having retreated from the main chatter of the ball zuko had been hosting, you refill your drink, eyes roaming around the room and catching your breath.
such evenings always got so exhausting, you wondered how many you'd have to live through, but alas you'd do it anyday for the sake of your beloved.
some guy, probably, definitely an officer from the neighbouring earth nation is speaking to you. you can't quite recall what he's saying yet you do feel guilty for not listening. so when at some point, he tells a joke and starts laughing, you do too.
to cover up it's dishonest nature, you tip your head back taking a small swig of your drink and your eyes meet a fiery blaze.
zuko's surrounded by people talking about future plans for the fire nation, no doubt being briefed on far more important things but his eyes are on you.
the laugh you just shared doesn't escape his notice either. you gulp, looking away trying to conclude the conversation infront of you. honestly, in your defense, the guy was mostly aloof and seeing at your lack of response and his continued chatter he wouldn't have minded talking to a wall.
you understood that, but ofcourse..
feeling a palm on your waist you look up to zuko's form towering over you, "do excuse us" he smiles, pulled tight at the corners "i must discuss something with my wife"
you shudder at his stress on the word.
before the minister could reply, your husband is already leading you away with a slight hand on your lower back.
coming to a stop at the balcony, you move to the edge breathing in the fresh air, you rest your hands against the railing, the chatter from inside much quieter now.
behind you, zuko doesn’t speak. which, after many years of knowing and loving him, is how you know he’s annoyed.
“you’re staring,” you say after a moment, not turning.
“i’m not”
you glance over your shoulder, the sleeve of your dress slipping just so, "is something the matter?"
and there he is, arms crossed, jaw set, the faint glow of lantern-light catching in his eyes still sharp and still fixed on you like you’ve personally offended him.
"had a good conversation?" his tone poses an innocent question, but you know better.
"it was hardly a conversation, my lord" you wave your gloved hand in the air, a dismissive gesture "he was talking at me"
"but you were laughing" there it is, he'd caught your bait.
"firelord zuko,”
turning around you lean back on the railing, a grin etched onto our face,
“are you perhaps jealous?"
“what?” he snaps immediately, “no”
too quick, far too defensive, bingo.
"it's alright if you are-" you lightly chuckle only to be cut off by him,
"i'm not jealous" he repeats and you tap your chin as if in thought "ofcourse, my lord"
he lifts his shoulders, trying to intimidate "do not humor me", you laugh again arms wrapped around your stomach.
"zuko, what do you want from me?" your tone is light and your face holds a cheerful smile, he is adorable.
zuko walks forward, his arms coming up on your sides, adjusting your collar and encaging you in his presence, his scent a masculine flame much like his golden eyes, "you don't laugh like that with me"
your breath hitches at the dwindling space between the two of you, yet you cover it up by being as cocky as ever, "my lord, i cannot give you what you have not earned"
zuko moves closer than ever, his breaths hitting your nape "to speak on earning.." you inhale sharp, hands coming up to push at his shoulders, to no avail.
"alright, i give in zuko, i just laughed to be kind, i didn't even listen to what he said!" you wriggle out of his embrace, against your will but ofcourse, this location was far too public for your liking, and perhaps his too.
"we'll continue this conversation later, hm?"
zuko pats your waist, leaving you with flushed cheeks.
sneak peak of the oncoming fire lord! zuko x courtesan! reader fic....
a/n: if you want to be tagged comment with a ✨. mdni.
“You’ve come a long way, I think,” she said, smiling just enough to be inviting without being presumptuous. “We do not often receive guests who walk like they expect the room to belong to them.” Zuko inclined his head slightly, careful, measured.
“I was told this was a place worth visiting.”
“You were told correctly.” Her eyes flicked over him again, slower this time, assessing rather than greeting. “Though most who come here are not sent by letters.”
His gaze sharpened a fraction. She noticed. Of course she did. “I receive many things, Madame,” he said smoothly. “Recommendations among them.”
A soft hum of amusement left her. “Of course you do.” She gestured lightly, and the space seemed to shift around them, attendants redirecting, attention subtly pulled away to grant them privacy without making it obvious.
Power, Zuko noted. Not loud. Not crude. But absolute within these walls.
“The House of Iris offers many pleasures,” she continued, her tone turning almost conversational. “Conversation. Music. Games. Company tailored precisely to one’s tastes.” Her smile deepened just slightly. “We pride ourselves on discretion. And intelligence."
Zuko let his eyes move, taking in the room more openly now—the low tables set with carved boards, the arrangement of players leaning over games that were clearly more than idle pastime, the way the courtesans spoke, not simpered. “I prefer something more engaging than idle entertainment,”
"Do you?" Her gaze sharpened again, interest flickering more openly now. “Then you will not be disappointed.” She turned, gesturing for him to follow, and he did, deeper into the House where the light softened further and the sounds grew quieter still.
