that direction, and before you could reply, the door burst open, revealing Katara and Toph accompanied by two maids. Their smiles and smirks told you everything you needed to know. And to be in the hands of two of your close friends for your special day, you could get past that.
In your head, it was all a blur, all the getting ready, the anticipation, and expectations were too much to stay present in your mind. Seated in your dress, you waited until the guards and maids were busy to pay attention to you, and made your grand escape, that is, to get some fresh air before it was your time.
Leaving the stuffy room took the weight off your chest. You really needed it. Your eyes took the pleasure in enjoying the decorated halls, taking in the scenery before it's gone. Your fingers grabbed your skirt, giving you the ability to walk with ease as you began your stroll. It was enjoyable until you heard a small commotion.
"Papa hair look stupid.." A tiny voice said. You knew the voice, of course, but the language wasn't appropriate. You shook your head, wondering where she learned that word, but a small smirk formed when you thought about yourself as the culprit.
"Don't say that, Mei. But you are right.. How did mama do this?" Your soon-to-be husband asked. You slowly approached the door, hand resting on the frame as you debated whether you should open it or not.
"Mama girl." Mei followed up.
"Hm."
You heard a sigh and a few shuffling. He muttered something that you couldn't quite catch, but what you did hear was the footsteps coming closer towards the door.
"Wait!" Your hand stayed on the door, causing Zuko to halt in his tracks.
"Dear? Why are you here?"
"I wanted some time to myself. Why aren't the maids there to help you?" You asked.
Silence followed until a soft mutter was heard.
"They were caught up with you, but I guess not anymore.."
Well, whatever blame you might receive, you'll take it.
"Do you want me to help you?" You brought up.
"Won't that defeat the purpose of holding out from seeing each other until the ceremony?" He asked, concern laced in his voice.
You forgot how strict he was for sticking to tradition. He doesn't want anything to go wrong on this day.
"But-"
"Just call the maids."
"No."
"Dear.."
You pushed open the door, and what you saw caused a laugh to escape your lips. Zuko was covering his eyes.
"I'm already here, I'll just do it." You stated, turning his frame and guiding him to where he was seated.
A sigh left Zuko's lips. No matter what it may be, that stubborn side will never leave you. It's part of your charm.
Your eyes made it onto your daughter as she stared at you with wide eyes and mouth ajar in surprise. You placed your finger on your lips, shushing her from ruining his wanted surprise.
Your attention went back on him, picking up the forgotten brush and doing your magic. Your daughter stood beside, on her toes, admiring your work, and when she heard the soft humming escaping from you, she followed.
Your fingers flowed through his hair, followed by every brush. You stared at him through the mirror in front of you all. His eyes were still closed, but this time his hands rested on the chair arm. You did his normal look, but it felt different, maybe because today is a change in life.
When he felt your fingers leave his hair, he slowly opened his eyes, but you covered them.
"Wait until I leave, unless you want to ruin your surprise."
You saw his face soften and a smile form.
"Now you care about surprise?"
.
.
.
After you left your family and calmed the scared maids, the ceremony finally came. As confident as a person you are, the nerves hit a bit. When you finally walked out, you locked eye contact with him. Not to be cheesy, but you saw him already, yes, but seeing him in this environment, waiting for you, slowed everything down for you.
And you're sure the same thing happened to him.
It was truly a special day.
That special day, the special moment, always stayed fresh, even after a few years. The painting on the wall will always remind you if you ever forget.
But right now, your mind was on your daughter. She was five years old now, and finally she can bend! It's exciting, yes, but as an earther bender, teaching a fire bender how to control her powers was a disaster in the making.
A sigh left your lips as you threw water on the burning chair. Unfortunately for you, Aang summoned Zuko at the same time Mei unlocked her powers, and it had to be firebending..
The differences in both bending are their mindset. Firebenders can struggle with their flame when their emotions are high. Earthbenders, it isn't about emotions but being firm, strong, and unbreakable.
One thing you can help with here is her emotions, but it's quite hard when she wants to learn her bending. She's impatient.
You placed the bucket down and made your way towards your daughter, but with her in the middle of her tantrum, with a yell, fire left her palms and was directed at you, but with quick movements, you moved the bucket to block the flames from hitting your face. You still thank Toph for teaching you metal-bending.
A gasp left her lips as she saw what she did, but her beat her to it first.
