I wish you would write a fic where:
Teaching each other a secret skill
FLUFF, please! I’m still processing the angst of the one you posted earlier
Hey there! Aw I’m sorry the angst got you down, but glad it pushed you to send me a prompt because it made me happy to write this :)
There’s a sound he’s never heard before ringing through the palace. It’s high in pitch and melodious and it reminds him of Katara. He stops in the middle of the hallway at the sight of two maids dancing in the hallway and smiles softly.
Ever since Katara took on her role as Ambassador of the Southern Water Tribe, the people in his palace have started to breathe more easily and act more freely. It was as if the sunlight follows in her footsteps, brightening the atmosphere irreversibly no matter where she goes.
He tilts his head slightly to the left and falls prey to the lure of the song. All his worries about the state of his nation disappear and he is enveloped in the serenity of the lilting music.
Following the sound leads him to the garden he had created in the palace specifically for waterbenders (one in particular, but even though it’s premature, he hopes there will be more in the future), where he sees Katara kneeling at the edge of a vast pond.
There is a thin, wooden instrument in between her fingers, held up to her puckered lips and her loose hair is waving in the wind, catching cherry blossom petals before they fall at her feet. Her eyes are closed and she’s playing the instrument so masterfully, so soulfully, that the water in front of her rises to create abstract shape after abstract shape. It’s picturesque and Zuko doesn’t think he’s ever seen something so perfect. Afraid of shattering the peace, he lingers at the threshold of the garden, eyes never moving away from the person he loves.
When she finally comes up for a breath, she smiles wide at the sight of him.
“How long have you been watching me, Fire Lord?”
“A while. I wanted to spy on you and I can admit it,” he says with a smirk.
She puts upon a scowl that is so obviously fake, given away by the light in her eyes, visible even from a distance. “That’s not spying, Zuko. You were just standing there.”
He shrugs as he starts to make his way over to her. “Well, you didn’t notice. I didn’t know you could play that- whatever it is.”
Katara looks down at the instrument and then back at him with a disbelieving look. “You’ve never seen a flute before?”
“Was I supposed to have?” he asks, kneeling on the grass next to her.
“Yes? Uncle Iroh said he used to hold Music Nights on your ship and flutes had to have been part of the array.”
He rolls his eyes as if he’s sixteen again and being forced to attend Music Night. “I avoided those as much as was possible for someone who lived on the boat. You play it well though.”
Her cheeks darken. “Thank you. Would you like to learn?” Zuko shakes his head vehemently, but the flute is already being pushed into his face. “Come on, you can do it! I know you can.”
“I’m sure I can, but that doesn’t mean I want to.”
Katara pouts and he knows he’s done for. “Please, Zuko?”
“Gah, fine. What do I have to do?”
“Just blow into that first hole.” He nods and takes a deep breath in before blowing hard at the flute.
A loud, screeching noise comes out the other end, in no way similar to Katara’s playing, and she’s so startled that the flute she’s still holding smacks him in the face.
“I should be the one saying ow. My ears!”
He grimaces when he notices the small crack on the flute caused by his hot breath and decides that for the sake of his longevity, he will pretend he never saw it.
“Have I convinced you that this is a bad idea yet?” he asks hopefully, looking at her in his peripheral vision. She shakes her head.
“No, you’ll get better. Maybe this will teach you to be patient.”
“Hey! I’m plenty patient.”
Katara raises an eyebrow. “Then let’s do this. Now, just blow gently. No need to act like a dragon.”
He scoffs but blows softly into the hole closest to him. The resulting sound is still a bit jarring, but it doesn’t give anyone a panic attack, which is certainly an improvement.
Katara agrees. “Much better! Try again!”
He glances at the ambassador, who has a huge grin on her face and lovely, wide eyes encouraging him to play the next note, and finds he’s already quite tired of this flute-playing business.
With mischief written all over his face, he bends slightly to blow into the next hole.
“No, silly, you’re supposed to keep blowing into the first hole, and cover the other ones with your fingers. That way, you’ll make- Zuko!” she shrieks when he ignores her and continues to blow into each opening. When he reaches the end of the flute, he pecks her fingers before looking up at her.
Katara’s smile is shier now, and she looks curious. “What are you do-”
He cuts her off, smirking. “You can keep the flute. I’d rather be doing other things with my mouth.”
“Fine,” she laughs, “do them, then!”
He puts a hand behind her head and lowers it to the grass before blowing air all over her face. Katara squeals.
“You wanted me to blow air, did you not?”
“No!” And with that, she pulls his face down to press their lips together.
hopefully, this delivered the fluff 💖 this actually turned into the counterpart to my zk month “moonlight” story which I will be posting shortly, so be on the lookout for that!
send me a ship and a prompt/story summary and i’ll write a short piece!
