#I doubt they actually knew how to treat someone like Azula | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

flameo-hotman · 3 years

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Who is the scariest of those adoptive parents? And are there any non-humans on the menu? Actually, I'm behind point 7.

You don’t want to know the scariest one (though I did start a fic chapter once tagging it because said character showed up in that chapter, so that tells you exactly who the scariest one is.) Yes, there are a fair number of nonhuman on the list.

And you, along with @straycatwandering and several others have ordered adoption number seven. Sand benders.

It should be noted that at one point there is an explosion and Zuko later gets shot with an arrow, but he is fine both times. Also, there is a hint at Zukka towards the end.

Zuko sighed, as he trekked his way through the sandy prison he had found himself in. Sand as far as the eye could see and then some. He had found the library, but because he hadn’t had anything to give Wan Shi Tong, the spirit had thrown him out.

He’d run out of water that morning, and he still had no idea how much longer he had before he would find his way out of the endless desert.

Zuko didn’t want to die out here.

At least he’d still had leftover bandages from his scar. His scar which had just barely finished healing…

The scar that father gave him…

On the ship, before Zhao had blown it up, Zuko had been able to pretend and lie to himself. He had been able to trick himself into believing that Father had done this because he cared, but trekking through the Earth Kingdom and seeing how normal fathers treated their children, Zuko had been faced with the truth.

And now out here alone in the desert he had nothing but his thoughts to keep him company.

There was no doubt left that being scared and banished was not love.

So Zuko had been angry by the time he had found the library, and when he did he hadn’t carried about finding the Avatar to earn his honor back. Zuko wanted to find a way to hurt his father back.

Yet here he was, thirteen years old, alone, and if he didn’t find water soon… Well, he would be dead.

He’d used the spare bandages to soak up his sweat, hoping that he might be able to turn it into drinking water. Not that he had enjoyed drinking his own sweat water that morning.

Worse yet, he’d stopped sweating. It took a lot for a fire bender to get heatstroke and Zuko’s head had begun to ache. Fire prickled beneath his skin begging him to let it out, but if he did the unrelenting heat of the desert would worsen.

But if he didn’t let that fire out… The fire that built every moment underneath Agni’s light, filling him with power… His chi would burn him from the inside out.

If he didn’t let that fire out, he risked chi sickness.

Either he risked dying from heat stroke or dying from chi sickness.

Zuko let the fire out in an explosion of flame and heat.

Everything went dark, and the next thing he knew was the sound of footsteps clicking against glass. Glass that when he opened his eyes extended around him in a circle by three or four yards.

Okay so maybe not using his bending all week while trekking through the desert had been a bad idea. Zuko would admit that because that could have gone A LOT worse.

The next thing that he registered was that the footsteps belonged to a group of sand benders.

He winced as he struggled to his feet and readied to attack.

Even if the sand benders hadn’t seen him fire bend, there was no denying the evidence. They had found him at the epicenter of evidence. This was the closest to combustion bending that a normal fire bender could manage.

Saving up their chi and letting out all of their fire in one sudden blast of heat. Most fire benders died doing that though. If Zuko had waited a few more days, he likely would have been nothing more than a burned out husk melted halfway into the glass beneath his feet.

“Where are your parents?” The man who appeared to be their leader asked.

Zuko frowned, confusion swelling inside him much the same way his fire did. This was not how someone should act when they found an enemy combatant no matter their age. He glanced around at the other sand benders and when he saw that they were just as confused, he knew that he wasn’t the one who’d lost his mind.

Actually all but their leader stayed outside the circle of glass.

Smart, but he didn’t have enough fire left to do a repeat. Actually, he didn’t have enough left to fight them if they did decide to attack, but he wasn’t about to tell them that.

He did have the physical energy to fight them with his swords though.

The sand bender stepped towards him and Zuko stumbled back, losing his step on the slick surface. The glass gave a dull plonk sound as he landed on his butt.

A second plonk followed as the sand bender followed suit.

Zuko shot up and slipping across the glass made his way over, concern for the man filling him, as he asked, “Are you okay?”

The man laughed, but he accepted Zuko’s help back up, and then motioned for one of the others to approach them, before saying, “Ghashiun, give the boy some water.”

At first, Zuko refused the water, because he wasn’t stupid, it was probably poisoned, but then the strange sand bender drank from it and held it out to Zuko.

So Zuko accepted the water and followed the man onto one of the sand-sailers. Sha-Mo promised him food after all, and Zuko was hungry.

He pretended he couldn’t hear Ghashiun saying to Sha-Mo, “Father, he is a fire bender. We should be-”

“He is a child.”

And that had been the discussion.

A year later and Zuko had assimilated into the tribe, with only Ghashiun not accepting him. Something that Zuko didn’t understand until he overheard Sha-Mo and Ghashiun arguing one night.

“He isn’t your son! I am!”

Zuko had been planning to talk with Sha-Mo about an idea he’d had about how he could use his fire bending to propel one of the sand-surfers, but he didn’t think right now would be the best time.

Sha-Mo spoke now, saying, “And I am not replacing you with Zuko.”

“Then why adopt him?!” Ghashiun demanded.

“The Boy Has No Parents!”

Zuko snuck away from the tent and went back to his own.

He didn’t mind the thought of Sha-Mo being his dad, but if the man was going to adopt him, then he wanted to make Ghashiun like him. He had thought he would be content to just have the teen tolerant him, but what he’d overheard had changed things for him.

He didn’t want the same bitter feelings that had plagued him and Azula to carry over to his relationship with his new brother. It would make missing Azula all the worse because without Ozai in the picture maybe things would have been different.

Without Ozai, Zuko wouldn’t see all of his failures in all of her successes.

They had always gotten along better when Ozai was away from the palace.

Zuko thought back to another conversation he hadn’t been meant to hear and he knew what to do.

The next morning, when Sha-Mo and the other men had gone scavenging, Zuko found Ghashiun and the other teenagers in the tribe.

“I know you are planning on raiding the Beifong caravan that’s coming through the Misty Palms Oasis today,” Zuko stated, as he made his way over to where they sat drawing up their plans in the sand.

Ghashiun sighed and looked over at him like Zuko was a buzzard wasp that had found its way into his tent.

Zuko pressed on, “I also know that they hired the Hami Tribe to transport them and their shipment through the desert and that the Hami have faster sand-surfers. So you have no way of keeping up with the caravan.”

“If you’re not going to say anything helpful, you can stay back at camp, Zuko.”

“I’ve been saving up my bending, and I can use my bending to make our sand-surfer go faster than theirs,” Was Zuko’s answer. And while he hadn’t tested it yet, this raiding party seemed like the best chance to do so.

Ghashiun was silent for a moment, before asking, “What does you saving your bending up have to do with making us go faster?”

“Fire benders get our power from the sun, and when we don’t use it fire builds up inside of us. If we let it out all at once, you get an explosion, but if I controlled that flow, I could use it to propel our surfer.”

“Well, shit, okay, let’s try it.”

They waited between the sanddunes that the shippment would be going through and waited.

Despite the fire bubbling beneath his skin, Zuko still relished the feeling of the sun beating down on the bare skin of his back, knowing that he would need every bit of fire Agni could give him for getting away once they had the goods.

It wasn’t long before the sand-surfers from the Hami tribe appeared, and as they reached the space between the dunes, Ghashiun signaled the rest of their group and the fun started.

Zuko darted in with his swords, and slashed the sails of the front three surfers, before one of the gaurds that the Beifongs had sent to protect the shipment stepped in his way.

The guard paused when he realized Zuko’s age, but that was the guard’s mistake.

He lunged forward, slicing at the man’s sword hand and slamming the butt of one of his swords into the side of the guy’s head. Then he moved onto the next guard.

As the sand began to clear, Zuko realized that Ghashiun had started having the cargo loaded up onto the sand-surfer they had brought with them, so he retreated to the surfer.

But right as his feet hit the surface of their surfer, a sharp pain went through his side.

Zuko looked down and saw the head of an arrow sitting out of him.

“Get the surfer going!” Ghashiun shouted to Lek, and a moment later their surfer began moving.

Then he looked over at Zuko and any joy he might have had at their success died on his face.

“It missed my vitals,” Zuko assured him, before he steadied himself by leaning against their ill-gotten goods, and pulled the arrow the rest of the way through. His soon-to-be brother looked like he was going to be sick when Zuko cauterized the wound.

Ghashiun then asked, “And what if that arrow was poisoned?”

“I’m a fire bender. I can burn off the poison.”

Thankfully his plan to use fire jets to make their surfer go faster worked perfectly, and the surfers that he hadn’t slashed the sails of faded away in the distance.

Once they had sold the goods off to the beetle headed merchants, Ghashiun turned to Zuko and admitted, “You know for a fire bender, you’re not half bad.”

“Thanks,” Zuko answered his brother with a smile.

A few years later Zuko and Ghashiun were hanging out in the oasis when the Avatar came to town, and Ghashiun looked at the sky bison with curiosity.

“No, we are not stealing that kid’s bison,” Was Zuko’s answer, before he went inside of the hut with Lek to get something to drink.

Well, Lek went in to get something to drink… Zuko went inside to get a better look at the cute water tribe guy, that was hanging out with the Avatar.

And based on the way the guy looked at Zuko, the curiosity was mutual.

When he overheard them talking to the professor, Zuko saw his way to finding out water tribe’s name.

“I actually know where the library is.”

“Really!?” Water Tribe asked, looking absolutely delighted.

Zuko nodded, and introduced himself, “I’m Zuko, and if you want I can show you how to get there, but you should know that Wan Shi Tong won’t let you in without knowledge to trade.”

Once Sokka had introduced himself and his friends to Zuko, they went outside.

Ghashiun took one way at the look Sokka was giving Zuko, and then snorted at Zuko, who just shrugged innocently.

Once they had reached the outskirts of town, Zuko uncovered his personal sand-surfer. Unlike normal ones, this one looked more like the surfboard that he had seen people use on Ember Island. Which was better suited for using fire jets to traverse the desert.

“Where is the sail?” Aang asked, glancing between it and the sand-surfer that Ghashiun and Lek had used to get to the oasis.

Zuko’s answer was simple, “Those are for sand benders. I’m a fire bender, so I use my-”

“YOU’RE A FIRE BENDER?!?!” Sokka screeched.

Zuko lifted his goggles, to show off his scar, and answered, “Scarred by the Fire Lord himself. Now do you want to see the library or not?”

Of course well they were in the library, Ghashiun went and stole Appa.

Who would have thought a stolen sky bison was what would get Zuko involved in the war after ignoring it for the past three years. And of course, his dad, Sha-Mo, would think the best way to make up for that would be to give the Avatar a fire bending teacher.

And it wasn’t like anyone they ran into would realize who he’d been before he’d found his home in the desert.

Right?

#flameo-hotman #ask the hotman #zuko adoption menu #atla #avatar the last airbender #zuko #sand benders #zukka #but its at the end #and it is the start of some zukka #and yes in this au the first time Sokka meets Zuko #Zuko isnt wearing a shirt #maridarkmoon-all

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reinerispretty · 4 years

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rotations. (zuko x f!reader) pt 7

hello!! thank you all so much for reading my story, i super appreciate it, you have no idea! from the last chapter i guess you’ve kinda maybe sorta started to notice a little something happening there. but don’t worry, we’ll get where we need to be :) please share if you can!!

pt 1

pt 6

pt 8

“Yes, yes, I’ve joined the Avatar, I’m betraying my country, I’m a dishonor to everyone, blah, blah, blah. You can’t tell me anything that I haven’t already heard from your brother.”

“I actually think it’s quite admirable that you chose to become a traitor. It shows that you’ve developed more of a backbone than I ever thought you could. I’m a bit sad that we have to end your life. I always looked forward to having you as a sister.”

(Y/N) was panicking. She had not anticipated that when she came to Omashu with Aang, Katara, and Sokka, that she would be face to face with some of her oldest friends. It had been years since she had seen Mai, Ty Lee, or Azula, but she had always imagined their reunion going a bit differently than this current one, which involved her friends from her past attacking her current friends. But, she supposed, traitors can’t be choosers.

“Isn’t this a special treat?” Azula drawled. “It’s so good to see old friends.” The young princess had grown so much since they had last seen each other. She was fourteen now and her face contained the same ruthlessness as her fathers.’ If (Y/N) was being honest, Azula intimidated her, but there was no way she would let her know that.

“Azula,” she said, nodding at her old friend. Katara and Sokka looked at her, their expressions riddled with surprise.

“I’d heard rumors that you had become a traitor. I wanted to see it with my own eyes, of course. You know how vicious gossip can get.” (Y/N) rolled her eyes.

“Yes, yes, I’ve joined the Avatar, I’m betraying my country, I’m a dishonor to everyone, blah, blah, blah. You can’t tell me anything that I haven’t already heard from your brother.”

The comment caught Mai off-guard, causing the stoic girl to break her gaze from the group to glance at Azula. (Y/N) noticed this instantly. If there was one advantage she had over their enemies, it was being able to tell when they faltered. She shot a flame at Mai, who barely had enough time to dodge it. The fight had begun, and while she and her friends focused on fighting Mai and Ty Lee, Azula slipped away to go after Aang.

The four heroes managed to escape their attackers, but the fight had bothered (Y/N) to her core. If there hadn’t been already, there was no doubt that the Fire Nation was now going to put a bounty on her head. And seeing Azula stirred up similar feelings that she had experienced whenever she saw Zuko. As evil as she had become, it still hurt to fight against her. She had been a troubled child for sure, but (Y/N) had had many good times with her. There were sleepovers where they giggled into the early hours of the morning. Too many secret handshakes and inside jokes to count. While Zuko had become her best friend, she had also become close to Azula as well. Up until the moment she left the Fire Nation, she had considered Azula to be like a sibling. A crazy and evil sibling, but still a sibling nonetheless.

The hunt for Aang’s earthbending teacher did well to take her mind off of things. After their terrifying time in the swamp, it was nice to return to civilization in the Earth Kingdom. The city eventually led them to the underground earthbending competitions, where a small girl reigned supreme over earthbenders twice her size. The event had made (Y/N) a bit uncomfortable, as she wasn’t used to have two-ton rocks flying at her face every second, but who was she to complain?

They tracked the girl back to her home and learned that she was a member of the Beifong family, one of the wealthiest families in the entire Earth Kingdom. They had been invited to join the family for dinner and (Y/N) couldn’t help but wonder if the actual members of the Earth Kingdom could tell she was a fraud. Her green tunic and pants were burnt at the edges from her firebending and she felt like they were eyeing her suspiciously.

“So, (Y/N),” asked Toph’s father, Lao. “I see you’ve traveled far in your journeys with the Avatar. Tell me, where in the Earth Kingdom are you from?”

“Oh, a small town,” she waved a hand to signify its unimportance. “I doubt you’d even know it.”

Lao Beifong raised a suspicious eyebrow.

“She’s a refugee!” Sokka shouted.