"You need to calm down. Throwing tantrums and crying won't teach you how to fire bend. You almost harmed me, it's okay." You said, firmly.
She curled up in a ball on the floor, but opened up when she felt your fingers on her shoulder. Her eyes looked up and stared back at you, tears threatening to fall.
"Cmon, get up, Mei." You softly said, pulling her up to her knees, but her arms wrapped around your leg, face stuffed in your dress.
Before you could do anything, your attention was then grabbed by the opening of the door. You looked and saw your husband, catching you by surprise.
"You're back already?" You asked out loud, but the scent of burning wood and his scared daughter caught his attention instead.
"What happened here?" He asked, walking more into the room.
Your eyes cast down to your daughter as fear crept into her, her grip tightening on your dress. Your palm rested on her head, and you looked up at your husband as his eyes widened a bit.
A sigh left his lips, and he walked up, slowly ripping her away from you. She avoided eye contact with Zuko, too ashamed of her actions. But Zuko wasn't going to blame her for anything.
He stooped to her level, forcing her to look at him, and gave her a small smile.
"I've done the same when I first got my powers, no need to be ashamed, Mei." He softly told her.
Her eyes lit up a bit by his words, watching him as he stood up and offered her his hand. She looked at you with glee before accepting it, sticking close to her father.
Zuko looked back at you, waiting for you to join them both. You nodded, joining them and walking out of the room together.
"Papa, how was your trip?" Mei asked, beating you to it.
Zuko looked down at the girl before answering.
"It was.. eventful to say the least." He muttered, a sigh following behind.
You gave him a look, one that was secretly asking what went wrong, but the one he gave you told you that it was a discussion for later. It made a small hum leave your lips.
"Mama and I had lots of fun here; the evil chamberlain did not like it," Mei explained, mostly to herself as she began to ramble nonstop, all the way towards her room.
She stopped when she noticed her familiar doors, and a frown appeared.
"Papa, you came home and are already locking me away?!" She complained, staring up at him with a glare.
"I will be back after I discuss things with your mother."
"Yeah, in the morning..." She muttered before disappearing into her room, closing the door behind her.
Zuko shared a look with her before muttering something about her attitude as she grew older, causing you to softly laugh under your breath.
Your hand found his as you both strolled along the halls, enjoying each other's silence. That is, until you spoke up.
"Why did Aang summon you?" You asked.
He didn't answer right away; instead, he dragged you out to a nearby balcony, the moonlight shining down on both of you.
Your eyes looked up, staring at the stars that twinkled back at you. Your husband's hand left yours, but you felt as he moved behind you, both palms resting on your shoulders.
He explained everything that had happened, the staff, the airbender, everything. The news of that horrible event, laced in his soft voice, broke you out of your trance, as worry and upset filled your face.
"All of that happened? Are you okay?" You asked, hands roaming his face and body. He took your hands in his, removing them and holding them in his.
"Do I look hurt?" He asked, locking eye contact with you.
You stared at him for a bit, eyebrows creased before a sigh left your lips.
"No.. But I don't like the idea of you in danger when I'm not there." You softly muttered.
"You had no choice, and if you weren't here, who knows what would've happened with Mei when she got her bending?" Zuko reassured.
The sound of that caused a groan to leave your lips. He's right, unfortunately.
You turned, back facing him as you stared off into the nation. It left Zuko with his thoughts for a bit. With Mei's bending being his element, it's his duty to help her control it.
He wants her to learn it the healthy way, not one driven by anger and emotion. Not the way he learned his. He doesn't want his daughter to go through what he did, not to be like his father.
The boop on his nose broke him from his thoughts as your finger and warm smile were in his sight.
"Let's head to bed now."
.
.
.
Zuko is the firelord, the nation's true hope. The one who brought it up from the horrors it was once locked down in. You were his wife, the one who helped him in the dark and light. With that, you both stabilized each other, balanced the load so no one would fall or break down.
But you felt that ever since you told him about your daughter's bending, he took the workload all for himself. To be fair, you don't fire bend, but you can help her with patience, and not rely on her emotions, as that's something familiar to you.
You always catch a glimpse of him either working on the nation's problem or working with Mei, never on a break. Not even a single thought of calling you in for help.
He doesn't dislike your stubborn side; he complains a bit. But if you complain, why cause it to come out?
It has been the 5th morning since he found out, and the 5th morning you have woken up with no husband beside you. It indeed ticked you off a bit.
