Characters: Aang, Azula, Katara, Sokka, Toph, and Zuko
Warnings: not one!
A/n: yes I'm doing the girlies too in honour of all the Toph/Katara edits I'm seeing on Tik Tok... they deserve all the love.
~
Aang
Aang would be ecstatic.
He hadn't told you, but he wanted nothing more than an army of children to pass on his teachings to and keep his culture alive.
He would wait on you every second of the day. You needed for nothing and got all you wanted on top of that. Every strange craving, every tantrum, every breakdown, he took care of you.
It only got worse as your pregnancy progressed, Aang never leaving your side out of fear of you getting hurt.
"I'm going to take care of you and our little one, you understand?"
"Nothing will stop me from protecting you."
Azula
Azula would panic at first.
She would disappear, neglecting all of her royal duties for days.
You would be hysterical. You knew she wouldn't take it well, but running away? That you did not anticipate.
She would however return after a few days, tears in her eyes as she apologized and held you close, whispering how lucky you were and how beautiful your baby would be.
Azula prepared a nursery immediately, and called in royal servants to wait on you hand and foot. You had everything you could ever need.
Katara
"I think I'm pregnant."
Katara froze, and tears hit her eyes before she embraced you, rubbing your back as she said how happy she was.
She would care for you herself, using her water bending to heal any bruise, nick, or pain you felt.
You would feel so loved, and you knew your baby would be loved too.
Sokka
Sokka would laugh hysterically, wheezing as he finished with a hand on his knee.
"Good one!"
"I'm not joking."
He sobered up so fast, his face falling as he realized you were dead serious.
"Are you sure?"
You nodded, sniffing nervously as you waited for the happy reaction you had hoped for.
His face changed as he processed, a smile spreading across his face.
"I love you."
He would kiss you, pulling you in by the waist as he showed you just how happy he was.
Toph
Toph would let her signature grin out as she bent down to kiss your belly.
"Hey little one. You're gonna be the most badass kid ever."
You would laugh and pull her up for a kiss, embracing her as you did.
"I love you," you mumbled, closing your eyes.
"I love you too."
Zuko
Zuko would definitely be the one to notice your pregnancy.
The morning sickness you brushed off, the mood swings, the lack of bleeding in the last few months.
"(Y/n), have you considered you might be pregnant?"
"Of course not."
He dropped it, waited a few weeks, and you began to notice your weight gain. You complained to him about it, and he mentioned it for a second time.
"Are you sure you're not pregnant?"
You burst into tears, suddenly coming to terms with what had been in the back of your mind.
"It's okay, (Y/n). We're going to be okay. I'll take care of both of you."
uhhhhh. hi. long time no write. i must admit i have not been immune to the a:tla resurgence recently, so. have this ig.
read on ao3 | wc: 689 | cw: gn reader (no gendered pronouns used), established relationship, fire lord zuko (set ambiguously between the end of the series & the movie but i was picturing 20s zuko for this), light emotional hurt/comfort, fluff, reader is a non-bender. minors, ageless, & blank blogs do not interact. i will block you.
Being in a relationship with the Fire Lord was rarely easy. There were many days where you only saw him early in the morning when he got out of bed to attend to his duties, and didn't see him again until he crawled back into bed at night, barely staying awake long enough to slur out a greeting before falling asleep in your arms.
You loved Zuko more than anything, but you often wondered if that was enough. He carried so much weight on his shoulders, and you rarely felt that you helped ease his burden in a way that made any difference to him. Though you fought to keep these feelings to yourself, not wanting to burden him further, you could only bottle up so much before it spilled out.
He sat down heavily on the edge of your shared bed, practically deflating now that he was away from the constant observation of his court advisors. The sight broke your heart, and you shifted to sit behind him, hands going to his shoulders to dispel some of the tension that lingered there.
"I'm sorry," you heard yourself say, despite not meaning to.
"For what?" Zuko asked, turning his head to glance at you.
You hesitated for a moment; the last thing you wanted was to give him something else to worry about, but lying and telling him it was nothing felt worse. "For not doing more to help you," you eventually admitted, thankful that you didn't have to look him in the eye when you said it, as selfish as it was.
That didn't last long, though. Zuko turned fully to face you, his brows creased with concern. "What are you talking about?" He took your hands in his, the familiar warmth of his palms a comfort you didn't realize you needed in that moment. "You do help me, every single day."
It was your turn to be confused. "…How? I know nothing about international diplomacy, I can't navigate court politics… I can't even fire bend."
"But you're here," he said, "And that's more than I could ask for. You're my solace, my tether in the chaos, the person I love more than anyone else." A small, self-deprecating laugh slipped from his lips then, and he shook his head, dropping his gaze to your joined hands. "I'm the one who should be apologizing. I'm the one that's never around, that doesn't give you the affection you deserve."
"Stop that," you chided, pulling your hands from his to cradle his face between your palms. Tilting his head up gently, you waited until he was looking you in the eye again before you spoke. "Zuko, you're a good man. One of the best I've ever met, in fact. You're devoted to your people, and you put in the work to show them. It's more admirable than you know. You have nothing to apologize for, either. I love you exactly as you are."