“She’s homeless!” Aang shouted at the same time. (Y/N) put her head in her hands.

“She’s a homeless refugee,” Katara clarified, smiling pleasantly at the Beifongs. “We picked her up off the streets when we were passing through her village. Isn’t that right, (Y/N)?”

“I mean, I wouldn’t say you picked me up off the streets, but--”

“I remember the day she was begging me for coins like it was yesterday,” Sokka sighed. (Y/N) kicked him from under the table. He tried his best to suppress his yelp.

“How lucky you are to have the Avatar and his companions save you!” Toph’s mother said. (Y/N) glared at her friends.

“Oh yeah. So lucky.”

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Despite their efforts to convince the Beifongs to let Toph accompany them on their journey, and the fact that they had literally saved her life, the group of four was banished from ever returning to the Beifong residence. They were practically thrown out of the house by the guards and were left to continue on their journey.

“It’s okay Aang,” Katara said to her friend. “We’ll find someone to be your earthbending teacher.”

“No one like her,” Aang sighed. He felt defeated and every one of his friends felt the same. Even Momo’s ears were less perkier than usual.

“This is exactly why I hate stuffy rich people,” (Y/N) said haughtily as they walked up the hill to Appa. “They think they know what’s best for everyone.”

“Weren’t you a stuffy rich person?” Aang asked.

“I think that’s besides the point.”

“Hey, wait up!” Toph shouted as she ran to catch up with them. She carried a knapsack over her shoulder. “My parents changed their minds! They said I could come with you!”

“That’s amazing!” Aang cheered.

(Y/N) pursed her lips. She knew how rich people acted. She had grown up around them her whole life. They never changed their minds. Not unless someone richer than them told them to. She could tell Toph was lying, but she understood why. Her parents treated her like she was helpless and wouldn’t let them out of her sight. In reality, Toph was anything from it. She was tougher than all four of them combined.

She climbed Appa and reached down to help Katara get up. “Alright, let’s get ready to go! We’ve got an Avatar to teach.”

Tag List!

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#avatar #atla #zuko x reader #sokka x reader #katara x reader #aang x reader #toph #katara #aang #sokka #zuko #azula #iroh #the last airbender #writing #fanfiction

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gladerwolfstarkimagines · 4 years

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Azula x female reader series: Part 6

Azula learns details about your relationship with Zuko and is furious leaving you isolated in a dangerous situation with few allies. You learn Zuko’s plan to escape during the eclipse and are torn between telling Azula or escaping with Zuko. Azula feels betrayed and no longer trusts you but do you give up on her that easily?

Tag list: @saucy-sapphic @justastranger-passing @azulasprincess @888-rising @sighsam @theblueslytherin @lucyrocks86 @halcyon-arts

Part One here

Part Two here

Part Three here

Part Four here

Part Five here

----

Your POV

"So that was a good effort" Zuko said breaking the awkward silence that settled as soon as you walked into his room. You managed not to roll your eyes as you moved about the room readying it for the night. Your training sessions were usually okay but today you'd done particularly bad and you were feeling hopeless you'd ever get better. "Seriously" Zuko said offering you a small smile "you're a new bender it will take time". Your practice sessions had been numerous, Zuko was suprisingly enthusiastic about training you but you hadn't been showing much improvement. He tried teaching you how his uncle taught him but the technique wasn’t compatible with you or something because you’d barely been able to match any of his stances. "Maybe I’m just not that good" you shrugged "you and Azula are royals it makes sense you’re such strong fire benders". Zuko went quiet at the mention of Azula and you scolded yourself for bringing her up, you weren’t meant to do that but you were seeing her tonight so she was on your mind. "Yes well..' Zuko started when there was a knock at the door. "Dammit I was supposed to meet Mai a while ago" Zuko frowned "y/n hide". "What?" You asked confused. "Things with Mai have been difficult lately" Zuko said awkwardly "she’s still not happy you’re my maid and if she sees you she’ll know we’ve been training and it will make her mad, so can you hide?". You nodded ignoring the blush on Zuko’s cheeks and looked for a spot. "Under the bed?" Zuko offered and you frowned "why don’t you just tell her what happened? We were training and lost track of time, maybe if you tell her the truth she won’t be mad". Zuko was thinking it over in his head when she knocked again and he jumped. "She won’t understand so please just hide y/n, I’ll tell her I’m coming soon and get her to leave". You sighed but nodded and rolled under the bed. Zuko sighed with relief and turned the door handle "I'm so sorry Ma..." he started but he stopped abruptly and you heard a voice that was certainly not Mai's. "I dont know what youre apologising for but im sure it's justified”.

Azula's POV

Azula loved catching her brother off guard and it seemed she had done just that. She waited until she was sure you'd have left the training room and came to Zuko's room. Azula wasn’t really sure why she was here, she hadn’t arranged this with you and it wasn’t that she didn’t trust you or anything. She just wanted proof nothing was going on, to see you two together in a non formal setting and see for herself what your relationship with her brother was like. Azula walked into the room amused Zuko looked so angry. She looked around for you but noticed you weren’t here, she imagined you were hiding and that sparked doubt in her mind. If Zuko was hiding you from Mai he must have a reason....

"Azula what do you want I'm late to meet Mai". Azula smirked turning to face him "she's already angry at you zuzu I doubt being late can make matters much worse between you, I don’t think anything can really". Zuko turned red in anger and embarrassment and Azula continued "how was your training session by the way? You’ve been having a lot of them lately haven’t you?". "None of your buisness" Zuko snapped "now get out". "My my not in a good mood" Azula replied "I’m only here for y/n". "Y/n?" Zuko asked and Azula nodded "yeah you know your maid..that's her name". "I know who she is!" Zuko snapped "but what do you want with her?". Azula smirked but she noticed another thing she didn’t like, the suspicion and anger Zuko showed at the mention of your name. "None of your buisness" Azula mimicked Zuko "have you seen her or not? I was sure she'd be here for some reason...seems she's been spending a lot of time with you according to the servants, I’m glad you've made a friend Zuko but if she works for you does it really count?". "You’re one to talk" Zuko spat and Azula frowned confused "I am?". "The way you've treated y/n, is it no wonder she likes me better?". Ow that hit a sensitive spot. What did he mean? Azula wondered. How dare he insinuate you liked him more. It wasn’t true and Azula knew that but it still made her nervous. "and how have I treated the maid brother?" Azula asked her temper already growing. "She told me all of it" zuko explained "how you blackmailed her to be loyal to you! How you lied and manipulated her, used whatever emotions she had for you for your own gain, how she never did any of it because she wanted to but because you made her! Honestly you're a monster". It wasn’t the first time Azula had been called a monster but it was the first time in relation to you so it stung. "And i’m supposed to believe y/n trusted you enough to confess this all?" Azula asked. Zuko nodded "i promised her i’d keep her safe from you and she confessed it all, everything I said came from her lips directly, she hates you Azula but she’s not scared of you anymore, because you can’t touch her now, she’s my maid and you can’t boss her around anymore". Azula was so shocked it took her a while to think of a witty response. You'd really told Zuko all of that about her? Did you really feel that way? How could you say it to Zuko of all people? All Azula wanted to do was run away but she couldn’t, she spun to Zuko and decided to let her anger out on him. "You think she’s untouachble? Nobody is" Azula spat "I am the best fire bender this nation has seen in aeons, you know i can beat you zuzu, speak to me like that again and I’ll give you a scar to match the one father did!". Zuko grunted and lunged for her but Azula was ready, lightning danced on her hands and she aimed. Zuko ducked and it hit his wall instead narrowly missing him. Zuko stared as the spot he’d just been stood on now smoked and Azula smiled satisfied. "Next time I won’t miss" and slammed the door.

Your POV

You made your way down the coridoor still shocked from the events in Zuko’s room. You couldn’t believe the horrible things Zuko had said but for Azula to fire lighning at him. She could have killed Zuko, murdered her brother over an argument. You reminded yourself she missed on purpose, she would never actually kill Zuko...not over something so petty as this anyway. Azula surely didn’t really believe you meant all the things you’d told Zuko, she surely knew it was all for the mission she’s assigned you and understood. You pushed open the door to your room and saw Azula stood there. The look she gave you told you, you’d been wrong. Azula turned to face you her face showing anger as she looked at you. It intimidated you and weeks ago you’d have been terrified but this was Azula, your Azula. You could reason with her and explain everything. She’s listen to you.

Azula’s POV

Azula felt she’d been very understanding. She’d allowed the private training sessions, she understood letting Zuko teach you fire bending and she hadn’t even got angry when you’d accidentally shown Zuko your abilities. What Azula couldn’t get over however was you creating this bad relationship for Zuko’s benefit. Azula watched as you stepped into the room and waited to see if you’d speak first. She was suprised you looked her straight in the eye as you went to speak “Azula I know you’re angry...”. “Of course I’m angry” Azula burst “how long have you been telling Zuko horrible stories about me”. “Well since the day he found out I was a firebender but they were all lies Azula”. “They’re not lies to Zuko, he thinks they’re true...you must’ve been pretty convincing, maybe they weren’t all lies”. “Of course they were Azula! I just made him think i disliked you so he’d trust me, he wouldn’t trust me any other way” you argued. “You couldn’t think of any other way besides bad mouthing me to my worst enemy? To someone I’ve despised since being a child?” Azula asked. “You wanted me to get close to Zuko” you cried “you asked me to do this and so I did, it’s clearly worked”. “No, I seem to recall telling you I could find another way y/n, that I’d use another plan, after your...slip up. I didn’t ask you to carry this on, you carried it on y/n and this is the way you chose to do it”.

The worst part was Azula could actually see the logic to your plan. Zuko hadn’t thought fondly of Azula since she’d learnt to walk, it was instinct for him to blame and hate her, to believe she was a cruel person. And yes Azula had been rude and cruel to many servants so the story would been easily believed but she had been nice to you, nicer than she was to her own friends! She’d protected you, trusted you and even grown to care for you more than she ever had for anyone else. You didn’t need rescuing from her, least of all by zuko but that was the story you’d sold him. As everyone did, even your mind made Azula the villan and Zuko the hero. Azula was snapped out of her rumination when you spoke. "Azula..." you tried again "please I was just doing it for the mission, I didn’t want to have ruined your plan, I wanted to salvage it by any means necessary, it’s working really well but I will stop if you want me to, I won’t keep up this act with Zuko anymore". “I think it’s a bit late for that” Azula snapped “you’ve already convinced Zuko I’m a monster to you and you’ve convinced me that what you really think of me”. “But Azula..” you tried but she cut you off aware she had to end this conversation now while she had control over her emotions. “No” she said raising her voice “the deal is off”. As Azula said those words she felt them hang in the air and saw your face change as you registered what she was saying. “I no longer want you to try and learn Zuko’s secrets, I don’t want you to report back to me, I don’t want to see or hear from you again” she yelled.

Your POV

Azula’s voice rang in the air and you stared at her. You felt scared, shock and sad but mainly angry. Azula had been fine with complicating your job by making you a spy, by making you lose the respect of your colleagues, by making the royals all despise you as a servant girl trying to sleep her way to the top and was only annoyed when Zuko believed a lie about her. "But it’s not true" you cried "Azula you know that! I know that! Who cares what zuko thinks? You’re throwing all this away because of him?". “This is not about Zuko y/n this is about you and I no longer trust or want to be around you”. Azula turned to leave and your anger turned to desperation. "Azula you don’t have to do this" you said reaching for her but she spun around brushing your hand away "who are you to tell me what i have or don’t have to do? I am the princess of the biggest kingdom in the world and you are a mere servant! You don’t speak to me that way ever!". You lowered your eyes and tried not to show how upset her words left you. A mere servant? How many times had Azula told you that you were more than that? And now she was pulling that all away, she was leaving you with Zuko in the middle of a web you’d spun on her orders, you’d manipulated Zuko and almost ruined his relationship on her orders and now she was abandoning you to it. Again as always Azula seemed to read your mind “have fun with zu zu y/n, he’s all you have left” and she stormed from the room.

1 week later

Your POV

"The room is prepared Prince Zuko" you declared. Zuko looked around shocked, you hadn’t been working long but it was true you’d done all he’d asked. He looked around for another job for you to do to make you stay but couldn’t spot any. You been cold and distant as of late and Zuko didn’t like it. "Is there anything else you require?" You asked. Zuko shook his head "no that is fine y/n" and you nodded going for the door. "Wait" Zuko called as your hand touched the door handle. Your shoulders slumped but you turned around passively "yes?". "Y/n are you okay?" Zuko asked. You wanted to scream that question seemed so stupid. Instead you just nodded your head "yes Prince Zuko". You were itching for him to leave you alone but Zuko wasn’t giving up that easy. "No you’re not" he replied. You shrugged not having the energy to argue and Zuko sighed "is it Azula?". You wanted to tell anyone it hurt so much but instead you met his eyes and calmly shook your head "no". Zuko frowned but you didn’t look away from his stare and he sighed "so what is it? You cancelled our training sessions for a reason! And i’ve noticed you’ve been sad y/n, I do notice other people besides myself you know!". You swallowed scared to comment and Zuko frowned again "is it the rumours about us?”. Again you were unsure how to comment, you didn’t want to encourage him or at the same time offend him, he was your employer and the only friend you had left now. "Rumours?" You asked playing dumb and Zuko rolled his eyes "i know you’re aware of them I think everyone is, they all think my interest in you is physical and unprofessional, is that why you’ve distanced yourself from me? If so y/n yo don’t have to I can stop the rumours and we can go back to training". "It’s not about you" you burst before you could stop yourself "I’m not worried my colleagues all despise me or think bad things about me, I dont care the nobels all think I am seducing you for power, I don’t care what they whisper about us as we pass" you burst. You wanted to add the most important one, that you didn’t care Azula didn’t like you anymore but knew that was a lie. Zuko stared at you shocked and you realised you’d just shouted at the heir to the throne and your only ally. "Prince Zuko i’m so sorry..." you started but he cut you off. "No it’s okay I pushed you it’s I who should apologise...but we are friends y/n you can tell me these things". You nodded your head “thank you” but made no move to carry on talking. "You are not happy" Zuko said thoughtfully and he turned to face you. You shrugged in response not seeing the point in denying it anymore. “what if i told you I could help get you away from this? From here?" Zuko asked. You looked at him shocked but truthfully you’d been expecting to be dismissed now Azula didn’t want you here but still it hurt. Regardless you handled it with composure and nodded "where will you resassign me?". "Reassign you?" Zuko asked surpised "y/n i don’t want to send you away!". "You don’t? Then what would you do?" you asked frowning. Zuko paused looking around to make sure his door was closed and lowered his voice “I’m planning on leaving soon and I could take you with me if you wanted". You paused shocked at this statement "you’re deserting the fire nation?” Zuko flushed "well i wouldn’t call it that but yes i guess i am but I never should’ve come back here, it was a mistake, I have to get out of here". "And you’d take me with you?" You asked "why?". Zuko paused "well we know the rumours aren’t true but my family doesn't, if I disappear they will interrogate all those close to me and they’ll turn to you, when I think of what they’ll do to get answers from you, my father alone will...." zuko trailed off before shaking his head "I don’t want to leave you behind to deal with the consequences of my actions, I could sneak you out with me...you could get away from this all if you came with me...what do you think?" Zuko asked. “This is a very kind offer Zuko” you frowned. “But...?” he asked sensing you weren’t totally on board with this plan. Leaving with Zuko would get you out of your situation but something was stopping you. Azula. If you left that would be it for your chances of reconciling what you had with her, you would prove to her she was right and you’d be another person who chose Zuko over her. You’d ruin all you’d had and maybe even Azula. You sighed and looked at Zuko "can i think about it?". Zuko nodded "of course, think it over but don’t take too long y/n the escape is in 2 days".