So, you took it upon yourself to solve.
As you rose from your bed, you got ready. You didn't wait for any maids to assist; you were, before, a woman without a high reputation. You greeted the guards, but one thing they noticed they hadn't before was that the stoned, stern look on your face had returned after so long.
They shared a look with each other, then back at your back as you walked away.
"What did you think he did this time?"
"Ion know.."
.
Your heels echoed through the halls as you headed straight to the training room. You knew he would be in there, as you have yet to hear your daughter's loud outbursts, as usual.
As you opened the door, you saw them both training, a few burned training dummies here and there. To be honest, you found it heart-warming, but the sickly sleep-driven look on your husband's face reminded you why you were here.
Your eyes scanned the room, locating a few metal items, and you decided to use them. You used the bucket, placing it over your daughter's head with ease, and the other to knock your husband upside the head.
A gasp left her lips while a pained ow left his.
"Why is it dark?" Mei asked, looking around before placing her hand on the bucket, making a small oh to leave her.
Zuko looked at the door, hand holding the back of his head as he stared at you with a confused look. He recognised your expression and sighed.
"What's wrong now?" He asked, pulling the bucket off Mei's head.
"You're wrong." You simply stated, palm placed over the other as you glared at him.
"I am?"
You walked up to them, patting Mei's head, a smile on your face, but dropped it as you looked at your husband.
"Training every day is good for her, yes, but at least take care of yourself." You started.
He wanted to have a say, but you beat him to it.
"Not to mention, the heaps of work you do, when are you ever going to take a break?" You asked sternly.
"And don't say you don't need one." You added, cutting him off again.
Finally, he sighed and rubbed his face.
"She needs to learn the correct way to control her fire."
"Yeah, we know. But what about you? If you know you have work to get done, get someone else to teach her, or even skip training for a day."
He shook his head, about to speak, but again.. You beat him to it.
"No? Okay then." You ended, walking out of the room, leaving his mouth ajar and no room for words.
Mei looked up at her father, then at her mother, who had already left the room.
"Papa did an uh oh."
He looked down at his daughter while she looked up at him, covering her mouth.
"You're in trouble.." She muttered in a sing-song way.
"Yeah, I get that." He replied, leaving to catch up with you. He couldn't find you; he looked all over the palace for you, but found nothing.
That is, until a guard told him to head out to the aircraft. Horror filled his mind at the thought of you doing something so bizarre, running out in haste to catch up with you.
But as he made it out, metal wrapped around him, causing him to fall to the ground with a groan, leaving his lips.
"What the..?"
He grew quieter when he saw a pair of feet in his line of sight. When he looked up, he saw you with a perfect smile on your lips.
"You're finally here, love! Time for a vacation." You stated, picking him up with ease, which ultimately scared him a bit, but he remembered what kind of bender you are.
Too bad you hide your frame in the layers of clothing you wear every day. A lot would be shocked.
"Dear, what are we doing? Where are we even going?"
"That's not for you to know, only for me. You don't want to listen, but I'll always get my way. I am always right."
A sigh left his lips as you both entered the aircraft, you placing him on the floor with a soft hump, leaving your lips, then turning to face all the buttons and switches.
"To be honest, I have no clue how to fly this."
"Huh?" He looked up at your back, as he almost witnessed you about to press any random buttons, fear began to take over.
"Hey wait-"
"I'm kidding." You muttered, turning it on with ease, and fell into a trance.
He then figured it out. You were doing all this as payback, and honestly, he's where he wants to be.
It was no surprise in Zuko's eyes when Ember Island appeared in his view. At this point, you had already removed the metal around him, and he stuck right next to you for the whole ride. He knew that he had no say in turning back around; he didn't even ask how long you both would be there.
When the aircraft finally touched the ground, he guided you out, but you didn't come here for a vacation; you came here to give him the vacation. So before your feet, it's the last step; you stopped in your tracks, confusing your husband.
"What's wrong?" He asked, tilting his head and looking up at you.
"I can deal with myself. We're here to give YOU a vacation." You clarified. You placed a finger on his lips, then dragged him towards the beach house.
He stole a few glances, a small frown rested on his face, yet still let you guide him to wherever you want to. When he looked back in front, he saw the same house he had always seen every summer growing up.
"We should bring Mei here someday." He muttered.
"Mmm, we should." You answered back.