The words had him melting right there in your hands, and he turned his head just enough to kiss your palm with infinite tenderness. "You're more than I ever dared to hope for."
A smile tugged at your lips as you felt your cheeks heat at his words. "You're all I've ever wanted," you murmured back, thumb stroking lightly over his scar . "Come to bed, my love. You've done enough for today. Let yourself rest."
Zuko smiled back, catching your hand gently and pressing a featherlight kiss to the pad of your thumb. "Anything for you," he agreed, pulling away from you just long enough to shed his courtly clothes, the heavy garments falling unceremoniously to the floor as he joined you once more, holding you close and laying his head on your chest.
You carefully removed his hair pins, setting them aside so they wouldn't get damaged, and gently scratched his scalp. "I love you, Zuko," you told him once again; you could tell him every moment of every day and it still wouldn't be enough.
"I love you more," he replied, swiftly drifting off to sleep with you in his embrace. "More than the whole world…"
It had been going around for a while now, passed from camp to camp, from soldier to civilian.
Whispers of a girl from some tiny, middle of nowhere village deep within the earth kingdom. Six months ago, a small brigade of Fire Nation soldiers had stumbled upon the town and attempted to take it over.
She had decimated them all, the terrified soldiers barely escaping.
And she'd done it with fire.
It wasn't entirely unheard of, traitors to the Fire Nation. In a hundred year war, there were bound to be some defectors. And as it was on his way, Zuko found himself curious about this little village. Foregoing the usual clatter of his soldiers (they would only bring unwanted attention), Zuko dressed in the rough clothing of a traveler and went alone. Uncle Iroh, of course, was concerned. He did not blame the old man. The brutality of this stranger was unlike anything else and he knew that Iroh feared what might happen is she should discover his identity.
"I will not confront her," Zuko had reassured his uncle. "This mission is merely to gather information to confirm or deny the rumor."
And to satiate his own curiosity.
But he did not admit that (though Iroh surely guessed it) and his uncle permitted the small journey, allowing the prince to play commoner. And so he was here, walking down the dirt path alone. Footsteps had faded in the well-worn earth, the faint memories of adults and children and their animals left behind...strange. It seemed as though they were fleeing the village, Zuko noticed. It felt almost as though he were walking through an unseen crowd. He could almost see the panicked figures, the frightened children and worried parents as he passed through the ghosts and walked into the village.
It wasn't much to look at.
Four tall walls, cracked and worn with time, wrapped protectively around the collection of small homes. Once they had been steady and strong, perhaps made by an earth bender, but time had weakened them, spiderweb cracks and large gaps crumbling within.
There were a few small farms, a town square with a little meeting hall and a few shops.
The small buildings that once housed families were two roomed hovels at best, with dirt floors and crumbling roofs.
Nothing else.
No one else.
With the forest spread out for miles and only one road leading to and from the village, it occurred to Zuko just how alone he was out here. Checking every building and hiding place the rough village had to offer (not many but he still checked), he accepted that he was truly alone...but as he walked through the village, he took note of the scorched earth and walls. Kneeling low, pale hands ran across the burn marks, once burning and now cold.
Fire benders had been here...and yet the village still stood, small and ugly but still raised triumphant against its former enemy.
Unharmed. Unbroken
And empty.
It was clear that the first brigade had been enough to frighten the villagers, forcing them to abandon their home. As night fell, Zuko made himself comfortable in the center of the village, meditating beside the fire. His men would see the smoke and follow and they would be on their way with nothing worthy to report. Eyes closed, the prince focused on his breathing...until he felt it.
A presence.
It was close by, creeping through the trees just beyond the wall. His heart beat loudly in his chest as he focused in and listened.
Around the corner.
Through one of the gaps of the crumbling wall.
Passing through the houses.
He listened to the steps which stopped when they noticed the flames and quickly ducking out of sight. But it was too late for that. Leaping up, he prepared for a confrontation. Standing up with his back to the fire, Zuko glared into the shadows and shouted out, his voice echoing into the night.
"I know you're there! Show yourself!"
Nothing.
For a moment there was only the quiet and the sound of his wild heart. But soon he heard the approach of soft steps and a figure stepped into the fire light. Zuko felt his eyes widen and his heart beating faster as he looked at her...a girl with eyes of bright, brilliant green, unlike anything he'd ever seen in his life. For a moment, he only looked a her and forgot everything else. But quickly he regained his composure and became a prince again.
"What are you doing here?" He demanded.
"I could ask you the same thing," she replied. "I live in this village...at least, I used to."
"Where is everyone else?"
She laughed, the sound wild and wonderful...and angry! Green eyes flashed and the fire flickered behind him, beginning to dance.
"Gone. The soldiers came and scared them all off. Most of my neighbors were refugees looking for a new home...they thought going this deep into the forest would keep them safe from the fire...but when the soldiers found our home, they fled once more. They were afraid."
"Except for you?"
"I do not fear fire."
She came closer, looking up at Zuko. The fire was burning bright, flames rising far above the village walls now. A beacon in the darkness, he felt the flames lick his back and shivered at the almost touch of them.
"Who are you?"
"Who am I?" She questioned. "The better question is who are you? You, I think, are no ordinary traveler."
