Now and Then III
So sorry this is late ish, I’ve written and scrapped like 2 ideas for this. I’ve been trying to work on spacing story wise and decided I like it being told like it is in this chapter. Feedback is always encouraged and appreciated though.
Warnings and Info: It’s still SFW, Angst if you squint, fluff, old reader and Zuko mentioned, Korra mentioned, bit of lore inaccurate stuff if you really get picky about it.
*****
“You’re telling it wrong.” Y/n let out a soft laugh before placing a plate of firecracker buns before the now ‘retired’ Lord Zuko and the new Avatar Korra. Zuko gave her a look she’d seen a million times. He’d scrunched his brow at the audacity of someone calling out THE Fire Lord but he had a smile that was as playful and charming as it had always been.
Korra looked between the pair, they’d definitely grayed and wrinkled since their portrait had been made after their wedding ceremony but the way they admired each other was the same.
“He was bold but he was also as nervous as a long tailed cat in a room of rocking chairs.” Y/n laughed as the patted him on the back. “We had met in Ba Sing Se and had went out a bit but he didn’t make a real move until we found each other again on Ember Island.” She said as she poured her tea.
“I had to psych myself up, it’s not everyday someone like you found interest in me.” He defended. Y/n smiled as he reached across the table to hold her hand.
*****
Zuko had left Ba Sing Se in a hurry and with a bang, though it was the proper goodbye he lacked. All be it Y/n had been a bit broken hearted after he left but she figured so is life. The world kept spinning and it wasn’t going to stop for some school girl crush.
She’d managed to find a way out of the city after the Fire Nation had taken over by hiding as a servant to an upper class family. It wasn’t too bad but it wouldn’t be permanent, she’d made it pretty far before sneaking off from them too as they went on a vacation to Ember Island.
Now she found herself sitting on the beach flipping the pages of a book she’d ‘borrowed’ from the family. It wasn’t a bad life she’d found here, staying with an elderly woman far to old to care about the deferences of the war and seeing her as a lost child and not a waterbender to be found. Her days mostly consisted of making sure the woman’s home stayed tidy and whatever other task she needed help with.
As she sat the book down to get a drink from the satchel she had set in her bag she felt a volleyball tap her leg.
“ZUKO!” A girl scolded. She was Princess Azula. Y/n’s eyes widened as she watched the girl almost glow with a competitive rage before she stomped off to join her friends.
She hadn’t noticed the boy until he was in front of her. When their faces finally met they both let out a small gasp of disbelief.
Before he could get in a word she had jumped up wrapping her arms around his neck as he stood in disbelief, the moment was short lived though as she pulled back giving him a questioning look.
“Lee?” She whispered. He nodded and scratched the back of his neck like it’d make a good answer to why he’d lied for so long.
“Yes and no?… I’m sorry, I had every intention of telling you but Azula showed up and I had to go with her. I didn’t mean to upset you.” He stumbled over his words as her hold loosened on him. The silence from her was deafening. She let go of him turning to grab her things to leave, he ran through every idea he could possibly imagine to explain himself but he kept coming up short as he watched her walk away from him.
*****
Zuko sat beside Mai watching Azula and Ty Lee try their best to fit in with the locals. He couldn’t stop thinking about Y/n and how she’d never forgive him, he knew she wouldn’t. He fidgeted with the bracelet she’d gave him tracing the corners of the stone. That’s when he’d heard it, a small laugh he’d know anywhere. There she was standing with a group of people laughing, smiling, having a great time. Before he could stop himself he’d excused himself from Mai and he began to make his way across the room to her.
Almost reluctantly Y/n had agreed and followed him outside onto the back deck of the house that overlooked the ocean. The pair stood in the quiet for a minute, the only noise coming from the music inside and the night of the seaside.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” She asked as she looked out to watch the waves not giving him a glance.
This made his stomach turn. “I wanted to.” He admitted.
“Do you not trust me? Was I just a way for you to gain something from the water tribes to run back to Daddy?” tears began to prick her eyes and her voice had started shaking.
He reached forward grabbing her hand and shook his head. “No it was nothing like that.” He tried to explain.
“Then what was it Le- I’m sorry, Zuko.” She added emphasis to his name in an almost hateful tone but she hadn’t attempted to pull her hand from his.
“I thought… I thought you’d hate me if you actually knew me, if you knew ‘Prince Zuko’ and then I got so caught up in how much you seemed to like me when I wasn’t that, when I was just Lee.”
“I know it wasn’t right, I know I shouldn’t have lied to you. You were the first person who didn’t care about what I could do for you or your status.”
She looked up at him, her face was softer this time. “I was there because I was banished, my father drove me out and all I cared about was finding a way back, a way to restore myself in his eyes.” He was looking all across her face to see what she was thinking hoping she’d actually believe him.
“It’s the truth… I promise.” He held her hand to his chest as he waited for her reaction.
After taking it all in and thinking on it for a second she stepped forward and leaned her head against his chest as he pulled her hand back from him. He wrapped his arms around her as he let out a sigh of relief.
Time passed a bit slower for them, only for a minute as they stayed still in it.
*****
They’d agreed to meet again the following evening on the beach again. Y/n had done a bit of asking around and poking a bit to find out more about ‘Prince Zuko’ from some of the locals. The more they said the more she began to understand.
When he arrived he saw her sitting by the shore, drawing symbols in the wet sand as she waited for him. He smiled to himself before sitting beside her.
Without looking up she knew it was him and decided to joke “hello your highness.” Earning a groan from the boy.
“Please don’t call me that.” He rolled his eyes before admitting that it was a bit weird coming from her.
“Well what do you want me to call you?” She asked finally looking to him.
“Just Zuko, please.”
The pair talked well after the sun had settled for the night, it was nice catching up now that all the awkward and somewhat painful explanations were out of the way. They were now laying beside one another pointing out different constellations.
He’d walked her home hand in hand, happy as could be. He was grateful for finding her again, for getting the chance to be honest with her. As the pair arrived Zuko had stopped for a second behind her and in a moment of courage or just pure dumb luck he stepped forward, cupping her face with one hand and placing the other at her side. He leaned down to close the gap between them as he kissed her for the very first time, officially that is.
*****
Y/n laughed as Zuko pulled her hand to his face pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her knuckles.
Korra smiled at them, as she offered to help Y/n clean up after their afternoon tea together as Zuko went to find a few of his own scrolls on firebending for her.
******
A/N: I love the idea of time jump, it makes it feel like you’re being told a story. At least to me. Anyway thank you for reading and if you have any ideas, feedback, anything really lmk