Fortunately, you have both been here frequently when you want to get away from everything, so things like clothes and other necessities are already dealt with.
You walked up beside him, soft face and warm smile. He looked down at you, a small sigh leaving him. Your smile grew even wider.
When you both finally made it into the house, you guided him into the room. You sat down, wanting him to follow, but already, exhaustion hit him, and Zuko found comfort in lying in your lap. The feel of your thighs reminded him of pillows, even if you are a bit firm.
Your fingers made it into his hair, taking out his bun and letting it all flow down. When he felt the looseness, he looked up, peeking through the bangs, and right at you. You guided your hands down his face, resting on his cheek, squishing it a bit before caressing it. Soon after, it fell down to his chin, perking it up, forcing him to look up at you.
He wrapped his arms around your waist, knees on the floor, and eyes locked up at you. The more you played with his hair, the more sleep hit him, and slowly, he drifted away, cheek resting on you and head deep into your lap.
.
.
.
When he woke up, it was already nighttime. He was alone on the bed, but he felt lighter, Lighter as in less clothing, not completely naked. The sounds of the water hitting the shores made him look outside, and then he finally understood why.
There you stood, in your beachwear, in the sand, enjoying the breeze. He came off the bed, already missing your touch and in need of more. You left him in his beachwear, already ahead of time. When you heard footsteps crunching in the sand, you looked behind and saw your husband, hair flowing in the breeze, kissed by the moonlight, looking back at you.
You stood up from your position, waiting for him to arrive. It wasn't the first time Zuko saw you in less clothing. In fact, you saw yourself, with none but anyway, every time he did, in fact, see you, without the millions of layers of clothing, all he does is stare in awe.
You may not go on the adventures you both did with the gang; in fact, you are a mother, taking care of your child. So when he sees you still in shape, after many events, you may not be built like him, but your muscles are still noticeable, soft, but seen. He's mainly just lost for words.
His trance broke when he saw you walking up to him.
"Are you still in there?" You asked. He blinked at you for a bit before resting his face between your neck and shoulder. His arms found home on your waist yet again, but this time, dragging you both down as his knees buckled.
A soft oof left you as your arm braced the fall a bit, and the other in his hair. You pulled it a bit for him to look at you. When you looked at him, it was as if you were looking at a puppy, the way he gave you those eyes.
You don't know when you both got up, but you found yourself in the water, it was cold, freezing even, but that didn't stop either of you, especially Zuko, with the way he wrapped his arms around you, frame overtowering yours. His wet hair stuck to his face, back, and chest. You felt his hand slightly squeezing your waist as the other squeezed your hips. His face was buried in your hair, not long though, as it fell down to your neck, leaving small nips and pecks.
You, arms gripping his larger ones as your back rests against his abs. Your head tilted, giving him more access as your eyes closed, eyebrows furrowed, and cheeks warmed from the sudden affection.
You felt him guide you both down, the water rising, and so did his hands. For a bit, you opened your eyes, you saw the stars, the moon, both reflecting in the waters. But soon, with the tug of your hair followed by a strong arm tilting your head, you saw the eyes of a yearning, hungry husband, finally getting what he had forbidden himself from getting.
So when you felt him pushing his weight onto you, you closed your eyes and accepted it. Maybe he will thank you for this surprise vacation.
im back to writing, same as before its 1k words rn but probably wont be out until tomorrow night as ill be busy for the rest of the day LMAO but its a second part to the first one!
"stubborn as a mule" is what they described you growing up. how could he forget that the day he made you his, this stubborn wife of his will never let down his one silly mistake in life!
NOTES: SECOND PART he highkey looks like jinshi so guess where some inspo came from.. enemies to lovers, misunderstanding, funny (kinda LMAO), you both have a kid, it's quite sweet i think probably. hes cutiepie!, i cant remember which comic it was that showed what happened after the war ended but theres mentions of events from there!
PAIRING: FIRELORD!ZUKO X EARTH BENDER!READER
WORD COUNT: 4K
Your early days with your gang were rocky to say the least. Not just because of your bending, but your personality as well. To be clear, you had the best relationship with everyone! They adapted to your stubbornness, but that wasn't just what you had going for you; you were confident and always stood your ground. The only time you "crumbled" was when Zuko finally joined. At first, you didn't like him, no one really did honestly.