"You are no ordinary village girl."
"I'm not?"
The fire was burning bright, dancing in the darkness...and changing. From red gold to green, the flames became the color of emeralds...the color of her eyes! Her beautiful eyes. Spreading out, the fire surrounded them and her.
"No, I'm not...but I was so good at pretending to be. It came easily. But when the soldiers came...and my mother was so scared."
She was close, far too close, and he knew that he should be fighting back or running or at least attempting to contain the fire...something! Anything! But instead Zuko stood still, allowing her cool hands to touch his face, lingering at the smooth patch of skin just beneath the wretched scar. The touch of her was winter fire and he loved it, looking at her in awe.
"They'd come before, the soldiers, years ago in the village she'd grown up in. They made promises to be peaceful as long as the villagers complied. She fell in love with one of them...but when they burned the village and broke their promise, he broke her heart. He burned her. So I burned them."
"You're a fire bender..."
"And you're a prince."
The village was burning now, emerald fire swallowing the buildings whole. Thunder cracked in the far distance but she did not look away. No, she looked at him and he returned her gaze.
"I should take you in..."
"Hmmm..."
"Why didn't they turn you in? Where is everyone, where is...your mother?"
"Gone. I don't blame them for being scared...after all, a monster had been in their midst the whole time. They left and forbade me from coming."
"Your mother?"
"Gone too. She looked at me and saw a solider."
He looked at her and saw something beautiful. Zuko was lost, utterly lost, in her eyes and her fire.
"Where will you go?"
"Not with you!" she laughed. "And not quietly. I'll go where my heart takes me...and if you mean to take me in, you'll have to catch me, my prince."
Thunder screamed and lightning struck viciously, a torrent of rain beginning to fall. Looking away for only a moment, Zuko watches as the emerald flames were vanquished...and when he looked back, she was gone. There he waited until his men came along. He did not have to wait very long and when they found him, they discovered Zuko quiet and sopping wet.
"Anything?"
"Nothing. It was probably just a rumor," he replied.
A lie, of course.
Zuko had taken her up on her challenge: he was going to catch her and when he did...he was never letting go.
Summary: Bloodbending Pt 2, Katara/Reader, while Katara doesn’t enjoy that reader knows this dark form of waterbending, reader teaches Katara more about it
@ara-a-bird
You know Katara is going to say something. You’re waiting for her to tell everyone what you’ve just done. Instead she doesn’t say anything, glaring at you over the dinner and then helping you pack in a way that makes your head spin. You’re not sure how to approach her, not sure what you should even say. Would she accept an apology for you using bloodbending on her? Is she not saying anything so you follow her example?
“Y/N! Katara is helping me with stances, you want to come?”
“Stances?”
“Mhm, for proper waterbending forms.”
“Oh I didn’t know about those, I haven’t gotten proper instruction ever..” Katara’s face softens a little at that, you wonder if she understands you only know bloodbending because you had to, because otherwise you’d be dead with the other benders that had gotten stuck in the colony the fire nation took over.
“Okay so put your foot here. And then move your arm backwards slightly.”
“Backwards?” You frown, while the stance helped you feel more solid you’re not sure why she wants you to move your arm.
“Well try doing it your way, then I can show you the other way.” You push the water forward and the whip trembles a little before it strikes the tree branch.
“Okay good, now, may I?” She asks before stepping behind you, her fingers trail along your arms and pull you left arm backwards, it’s not uncomfortable, save for the heat crawling up your face.
“Try it again.” She grins a little and you can see her smile grow as you follow the same movement, her hand stopping your arm from going back, pushing it forward instead, the water whip doesn’t tremble and when you strike the branch with it instead of the tree shaking, the branch snaps off. You turn to Katara, about to say how impressed you are, but suddenly more nervous, her face is much closer than you’d thought it was before.
“We can practise more tomorrow?” You find yourself nodding along, surprised at how tired you are. Aang is also complaining of sore muscles and Toph laughs a little.
“You two aren’t used to adapting your bending forms, always trying to twist things into the way you know, not how others use it, which is better for fighting. People can use your style against you if you’re using theirs first.” Katara nods.
“Tophis right; plus these forms are from the northern tribe; well as far as I can tell they are.” She nods to the scroll and you shrug.
“Never seen a form scroll before. Just used to watch people bending against me.” You laugh a little at that but notice no one else is.
“That’s awful.” Katara's fingers flex and you watch as her hand reaches, squeezing your shoulder.
“I’m sorry that happened Y/N.”
“It’s alright, brought me closer to all of you, plus gave me some moves I know will work.” You still allude to the bloodbending, not sure if you can actually bring it up without everyone freaking out and Katara getting upset.
”Y/N.” She calls you over when everyone is getting ready for bed.
“Yeah?”
“Could you show me?”
“Show you what?”
“Bloodbending; I know of healing with water; but to control someone from the inside..”
“All benders can do things like this…”
“They can?” Katara looks worried suddenly.
“Mhm, I’ve seen earth benders push dust into people’s lungs, coat them in rock so it snaps their bones. Firebenders to increase body heat; who force the sparks to ignite the air in someone... I imagine airbenders could take the breath from inside you if they chose.”