Azula’s POV

The day of the eclipse was fast approaching and the whole palace was busy finalising plans. Azula too was rushed off her feet ensuring the barracks were sufficient and she’d liked to have said it distracted her from what happened but it only put it off. Azula could go all day without thinking about it or wondering what was happening right now between you and Zuko but as soon as the silence settled or the planning was done it all came back. She’d hear your voice as you told her you didn’t mean it, how you tried to explain your actions away by blaming them on her. It still made her angry. She heard Zuko’s voice as he told her all you’d said and his promise to keep you safe from him. Azula would give up trying to sleep as the voices got too loud and go back to planning whatever she had left to plan. She double checked, triple checked everything but still she found an excuse to keep her mind from thinking but there were some ocassions she couldn’t help. Azula entered the dining room expecting to see her father and Zuko but saw Mai and Ty Lee instead. To be fair Zuko had been avoiding Azula so she didn’t expect him to be here but she thought her father would want to see her before the move to the barracks. “Where’s my father?” Azula barked and Mai shrugged but Ty Lee tried to smile “we’re not sure but we we’re summonded here instead. Nobody else has shown up so guess this is all ours” Ty Lee smiled looking at the food. Azula grunted but took a seat, she had nowhere else to be, she hadn’t realised how much time she’s spent with you until she cut you out of her life. “We were just talking about the move tomorrow” Ty Lee explained although Azula hadn’t asked “I was saying how I’m jealous Mai’s family got such a good spot! Then again I guess it’s understandable, Zuko probably put a good word in” Ty Lee said making Mai smile slightly. Azula had heard things had improved with Zuko and Mai, she guessed now you were no longer making things difficult Zuko had been forgiven and it was like it had never happened. That made Azula angry, she had lost her plan, her favourite maid, her only confidant, her well...whatever you two had been to one another all because of Zuko and he was happy while Azula was alone and miserable as always. Well not if she could help it, Azula was guessing Zuko hadn’t told Mai everything....

“Yes I’ve heard Zuko’s been keeping his favourites close to his chest lately”. Ty Lee shot Azula a wary look but Mai narrowed her eyes “what does that mean?”. “Ow nothing” Azula smirked “I mean you and Zuko have moved passed that whole buisness I’d hate to drag things back up...”. “Tell me” Mai snapped and when Azula raised an eyebrow she sighed “please”. Azula smirked “well it’s nothing really just that night you and Zuko went to go watch the ember island players and he was late...well he was with the maid. I went to his room to tell him father needed to speak with him and he thought I was you, he had her hid under the bed so you wouldn’t see her. He was late for your date because he was busy with another woman”. Mai slammed her cutlery down and stood up so suddenly the table shook. She threw her chair back and strode out of the room. Azula grinned watching and Ty Lee frowned at her. “Did you have to do that?” Ty Lee asked. “I think she should know my brothers cheating on her, would you rather I lie to her like he’s doing?”. “No but you didn’t have to tell her like that” Ty Lee sighed “it was just mean” and she stood up going after Mai. Azula brushed of Ty Lee’s comment, everyone thought she was mean, evil, a monster so why shouldn’t she act like one? Azula savoured her win over Zuko and smirked thinking about what Mai would do to him but the happiness was short lived. Azula looked around the now empty room and felt the familair pang of loneliness she’s felt growing since she’d dismissed you. It just seemed to be getting worse and if ruining Zuko’s happiness couldn’t even get rid of it could anything? She swallowed hard and stood up, she should get back to work.

Your POV

“Those boxes need going to Prince Zuko’s private room in the baracks” you told the servants who had come to help you move Zuko’s belongings to the bunkers for safety during the eclipse. It was all for show really, Zuko was planning on leaving during the eclipse so wouldn’t really need a room in the baracks but you had to pretend he’d be there the whole time. You’d organised all his possessions and managed to save the few he would need on him when he made his escape without arousing suspicion. You still hadn’t decided if to stay or go and time was running out to put it off any longer. The servants all got to work helping you automatically but none of them would look at you. You knew most were scared of you, they figured you had Zuko’s ear and they weren’t wrong you supposed but it was in a different way than they thought. You picked up a stack of boxes too, determined to show them all you weren’t just Zuko’s accesory and led the way to the barracks. You hadn’t gone far down the coridoor when someone came around the corner. Mai and Ty Lee appeared and they seemed to be arguing or atleast Mai was, she was walking ahead as Ty Lee tried to keep up and seemed angry. You hoped they wouldn’t look up and almost made it past them when Mai’s eyes fixed on you you felt your heart stop. “Stop” she called and all the servants halted. Ty Lee was saying something to her, sje seemed to be begging her not do this but Mai didn’t seem to be listening. She looked at the boxes you were carrying clearly marked as Zuko’s things and that seemed to make her angrier. You always found the girl terrifying but now she looked plain evil. The look she sent you told you she wanted you dead, no worse than dead. “Leave us” she spat at the servants. They were all too happy to leave and rushed off, even plucking the boxes from your hands as they passed leaving you very much on your own. You instantly feared what Mai was going to do to you. You thought her and Zuko had made up since you’d distanced yourself from him but apparently Mai wasn’t ready to move on. Ty lee watched Mai stare at you and frowned “Mai don’t...". Ty Lee go" Mai said her voice flat "i wish to speak to the servant alone". Ty Lee looked at Mai but sighed seeing Mai’s eyes were fixed on you unmoving. Ty Lee looked upset but obediently turned and walked back the way she’d come. Mai stared at you and then moved forwards soundlessly and you instinctively went to step back. “Does Zuko often hide you in his room everytime I visit or just when he’s already an hour late to our date?” Mai asked. You paused confused why Mai was bringing this up now, that night was ages ago why was she angry about it now? Mai didn’t seem to care what you had to say though and carried “do either of you think you’re fooling anyone? Do you think the rumours of the two of you haven’t reach us all? That we don’t know you’re together?”. You stared at Mai not wanting to move, breath or do anything to anger her any more. "Do you deny it?" she asked stepping closer again and you backed up into the wall. You looked at her helplessly, what could you say? You couldn’t tell her you were just training with Zuko, she’s definitely tell Ozai to have you thrown out of her life for good. "You should speak to Prince Zuko" you told her shakily "I don’t know what I’m allowed to say". Mai gripped you so suddenly you would’ve flinched but her grip didn’t permit it. She had a hand of your throat and the other on a knife you hadn’t even seen her draw. "Not allowed" she spat "acting now like you’re someone who follows all the rules! What being Azula’s pet wasn’t enough to make you feel special you had to have Zuko too? Bet you brag to all your little servant friends, think you’re going to secure your place here through Zuko and some bastard child?". You shook your head "no Mai! That’s not what I want!". Mai only hissed slightly pressing on your neck harder "I should kill you both for the insult to me!". "Mai it’s not what you think" you couldn’t help saying "please talk to Zuko!". "Zuko?" she spat "you dare be so casual about him to me!". You paled more "no Mai i’m sorry, I just meant...". "I always had my doubts, i knew you couldn’t be trusted, i knew Azula did this on purpose, I bet she told you to do this didn’t she? You think you have no choice but we all have choices y/n and you made yours". Mai raised her knife and you closed your eyes ready for her to kill you. Seconds passed and nothing happened. You opened your eyes to see Mai staring at you hard, her face unreadable. You could barely breathe, she was deciding what to do with your life. Finally she let go and you collapsed back against the wall gasping. You looked up at Mai shocked and saw her fist just as it came down and punched you straight in the face. You cried out and fell down against the wall as blood trickled down your face. Mai straightenned looking at you with disgust "you can tell Zuko i gave you that, if he thinks i’ll allow him to keep doing this to me with you he’s wrong, tell him we’re done, I think it should come from you" she said with a twitch of her lip "also tell Zuko to make sure I don’t ever see you again, if I do I won’t be so forgiving, you’ve both been warned" she spat before she turned and left. You breathed haggerdly your heart pounding as you pressed your sleeve to your nose. You were terrified of Mai but also couldn’t help feel sorry for her. If Zuko had just trusted her with your secret or found a less provocative cover none of this would’ve happneed. Now you had an assassin ready to kill you the next time she saw you and your only escape was with Azula’s brother. The bleeding stopped and you stood up slowly. You either stayed and got killed or left with Zuko abandoning Azula here. You wiped away the blood and carried on walking. If you were going to be killed by staying here for Azula you’d atleast do what she hired you to do.

It was early in the morning and you moved through the palace taking back routes so nobody would see you. You didn’t want what you were about to do getting back to Zuko. You went to knock on the door to Azula’s room when it suddenly opened. You’d been prepared to see Azula but still after not seeing her for a week you felt your heart speed up in anticipation but it wasn’t Azula behind the door. “Ow” Ty Lee frowned seeing you and you stared at her. Azula never entertained her friends in her own room and especially not at this time in the morning. You got suspicious and jealous as your mind worked overtime to work out why Ty Lee was there in Azula’s room at this time of day but you couldn’t think of a plausible solution. “Can I help you?” Ty Lee asked and you heard Azula ask who she was talking to. Azula appeared beside Ty Lee and stopped midsentence when she saw it was you “ow”. Shaking away your jealousy you remembered why you’d come here "I need to speak to Princess Azula" you spoke clearly and slowly. Ty Lee looked to Azula whose face was a mask. "Well i'd love to chat about laundry or mopping floors but I’m busy" Azula said going to shut the door. "Please" you said forcefully meeting Azula’s eye "it’s important”. Azula’s face changed as she met your eye and you saw her nervously look to Ty Lee as if making sure her friend wasn’t getting suspicious there had been any sort of relationship between you. "Go" Azula told Ty Lee "I’ll just see what this is about?". Ty Lee nodded “Okay” and Azula watched until she was gone and turned to you.

Azula’s POV

"Well I suppose you should come inside" Azula snapped "I won’t do this is the hallway, what were you thinking coming to be so publically?" She scolded you as the door shut behind you. "I had to" you said annoyed "it’s urgent". Azula rolled her eyes "what’s so urgent?". Azula had been expecting an attempt to get back together or confession of how much you’d missed her. Instead it was nothing about her. "I know what Zuko’s planning". Azula paused unsure if she’d heard you correctly "what?". "I know what Zuko’s planning" you repeated. So she hadn’t imagined that, you’d actually said what she'd dreamt of you saying for ages. Well true more recently she dreamt more of you giving a grand apology that justified forgiving you but that wasn’t going to happen. "Well what is it?" Azula asked as silence settled and you frowned at her. Azula was aware she'd been the one to pause but she hadn’t seen you in a while and you seemed annoyingly fine. Sure you hadn’t looked at her when you first spoke but you’d practically demnded to speak with her, even infront of Ty Lee too. You’d grown confident and Azula could even tell now by how you snapped back at her or only just caught your eye rolls, you weren’t afraid of her anymore. That both annoyed and pleased her. Caught up in her thoughts Azula almost missed what you’d said. "Zuko’s escaping?" she repeated "tomorrow?". You nodded your head "during the eclipse, that’s what he’s been planning". Azula noticed you looked guilty and her jealousy rose again "so why tell me and betray your precious Zuko?" Azula asked aware she sounded childish but she didn’t care. You actually did roll your eyes this time "I know you don’t believe I didn’t mean the things I said to Zuko but i didn’t Azula, I did all of this to get you this information and well it seemed pointless to not tell you so here i am". Silence settled and Azula felt miffed, your answer hadn’t been what she expected at all. "Well if that is all you can go" Azula said coldly turning away. You fixed your eyes on her in disbelief and Azula felt a mixture of anger and guilt. How dare you look at her like she was the bad guy here. She had told you to drop this and didn’t owe you anything. But as you turned to leave Azula got a sinking feeling, this felt final...you’d said this was happening in 24 hours, that was so soon. Why had you told her? Azula knew her brother, he wouldn’t leave you behind. No he’d take you with him and yet you still told her. Was it just because of loyalty to her or had you wanted to see her? To prove you were on her side? Azula frowned, if she told her father Zuko would be imprisoned or killed and you would be dragged down with him, especially when she was forced to reveal where she got this information from. Azula was still angry and confused at you but she didn’t want to be the cause of your death. She couldn’t be even if it did mean bringing down her brother...could she?.

Your POV

The talk with Azula hadn't cleared anything up for you it just made you feel guilty for betraying zuko. You been split by your loyalty to both of them but your feelings for Azula won you over and all for nothing. Azula hadn't responded how you'd wanted her to and now Zuko was going to suffer for your lapse in judgement. You decided you were going to tell him, apologise and maybe convince him to leave early while he still could and so has been waiting in his room for him to return all morning. You were unpacking the last of his belongings while you waited when the door suddenly opened. "Zuko we need to talk" you started but stopped dead in your tracks to see Azula stood there. “Azula? what are you doing here?”. "Well i heard Mai’s got a bounty out for your head so figured you'd be hiding out in here". You paused but realised she hadn't really answered your question “That still doesn’t tell me why you’re here”. Azula huffed at your tone but carried on “I don’t have long the war meeting starts soon so just let me talk”. You pouted but nodded for Azula to go on. “This escape plan?” Azula asked “the one taking place tomorrow, my brother has extended the invitation to you hasn’t he?”. You paused and Azula nodded “I knew it”. “He has” you tried to explain “but i...” but Azula wasn’t listening. “I am not bothered about Zuko being here or not” Azula explained “I will do you this one thing y/n, I will not tell my father about Zuko’s plan to give you the chance to escape, but as soon as you are out of here I will have to hunt down my brother". "Azula" you tried to explain but she cut you off "no just listen, i will have to do that y/n whether i want to or not so my advice to you is to escape and get away from him, leave Zuko as soon as you can and head for the colonies, you can get away there and be safe I won't follow you there”. “Azula” you said annoyed but she carried on “of course you'll need to find work and money to survive, you could steal some of Zuko’s possessions to help start you off, or even ask him for them I’m sure he won’t mind and use the money to build a life in the colonies...”. “Azula” you yelled and she stopped looking at you clearly annoyed “what?”. "I’m not going with Zuko" you told her and she frowned. "Well why not?" She asked exasperatedly and you sighed "I’m not leaving with zuko, I can’t, not after all I’ve done to him” you sighed and saw Azula roll her eyes. “And I know you think that's stupid” you said noticing her expression “but Zuko isn’t as bad as I thought he’d be and don’t take that personally Azula just because I don't hate Zuko doesn’t mean I dislike you”. Azula pouted and you shook your head ”I feel gulity for what I did to him but that’s not the main reason I’m not leaving” You told Azula “I’ve lied and manipulated Zuko and yes i feel bad for doing it but I did all that for you because you needed me to do it and well I’d pretty much do anything for you". Azula paused taken back and unsure how to respond just blurted "so why does that mean you can't leave?". You smirked slightly at Azula's blunt response and smiled "because if I leave I‘ll be leaving you here alone, and i know you don’t trust me or even like me but I don’t want to do that Azula, I won’t leave you here alone, I promised you I’d be here for you Azula and so there’s no way I’m leaving you, I won’t, not even if you command me to".