But when he finally proved his worth and showed kindness in his own ways, that's when it started. That's when your eyes always lingered towards him, even when you didn't want them to. Why? because you never ever wanted him to notice whatever feelings you had for him. For some reason, within the group, he was the one person who hung out with you the least.
You were closer in age to Katara, so being the only other female in the group with similarities is what made your bond so strong. Being the same bender as Toph, not to mention a slight similarity in personality, you both stood strong together. Sokka, well its Sokka.. But with his very charming personality, in his own way, he always placed a smile on your face. Aang, is Aang! Everyone always got along with him because of his carefree personality.
And Zuko? Well, he, for some reason, always avoided you. It wasn't like you did anything to him. You thought maybe because he noticed how different you acted with him, maybe your soft side took a toll on him, even though you barely showed it to him. You just wanted reasons to use to explain why he never looked in your direction.
You were never a jealous person, either. As time passed, he grew closer to the others, and you stood in the awkward light. The one time he went out with Katara, you knew it was important for both of them, not only to build their relationship but to learn about each other's pasts, but for the first time, you felt a weird feeling in your chest. You didn't hold any negative feelings for either of them, and to be honest, when they came back, you ran straight to Katara, a smile on your face as she mirrored it.
And as you turned to Zuko, he briefly looked at you before turning to Katara, then the others as they came up. Your smile then dropped. You watched as he interacted with the others, but not with you. Later that night, you decided to confront him. You made it into his tent, obviously scaring him.
You didn't "crumble" in front of him; in fact, you stood as the big boulder blocking him from leaving his tent, all with this stern expression on your face. Your eyes pierced through his slightly troubled own, as if he was finally caught in the lights.
"Is there anything you need?" He slightly muttered, looking up at you.
You, on the other hand, didn't waste any time; in fact, you headed straight to the point.
"Do you hate me?"
"What?" He blurted out.
Your arms folded, your eyebrows creased as you didn't accept his answer.
"Answer me."
.
.
He looked around for a bit, shutting his eyes and inhaling deep before exhaling. He opened his eyes and looked at you, dead in your eyes, and finally answered.
"Yes, I do."
Your expression didn't change, you didn't "crumble," but everything inside you did. Maybe that's why you didn't catch on that he didn't look at you with anger or disgust. But what your ears heard, it heard that instead.
When Zuko stared back at you, he didn't see anything change, which he wasn't hoping for. He has his own hidden feelings he wished to not shine light on, but he felt that after this night, there will be no light or feelings anymore.
After that night, you decided to never ever speak to him, look in his direction, or do anything with him. But what if the other asked as to why?
"Because he said he didn't like me."
As the years passed by, obviously, you all grew and finally ended the war. As celebrations began, you were called into an empty room. Your eyes lingered on this person with the audacity and saw none other than Zuko himself. Your relationship with him was already beyond repair, because you'll never let him get past you. Not after blatantly telling you off without a reason. So why now? You wanted him to start it, explain what he wanted to say so that you can go back with everyone, and forget this ever happened.
But his reasoning reminded you of why you even had this crush on him. He sat you down, yet avoided eye contact. He felt soft, in a way, compared to your demeanor. A sigh left his lips as he finally let his feelings out.
He explained that he didn't hate you; he never did. In fact, it was very much the opposite. He developed small feelings for you, but your strong-headed personality scared him a bit. It didn't fear him to the point of always avoiding you; it was one of the reasons why you pulled him in. It was the fact that he knew he had something going on with another back at home. He was scared that if you found out, your anger might grow, and not only would you hate him, but something more.
The night you cornered him, he didn't know what to say, how to explain anything, and the stern look you gave him caused him to blurt out the only thought in his head.
As you listened to his story, you understood everything he said, maybe felt the need to falter a bit, because you numbed the feeling you had towards him, but didn't get rid of it. You still liked him. But he has to work for it. Like he did with everyone else.
Fortunately, as he had to repair the fire nation, he wanted your help as there were colonies from the Earth Kingdom. So you decided to help, decided to stay with him for a bit, and that was his moment to finally build what he wanted with you. When everyone left, to help everyone from the aftermath of the war, no one knew you decided to join Zuko. No one knew that you both even had that chat to begin with.
You both came to an agreement that you will stay with him for a while, helping him rebuild his nation. You both had very different views: you wanted to help him genuinely, then go back to your kingdom, and Zuko wanted to fix your relationship. But he didn't know how much workload he would receive from fixing a kingdom.