“And we can bloodbend…”
“We as in both of us or waterbenders?”
“We as in us.”
“Oh, right, okay, so that’s sort of why my forms are like how they are.” You try to ignore the flush in your face at Katara saying the word us, and how your roles are reversed from practice earlier. You hands don’t shake as you redirect her hand movements, making her hand snap downwards then pulling up slowly.
“You have to keep your speed controlled, this is not a quick method; not if you want to keep the person alive.”
“Alive?” You nod pulling a rat forward, you jerk your hand up, the blood rushing out it’s mouth, it doesn’t make a sound, flopping down like a puppet with no strings.
“See, slow movements.”
“There’s not a full moon…”
“I don’t need one.” You smile softly at her trying to convey you won’t actually hurt her. She smiles back, hand covering yours.
summary: the light falls a little softer in the palace gardens after a long day of council meetings.
warnings: none!
a/n: i had this idea a long time ago and finally put it on paper for @sokkascroptop for valentines <3 enjoy!
He really was handsome when he talked about political unrest.
Y/N sat at the table, chin resting in her hand as she watched Sokka gesture at a map in front of the Firelord and the other important government officials. He stood at the front of the room, strong, steady, decisive. The dark fabric of his sleeves pulled taut over his arms as he crossed them over his chest. Sokka caught Y/N’s eyes from across the room, and his lips turned up in a smirk.
A drop of ink fell from the the brush in Y/N’s hand and landed on a nearly dry black puddle on the scroll in front of her. Y/N blinked and sat upright. The meeting had ended, and the council members and ambassadors were filing out of the room. At the head of the table, Zuko brushed his signature onto a scroll. Sokka moved to prop his elbow on the back of the Firelord’s chair. Y/N smiled to herself as his laugh filled the room. She stood up from her seat and went to wait for him under the arch of the door.
“Councilwoman,” Sokka smiled as he passed through the door.
Y/N smiled back. “Ambassador.”
She Y/N caught the Southern ambassador by the front of his shirt and stepped into the hall with him in tow. The other government officials had left the corridor empty. Y/N tugged him down to her level and kissed him. Sokka let out a surprised laugh against her lips, but his eyes closed easily as he returned the kiss.
Sokka pulled away just enough to speak. “Zuko said no oogies in the council hall.” He chuckled through another kiss, heart skipping a beat under Y/N’s palm.
“We’re not in the council hall. Besides, it’s hardly a scandal anymore.”
“Took care of that one, huh?” Sokka pressed a final kiss to her cheek, tapping his finger against the carved stone that rested against her neck.
Toph had offered to bend it for him, but Sokka insisted on making it himself. He’d spent weeks carving it and sported the stubborn little pink scars on his fingers to prove it.
“What’d you think of the plan?”
Y/N laughed. “Sokka, you’ve been giving me that speech every day for a month. It was perfect. Stop worrying.” She stood on her toes to tuck back a loose strand of hair behind his ear.
“I still wanna know what you think.”
Y/N pursed her lips. “As your colleague… I think it’s a complicated problem, but with Zuko’s support and insight, we’ll be able to see some progress soon. As your wife,” She dropped down to the flat of her feet and pressed a kiss to his jaw. “I think you were very handsome up there.”
A smirk worked its way across his face. “You so have a crush on me.” He dug his fingers into her sides, and Y/N tried to swat his hands away.
“I do not! Stop it!” She laughed.
The Firelord stood behind them in the doorway. “Do you two have to do this here?” He pinched the bridge of his nose.
Sokka grinned. “So grouchy, Hotman-“
“Don’t call me that, Sokka.”
“-You really should be nicer to your two favorite council members.”
Y/N pouted. “Yeah. We’re newlyweds, Zuko. Maybe you could be nice to us as a wedding gift.”
“I am nice to you! And I already got you a wedding gift!” Zuko shook his head incredulously. “I can’t believe I thought Sokka was enough trouble on his own.” He let out a sigh. “Just go be newlyweds somewhere else. See you next week.”
Y/N crossed her arms and fixed the Firelord with an expectant look.
Zuko sighed. “Have a safe trip home.” He mumbled.
Satisfied with the monarch’s submission into pleasantries, Y/N smiled. “Bye Zuko.” She called after him, earning a small smile thrown over the shoulder of his royal armor.
Sokka placed a kiss on her temple. “And our last item on the agenda, annoy the Firelord… Done.” He grinned and offered his arm. “Shall we?”
Y/N took his arm.
Together they stepped out from under the shade of the pagoda. Y/N dropped Sokka’s arm and ran through the grass towards the pond at the center of the palace garden. It was Sokka’s turn to watch her, beautiful and bathed in soft sunlight, the way the Spirits had made her, he was sure.
Y/N was kneeling by the water when Sokka joined her by the pond. A turtleduck snapped its beak at the hem of Y/N’s robe. Y/N laughed. “Sorry, we don’t have any bread for you today.”
“Hey, you little scoundrel. No biting my wife.” Sokka scolded. He gathered the little bird in his hands gently and released him to the pond. The turtleduck ruffled his feathers in the water indignantly and swam away. Sokka fell back in the grass. He reached for Y/N, wrapping her hand in his and turning his face to the sun.