Azula’s POV

Azula was taken back by your confession and all the emotions it made her feel. She felt scared, vulnerable, angry at you for not saying it sooner, suspicious, confused why you still felt this for her but mainly she felt hopeful. What you said made her excited, it made her feel warm and happy, something she hadn’t felt since she'd parted from you. She felt safe. Azula stared at you softly and you paused "so yeah...you don’t have to reply but i just wanted you to know that". You looked down and turned away “you should go, the meeting will have started now”. Azula reacted too slowly and when she went to call your name tell you not to leave you’d already gone. Azula moved to follow you but the door behind her opened and her father appeared "Azula?" Ozai asked "what are you doing in here? Are you ready for the meeting?". She nodded although her eyes kept flickering to the door you'd just walk out of and she itched to follow you. "Azula!" her father snapped and reluctantly Azula followed him.

All through the meeting Azula couldn’t concentrate, all she could think about was what you said and how much that meant to her. And more importantly how she couldn't let anything happen to you. As soon as the meeting was over Azula grabbed zuko "i need to talk to you". He glared at her pulling his arm away and it took everything in her body not to just yank his arm and force him to speak to her. "please" she said through gritted teeth and Zuko raised his eyebrows but followed her out of pure shock. As soon as he shut the door Azula started to talk. "You have to take y/n with you" Azula told Zuko and he paused eyes wide "what?"."When you leave tomorrow" she explained. "How do you..." zuko started but Azula cut him off "it doesn't matter, what matters is I know y/n doesn’t want to go but you have to make her! By any means possible". Zuko glared "I’m not forcing her to do anything Azula". Azula sighed angrily he didn't understand. "Zuko if you disappear and she stays do you have any idea what will happen to her? Can your small brain even comprehend what father will do to get information out of her?". "I know that" Zuko snapped and Azula glared "so what's the problem?" She snapped back "she doesn't leave with you then she gets hurt! Or worse! You think your life is worth more than hers! That you can run away and be happy knowing you did that to her?". "No..." zuko frowned and Azula nodded "then make her leave with you! Get her out of the palace and away from here, you have to! Scare her, pay her, guilt her! I don't care what it is just save her!". Zuko stared at Azula shocked to see his sister so desperate. In all his life he'd never seen her so scared, so worried about someone who wasn't herself. "You care about her?" Zuko said shocked "like really care for her". Azula rolled her eyes annoyed it had taken her family this long to notice "just do as i say Zuko, if she get's hurt because of you i'll...". "Got it" Zuko nodded "I'll try and get her to safety Azula I promise". Azula nodded her head suprised she was once pleased with Zuko and grateful for him. "Good" she nodded "i guess it's a good thing I didn't kill you when we were kids". Zuko frowned "thanks?". "You're welcome" Azula nodded before walking away.

Your POV

Zuko knew you wanted to speak to him by the way you kept fiddling with the sleeve of your uniform. Zuko had grown suspicious of you since his meeting with Azula and figured he’d just start the ball rolling. "You told Azula about our escape plan didn't you?" Zuko asked and you froze. Guilt overcame you and you spun around "Zuko I’m so sorry". Zuko nodded his head in recognition but wouldn’t look at you "I suppose it’s okay, she's not going to stop us so it hasn’t changed anything...". "I know but i feel so bad, I could’ve got you caught or worse by telling her, i don’t know what I was expecting to happen when I told her...I don’t know what I wanted from it" you sighed but zuko frowned. "I think i know why you did it, i think Azula does too...I never realised you were...you're close aren’t you?". You sighed but nodded "I mean I thought we were but I’m not so sure anymore". "That’s why you don't want to leave isn’t it?" Zuko asked "you don’t want to leave her". You were terrified to admit it but also it felt so good just to confess your feelings. "Yes, I can't leave her Zuko, i know you don’t like her but she's not like you think she is...I can't leave her behind to deal with this this all alone". Zuko frowned "well she actually asked me to get you out of here". "She asked you that?" You said suprised Azula went to Zuko for help of all people! Zuko nodded "I’ve never seen her care for anyone before but she was certain I had to get you to leave with me, I think she’s scared of what will happen to you once im gone and I am too y/n". You were grateful and touched Azula and Zuko both cared about you so much but it didn't change your mind. "I can't Zuko" you sighed firmly "I guess Azula won’t be happy but I haven’t changed my decision I can’t leave her behind I...I just can’t". Zuko nodded "I understand, well I don’t but I won’t force you". You smiled sadly "thank you for helping me though I never thought i’d grow to count you as a friend but I did, I just hope i haven’t ruined everything". Zuko shook his head "I don’t like what you did but i get it...you did it for Azula because of how much you like her". You blushed but nodded "still it doesn’t excuse what i did and I’m sorry". Zuko smiled softly and placed a hand on your arm "you're forgiven y/n".

The escape had gone fairly smoothly. You wanted to see Zuko off so waited by the airships for him when sure enough he appeared out of breath and shaken but he looked fine. “It went okay with your father?” you asked noticing the smell of burning on him. “As well as I expected” Zuko nodded as you passsed him his supplies and the keys to the airship. Zuko took them from you and paused “You still won’t come with me?” Zuko asked and you shook your head smiling sadly “no”. “You know what they’ll do to you?” Zuko warned you “are you sure you’re willing to accept that?”. You nodded your head “just hurry up and overthrow your father”. Zuko smiled but it was a sad smile and he sighed “y/n...”. “Go” you said hearing the sounds of someone approaching “now!”. Zuko nodded and turned to the airship when Azula appeared. “Honestly I ask one thing of you and you even fail at that” Azula snapped. Zuko looked just as suprised as you that Azula was here. “Azula why are you here?” Zuko asked as if unsure if she was here to help or stop him from leaving. “I came to make sure you got y/n to go with you but as usual you failed”. I won’t force her” Zuko glared “unlike you I don’t just ignore what my friends want”. Azula rolled her eyes “this isn’t a difference in opinion Zuko this is her life you’re letting her throw away” Azula snapped and you stepped inbetween them. “Azula stop, you can’t blame Zuko for this it’s my decision”. Azula finally looked at you and her expression confused you because she genuinely looked scared, something you’d never seen on her face before. “But it’s a stupid decision, do you know what my father will do to you? What I wont be able to stop?”. “I know” you nodded and Azula groaned “so go!” she yelled “run now! disappear! I won’t blame you y/n you have my blessing to do this”. “Sweet as that is I don’t care” you replied. Azula glared at you “you’re going even if I have to put you on the ship myself!”. Zuko watched amazed as you stepped towards Azula and she didn’t back away or push you back. "I told you i’m not leaving" you told her "there no way you’ll get me on that ship atleast not without you". Azula shook her head, you couldn't be serious. "Y/n you have to leave because you’re in danger i’m not" she told you “please go”. Azula stared at you willing you to say yes but you couldn’t. You gently touched her arm and lowered you tone “Azula you know that’s not true, you’re not safe here none of you are”. "You don’t know what youre talking about" Azula glared and you frowned feeling her tense. “Azula your father burned Zuko for speaking out of turn as a child! He’s neglected you emotionally since you were an infant! He sent you out alone across the world to capture the avatar and pitted you and Zuko against one another just because he could! He uses you because you’re valuable not because he values you, you are in danger here Azula just like me and that’s why I’m not going anywhere unless you’re with me". “That’s ridiculous” Azula muttered “my father would never harm me...Zuko was wrong to do what he did...I won’t make a mistake like that ever”. You smiled sadly “you don’t know that Azula and if you do how would your father react?”. Azula flinched away from you and turned so her back was to you “no I can’t”. Azula walked away from you and stood cradling her arms, the sight almost broke you but you had to do this, you were so close. “Azula” you said softly and she shook her head “stop it y/n”. “Azula please come with me”. She didn’t reply so you walked closer "Even if you think you’re safe here you’re not happy here Azula" you told her "i know you’re not, and that’s not fair Azula”. Azula looked at you and you could see there were tears in her eyes. “I know you’re scared and so am I” you nodded “this life is all we know but it isn’t all thats out there Azula, there’s more for you...for both of us besides this” you said gesturing to the palace “you deserve better than this Azula, you deserve to be happy and loved and appreciated and if we leave we can find all that, we can have all that! All you need to do is come with me" you said standing inches away from here. “Please Azula come with me” you begged hand outstreteched. The silence stretched out and the tension was thick in the air. You held your breath waiting for Azula’s reply, not even contemplating what it would mean if she said no. You lowered your eyes figuring Azula didn’t want to come with you when she moved so quickly it made you jump. Azula grabbed your hand and nodded softly her eyes fixed on you “Let’s go”.

Epilogue

You, Azula and Zuko fled the firenation and helped Zuko find the avatar as he planned. From there though you seperated from Zuko. Azula was still torn by her decision to abandon the life she’s knew and joining the rebels didn’t help her process that decision so together you left. You followed Azula’s plan of traveling to the fire nation colonies. It was a rough journey but together you avoided detection and made it to a quiet village where you could lay low. The news from the war was continuous and not easy for Azula to hear. She was struggling to come to terms with what she had done, she’d always planned every inch of her life but now she was without a plan, without a role, without a clear path. Azula considered going back numerous times, not because she missed her father or felt guilty for what she’d done but because she couldn’t see how she could just be Azula and not the firenation princess or a prodogy bender. But each time the thought of leaving you stopped her and you helped her adjust the best you could, reassuring her it was going to be okay and it would all work out. Once the war was won you didn’t have to hide away and Zuko helped you aquire the help Azula needed. Azula started trying to work on herself and you helped her unpack all her unconscious beliefs and traumas. It was hard work and there were many arguments and bad days but you were there for every breakdown, every outburst, every insecurity and you worked through them together. You never wanted Azula to feel alone ever again. As the months passed azula adjusted more to the idea of just being herself, not a weapon, not a firebending prodogy, not an opponent to her brother, just Azula. And you helped her see being just Azula was good enough, brilliant actually.

10 years later

You sat down in your garden on the bench you'd made a few years ago and smiled. The summer was coming to an end and while it was still warm it was a more relaxed heat you could happily enjoy. You closed your eyes feeling the sun on your face and enjoyed the smells of your garden when you felt someone sit next to you. Azula eased into the bench beside you and rested her arm around the back of your chair as she always did. You smiled placing your hand on her knee out of habit and looked at her. "We've been living here for 10 years now but the view still gets me on days like this" Azula smiled "it’s beautiful". You nodded just watching Azula and admired how content she looked. Azula was still the same strong willed confident woman but she was different now. She was no longer terrified of not being good enough, no longer chasing approval or using manipulation and anger as her weapons. Azula felt your gaze and looked over at you "what?". "Nothing" you smiled lowering your eyes. You both knew you'd been caught admiring her. Azula smirked and rested her head against yours "moments like this feel perfect" Azula smiled "and they only happened because of you". You shook your head "not just me, you chose to come with me, you made that leap not me". "Well yes but I did it for you mostly" Azula shrugged "so it was...inspired by you?" Azula asked and you smiled. "Fine I’ll accept that" you rolled your eyes making Azula grin. "Thank you" Azula said softly watching the turtle ducks in your pond "I don't think I say it enough". "You don't need to thank me" you smiled "I did it for you and being here seeing you be happy and grow as a person...that’s all the thanks I need". Azula blushed, something you still found adorable after all this time, and smiled "well still thank you, you saved me and made me the person i am i'll never forget that...ever" she told you holding your face. You blushed too and Azula smirked. She leant in to kiss you when your gate screeched and you heard a small voice. "Aunt azula! Aunt y/n were here!" Izumi yelled and Azula grinned. "About time!" Azula called "did you dad get lost again?" she asked scooping Izumi up into her arms making her laugh. "Yeah" Izumi giggled "mom’s angry he wouldn’t ask for directions just because he’s the firelord". You chuckled and waved to Zuko and Mai who were in sight at the bottom of the path. "Did you miss me?" Izumi asked and you smiled resting an arm on Azula's back "of course we did" you grinned "our favourite niece". "I'm your only niece" Izumi smirked jumping from Azula to you and you laughed "true but you're still our favourite" and tickled her. Izumi laughed and Azula smiled at the two of you. Izumi ran off to her parents and Azula followed. You stood watching your family and smiled as Azula and Zuko greeted each other warmly and Azula hugged mai like the old friend she was. The sun caught Azula’s face as she laughed at a joke Mai made and her eyes glowed as they had years ago when you'd first started dating. You smiled just seeing her smile and felt the familiar warm happy feeling in your chest. You were both safe, happy and together, still in love after all these years and you couldn’t picture it any other way, your life with Azula was perfect.

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So that’s it!!! Sorry it was suppppper long I just had so much to write about Azula! I know the ending might be a bit optimistic or idealistic for Azula but I want Azula to be happy and loved so don’t really care. Plus with help support and therapy I think Azula could totally live a healthy happy life and overcome all her past trauma so wrote that. Thanks for all the likes and support!! I’ve really enjoyed this series and it’s been great to see so many Azula fans are out there. Thanks again!!

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nasir-simp · 3 years

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Azula’s Trauma

Okay, so I know that she was born psychotic (says so in the comics) but she still went through a lot of trauma that made it worse. So here’s me listing the reasons why she went off the rails.

Azula’s odds were never in her favor since she was born. She loved fire bending as a kid and would rather use a sword than play with a doll. It’s very to understand what she’s thinking and her emotions if you just payed attention. In some cases you could say she that she’s more on one side of the spectrum than others. She’s not very empathetic to begin with but she never knew better. No one really taught her how or that what she was doing was wrong.

1. She was already at a disadvantage seeing as Zuko’s older than her. That too, she was also a girl. But doors opened for her when Ozai realized how gifted of a fire bender she was. Also remember, Zuko didn’t know that he was born with the gift of fire bending.

This was the beginning of his envy towards Azula. She got his father’s love so easily while he had to try so hard to even get a shred of his recognition. This caused him to start distancing himself from Azula. Being Ozai’s prodigy wasn’t easy on her. Her mother probably thought of her as a monster to some extent. (Yes she loved her but that thought was always at the back of her mind.)