Days passed by, and the morning sun rested on your bed as you stood by the window. You were getting ready for the day until some guards knocked on the door. Your neck turned in the direction, softly allowing them to enter.
"Good morning, ma'am, the Lord is calling you for a matter he needs assistance with." They stated.
A sigh left your lips as you nodded, walking out of the room with the guards guiding you. With Zuko in charge now, the people were left with mixed reactions; some were happy, some were not, which was understandable. But you've noticed that those who mostly favor Ozai the most as their Lord were slowly crossing that barrier of respect towards Zuko.
Your heels echoed through the halls, but halted when the giant doors of his office came into view.
"You can leave now, thank you." You ordered as you pushed open the door, leaving the guards behind.
Your eyes landed on the man seated behind the table, head in hand, but perked up at the sound of the door opening. His eyes softened a bit when it landed on you, but he quickly looked away as your strong gaze held long, going through him.
"You summoned me." You stated, walking up towards the table.
"I did, here, the plan I had before, I don't know what to do. Aang and I almost fought over it." He muttered, handing over some papers.
"Is it about the colonies?" You asked, as your eyes scanned the paper in your hand.
Your ears caught the squeak of his chair as he rose to take a short walk around.
"It is, they have been here for over a hundred years, some even have families here, but there are some that are mixed with the people here. It doesn't feel right to just remove them and separate their families." He explained, his voice sounding upset and lost.
You looked up, eyes following his every movement.
"You visited one of the colonies, yes?"
"I did."
"And what did you think of it?"
He stopped walking, turning to face you.
"At first, I was surprised. But as I saw more, I thought that if I tried to rip them apart, it would create more chaos than calm."
As the words left his lips, for this one time, your eyes soften.
"And I think that's right. You should tell Aang that, and come up with a new plan." You told him, placing the papers back onto his table.
"If that's all, I shall see myself out." And with that, your heel turned to leave, but his voice stopped you.
"I can see you out, actually, do you want to go.." Slowly, his words got softer, and you didn't hear the last part.
"Go where." It was meant to be a question, but your voice sounded too demanding, catching you off guard a bit.
The tone of voice caused a troubled "um" to leave his lips, but he still stood his ground.
"For a walk, we can go for a walk."
He changed his question to a statement. You would've called it a bold move if he didn't look like he was going to crumble under your presence.
You took a while to answer him, on purpose, of course, staring at him straight into his eyes, watching as he failed to maintain eye contact, but in the end, you agreed, waiting at the door for him to take the lead.
The walk was quiet; you both made it out of the palace, eyes now following your every move. You paid him a favor of starting a conversation; he's already going through so much.
"Have any plans for the colonies as yet?" You started, facing him as you both walked side by side.
"Huh? Oh. I think those who have been here for a while and have families shouldn't have to go."
"I agree."
"What about you?"
"Me what?" You asked.
"Are you going back as well?"
"Probably."
"..."
When you noticed you didn't get back a response, your eyes lingered on him for a bit before facing forward.
"I said probably, that isn't a yes or a no."
"You're right." He muttered.
His down demeanor made a small smile grow on your face. Teasing him became your new. The tension was broken by a random civilian who began to shout, pointing fingers at Zuko.
Another follower of Ozai, upset with the change Zuko's making. The nearby guards got into action, ready to take care of the man, but this was your first time witnessing it in person. You felt the need to put your word into this.
"Is there a reason why you were so moved by the previous Lord Ozai's ways? Please tell. Because from what I could tell, your little whining here clearly shows that you had little to no understanding of what would've happened if Ozai got his way. For once, people like you wouldn't have such a carefree life right now; rather, you would've been working until you dropped from exhaustion or be banished from doing something as little as watching him the wrong way. So I suggest you enjoy the sun that's beating on your back, or do you want to join him down in the dark cells?"
You knew your words had an effect on everyone around; they all looked around, mainly staring at you. But the civilian was lost for words. He wanted to bite back, but couldn't. In the end, you bid Zuko goodbye, told him to finish up the problem, and you went back.
What you didn't notice was his eyes lingering longer as you disappeared into the distance.
After that incident, you haven't really seen Zuko that much, but one thing that has changed is the looks you get either from the guards or random civilians passing by. It didn't bother you that much. What bothered you is that after Zuko cleared the colonies problems, you have yet to see or hear of him.