Y/N felt like she had waited lifetimes for this. The war had stolen so much, her home, her childhood. But Y/N figured that, there, laying in the grass with Sokka in the middle of the palace gardens, she could steal some back.
“What would I do without you?” Y/N asked. But the words came out soft like a confession rather than the teasing jest she’d meant it to be.
Sokka squeezed her hand, and the gold band around his finger pressed into her skin. “Katara wants us to visit when we get back home. They think Bumi’s gonna be born any day now.”
“Can’t believe we’re gonna have a nephew.” Y/N said. It seemed like just yesterday that she was standing in the snow watching Katara and Aang exchange vows. Their little family, and now by extension hers, was growing.
“Really? I can. I’m gonna be the best uncle.”
Y/N smiled. “I know you are.” Blades of grass tickled her skin as she she propped up on her elbow to look down at him. “Are you gonna faint when he’s born?”
Sokka groaned. “Okay, Toph is officially not allowed to tell you stories about me anymore.”
“I like them though. They’re cute.” She laughed.
“They’re embarrassing.” Sokka corrected.
“So? I saw you dance at Katara and Aang’s wedding, and I still married you.” Y/N teased.
Sokka laughed. He was sitting up in a flash, leaning over Y/N with the golden sunlight glimmering behind him between the leaves overhead. One hand flattened the grass beside her head. The other trailed down her cheek to her betrothal necklace. He smiled. “Yeah, now you’re really stuck with me.”
part 4 was so so good!!!!! can you make a part 5? i’m in love with your writing and that series!!! you’re feeding my need for zuko content and i love u for that.
it literally took exactly 19 minutes to get a request for part 5
THANK U THO SHDBCNDGS IM HAPPY YOURE ENJOYING WHAT I DO
been excited to get back to this one, y’all aren’t ready 😏
OKAY I SAID YALL WERENT READY BEFORE I EVEN WROTE IT BUT NOW IVE WRITTEN IT AND LET ME FUCKING REITERATE: YALL ARE NOT F U C K I N G R E A D Y
| part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4 |
For chapter five, and my five hundred follower special, we will go back to spring of the year 100 AG, right before Azula’s coup succeeded in their destruction of Ba Sing Se . . .
“So what’s happening?” You asked Mushi as the two of you hurried through the streets of the upper ring.
“Come close,” Mushi answered, and your footsteps brought you beside him.
“My nephew and I are more than refugees,” he began, “my name is Iroh, and I am the brother of the Fire Lord. My nephew, Zuko, is the banished prince of the Fire Nation. I’m sorry we lied to you, but we needed to, in order to stay in Ba Sing Se where we were safe from our family.” Your head reeled, but you kept beside him, because still you trusted this man. You were trained to react and to think, thanks to the Dai Li, so you analyzed his words.
“Were?” you questioned, wondering why he seemed to suggest that he was no longer safe.
“My niece, Princess Azula, has infiltrated the city. She tried to capture me- she did capture Zuko.” Your eyes widened, and your speed increased beside Iroh. “I need your help to retrieve him, and the Avatar’s. That’s where we’re headed.” You looked up at the house you were approaching, half caved in from some sort of destruction. What had happened here?
“The Avatar?” you asked, and Iroh nodded, pausing in front of the door to knock politely. You waited beside him, but held your forehead- you were so shocked about everything you were finding out.
Zuko- not Lee. The banished prince of the Fire Nation. You hadn’t even known that the prince of the Fire Nation had been banished! What else didn’t you know about the other nations of the world beyond the walls of Ba Sing Se?
Why had this information been kept from you? You were training to be in the Dai Li, one of the best and most important police forces of the Earth Kingdom, shouldn’t this information be privy to you? Why wasn’t it?
You were pulled from your thoughts as a girl opened the door, and regarded Iroh with friendliness.
“I need your help,” he began, and you watched the reactions of the other two at the door. They seemed frightened by Iroh- what kind of history had they that you weren’t aware of?
Why were you kept in the dark about everything?
“You guys know each other?” demanded the boy you had to assume was the avatar, who didn’t seem much concerned with your presence. Maybe it was the earth kingdom robes?
“I met him in the woods once, and knocked him down,” answered the girl, and with her gaze that didn’t seem focused on the avatar you wondered if maybe she was blind. She, however, seemed like a strong earthbender. It was one of the things you were trained to pick up on in the Dai Li, and relied entirely on how a person carried herself. “Then he gave me tea and some very good advice.”
“May we come in?” Iroh asked sheepishly, and you wondered why there wasn’t more urgency to his tone.
“Who’s your friend?” the clearly water tribe boy demanded, and you lifted your chin, being acknowledged.
“I’m Y/N, a soon-to-be member of the Dai Li,” you answered, “You can trust me.”
“The Dai Li?” Avatar Aang responded, more shock in his face than before.
“That makes us even less likely to trust you!!” the water tribe boy shouted, and your eyebrows knitted together.
“The Dai Li are the protectors of the city!” you said, though you felt doubt gnaw at your spine- they had kept so much from you, their own cadet.
Iroh turned his eyes to you, and something in his gaze told you to hush up.
“Princess Azula is here, in Ba Sing Se,” Iroh told them, his tone stern and serious.