It also didn’t help that whenever Zuko cried her mother automatically assumed that Azula had something to do with it. Her mother should understand that it’s normal for siblings to make the other cry even if it’s their fault. It’s just normal sibling rivalry. This probably led to Azula resenting her own mother. Even with this newfound resentment towards her, she was still a child that wished for her mother’s love. Or for her mother to even glance at her the way she does Zuko. Because of this she tried to find parental love another way, through Ozai.

2. Being brought up by Ozai is much different than being raised by Ursa. He probably thought Azula battle strategies instead of reading bedtime stories. He probably taught her that mercy was for the weak, an example of that would be Iroh. Before she even met him, she already had a bad impression of him. The impression only went downhill when he sent her and Zuko gifts. Zuko got a blade while she got a doll.

Ozai must have told Iroh something about her, because if he knew her he would have known that would want a blade as well. It would make more sense for Azula to receive the blade, the girl who trains 24/7, rather than the boy who feeds turtle ducks in his free time instead of practicing. It was at the moment that Azula thought that no one really understood her but her dad, Ozai. But even he didn’t understand her, he just only saw of her as a child soldier.

All he ever id was encourage her ruthlessness towards other and to disconnect from other’s emotions to avoid being ‘weak’. It must of felt so good to finally be favored over Zuko. Ozai favored her while Iroh and Ursa favored him. The maids and servants probably had more of a liking towards Zuko since she never treated them as well as Zuko. But REMEMBER, Ozai taught her that kindness was a weakness not a virtue. Azula got hooked on the approval that comes with impressing Ozai which caused her to train harder and be better than Zuko.

This isn't how a child should be raised though, they should know the they are loved no matter how talented or talentless they are. You have to remember, she is still a child!

3. But, she had two friends that helped her gain the normalcy of childhood, Mai and Ty Lee. They were her best friends, she felt as if she could genuinely enjoy life instead of being trained like a soldier that's going to be shipped off for war. When Mai had a crush on Zuko all of Azula's insecurities probably entered her again. Afraid that Mai would soon favor him more and soon only hang out with him. The only thing that helped her feel grounded was the fact that Mai was shy and that it was highly unlikely that she would ever act on those feelings. She would still be on her side like always, or so she thought.

4. Now we'll talk about the Agni kai between Zuko and her father. Outwardly she seemed happy that Zuko was going to be banished and let's be honest, she probably was. But there's a chance that she knew he was still her brother and hoped that he wouldn't kneel in front of Ozai knowing that would just make him an embarrassment. With Zuko kneeling, she lost all of the little respect that she had for him because you're not supposed to show mercy to your opponents no matter what. Whomever it may be. Even with this lost of respect she must have felt happy knowing that with his banishment, there would be no competition for Ozai's attention. And with him, the uncle who knew nothing about her also left.

The years following Zuko's abandonment led Azula to perfect her fire bending and become a master. That too, also gaining a neverbefore seen fire color, blue. There's not much to say about this time since we don't know that much. Continuing on, when Zuko came back and joined the trio including Mai and Ty Lee, she probably felt the happiest she's ever been in a very long time. When it came down to the decision between Azula or her uncle, Azula must have felt fantastic to have someone favor her, even if it was just Zuko. To be someone's first choice, the words are indescribable.

During the beach episode we see a new side of Azula. We see her realize how different she is from everyone else. She desperately tries to fit in but it wasn't what she was trained to do. she must have been isolated from kids her own age besides Ty Lee and Mai during her childhood with Ozai. She was trained to conquer cities like Ba Sing Se, capture the avatar, be a master fire bender. This is what's natural for her, not making some boy like her. During the fire pit scene we see Azula open up towards the group saying how her mother thought of her as a monster. They all reacted quite calmly, not really jumping in with words of encouragement to make her feel better. Subconsiously, Azula must have known her friends shared the same thoughts as her mother. But she never really thought they would leave her seeing as they were friends, right? This scene is also where we see Azula show genuine emotion other than ruthlessness and it's directed towards Ty Lee. Ty Lee told the group that she always felt shadowed by her 6 other sisters. You could see the emotion flash through Azula's face. Azula related to Ty Lee on an emotional level because she went through the same thing, but instead it was with Zuko.

5. During the prison break when Azula was trying to stop the avatar from escaping, it probably broke her heart to see Zuko with him. Helping the avatar to escape goes against everything she was taught. But that wasn't what broke her, it was Mai betraying her. Sure she knew that they finally got together after Mai harboring the crush on him for years but she always thought that Mai would stick with her. She thought that Mai liked her and actually thought of her as a friends instead of the monster that everyone paints her to be.

6. The final crack on her heart though, was Ty Lee. When Ty Lee chi blocked her to let Mai escape, it broke her. Her eyes of pain were evident as she fell. Seeing the two people she trusted most on the other side when she thought they would be beside hers. Ty Lee was the only person who she never had a doubt on. It wasn't even a doubt that Ty Lee's loyalty could even be wavered. She trusted Ty Lee with her life. With the treachery of Ty Lee, Azula knew she was alone in the world. This final betrayal is what caused Azula's mask to crack. That crack let her insanity finally shine through.

7.While training with Lo and Li the only feedback she received from them was that she had a hair out of place. That hair symbolizes her mental health. Throughout the show her hair gradually becomes messier and messier. The messier it is, the more cracked her facade of well being is. The last time we see her on the show is during her Agni kai with Zuko. This is where her hair is the most messy. To quote Remus Lupin,"Finally the flesh reflects the madness within."

8. Even at Azula's worst she still held her own at the Agni kai during Zuko's best. But when she knew she was going to loose, she shot lightning at Katara with Zuko getting in the way just in time but rendering him useless. Once Katara bested Azula by freezing her in water to wrap chains around her arms, we hear Azula schema in defeat. The best way to describe it would be to call it a panic attack. Watching Azula breakdown hurts so much because it's so realistic. Her screams are heart wrenching and it hurts knowing what she went through. And she's only 14, a child! She's just a kid, a kid who went through too much that no one should ever experience. She went through too much for her to ever have hope. She went through too much to ever have the odds in her favor.

To conclude, Azula is a child who's broken on the inside and out. She's never stood a chance. She may have been born lucky but she wishes that she was never born.

#azula #ozai is an asshole #zuko #azula deserved better #uncle iroh #mai #ty lee #betreyal #trauma

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theowriteswhatever · 4 years

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Zuko Story That Has No Title Part 2

So I already wrote most of this story, because my friend asked me to. But I’m just going to release it in chunks so I don’t overload your dash.

-Your pal, Bubbles

I told no one that I had saved Zuko all those months ago. I knew they’d probably be pissed at me for saving the life of someone who repeatedly tried to kill us.

But I couldn’t just watch him die. He was still human.

Now we were in Ba Sing Se and everyone was bored of waiting to talk to the prince and was still trying to figure out the mysteries of this weird town.

Katara had taken Toph, a new member of our group, to a makeover day. Aang was helping with some kind of zoo. And Sokka was wandering around probably thinking about Suki.

I had heard of this nice tea shop in the poorer area of Ba Sing Se, but I wasn’t really allowed near there. So I devised a plan.

I put my (Y/H/C) hair in a braid and then into a bun, which I had never done before. I did my make up differently too. I then found a knee length green dress with flowers in my closet and put it on with a black cardigan. I looked completely different and knew Joo Dee wouldn’t be able to stop me.

I poked my head into the hallway and made sure no one was there. Everyone was gone. Even Momo. I made my way out of the house and onto the monorail system.

Once I had arrived at the immigrant slums of Ba Sing Se, I made my way to where the supposed tea shop was. When I arrived at the opening to the tea shop, I practically gasped. I ran to hide outside the shop.

Zuko, with no ponytail, was working with his uncle around the tea shop. He seemed angry to be helping, which wasn’t out of character.

I wasn’t recognizable, so I knew I could go in. But I wasn’t sure I should. But I took another look and the tea looked so good. And Zuko didn’t look as focused on regaining his honor, but more focused on helping his uncle and forcing himself to be upset about it.

I came out of my hiding spot and walked into the building to sit in the front corner so I could make a quick escape if need be. Zuko approached me and I could tell he was forcing a smile. It took all my effort to not laugh.

“Hi, welcome to our tea shop. What can I get you?” He said in the most bored voice imaginable.

“2 chamomiles please.” I responded with a smile.

“2?” He asked, “But you’re alone.”

“I thought maybe you could sit with me for a second. Unless you don’t like chamomile. Then I’ll take 2 of whatever you like.” I said as if it was no big deal.

He obviously thought it was a big deal. He practically stumbled backwards at the offer and his face went red. Even though half of it already permanently was. My face grew a little red too, but I stayed calm. He was still kinda in shock and it was a little adorable. Just a little bit.

“You don’t have to.” I said through chuckles.

“N-no it’s ok. I w-will. And um. . .chamomile is fine.” He said while stumbling over his words. He then rushed off to the back and started to make our tea.

I could tell from where I was sitting that his uncle was laughing at his awkwardness and nudging him teasingly. I laughed a little bit, because not only was it sweet, it was unexpected. We had always seen them as ruthless people that were practically evil, but I had to remember they were still humans with emotions. All humans could love, except Azula.

He headed back and set the tea in front of me and the chair opposite mine. He sat down and almost fell in the process. I giggled at it, but covered it with my nad. He smiled awkwardly and looked down at the table in what looked like shame.

I took a sip of the chamomile to hide the continuous laughter and my eyes went wide. “Is it bad?” He said in a panicked voice.

“No! No no no. It’s delicious. It’s probably the best tea I’ve ever had.” I said quickly so he wouldn’t worry. Lord knows this boy doesn’t need more worry in his life.

He cracked a near invisible smile. I had never seen him even come close to curling his lip, but right now I could tell that he was actually. . .happy. Which was weird. But nice.

“What’s your name?” He asked while scratching the back of his neck nervously. I had almost forgotten that I didn’t look like (Y/N) anymore. I hadn’t thought of what I would say my name is.

“Leeane.” I stammered out. He chuckled a little bit and I got scared for a second. What if he knew it was actually me? What if he knew and was about to give me a burn identical to his? “Wh-what’s funny?” I whispered in fear as I looked down at the table like Zuko had done just seconds ago.

“I just thought that was funny, because my name’s Lee.” He said with a smile. I completely forgot that he would be in disguise too. Although it was hard to not recognize his scar. Not that I would mention that. I let out an unintentional sigh of relief, but turned it into a laugh to play along. I looked up and became more confident. He smiled more when he saw me look up.

“I thought you were going to make fun of my name for a second there.” I lied. He chuckled a little bit and I did too.

“No. It’s a um. . .it’s a beautiful name.” He said nervously before clearing his throat. I smiled and put my hand on his while I leaned forward.

“Why are you so nervous?” I asked with concern in my voice.

He was honestly worrying me with how awkward he was. The group had always seen him as heartless and evil, but evil people can’t be like this. He can’t be so worried about messing up without caring a little bit. He had to care about me just a bit if he’s so shy and awkward. That or he doesn’t care and we just never realized how quiet he is. I guess when he isn’t talking about honor, he doesn’t have much else to say.

“I’m not a people person.” He stated quietly and in an ashamed voice. I felt bad for him. Which while it’s normal for me to care for people, I doubt he was used to being cared for. Except Iroh always treated him like a son. But Zuko needed someone to treat him as something else. A friend.

* * *

Zuko and I sat for what felt like hours and talked, and I couldn’t help but feel bad for not telling him who I really was. But he wasn’t honest with me either, so I guess we were equal.

I eventually had to leave before the group got worried about me and had two missing group members to look for. I politely excused myself and promised to come back soon. Zuko stood at the door frame and waved goodbye before his uncle wrapped his arm around him and led him inside.

Once I made it onto the monorail, I let my hair down and brushed through it to look remotely normal. I would probably look weird to them in green compared to my usual blue and my makeup was still a little different, but I doubt they would care. Katara might, but that wouldn’t be unusual. She always found something or someone to worry about.

I got back to the house quickly in an effort to avoid Joo Dee and any Dai Li. I finally made it without anyone stopping me and saw everyone gathered in the living room. They all looked exhausted and sad. Whether it was Appa, the impending war, or whatever happened today, I couldn’t guess. Katara looked up and smiled before running towards me to engulf me in a bearhug. “(Y/N), where have you been? I was worried sick!”

“We were worried sick.” Toph corrected in a sassy tone. Katara rolled her eyes and let go.

“Why were you worried? I was fine.” I reassured all of them. But I could tell Katara wasn’t buying it. My change in clothes and make up also hadn’t gone unnoticed.

“We didn’t know that. Now where were you?” Katara demanded.

“I just explored town a little bit, like all of you did.” I said in my “as-a-matter-of-fact” voice. But Katara still didn’t seem convinced. She raised one eyebrow and took another look at my personally unique outfit.

“Then why are you dressed like that?” She pressed.

“I wanted to explore the slums and didn’t want Joo Dee stopping me. So I disguised myself as someone else.” I admitted sheepishly. I knew she’d be mad that I went where I wasn’t supposed to go, especially in such a mysterious city. But I wouldn’t regret what I did.

“You can’t do that! The Dai Li could find you and we would have no idea. They could’ve captured you or hurt you or. . .killed you! You have no idea how dangerous that was.” She screeched with her hands placed firmly on her hips.

I wanted to run off in an effort to not upset her. The last thing I wanted to do was make it worse. I wanted to maybe stay silent and not make her more mad. Everyone was watching and waiting for what I would do and I didn’t want to let them down.

But I couldn’t this time. I love Katara. I do. But she was being ridiculous. She was acting as if this was the worst thing in the world. And she was looking at me like I was the scum of the Earth. I couldn’t stand it anymore. I had to say something and this time I would not just apologize.

“Really? I go across town to go and explore a town we have nothing better to do in and then I’m in danger! We’ve been traveling the world going from one life-threatening situation to the next and the one day I can do something fun or nice or even remotely enjoyable, I come back to be told that I was in danger? I’ve been in danger from the second this all started and now’s the point where you decide to mention it? I had my first day in months today where I didn’t have to worry about getting burned, or crushed, or drowned, or being hurt by some kind of crazy freak and you decide to tell me I was in danger!” Katara was taken aback by my anger and looked like she felt bad. I took a deep breath and continued with more of a calm tone. “I appreciate that you care about me Katara and I know you mean well, but I finally had one day that I legitimately enjoyed. Please don’t ruin it for me.”

Katara looked down and kicked some kind of rock around on the floor to distract herself. I sighed and made my way to my room.

I shut my door and locked it and then began to wipe my makeup off on my sleeve. I took off my dress and looked at my old southern water tribe gear. I didn’t want it right now. It didn’t feel right. I crawled into my bed into just my undershirt and shorts and sat there staring at the ceiling.

Soon enough I heard Katara knocking on my door, but instead of answering the door like I know I should have, I rolled over and forced myself to sleep.