As of right now, you were seated by your vanity, brushing your hair for the night. It was late, and you had guards outside of your room, but they didn't bother you when you decided to go on with your plan. The thought of leaving your chambers in your nightwear didn't cross your mind; the guards had no say either when their eyes followed your every move.
You could only go so long without seeing him. As stern as you may be, you were confident in your feelings. You will stand tall and confidently express your feelings if you must. But here you are, inside his office, finding him fast asleep, head resting on the papers. Seeing him in this state, you finally noticed all the aspects you hadn't before. Of course, you both grew, but it was the first time you noticed how much longer his hair got. He seemed a lot bigger than before. Your hands hovered over his face, fingers gently moving his hair out of his eyes.
As much as you felt confident in your feelings, the soft side in you doesn't really want to show the affection you wanted to. So under the moonlight, as his eyes rested, you left the room to get your spare blanket, made it back into the office, and draped it over his back. You moved his hair out of his face, finger lingering a bit more on his cheek. A sigh left your lips as your eyes traveled to the stacks of papers he still had to get through. You confirmed the thought in your head to return in the morning to offer some help, but right now, you softly placed a kiss on his forehead, caressing it one last time before making your way out.
You heard a slight shuffle, turning in his direction. A small smirk formed.
"Sleep well, Firelord."
.
.
.
You made it back into your chambers, ready for bed, when the sounds of knocking stopped your tracks. Your eyes darted to the door, allowing entry. It caught you off guard when you saw none other than the man you left to rest.
"Did you come to tell me to sleep well?" You joked a bit, sitting on your bed.
Zuko stared back at you, pulling the blanket off his back, and walked up towards you. You didn't break eye contact, not once, but he didn't as well. This was a first. He came to a stop, looking down at you as you looked up. For a bit, it was like that, that is, until he stooped to your level, knees on the floor as he placed the blanket across your back instead. He rested on his knee, getting lower, and held your hand in his. He looked up at you, sweetness lingering in his eyes.
This, for once, was new to you. He wasn't this bold before. His stare held; he didn't break it, not once. So yours soften, intertwining your fingers with his.
"Do you have something to say?" You muttered softly.
"Did I earn you?"
"Hm?" Your eyebrows rose.
"I had to work for us, prove that I really want us. Did I do it?"
Your lips were slightly opened. It closed as you slightly nodded.
"You did, for a long while."
"Hm." He softly smiled. His eyes made it down to your lips, head tilted a bit as he leaned in, his eyes locked back with yours. Soon, your lips touched, and his hands roamed your frame, resting on your waist. Yours found his cheek, thumb caressing the soft skin. You won't say it, you never will. But it was indeed your stubbornness that held all this back, keeping all the pent-up affection. He broke for air, yet still close enough that you felt his breath brushing against your face.
You tilted his face up, finger pushing his chin. It traced along his face, playing in his hair. His face rested in your palm, looking up at you in adoration and love. Slowly, you removed your hand, forcing him to move his head. Instead, your hand found his from around your frame, standing as he followed behind. A small smirk formed on your face as you fell back onto the bed, a surprised sound leaving his lips as he fell on top of you.
His hands came in contact with the bed first, preventing you both from hitting your heads. But as his eyes linger, his head finally caught up with the position you place them in, he rushed to remove himself, but your hands locked him in place first.
"Wait!-"
"Do you want me to let go?"
Your question rang in his ear, repeating over and over in his head, and with a final sigh, he rested his head in your chest.
"No.. Not really.." He muttered before looking up at you, letting his hands roam your frame as you both felt the air shift. It got heavier, warmer, and everything fell into a blur.
In the morning, your cheek rested against his chest. The warmth of his bare chest is enough to keep you asleep, but the knocking on your door broke the trance. You rose from his chest, to find out that Zuko was already up, and his fingers were raking through your hair.
You felt his hand drop as he too rose.
Your eyes studied his frame, shoulder-length hair falling around him, as his muscles moved when he stretched.
"What is it?" He asked out loud to the guards outside.
"Oh, you're in there, my Lord. I'm sorry to bother."
That's when it hit him, mid-stretch, he stopped. His eyes landed on your frame, and then his cheeks got warmer.
"I think that knock was for me." You muttered, pulling the blanket around you.
"Yeah, I think it was.." He muttered, avoiding eye contact.
"I'd never think that they would ever get together.." Sokka muttered as a little girl pulled on his ponytail, small "ow's" leaving his lips as he battled her for his own hair.