“She must have Katara!” Aang said, and you looked to Iroh. You didn’t know these people- but that Azula would capture both Zuko and a friend of the avatar meant that she was one of two things: insanely brave or insanely stupid.
“She has captured my nephew, as well,” Iroh said.
“Then we’ll work together to fight Azula, and save Katara and Zuko,” the avatar said, and you felt a little lightness crawl into your heart. You’d be able to help save Zuko, and a friend of the avatar? You were about to go on a crazy adventure.
“Whoa there,” said the water tribe boy, walking back into the conversation, “you lost me at ‘Zuko.’ “
“I know how you must feel about my nephew,” Iroh began, and your expression softened. There was definitely history here, and you’d be interested to learn it. “But believe me when I tell you, there is good inside him.” You brought your eyes to the avatar’s, and nodded, trying to fathom something to say that they’d believe. They didn’t know you, didn’t know what you stood for, and it seemed that you didn’t know much of that yourself.
“I’ve known Zuko for a while,” you said, “and he’s never been anything other than a scared and polite refugee.”
“Good inside him isn’t enough!” The water tribe boy insisted, “Why don’t you come back when it’s outside him too, okay?” Your chest deflated further, and you had to wonder: what had Zuko done, what had Zuko been, that they had this strong of a hatred for him?
Did you want to know?
“Katara’s in trouble,” Aang said to his friend, “All of Ba Sing Se’s in trouble. Working together is our best chance.”
On the way toward the catacombs of the city underneath the palace, you learned Sokka and Toph’s names, as well as the true treachery of the Dai Lee. You learned about the war with the Fire Nation, and had a smile on your face as you took in how lucky you were that the two firebenders whom you had come to love were the only two on the right side of this war.
“Well, whaddaya know, there is an ancient city down there,” Toph said, her hand pressed to the stone courtyard, “but it’s deep.” She opened up a large hole in the stone, heading downward.
“How can you tell?” You asked, and she cracked her knuckles in your direction.
“Right, you’re classically trained,” she mocked with a rude laugh, which made you smile. “I can sense seismic activity through stone. Maybe I’ll teach you, when this is over.” You nodded, intrigued, before Sokka grabbed your attention.
“We should split up. Aang, you go with Iroh and Y/N to look for Katara and the angry jerk,” he said. “No offense,” he added in Iroh’s direction, and once again you found yourself confused on the nature of their shared past when Iroh said “none taken.”
“And I’ll go with Toph to warn the Earth King about Azula’s Coup.”
Aang, Iroh, and you began heading down into the tunnel, Iroh holding up fire for light while you and Aang took turns lengthening the tunnel downwards.
“So, Toph thinks you give pretty good advice,” Aang said, seeming to try to make conversation. “And great tea.” A smile came to your face- Iroh’s tea was the reason that you were, apparently, romantically involved with the prince of the Fire Nation.
Imagine that.
“The key to both is proper aging,” Iroh said, and you laughed under your breath. “What’s on your mind?” Aang paused, and took his turn lengthening the tunnel.
“Well, I met with this guru who was supposed to help me master the avatar state and control this great power.” You turned to look at the avatar as you walked, amazed at both his story and his mere stature. You never thought that you’d get to meet the avatar.
“But to do it, I had to let go of someone I love, and I just couldn’t.” You reached the end of the tunnel, and took stance beside Iroh to take your turn lengthening it. However, Iroh began speaking, and you figured it rude to interrupt him.
“Perfection and power are overrated. I think you are very wise to choose happiness, and love.” With a smile on your face you earthbent and opened up the tunnel further, deciding then and there that you would stick with Iroh. Surely you weren’t to stay and train with the Dai Li, and as it seemed he was teaming up with the avatar, maybe you’d get to help fight in the war!
“But what happens if we can’t save everyone and beat Azula?” You didn’t answer, and let Iroh, both because you didn’t know the answer, and because you felt that the scope of your knowledge and importance wasn’t what it needed to be to even participate in this conversation.
“Without the avatar state, what if I’m not powerful enough?”
“I don’t know the answer,” Iroh said, making you gaze to the side at him. “Sometimes life is like this dark tunnel. You can’t always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but if you just keep moving...” Iroh paused as Aang took his turn to break through the stone in front of you, revealing light and a wide open new space, “...you will come to a better place.” You paused, standing on the edge of a cliff, to look out over the ancient city. There was a fountain in front of you, making the air smell fresh even though you were so far below ground. It was amazing, and part of you wished you could have stayed. However, you knew that there was much more pressing matters, and so you quickly moved along with Iroh and Aang into another chamber to hopefully find the prisoners you were looking for.
Aang burst through another wall of stone, and quickly disappeared through the hole as you and Iroh followed.
“Aang!” A girl shouted before embracing him, and you barely put it together that this must be ‘Katara’ before your feet had carried you to Zuko, and hugged him tightly. You yielded this, however, to Iroh, who hugged him with just as much relief as you felt in your heart.
“Uncle, I don’t understand,” Zuko said, a malice you didn’t recognize glinting in his eyes. “What are you doing with the avatar?”