#zuko x reader #zuko imagine #zuko #atla #avatar the last airbender #atla x reader #katara

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raebellian · 4 years

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Why I love Katara from ATLA

Katara is underrated and doesn’t deserve all the hate people give her. Like everyone else in the Gaang, she was an invaluable member that they couldn’t have survived without. Hear me out—this is going to be a long one.

First, her role as team mom: We all know that the Gaang saw Katara as a motherly figure—even Sokka, her older brother. Remember The Desert? Aang was having a mental breakdown over Appa, Sokka was high on cactus juice, Toph couldn’t see, and Katara literally held them together. Sure, sometimes Katara lost her temper or acted bossy, but come on! Whose mom doesn’t? In fact, Toph and Sokka agreed in The Runaway that even though Katara got on their nerves sometimes, it was that exact trait of bossiness that the Gaang relied on so much. And I think a lot of those scenes where Katara fussed over things were super cute; it literally made the Gaang seem like a little family.

Second: I know people hate on Katara for talking about her mom so much. But admit it, we were all annoying at one point in our teenage years. And imagine if something happened to your mom or a similar parental figure. If you were a young child when it happened? If you spent years and years thinking it was your fault? If your father was always away and you had to step up as your own mother’s replacement, forced to shove that darkness deep down, hoping for the day when you could get some closure?

When Aang realized he lost his people and broke down in The Southern Air Temple, Katara was there for him. She said it was okay to be sad, that she understood, that she was going to help him. She didn’t have to do that. She barely knew him at the time. But grief is grief, no matter its size and form and how it’s dealt with, and she found a way to get through to him. Same with Haru and Jet. Katara reached out to them by exchanging stories with them, and listened to theirs with compassion as well.

Of course, everyone expresses/copes with grief in different ways, but Katara’s grief wasn’t any lesser than her friends, nor were her coping mechanisms any less valid.

Let’s talk about Sokka. He admitted he saw Katara as a mother, and that he couldn’t even recall Kya’s face. He also seemed to be much closer with Hakoda throughout the show. Might I also remind you of Sokka’s general goofiness and rather out-of-the-blue sexist attitude at the beginning. I really doubt the sexism was due to Southern Water Tribe Culture—or why would Kanna go there to escape the sexism of the north? Sokka likely developed that mindset as a coverup for his grief, whereas Katara had to bottle up her feelings and step up as the motherly figure as a young child. Sokka’s coping mechanism was to goof around and pretend nothing got to him, and Aang avoided his duties and hardships until he eventually learned to confront them.

Yes, Katara said some awful things to both Sokka and Aang in The Southern Raiders, but she was a teenage girl mourning the loss of the person she loved most in the world, and whom she seemed to develop her whole personality and identity around. Sometimes you lash out, lose control, and accidentally hurt your loved ones—especially if you’re just a child forced to grow up too fast in a war torn world.

In any case, there’s no doubt that Katara regretted what she said to Sokka right after she said it (look at her expression in that scene), and it’s almost certain that she went and made up with him afterwards. It wasn’t the first time one of the siblings accidentally hurt the other, and it certainly wasn’t the last time either. But there’s no doubt that the siblings loved each other unconditionally, which gave them the ability to make up no matter what, every single time without fail.

Third: I know a lot of people criticize Katara for her initial mistrust of Zuko. True, Katara tends to hold grudges. But from her pov, Zuko did break her trust (which she gave out quite readily, especially for someone from the water tribe) and none of Team Avatar actually witnessed Zuko’s epic redemption arc firsthand. Katara also felt extremely guilty and scared for almost wasting the spirit water on Zuko’s scar, which would’ve ended Aang for good.

The others in the Gaang had more inclination to trust Zuko due to Iroh defending him when he came to them for help in Ba Sing Se, while Katara was stuck in a creepy underground cave probably having a panic attack and fully expecting to be killed at any given moment. I’d probably lash out too if someone locked me up and suddenly yeeted in a guy who tried to kill me and my friends on multiple previous occasions, even if his hair did have a major glow up.

Speaking of Zuko and his glow up... oMg hE’s sO hOt! Cute fictional boy with dark hair, we all stan!!! Draco in leather pants, anyone? While I love Zuko as much as any ATLA fan, he did his fair share of bad things. The entire first season? His betrayal of Iroh? Sure, Katara had her moments, but did you guys really forget how Zuko treated Iroh? How he constant belittled him on the ship in S1 and in the prison in S3, while still demanding Iroh’s advice? Of course, Zuko got better and gained redemption and forgiveness—he absolutely deserved it in the end—but doesn’t Katara deserve similar sympathy after making far lesser mistakes than Zuko? Is it because she’s not an attractive bad boy? Imagine Katara as a hot dude with a brooding, chiseled face, and I guarantee you the same people who hate her so vehemently will automatically stan her. It’s almost as if there’s a double standard for female characters or something...

In conclusion: Katara cares so, so much with all her heart about everything and everyone, loving and hating with equal passion, and I think that’s beautiful. She is the epitome of gentle yet unyielding femininity (as opposed to Toph’s brashness or Azula’s coolness), and we need more female characters like her who are unabashedly feminine and proud of it. In today’s society, girls are often shamed for being girly, hence the “mean popular girl” trope and the “not like other girls” trend. That’s why we see so many tomboys in fiction, girls who are strong and tough and one of the guys. That’s why we see so many ice queens in fiction, who are equal parts beautiful and deadly in everything they do. Of course, these types of girls are just as valid (and why Toph, Azula, and so many other ATLA girls are so popular and iconic), but women irl are so incredible because of their diversity—not only in appearance but in personality.

That’s what makes ATLA so good: each character has their strengths and weaknesses and undergoes an incredible character arc. Each member of the Gaang is unique and essential and they all balance each other out personality-wise. Without Katara, ATLA would not be the masterpiece it is, would not be so acclaimed for its incredibly written characters. Without Katara, western animation would be lacking of an incredibly written character, a POC girly girl who is soft and gentle and nurturing and can kick ass in a dress and fancy hair. Without Katara, little girls who grew up watching ATLA would grow up with perhaps many good female role models, but they would miss out on one in particular who would teach them it’s okay to care too much, it’s okay to cry and be angry and hate, it’s okay because in the end things will always get better and so will you. That it’s going to be okay, and there’s always hope and light in the world no matter what life throws at you. That’s what Katara means to me, and that’s why I love her so much.

~Raebelle

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thisentertaining · 3 years

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As the Blue Spirit Howls - Chapter 3

STORY SUMMARY:

Zuko was not a good shifter.

Azula could switch between her wolf and human skins between steps. Not Zuko, he needed several minutes before he even started the shift, and that was on a good day. If it had been Azula who Animal Control found in that alley, they would have walked away convinced that their eyes had played a trick on them. There had never been a dog there.

But Zuko’s long transformation would have only revealed his kind to the world. Father may think he has no honor, but he wouldn’t stoop so low as that. Even if that meant being dumped in animal shelter, trapped as much by the 24/7 security cameras as by the cage bars.

He had the worst luck. -

“Come on guys!” Aang said as he lead his friends through the clamoring barks of the shelter. “I want to show you my favorite dog! He’s a sweetheart.”

Aang lead the pair to where a monstrous beast of a dog was growling with raspy barks loud enough to drown out the rest of the shelter. His bright white teeth contrasted against golden eyes and a bright red scar that stretched over the side of his face as he lunged against the cage door.

Sokka laughed nervously. “Did the word ‘sweetheart’ change meaning when I wasn’t looking?”

Chapter 1

Chapter 4

Read on Ao3

“He’s actually being a pretty good dog.” Katara said as Zuko paused to sniff on a bush right outside the door. Her leash was lightly looped around her wrist, as was Aang’s. The other boy had a death grip on the ugly nylon.

“Maybe hold that judgement after we’ve been walking him more than five seconds, sis.”

The girl scowled at her brother. “You know what I mean! When we say him going crazy in there, I didn’t think he would ever calm down. Especially not this quickly.”

“He’s really a good boy!” Aang said. “Once he calms down at least. He’s just kinda... spirited at first, but look how happy he is to be outside! Now he’s all wags, no growls.”

Zuko flicked an ear and took a longer sniff at the bush. As the first plant directly outside the shelter, it was covered in… messages from other dogs. Fairly typical. Mostly healthy, some fear or aggression but not much. It was a pretty good shelter. You know, assuming you were actually a dog. He wasn’t enjoying his time.

The good thing was, he now had plenty of examples of 'good-dog' behavior to copy. He thought back on what made a 'good dog' that would convince them to take him home. First of all, he couldn’t actually escape. Not pulling on the leash at all would be suspicious (not to mention a test of self-restraint that Zuko knew he could never pass) but he had to make sure not to pull so far that he was actually at risk of escaping.

Second, he had to put away any lingering pride he’d managed to retain. Dogs were… silly. Foolish. They played games and begged for attention and touch and made messes. He hadn’t acted like that since he was a child with his mother. If he’d even done it then. He doubted it though, Father would have disapproved.

He eyed one of the other dogs as they were bundled into the car of a little girl with large, poofy pigtails. The English Bull Terrier pup wiggled happily in her lap as he went on to his forever home, licking the giggling child’s face. Zuko sighed impatiently as the children holding onto his multiple leashes continued to talk instead of actually walk him anywhere. He couldn't act like that. This was going to be impossible.

A new car pulled up as the girl with the bull terrier left. This one was fancy, new, and streamlined. It was the kind of money that almost never darkened the halls of a shelter. Despite himself, Zuko watched with interest, curious at who it was. When the door opened and a familiar scent wafted out, he felt a growl start rumbling at the base of his throat, going steady at the sight of the familiar girl exiting the luxury car.

The teen’s behind him stopped their chatter, Aang kneeling beside him hesitantly and running a soothing hand down his back. “Hey bud, you okay?” He pet Zuko with steady, careful strokes that would have calmed any actual dog quickly, but the beast’s steady growl didn’t falter. “It’s okay boy, you’re okay. You’re okay. Guys do you-“

“What are you doing with Snarly?” A young, feminine voice demanded.

Aang looked up, seeing a short unfamiliar girl in green overalls and a matching headband standing over them. Despite being several inches shorter than the rest of them, she seemed to tower as she crossed her arms and scowled.

“Snarly? Do you mean Blue Spirit?”

The girl scoffed. “That’s a stupid name. Naming a dog after a bar? Can you say ‘lacking imagination’?”

Behind Zuko, Sokka hummed. “Snarly does kinda fit him better.” The boy mused, ruffling the top of his head. The dog snapped at the hand. Nowhere close, but enough that the teen jerked his hand back.

Well. Being a good dog was going great.

“Exactly.” The girl said with a grin as she reached out and pet his head just as Sokka had. The boy made a noise in warning, but for her Zuko simply turned to that his unscarred side was by her searching fingers. “That’s why he’s my favorite. I can always tell where he is.”

The Avatar and his friends shared a confused glance at that comment before realizing as one that the girl hadn’t looked at them once through the whole conversation. Filmy-white eyes stared over their heads as the girl tucked the previously-unnoticed cane under her arm and knelt to pet Zuko with both hands. “Don’t tell him though.” The girl continued with a wicked grin. “Don’t want him getting a big head.”

Zuko barked in protest, never once halting his continuous rumbling growl.

Aang perked. “Does that mean you’re here to adopt him?”

The girl, Zuko had never gotten her name, frowned with a heavy sign. “No. My parents won’t let me. They’re worried that getting another dog would distract Badger-Mole.”

“Right, right.” Sokka said, “And that is a…”

“He’s my seeing eye dog. And it’s stupid because tons of people with guide dogs have pets too. I even asked the trainers, and they said it’s perfectly fine. He’s trained to work with distractions. But no.” She drug out the word sarcastically. “My parents know better than the professionals.”

“That stinks.” Katara said genuinely.

“Yeah. But whatever. Apparently, he was adopted anyway. Sorry I yelled at you, I know they said that it would be hard to find him an owner so I overreacted. Probably not a great way to convince people to keep a dog.”

“Probably not.” The Avatar laughed. “But it’s okay. We aren’t adopting him though, just fostering so that he can be in a home until someone does come to adopt.”

“We are talking about foster- you know what, I give up.” The eldest boy sighed. “I know we’re getting the dog.”

The girl scrunched her nose before eventually shrugging. “Fine, as long as he’s out of Long Feng’s grubby hands. That dude gives me the creeps.”

Zuko barked in soft agreement as the other kids laughed.

“Name’s Toph.” The girl introduced herself, sticking a hand out nowhere near the other three.

Katara moved to take and shake the hand. “My name is Sapphire.” She lied. Zuko’s ears perked, recognizing that the name was very different from the one that the others had used for her earlier. If he was to complete his mission, learning their false names could only help.

“Wang,” Sokka added with a useless wave. Zuko committed the false name to memory.

Aang jumped to his feet to shake her hand. “I’m Kuzon. It’s great to meet you. We’re going to take Spirit-“

“Snarly.”

“For a walk if you want to come with.”

The girl’s head cocked to the side, as though listening to something. After a moment, she simply shrugged. “Why not?”

From behind them, a loud clearing of the throat sounded from the front of the car, where a driver glared at them from behind a window. Toph sighed explosively. “Give me a second, I have to go check in before my busy body parents call the shelter.”

She stomped her way into the building, cane swinging wildly as she grumbled.

The group watched her, Aang’s hands still running down Zuko’s back as the growling petered out. “Awww,” Aang cooed. “Such a good boy.”

“That’s really impressive though.” Katara cut in. “He realized that she was blind and made sure that she could hear him. He must be really smart.”

Sokka made a disagreeing noise. “He probably just realized that she was happy when he was growling, gave him extra treats or pats or whatever and accidentally trained him to growl. Dogs can be taught to do anything these days.”

Zuko was offended. As he wasn't an actual dog, he wasn’t sure he should be.

“It’s still smart.” Katara argued with the passion of a sibling arguing against another. “He’s only been here a week or so and already trained himself to do that? That’s really smart for a dog.”

“Hey, I’m just saying. He’s a dog, he was trained to do a trick. Congratulations, you and Pavlov can compare notes.”

Aang glanced between the pair nervously. “Calm down, we don’t-“

Katara wasn’t listening. Zuko was just hoping that she wouldn’t have the same resources his sister had when angry to sit on. “You are such a-“

“Fight! Fight! Fight Fight! “ Toph chanted as she made her way to the group. She had a leash coiled in her hands, and when Zuko started growling again she managed to find his collar and attach it with little fumbling.

The other teens scrambled to explain their argument, but Zuko was getting tired of waiting. With a loud bark, the wolf started towards one of the walking trails, dragging Sokka, who had somehow wrapped the leash around his wrist enough that his was significantly shorter than the others. The boy yelped.

“Well, guess we’re going.”

