firelord zuko and his sweet wife ;((
dark red sheets swallowed you and your husband’s body as you slept together. his arms gently encircled your waist, his face pressed into the crook of your neck as per usual. zuko loved having you close like this—just beneath his fingertips. you were soft enough to squeeze and hug and kiss, grounding him even as he slept. your presence allowed him a peaceful rest, your warm body against his own a sensation he stated he couldn’t live without.
he was so quiet when he was in bed with you, sleeping through the night like a baby. at least, that’s what you had thought.
the small jerk of his fingers against your stomach was enough to make you shift, the tips of his fingers tickling you through your night clothes. he was probably just shifting around as well, getting comfortable.
but then his lips pressed themselves directly against your shoulder, his grip around you suddenly growing tighter.
“zuko…” you whined, voice laced with sleep and discomfort. zuko wasn’t one to act erratic as he slept, generally silent and still…but now it seemed a flip had switched.
“sorry..’m sorry. stop..” he whispered against your skin, but he…he didn’t seem as if he was talking to you. more like to…himself? someone else? his mumbled apologies woke you up, but before you even had a chance to turn around, to look at him—you heard him choke out a sob. it was so sudden—so unusual you couldn’t force yourself to move. zuko? crying? it wasn’t something you could proudly say you saw often—or ever.
“don’t g-go, i’m sorry.” he cried, slow tears rolling down his cheeks and gradually soaking your top. you stilled in pure shock for a moment, blinking as if time had stopped.
he buried his face completely into your neck at the sound of your voice, letting his tears fall without resistance. he gripped onto you for dear life, the heat radiating from his palms out of emotion warming your skin.
you let him cry for a while after the realization set, allowing him quiet time without interruptions to just…get it all out. something you knew deep down he needed.
after a few minutes his breathing finally slowed, his tears subsiding as he held you in his arms. “i’m..i’m sorry.” this time he was talking to you, kissing your neck in apology.
he finally let you turn around to look at him, his cheeks all blotchy and pink from his own body heat, eyes red from crying. he looked so…vulnerable. never in your life had you seen him like this. a bit broken but still so desperate for your touch.
you cupped his cheek, wiping away a stray tear just below his eye. “what happened..?”
he let himself melt into your palm before shamefully replying, eyes fluttering shut to avoid the look he’d thought you’d give him.
“zuko, it’s me…what’s wrong?” you murmured, gently pressing a kiss to his scar. he physically winced as if it hurt, knowing the pain had long faded, but something in the moment made him extra sensitive.
“it was just a nightmare..they happen sometimes, but they aren’t this bad. not like today.”
“oh, my baby..” you sighed, immediately pulling him in towards your chest. you buried your hands into his hair and he breathed a sigh of relief, his own hands pressing into your back to bring you impossibly closer in response.
“i didn’t mean to wake you this time—“
“why? why didn’t you tell me before?” you kissed his head, slowly stroking his scalp with your nails.
“i didn’t want to be a burden.” he confessed, running his fingers up and down your spine to soothe himself—and you. “i know how i am…i ..i couldn’t do that to you.”
your poor baby. your precious husband couldn’t even get himself to open up to you about something that effected him so much. it was heartbreaking.
“you can speak to me about anything. always. i love you.” you started, pulling away slightly to look him in the eye. “i didn’t write my own vows for you to take them as a joke y’know?”
he finally smiled—even if it was just a tiny quirk of his lips—you made it happen. “no..you didn’t.”
“mhm..” you hummed, leaning in ever so slowly before pressing your lips against his own. he moved his mouth back almost instantly, letting out a small noise of defeat when you pulled away.
“we have to get back to bed, zuko. you won’t get up on time tomorrow..” you chuckled, tucking a sliver of hair behind his ear. he looked so beautiful, so peaceful now.
“you’re right, i won’t…but that’s what my dear wife is for.”
illi’s notez; first time writing for atla don’t bully me ☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️ i haven’t seen the new movie yet either but these leaks made me sooo excited eheheh :333 zuko is literally younger me’s bf and with this fandom revive i had to get tonwritin ;(( im so hypednfornall the new fics other writes r making too omgogmgogm ok let me stop