“We have someone,” she said lightly, “who has been rather bored of late. She does not enjoy losing.” A faint pause. "Or having her time wasted."
"Then she and I may get along."
The Grand Madame smiled as if she knew something he didn’t. “I suspect,” she said, glancing back at him briefly, “that you will find each other memorable.”
The old woman did not knock loudly. She never needed to. Two soft taps—measured, deliberate—echoed against the lacquered wood before she slid the door open without waiting for permission, as though the room beyond belonged to her as much as to the one inside.
Warmth spilled out first. Not heat—something heavier. The air was thick with perfume, not the light floral kind worn for passing glances, but something indulgent, almost suffocating in its richness. Honeyed. Spiced. Cloyingly sweet in a way that lingered at the back of the throat and made every breath feel slower, deeper. It curled through the room like smoke, clinging to silk, to skin, to the carved bed that dominated the center of the space.
The chamber was lavish to the point of excess. Draped fabrics fell in heavy folds from the ceiling, deep jewel tones catching the low lamplight and swallowing it whole. Gold-threaded cushions lay scattered carelessly across the floor, a low table set with untouched fruit and wine gleaming beside them. Everything gleamed, everything softened, everything invited indulgence—and yet beneath it all was a precision that spoke of control, of careful arrangement disguised as decadence.
On the bed, turned away from the door as if the world behind you were of no importance, you lay stretched along the silken sheets, one arm draped lazily beneath your head. Your hair spilled across the pillows in a loose, deliberate mess, catching the light in strands that looked almost too bright against the darker tones of the room.
“Madam,” you said, voice muffled slightly against the fabric, edged with boredom sharpened into something dry, “if you’re here to joke about another buyer, you know my price-”
“This one wants to play a game,” the Grand Madame interrupted smoothly. A faint pause followed, timed perfectly. “Fifty thousand ban for your time.”
You stilled for half a second, the words settling, measuring them, weighing the number with the instinct of someone who understood exactly what it meant. Slowly, you pushed yourself up onto your elbows, turning just enough for your profile to come into view. Then your gaze shifted—past her.
Zuko stood just inside the threshold, the dim light cutting across his figure in sharp lines, his disguise carefully composed but not enough to hide the way he carried himself. You saw it instantly. The posture. The stillness. The quiet expectation of control. Wealth, yes—but not just that. Something harder. Something that did not belong in a place like this, no matter how polished it pretended to be. Your eyes flicked over him once, quick and precise, taking in everything worth noting in a single glance. Then your mouth curved. Not welcoming. Not warm. Interested.
“Fifty thousand,” you repeated, finally turning fully onto your side, propping your head against your hand as you studied him more openly now. “For a game?” Your tone made it clear what you thought of that.
“He insists.”
Your gaze didn’t leave him. “Does he.”
“If the price is insufficient,” he said, voice even, controlled, “we can negotiate.”
“Careful,” you said, tilting your head, studying him with something sharper now beneath the surface amusement. “You might offend me.”
“I doubt that.”
Your smile widened a fraction. “You don’t know me.”
"I know enough."
Your gaze flicked briefly to the Grand Madame, then back to him. “You can leave us,” you said lightly. “Unless you’d like to watch me take his money.”
The Grand Madame’s expression didn’t change, but there was a flicker of something approving in her eyes as she inclined her head. “Try not to be too cruel,” she murmured, already turning toward the door. “He’s paying for your time, not your mercy.”
“That’s unfortunate; I don’t offer either.”
The door slid shut behind her with a soft click, sealing the two of you into the heavy, perfumed quiet. For a moment, neither of you moved. Then you gestured lazily toward the low table across the room, where a carved board sat waiting, pieces already arranged in careful formation. “If you’re here for a game,” you said, voice dipping just slightly lower, something more deliberate threading through it now, “you may as well come in properly.” Your eyes held his, unwavering. “Or are you the type who prefers to watch from the doorway?”
Zuko in the comics really made me sad :( idk who's the writer (writers?) of these comics but Zuko's depicted as someone who's constantly alone and isolated. I mean, after the show is over, I was expecting my boy to get the slow happiness he deserved but noooo he's sad and misery all the time :( my boy deserves a long break :( he's only 16 :(
I feel for you, Nonnie. I recommend reading through this great thread started by @captainkirkk on happier post-war FireLord!Zuko headcanons and go read some fanfic. There are many good takes on a much less miserable Fire Lord Zuko, with having a good relationship with the Gaang, being supported by Iroh, building a relationship with the palace staff, finding trusted advisors, getting closer to Azula etc.
Realistically, it was going to be hell through the first years, but there needs to be bright spots in his life.