“Sorry buddy.” Aang laughed. Zuko flicked an ear towards him but otherwise ignored the apology. He stuck to the cement path running through an open field rather than the wooded paths that called to his wolf blood. It wasn’t because that would be easiest for Toph. Really. He’d barely even noticed that. Really. He just thought that if the path was easier they would talk more and he would get more information out of them.

Really.

That was it.

“So, if you can’t get another dog, why are you at the shelter?” Sokka asked the stranger.

“Volunteering.” The girl answered, “Duh. I’m homeschooled and I was going absolutely insane sitting at home every day. I was sneaking out but,” She shrugged. “I knew eventually that they would realize that those pillows under my blankets weren’t breathing. I threatened to run away for real if they didn’t find a way to let me out of the house sometimes, and so.” She shrugged. “A compromise. For now.”

“That’s cool.” Aang said sunnily. “This is a great shelter, I come here every Tuesday and Thursday to volunteer too! I’m kinda surprised that we hadn’t seen each other before, but I’m usually here a lot earlier.”

That was good information. Wait. Was it though? If Zuko revealed himself or ‘ran away’, he probably wouldn’t come back. But it did mean it was a time that he was alone and out of their house fairly consistently. If Zuko could arrange for someone to go after him at the right time…

He really wished he had anyone he could trust to do that without taking the glory for themselves and leaving him out to dry.

Okay, so that wouldn’t work. But it still would be a good thing to know. This wasn’t going well. He wasn’t getting any good information on his actual targets and- rabbit!

Zuko stood stock still, nostrils flaring as he followed them to see a fluffy furry brown ball chewing at a clump of clover in the corner of the path. He ceased the low rumbling he’s been admitting since Toph joined, going stock still as he crouched into a predatory stance. Ear’s up, head close to the ground, feet carefully placed, Zuko slowly stalked forward towards the entirely unaware prey creature.

A predatory wolf’s blood was running through his veins, begging for the chase and hunt that he had been denied for the weeks he’d spent in a form born in it. He licked his chops, ignoring the babbling distractions behind him as the predator centered on prey.

“Hey!” Aang suddenly yelled behind him with a laugh. “Run Bunny, Run!”

Startled, the rabbit took off. With a growl, Zuko lunged after it, jumping forward on strong, muscular legs. There were a myriad of cried behind him as the group was sent sprawling by the force of his leap, but as the shelter administer had said, he couldn’t exactly drag four people across the yard. Well, he could. He was strong enough. He just wouldn’t be fast enough to catch the rabbit so what was the point?

He stopped after a few steps and whined as the rabbit disappeared into the woods.

Toph, miraculously the only one to keep her footing, laughed uproariously. “Why did you think it was a good idea to make the rabbit run, idiot?”

“Oops.” Aang mumbled from his place on the ground.

Sokka spit out a mouthful of grass. “Well. Are you ready to sign some papers? This seems like a great idea.”

#avatar: the last airbender #ATLA #fanficton #MY FANFICS #Zuko #prince zuko #Aang #Sokka #Katara #Toph #Werewolf AU #Modern AU

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ultrashadowkai · 3 years

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Avatar: T he Last Airbender - The Promise Part 3

So much unutilized potential.

No one forced Zuko to talk to Ozai. His inability to ignore his temptation lead him to this conflict. Why didn't he talk to Iroh over Ozai? Iroh was next in line for the throne before he abdicated so he would have similar knowledge to that of his brother, not to mention he has his own brand of wisdom.

Okay, everyone needs to stop listening to disembodied voices. They never lead to good decisions.

Why is Zuko seeing his mom? What are these apparitions?

Oh, it was a dream. Makes sense. Sorta.

Kori's weapon is called a Meteor Hammer.

See, this is kinda what I want to have seen from the show. What were the colonies like Yu Dao doing during the war? Imagine if the Gaang stumbled upon one of these colonies and had to deal with Earthbenders fighting for the Fire Nation. How would they have handled that?

Sneers appears to have chosen a side -- his girlfriend.

Does Kori actually have a last name or is this like tacking on son or dottir to the first name of your father to make your last name? It's just a shortened version of Kori of Morishita? Or am I giving this too much credit?

You know, Sneers explanation of why he's siding with Kori would be more heartwarming (it's barely heartwarming as is) if he'd stop calling an ash maker.

Air Nomads were only nation with all benders, so the idea of a non-airbender getting their tattoos must seem unthinkable to Aang. The tattoos being deeply rooted in airbender culture might also be why only airbender-born Avatars seem to have them compared to all the other Avatars

I knew the fan club was going to cause a problem

Zuko is arguing with himself, which kinda gets him into these problems to begin with. He should really seek outside consultation. Not Ozai. I think that if Iroh knew how his nephew was suffering so, he would give him advice. I understand Zuko wanting to give Iroh the peaceful life he's always wanted but that life does include having a mentally stable nephew that he loves dearly, so....

Katara's waterbending has gotten better. Love the more mundane uses

Katara asking the right questions.

Once again the duty to a people versus the duty as the avatar. That'll never change.

Suki's here. See, no drama.

Because you do hold their whole lives in your hands. Your decision could completely break up their family. If you send them to the Fire Nation would you only send the pureblooded Fire Nation citizens? The ones who can firebend? Would you send them all? I highly doubt the homeland would be approving of such unions and the earth kingdom family members would be treated quite poorly causing unnecessary stress on the family. You're splitting family and friends here!

Aang and Katara really need to sit and talk. Not for the sake of their relationship. It's great that they're actually trying to have a conversation and understand one another rather than be stubborn and bullheaded about things.

Funny how Harmony is meaning "what I think is right for everyone" rather than actually harmonizing and trying to make everyone happy by reaching a reasonable compromise.

Where did the Earth Kingdom Freedom Fighters get this tank?

Katara is the MVP of this comic because she's the one who's been taking this as delicately as she should. These are people's lives your messing with trying to impose your views onto them. They should get a say right? She's also the one bringing up all the stuff I've been mentioned like Aang's strict view on the separation of the nations clashing with him dating Katara.

This whole comic is a complicated discussion on culture and its ever-changing nature.

I guess Zuko never told Aang about his blood relation to Roku. It must've slipped his mind with everything that was going on during the main show.

Roku is too focused on his failures, leading to some questionable advice. This type of overcorrection is actually pretty typical. It's still annoying though. But seeing as how Roku didn't have any of his past lives' mistakes that he had to directly clean up (I don't think), it makes sense that he wouldn't know how terrible this is for Aang.

I can't even be mad at Kuei. I get it. He's spent his entire life holed up in his palace and being used a puppet by his once-trusted advisor. As a king, he has to prove to his subjects that he is indeed fit to rule and isn't actually just some puppet. As a person, he wants to prove that he has autonomy, that he is capable. The problem is that he was probably never actually taught how to deal with anything like this or anything related to leading probably so he's at a loss. He's still a child playing at being an adult. What Kuei needs is someone to sit down and teach him how to be a ruler because he never got that education and it's not even his fault.

He just wants his emotional support bear.

Again Katara -- MVP. When making life changing decisions for other people, you ought to really know and understand just who it is you're affecting.

Aang just pulled a Kyoshi

Where does the water Katara uses to make Iceman bridges come from? We never see her bend any from any pouch or anything? Is she just freezing water from the air?

Zuko passes out from the strain of his decisions...again

I'm going to assume that Aang burned his pendant to curb the temptation of going to Roku for advice and not just because it's heavy symbolic imagery for letting go of the past. Because he didn't need to do that. I feel like you can talk to your other past lives for advice, granted it's harder and it's not like Aang needed the pendant, it was just a helpful tool.

Past lives must make things so awkward sometimes

Okay. Panel by panel, page 75 is pretty great. You can absolutely make an accurate guess as to who Zuko is talking to, there's only so many named people to pull from. But in the third panel, you see an aid pushing someone in a wheelchair and you know that he's in a mental hospital and he's gone to see Azula.

Azula is not doing so well. And I don't just mean the straight jacket. Seriously, is anyone going to do something about her hallucinations? I know meds like that probably didn't exist back then but that's really really concerning. She's 15 and that hallucination of her mother is incredibly concerning. Does she have a therapist (not that she would listen)? Does anyone actually know about her hallucinations?

So we got very little Mai. Did basically nothing with the Kyoshi Warriors. And the new character (Kori) was a side character in her own plot, overshadowed by her boyfriend. I am displeased.

Anyway this cliffhanger (because the series can't help itself I guess) leads into The Search. I've not heard great things about that one.

#kai reads atla #avatar the last airbender #the promise

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seyaryminamoto · 4 years

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Good day talented writer! Another anon dropping by. You mainly write Azula as virgin while Sokka has experiences, good&bad, my question is if it would hold any importance for him if Azula would've been no virgin? In The Reason or in Gladiator. For example if she would engage and get involved with someone to get over him? As a girl this this girl/boy chastity thing annoys me0-o. And while we're at it: Did Ozai get involved with anyone after Ursa's disappereance? Thank you and have a nice day!

Alright, that’s a complicated question to answer, to a fault, for an array of reasons. The answer got WAY too long so… under the cut:

First off, I’ll say Azula is generally a virgin in my stories because canon outright established her as what I like to call a social inept :’D the only romantic interaction she has with anyone, genuinely romantic, is with Chan. And while she successfully manages to sway him briefly, she scares him away moments afterwards. Her conversation with Ty Lee establishes that that’s the general way boys react to her, therefore, she has very little experience in the field of romance.

Meanwhile, Sokka is the entire opposite of that. He’s had at least two relationships in canon, he tries to get into another one with a really unpleasant girl in the Lost Adventures, girls have crushes on him everywhere he goes… therefore, he’s established by canon as someone who is a thousand times more successful in terms of relationships than Azula.

This, then, is part of the characters and, if you ask me, these traits should be preserved in any depictions of them in any canon-based settings. As much as I understand the feeling of unfairness elicited by this unbalanced situation between them, it’s not something I established myself, but something established by core concepts of their characters.

Now then, on to the actual question. Due to Azula’s circumstances in Gladiator, she wasn’t very likely not to be a virgin when she and Sokka meet. If she hadn’t been one, at best it would have meant she had carried out a secret relationship with someone else before Sokka… at worst, she might have been a victim to sexual assault of some sort, an idea that really makes me sick to my stomach and so, for my peace of mind, let’s stick to the first thing. At any rate, Sokka wouldn’t have been likely to resent her for having previous relationships, though he would have probably felt insecure if she truly had held another secret relationship with someone else… not because he would have been angry that she wasn’t “pure and untainted” or any such bullshit, but because he already has a million reasons to fear he’s not good enough for her, and he might have thought any past relationship she’s had might have been with someone better, or at least less inconvenient for her, than him. So he wouldn’t hold it against her, he’d hold it against himself instead because of his frequent insecurities.

Now, of course, Sokka has shown some jealousy in some really silly ways, such as being outraged that Azula had a crush on Zhao when she was a little girl xD but that was always meant to be a humorous thing, since he has no idea what she’d see in him, and he feels the same way about her claim that Jet was handsome. Now, Chan is her only actual romantic experience (just like in canon) before Sokka in Gladiator, and Sokka’s reaction to discovering this is NOT along the lines of “OMG HOW COULD YOU HAVE HAD YOUR FIRST KISS WITH SOMEONE ELSE!” Instead it’s, and I quote directly from chapter 115:

“I can’t think of anything I’ve not told you, honestly. You even know about my first kiss now, so I’d say you know all that needs to be known…” said Azula, shrugging.

“Uh, well, I know what happened but I still don’t know who it was, now I think of it” said Sokka, tapping his chin and eyeing Azula with curiosity “Anyone I knew, by any chance?”

“Eh… no” said Azula, with a grimace “But you know of him. It was… the same jerk I was supposed to marry ages ago”

“Wait, what?!” Sokka asked, his eyes widening as Azula sighed.

“Okay, so now you do know all there was to know about that” she said, with a smirk, as she approached the dresser and closet where Sokka kept his armor and weapons “It’s time to get ready for training, Sokka”

“B-but then… that’s why you didn’t want to marry him, isn’t it?” Sokka asked, blinking blankly “The prick wouldn’t dominate the world with you, so…”

“Yes, yes, well, that’s neither here nor there” said Azula, approaching him with one of his blue shirts in her hand “Come on. Get dressed”

“I’m very sorry you kissed that guy” said Sokka, as she threw the shirt over his shoulders “You certainly deserved better”

As you can see, his reaction isn’t that of a jealous madman, but instead he’s very surprised that the guy she was engaged to when she first hired him was her first kiss. And then he’s sorry she gave her first kiss to him, since he knows all too well that she wanted nothing to do with that guy. He believes she deserved better.

While none of this really may seem to hold a torch to the stuff Azula has to wrap her mind about regarding Sokka’s past “partners” (if they can really be called that, most of them being forced one-night-stands…), I’d like to think that this reaction of Sokka’s would apply just as well in a world where Azula, theoretically, had other romantic partners before him.

Now, though, the second thing you bring up… IF Azula had gotten involved with other people to get over Sokka? In either Gladiator or The Reason?

I’m not sure if you mean Azula finding another love interest halfway through Gladiator Part 1, back when she was sure things between her and Sokka would never work, or if you’re asking about a hypothetical breakup at some point in the future. Likewise, if Azula had found someone else halfway through the Reason because Sokka still had Suki? Or past a future, potential breakup too?

Well, I’ll try to address it all, in any case… Gladiator Azula wouldn’t be likely to find someone else just to get over Sokka, I’d hope the way I’ve depicted Fire Nation society by now should show that engaging in sex out of wedlock is a very risky thing for women to do (Ty Lee’s situation serves as the better example of the consequences of that). Azula only went for it with Sokka because their partnership started to take an unexpected turn and, as they grew to understand each other better, they fell in love. She didn’t love him from the get-go, that’s true, but once she stopped being so impulsive in the earlier chapters of the story, she realized he was “right” to put a stop to their relationship before it really begun because of the potential nefarious consequences she could have faced if they were caught together. So they even struck the deal about not trying to be anything other than a gladiator and a sponsor, and why? Because she wasn’t ready to make a decision that could put her entire future in jeopardy. And if she wasn’t ready to make it with Sokka, she wouldn’t have been likely to make it with anyone else.

Therefore, if in the wider “will-they-won’t-they” part of the story, Azula wouldn’t have risked losing her virginity to the man she was developing feelings for, I don’t think she would have done it for someone casually, just for a fling to “get over Sokka”. She wouldn’t have risked reaching a future marriage without being a virgin because of the repressive way her society treats women.

But alas, in the off-case that somehow she had wanted to do this… Sokka wouldn’t have been pleased for it, but he wouldn’t have been outraged or angry either, since, like I said before, he has more than enough doubts about being good enough for Azula as he is. A glimpse at Azula’s birthday arc should probably help further with showing he wouldn’t have acted like some irrational jealous idiot when he thought he had no right to be one, if she had chosen to be with someone other than him. This time, chapter 69:

“I mean… I kind of had taken for granted that it was going to be the two of us, always. I had forgotten that… that you’ve got a lot of responsibilities and pressures and expectations to uphold. And… I don’t mean to get in the way of that by being a selfish prick. I’ve been selfish when it comes to you enough times by now, I think, so… so I won’t be anymore. I'm… I’m not going to tell you not to marry someone. But… I’m also not going to tell you to get married.”