Katara smiled at the scene before standing up to get the 2-year-old off her brother. She placed her on top of Appa as giggling escaped the toddler's lips. She found joy in his fur, dragging her hands all over his head.
"I hope she grows up like her momma." Toph joked, hinting at how you were back in the days.
"Zuko would have a rough time if she does," Aang muttered, watching her as she played in Appa's fur.
The sound of the door opening caught their attention as the girl looked up, and her smile grew.
"Papa!" She exclaimed, sliding off Appa, with Aang catching her, then letting her run up to her father. She crashed into his legs, looking up at him with glee.
Before Zuko could respond, the tug of his hair caused a yelp to escape his lips.
"What about mama dear?" You softly asked, stooping to her level.
A giggle escaped her lips as she ran towards you, right into your arms. They all stared at the family, some still baffled at the idea.
"I still couldn't believe it when I saw the letter, "You are invited to our wedding!" I DON'T RECALL ANY MENTIONS OF DATING?!"
"We are right here. I'm blind, not deaf."
Sokka glared at her as her eyes stared off into the unknown distance.
"Yeah, but that means they worked out whatever tension they had," Aang said, patting Zuko's shoulder.
"In bed.." A laugh left your lips as you heard what Toph muttered. Zuko sighed, hair falling over his face as his hands found it.
"Okay, guys, they're getting married soon, let's just celebrate, please.." Katara explained, as Toph sighed. The others agreed, and they all made it into the palace.
Your daughter decided to follow behind Zuko, no care in her head that he has work to do. She'll just help him.
You, on the other hand, lead the others to their room.
"So, in the end, you didn't go back home?" Aang asked.
You shook your head.
"I don't think I ever was planning to after he invited me to stay for a while." You explained.
"And when was this invitation?" Sokka asked, sticking his nose at you.
"At the celebration. Tea shop."
"Huh? WHAT?"
You glared at him for being so loud. A sigh left your soft lips as you let them roam the palace, slowly leaving the group as you venture for your family.
You made it into the throne room, seeing the old chamberlain leaving the room, a sour look still on his face. Your eyes followed his frame before falling onto the guards as they all bowed in your direction.
Your ears caught the sound of your very loud daughter "ordering" the men around. She sat on Zuko's lap while his eyebrows creased in concern, yet his face held a smile. When her eyes landed on you, the loudest "Mama!" echoed throughout the room.
You walked up to the duo, giving Zuko a small peck before patting your daughter's head.
"Are you done here?" You asked.
"Thanks to her, we ended early," Zuko muttered, looking down at the child.
A small "hm" left your lips as you told her, "good job". Zuko's eyebrow rose as he heard it, and he let your hand pull his as he held onto their daughter and rose from his chair.
You dragged them into your shared room, Zuko placing their daughter down as she roamed around. He, on the other hand, already made his way towards the vanity, staring at himself in the mirror as you came up behind. Your fingers dragged through his long hair, slightly pulling it down, forcing him to look up at you.
Your free hand rested on his cheek, fingers roaming, and your thumb rested on his bottom lip. Your hand that raked through his hair left the locs to get the brush, but less brushing was going to happen when you leaned down to connect lips.
You felt his smile form as he moved his head up more, his hands making it onto your face as he deepened the kiss more.
Unfortunately, you both have an unruly daughter who "thinks" she can bend by calling out the element and:
"Oof-"
A gasp left your lips as your eyes landed on the book that now rested on the floor, but for sure made contact with Zuko's head.
"Air bending!" She exclaimed with a pose.
"I think not." You stated, glaring at her, about to make your way towards her, until Zuko's hand rested on yours.
"It's okay.. I'm fine." He muttered, holding his face.
"Dear, you'll get a scar on the other side if she continues."
"Let's not overreact." He joked, looking up at you.
"Huh? I'm not. What if one day she does bend and it's fire, and then-"
"OKAY. Okay.." He muttered, looking away.
He then looked at his daughter as she ran up to him, giving him a sloppy kiss, where the book landed before picking up the same book.
"Sorry papa..!" She exclaimed, before running out of the room and off to who knows where. You both sighed as you shared a look.
"She said sorry." He softly said, shrugging his shoulder.
You stared down at him, with that one look he knew and loved. A troubled look made it onto his face as he looked away. That was when the smirk made it onto yours, as your fingers made it into his long locs, to tug at it.
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