“Saving you, that’s what,” Aang said, and Zuko began to lunge before Iroh caught his chest. You flinched- this wasn’t the boy you knew at all.
“Zuko, it’s time we talked,” Iroh told him, then looking at Aang and Katara. “Go help your other friends. We’ll catch up with you.” Aang and Katara turned away while you stood still, but Iroh turned to you. “You as well. It’ll be alright.” You nodded, and raced down the tunnel after Katara.
“We’ve gotta find Sokka and Toph!” Katara shouted, but you couldn’t answer her before you heard roaring behind you. You didn’t recognize the sound, but when you turned and saw blue fire, nothing could’ve prepared you.
This wasn’t in your training. It wasn’t in your index of attacks to react to. You had no idea what to do- if it wasn’t for Aang and the wall that he raised, you would’ve surely been charred on the spot.
You didn’t recognize the girl that had shot it, but you felt that it was safe to assume it must’ve been Azula.
Katara raced around the wall and picked up water, revealing herself as a powerful water bender before your eyes. The fight between her and Azula created a cloud of steam, and you staggered back even further from Aang’s wall, your chest rising and falling quickly.
You were panicking.
All of that training, everything that your instructors had ever done to harden your will and sharpen your reaction time, it stood nothing against this. This, with the sister of the guy you were crushing on shooting blue fire at the avatar, and you weren’t even sure who’s side you should be on.
That was stupid, of course you knew you should be on the avatar’s side. But something in your head whispered doubts- she was Zuko’s sister. She was the leader of the Dai Li, who you belonged to.
Azula appeared from the steam and shot two fireballs at Aang and Katara, who were forty or so feet in front of you. You just watched, dumbfounded, and realized quickly that she wasn’t aiming at you. She wasn’t targeting you at all.
She landed on a column, which Aang rocked beneath her, and she fell down to stand between Aang and Katara, her back to you. She kept her hands pointed at both of them, but suddenly, her attention turned toward you.
“You’re Y/N, right?” She asked, and your eyes widened. “I remember you. You’re a very impressive cadet, you could be an asset to me. I control the Dai Li, now, and so your allegiance is to me.”
Just for a moment, Katara’s gaze turned to you, wondering if there was any truth to that statement.
Was there?
A fireball impacted the ground between Aang and Azula and you staggered backward, looking up for the source of the flame.
Zuko. Relief filled your chest- at least you knew for sure you were on his side.
As though time was frozen, you watched as he turned his ready stance from aiming at Aang, to aiming at Azula, and your tension melted away. You could fight beside Zuko and the avatar and Katara, and surely between the four of you the princess would be defeated.
Then, from your position fifty feet behind Aang, you saw Zuko’s eyes land on the avatar.
The calmness drifted away, and all you saw was rage.
Fire blasted toward Aang, and he couldn’t avoid the plume, his air bending keeping him from harm but also sending him back beside you. Zuko’s fire kept coming, and you threw up a wall in front of you, turning to the side with your body made into a smaller target out of pure fear.
Zuko had turned on Aang. He’d shot fire at Aang- he’d shot fire at you.
Aang leapt away to continue his battle, which left you behind your wall of stone, paralyzed with fear and indecision and betrayal and anger and sadness.
Didn’t you know Zuko at all? That look in his eye... you had never seen that before. There was pure rage inside him, and you couldn’t understand it, you couldn’t comprehend how this was the boy you’d cared for.
You heard fire roaring throughout the cave, and the whooshing of the wind that Aang sent back. Rocks clattered to the floor and water shot around the cavern, and it was all too much, the sounds of martial arts and groaning and impacts, you couldn’t get a clear thought through your mind.
“I thought you had changed!” Katara’s yell echoed off the rocks, and just for a moment your hands lifted from your temple. Was she talking to Zuko?
“I have changed,” he answered, and it was in the silence that followed that you made up your mind, finally.
Zuko was on the wrong side of this war. Not as you’d thought.
You heard a yelp from Katara and brought up a hunk of earth underneath you, launching you across the cave and into a defensive position in front of her with a battle cry. Both Azula and Zuko seemed surprised by this decision, but before any of you could react, the rumbling of Aang’s reemergence interrupted the fight. They turned their attention to him, which gave you the moment to send a hunk of stone into both of their abdomens, knocking them backward. However, your eyes turned up with the sound of Dai Li stone chains, and you couldn’t pull your limbs in tight enough to avoid their sudden grip on you.
“No,” you snarled as Katara woke, and brought a ring of water around the both of you. You stood back to back with her, small finger movements slowly dissembling the stone chains around your wrists so you could help her in the fight.
But there were too many agents- you knew you couldn’t take them all on. Not even with a master waterbender at your back.
A gust of wind surprised you, and you broke free in time to see Aang rise from shattered crystal inside a beam of light. It was amazing- and you were stunned into awe.
Lightning struck the avatar.
Katara nearly drowned you in the wave she created, but you pulled up a slab of stone just in time to surf on it behind her, just like you had on summer days in Lake Laogai. Mowing down Dai Li agents, and the royal siblings, the two of you raced toward the falling avatar, before he was caught by Katara. Soaked, exhausted, and tears blurring your vision, you stood between her and the siblings, who walked toward her, as though they were predators, and she an easy meal.
Though you knew you should be watching them both, your eyes were on Zuko. Maybe, there was some of Lee left in him, and seeing you would bring it back. But his eyes were firmly on the dead-or-dying avatar, hungry, predatory, and your heart shattered.
Fire cut off their path and you looked up to see Iroh, who leapt down in front of even you.
“You’ve got to get out of here!” He shouted, looking back at you. “I’ll hold them off for as long as I can!” Katara stood and you joined her on Aang’s other side, carrying the avatar toward a waterfall, the sound of fire roaring behind you.
It was terrifying.
“Hold onto him!” Katara shouted, her grip tight on the avatar as she used her other hand to bend an upward spiral around the three of you.
You watched Iroh face Zuko until the rock covered your vision, and you closed your eyes.
Back on Appa, you kneeled behind Sokka, one eye keeping a watch on Katara as she attempted to heal Aang. But mostly, you gripped Appa’s fur, and cried.
The Dai Li had lied to you. Zuko and Iroh had lied to you. The Dia Li turned on you. Zuko turned on you. Zuko turned on Iroh, Azula killed the avatar. Everything was so messed up, beyond proportion, skewed beyond belief. The boy you thought you might’ve loved...
He’d never existed in the first place.
And though the avatar lived, you laid your forehead to the bison’s back, and sobbed.
tag list for this series- @furblrwurblr @eridanuswave
oh yeah request for pt 6 /// already been requested y’all are fine
Sokka is heavy against your side as you help him back to the campsite, carrying most of his body weight on your own. “C’mon, just a little farther, okay?” you speak through gritted teeth. “We’re almost there, just stay with me.”
He responds with a quiet groan, and you feel yourself on the brink of tears. Panic is rushing through your veins and all you can focus on is moving forward, getting back to Katara, saving Sokka. When he starts to fully collapse, it takes every ounce of adrenaline within you to lift him into your arms.
You’re almost there, you’re almost there, you’re almost…
“Katara! Toph! Aang!” you scream at the top of your lungs. “Help!”
Suddenly, the three of them are rushing into view, and Katara takes in the sight of you with fear in her eyes. She’s at your side in an instant, helping you set Sokka’s body onto the grass below.
You scramble backwards to allow her better access to the wound, looking on with tears in your eyes. The gash across Sokka’s torso is bad, terrifyingly so. The fact that he even stayed conscious for so long…
You’re not sure how much time goes by, surrounded by worried friends as Katara heals him the best she can. It feels like an eternity.
Eventually, though, the gash starts to close, and suddenly it’s like the wound was never there to begin with. His skin is smooth, untouched, and somehow it makes you cry harder.
Aang is the one who carries him back to camp, airbending aiding his strength, but you walk beside him the entire way. You sit next to Sokka as they lay him down on a sleeping mat, watching his unconscious body as he breathes in and out, in and out, in and out—
The first word out of his mouth when he awakes is your name, and he looks around, confused by his surroundings for a moment before noticing you.
“You jerk, don’t ever do that again,” you speak through tears, torn between a sob and a smile.
“You’re okay,” he sighs quietly, relief washing over his features as he reaches out to take your hand.
Of course, you intertwine your fingers with his, and he squeezes tight.
“Do you have any idea how scared I was? How close you came to— to—“
“But I didn’t. You made sure I didn’t, and I-I’ll never be able to thank you enough.” His thumb moves to caress the back of your hand, and you fold over him, your head pressed directly against his chest.
“Just don’t do it again, please don’t do it again, never do that, never, never—“
His other hand comes up to rest on the back of your head, running his fingers softly through your hair. “It’s okay. I’m okay.”
“But you almost weren’t,” you cry against him. “You can’t do that, you can’t do that, please…” You lift your head and look him in the eye. “Don’t sacrifice yourself to protect me. I’m not weak, I can handle myself. Don’t you ever put yourself in danger like that just to protect me.”
He stares at you for a moment, as if he’s trying to figure something out. “I… I didn’t try to protect you because I think you’re weak. I know you’re strong,” he squeezes your hand. “I’ve just… lost too many people already. I saw that blade coming toward you and I panicked and I— it was the only thing I could think to do.”
You open your mouth to reply, but struggle to find the words. Eventually, you settle on, “Does it still hurt?”
He shakes his head, “Nope, good as new.”
You sit up, then move to lie down beside him, wrapping your arm around his waist and leaning your head against his shoulder. He’s quick to move it, though, slinging his arm around you and pulling you closer.
You nestle into his chest. You close your eyes and focus on the warmth of his body, firm proof that he’s still alive, still breathing. “I can’t lose you, either,” your voice barely comes out as a whisper.
Sokka replies with a kiss to the top of your head, holding you tighter. “It’ll take more than some pesky sword to get rid of me.”
None of the others bother you, no comments, no jokes, and you’re thankful. You join them for dinner in your own time, not once leaving Sokka’s side. The atmosphere is warm, light, everything you need after almost losing— after the day’s events.
Sokka is here. Your friends are here. The air is filled with laughter and you’re safe, at least for the evening. Whatever the next day brings is tomorrow’s business; for now, these moments are what matter, and you’ll cling to them as long as you can.