“Then what are you trying to tell me?” asked Azula, looking at him with mild despair, her hand gripping his leg a little tighter than intended.

“I… I guess I’m saying…” said Sokka, sighing. “That I’ll accept whatever choice you make… I’ll accept whatever man you choose, so long as I know you’ll be happy with him. If you can guarantee you will choose whatever makes you happiest, then I’ll be… I’ll be happy too. That's… that’s all I dare ask of you.”

See? If he had thought there was someone better for her, if he had seen her with someone else, he would have absolutely backed off. Would his heart have broken? Sure! But he wouldn’t have played the territorial dumbass pretending he was entitled to her or anything as gross as that if she had started another relationship, whether a serious one or not.

The same applies to The Reason. Frankly, if she had found someone else halfway through the story, Sokka would have likely stayed with Suki and probably done his best to remain cordial with Azula and her new love interest if possible. He probably would have even tried to encourage Azula in her new relationship, because as you may recall, things between them in the Reason were more than a bit problematic, as he was still with Suki :’D he might have hoped this new love interest of Azula’s would be good for her. And of course, if the relationship was shortlived he would have worried she might be hurt for it, but if it had lasted he would have done his best to be supportive of her, even if on the back of his mind he would have likely always wondered what might have happened if he had tried to be with Azula for real.

And now, in the scenario of “if they break up after their relationship begun”, which is honestly something I scarcely want to even ponder… I’m not sure, frankly, that Azula’s reaction to losing a relationship as valuable and extraordinary as the one she’s had with Sokka in either of these stories would be “I gotta get it on with someone else to get over him”. I know that’s the popular trend in general in fanfiction these days, especially popular with multishippers who like to sprinkle their other interests in fics that are meant to be about one specific couple… but it’s not the road I generally take with stories. It’s not the one I took in my original story when I did break up the main couple (to clarify, there was a love triangle there, and the guy who had been pining after the girl makes a move after she breaks up with the one she loved. She rejects him right away because she’s in no place to have relationships as she is), and I really don’t think I’d want to take it with Sokka and Azula either.

Again, that being said, I don’t think Sokka would hold it against Azula if she ever decided to move on and try her luck in love with new people. If things between them don’t work out, the above quote applies again: he would want her to be happy. If he couldn’t be the one to make her happy, even if he wanted to be, then he’ll be content if she finds that happiness with someone else, in whatever form it might be.

Oof, so that was a lot of explanations, huh? :’D aaanyways, I do want to clarify, I understand the discomfort caused by stories and situations where men are “experienced” and women are meant to be pure and virginal and innocent, because yeah, it’s not fair. It’s stupid that men are heroes for having sex with anyone who’ll have them but women are disgusting if they engage in the same behavior. I agree 100% on that account. Nevertheless, I tend to write both Azula and Sokka as characters who are seeking a deeper emotional connection than just a quick release. If Sokka had no canon relationships, he would have been every bit as much of a virgin in The Reason as Azula was. Now, in Gladiator I had the possibility of keeping him a virgin: I didn’t because on one hand, his situation as a gladiator in Hui Yi enabled me to portray how dark and dreadful things can be for slaves in the lowest levels of the Fire Nation… and on the other hand, what happened between him and June was meant to prove exactly why he can’t have random flings: it doesn’t work for him. It doesn’t cut it. It’s pointless because the one person he wants to be with is Azula. He ended up feeling WORSE after it, not better, despite he was doing it to get over her, exactly as you described it. Therefore, he never even tried again. He has no other flings or one-night-stands after June because it’s useless and he feels worse for it.

At any rate, if you’re bothered by the numerical imbalance of romantic or sexual partners Sokka and Azula have had in those two stories… then I suggest you check out my Modern AU story, It Had To Be You. While I kept Azula as a virgin anyways, because it fit her personal backstory in that AU, she is part of the “popular kids” in school, while Sokka is one of the “nerds”. Azula has had a few love interests in the past, she even recounts the story of her first kiss to Sokka, even if it went even worse than it did in canon… but she was popular, sociable and had a lot more experience in the fields of dating and romance than Sokka did. Sokka’s only kiss before the story begins is also recounted in the story: it was no kiss, it was Aang giving him CPR after he drowned at the beach :’) Therefore, while Azula was still a virgin, she’s the experienced one in terms of romance in that particular story, and Sokka instead is clueless while she teaches him the ropes, once things get started between them.

Another story of mine where I flipped things around (and this might even suit your interests better?) is The White Lotus International Games, where Sokka breaks up with Suki but doesn’t have any rebound romances. He’s Azula’s partner in the White Lotus, they’re both agents for the Order there. And while this is only referenced rather than shown outright, Azula has had many casual flings through their travels while Sokka remains completely chaste and hasn’t had any relationships at all after Suki, especially because he starts developing feelings for his partner that he doesn’t act on (it’s literally Azula who makes the first move). He doesn’t judge her in the least for her flings, she even teases him sometimes and tells him he should have had one-night stands of his own at one point:

“You should have done what I did, though. You didn’t have to stay dry for so long.”

“I didn’t really feel like doing anything else,” said Sokka, shrugging. “And while there might be something fun to having one-night-stands, they’re really not my thing as they were yours, you know.”

“Your loss,” said Azula, smirking.

So, there we go :’) in this particular story, Azula has definitely slept with more people than Sokka xD and Sokka doesn’t hold it against her AT ALL, it doesn’t even occur to him to do so. So, if that’s what you were hoping for in terms of balancing their personal dating histories better, then I suggest you check it out.

Now, as for your last question… did Ozai look for other lovers after Ursa was gone? I’ve answered it before, and Gladiator’s official stance on the matter is an absolute, resolute, undoubtable NOPE. Ozai has very few redeeming qualities as things stand, making him pine for his wife hopelessly for the rest of his life seemed just right to me. Turning him into a womanizer, giving him a harem…? Some people like doing that: I, personally, don’t see the appeal. Ozai is a thousand times more interesting a character with a handful of weaknesses, and his doomed romance with his wife certainly gives the character an interesting dimension that warrants being explored (and I shall certainly explore it further in the story’s future).

Now, as a final addendum, I’d like to say… that original story I mentioned up there? The one with the love triangle? It actually turned into a bit of a love square. Another girl fell in love with the guy who gets rejected, but he’s still hung up on the girl he likes even if it’s unrequited and always will be. He doesn’t move on for AGES and dates absolutely no one for years. Meanwhile, the girl who likes him assumes he’ll never really see her that way, for obvious reasons… and she has about a thousand flings and short-lived relationships while trying to move on from her crush on the guy, who has become her best friend at that point. She often tells him about her experiences and the problems in her dating life, and he always listens, even admires her for it, never judges her for what she does and is 100% supportive of her living her life however she pleases. They’re well into their twenties when they start a relationship of their own: by that point, this guy has only kissed one girl in his entire life and got rejected. Meanwhile, the girl has had tons of relationships. Total different proportions from the stereotypical way relationships are often presented in media, I’d hope… and yet the guy is not turned off by it in the least. He doesn’t find it disgusting, doesn’t think she’s amoral, doesn’t think she’s any lesser for having lived her life in a completely different way than he did.

And while this has nothing to do with how I write stories set in the Avatarverse, it does have something to do with how I write relationships. Like I said above, I hate the tendency of showing men as experienced and women as sluts. I’m tired of it just as much as you are, which results in certain “trope inversions”, you could say, as the one I pulled in what I just explained of my original story. I don’t usually pull it with Sokka and Azula for the reasons I mentioned at the very start of the post (nevertheless, It Had To Be You and The White Lotus International Games INTENTIONALLY switch things around for balance and variety), but it doesn’t mean that I’m on the bandwagon vouching for female purity and male experience. Absolutely not. Part of Gladiator’s eventual purpose is to have Azula stand up against all those expectations and prove her worth goes far and beyond the ridiculous trappings society imposed on her just for being a woman, even if she’s had to abide by those trappings for a very long time (and even then she has defied them subtly, despite it’s not easy and it’s very dangerous, even for someone as powerful as she is).

Aaaand that was really long. I think I’ll shut up now unless you have any follow-up questions :’D Have a nice day too!

#anon #gladiator #the reason #and then it also ended up versing into #it had to be you #wlig #I feel your pain on one hand #on the other...#there's a logic to why I handle it this way #but there we have it

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jotunlokisuggestion · 5 years

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I’m gonna illustrate to you the Thanos-problem not so quickly.

The studio went to Kenneth Branagh in 2010 and told them they want a villain as good as Magneto for their Avengers film.

And almost 10 years later the MCU wanted to write an interesting, political villain called Thanos for Infinity War/Endgame.

Now, when Kenneth Branagh got the (really annoying) custom-order for a good villain, he didn’t look at the villain the studio liked and copied him. Instead he had the brains to write Loki as a character. With his own personality traits, qualities, quirks, a unique backstory that appeals to Branagh’s strength as a writer, whose origin story can be used and re-used in future films and plots, who has unique and adaptable strengths and weaknesses and who is played by an actor who is really good at playing roles like that.

Meanwhile Thanos is just...going through the Killmonger/Loki/Magneto motions of: political villain: ✅ tragic backstory: ✅ destruction: ✅ big baddie speech ✅ --- but there is no heart to any of that, no sense of detail, no moment for him to shine no personality.

And you know (I really tried to stop myself from adding this) in the 90s we had this flood of dark, gritty anti-heroes with their giant guns and ten thousand pouches. And some of them like Cable were really good while later characters became pale imitations of Cable (think of that famous video of Liefeld inventing a character and he just draws Cable number 8948320 and his backstory is that he’s a cyborg) and all those rehashes of the Killing Joke. And in the end they all lost track of what made these characters good in the first place.

And in the late 2000s and early 2010s we had this wave of young, hip, funny for the lulzs supervillains who just had quirks and no reasons and personality and in the end, basically nothing of substance remains of any of them - an epidemic starting with Heath Ledger’s Joker but were later replaced with young men in suits who were also kinda pop-culturally - ironically Leto’s Joker hopped onto that bandwagon like 9 years late with a starbucks

And I understand why in the last few years, political villains have entered mass-production, but a villain like that doesn’t work unless your writing challenges their ideas. Okay lemme give you another example: Since the (in)famous Far Cry 3 with its very 2012 villain quirky-crazy-Joker-y villain Vaas we now had Far Cry 4 playing in the land of a slightly quirky fashionable young man dictator and Far Cry 5 and New Dawn with an evil Christian cult right in the US.

The transition from early 2010s to late 2010s is obvious but - these are video games and by the time we fight the final boss, we have automatically actually spent a lot of time in their respective worlds. We know why these are horrible people. We are challenging their methods and ideas already when we encounter them. In the MCU, we see Killmonger actually rule over Wakanda and we know while his ideas are good. his methods aren’t - while at the same he challenges Wakanda and forces T’Challa to accept that his father was not perfect. Each time we see Loki rule over Asgard, imperialism is challenged - in the first time when he actually attacks Jötunheim (thus executing exactly the things he had been taught his entire life) and by not intervening in the colonies in Ragnarök. But, you are going to say, Thanos ideas are challenged! We see that people are sad that he killed half the universe! - and I mean yeah, but I didn’t need to watch the movie to know that people would be sad. Instead, everything happens exactly as you expect it would. All these previous examples were interesting because we wouldn’t know what the villains would do and how it would affect the population. Also the final notion - that the universe would eventually be better of if half the universe was destroyed, remains unshaken and unaddressed.

And honestly, their attempt to make Thanos likeable or understandable might be the huge problem of the film. Thanos as a morbid, unlikable killer who’s in love with death works because we don’t need to relate to him for that. We don’t need a connection. Many good villains are absolutely detestable. You can do a lot not by making them seem sympathetic (which is almost impossible with villains like Thanos anyway) but you can make them interesting to the audience-

let’s talk about villains who are absolute giant assholes but I like them:

Yeah him <3 You remember the first season of Hannibal? As members of the audience, we know who Hannibal is before we even start watching. Hannibal Lecter is one of the most famous villains there are. In the movies, he’s arrested in Red Dragon right in the first scene - there is never any doubt about who he is. But in the show, he’s yet an active serial killer and working with the police. The police that solves his murders. The police who doesn’t know that he’s the killer. The killer whose name literally rhymes with cannibal and who makes cannibalism puns. There were hundreds of memes about how fucking frustrating it was that the police always just walked right past him.

That was the thing: We, the audience, knew something the characters didn’t. Like in a horror film when we know the killer is hiding behind the door and the main character doesn’t. You want to fucking scream at the screen in frustration. Okay what does that have to do with Thanos? Imagine all those glimpses and we saw of him in previous movies would have presented him in a likeable light. Imagine if his disciples were actually seen gaining people’s trust or if people in GotG would actually casually mention “oh Thanos will fix this, I heard he has a brilliant plan” or he tried to convince them that there was a huge famine coming. It would have been so frustrating to see people trust him because obviously everyone who reads the comics would know that Thanos is bad news and if we saw people actually trust him? maybe actually give him Infinity Stones to fix the universe because he’s the only one who can use them? Fucking rude.

Reveals :)

I guess I don’t have to tell tumblr who the first guy is but a quick rehash: In season finale of Sherlock, a guy who appears in one scene as the girlfriend of a colleague of Sherlock turns out to be Moriarty.

And guess what? It absolutely doesn’t matter one single fucking bit that Moriarty is the lab guy. And the big reveal doesn’t matter because we’re not given any of the clues. He might as well have been the mailman. Now, the Man In Black from Westworld however? That was a huge reveal. (Major spoilers if you haven’t watched it but I’m keeping it vague). We saw the Man In Black commit the worst crimes imaginable throughout the first season of the show, he killed hundreds of people without remorse. And in his defence, we thought that he thought it was all a robot theme park. Except? We find out that he’s actually the older version of one of the main-characters who absolutely saw robots as people once and evn protected them and loved one. This was both a horrifying reveal, an origin story and it made his crime even worse. That’s good villain-writing.

What does that have to do with Thanos? - Technique. Just how the reveal was written has a huge impact. Imagine if there had been no mention of Thanos at all until Infinity War - and the characters were actually forced to figure out who brought Loki to Earth, who supported Ronan, who attacked Asgard. Maybe you catch some glimpses of his disciples and maybe you get to hear the name of one of them at the very end or Loki even whispers “Thanos” in Thor’s ear before he dies and he as to figure out what that means. Make us work to get there.

Relevance!

Now, they wanted a political villain, right? AHS Cult gave as a political villain who is absolutely detestable every step of the way. But the reason he was scary and interesting is because...it was relevant af. Every word he said, every political opinion he expressed, the way he staged attacks on him by migrant workers and spread fear in his community - that rings very close to home right now. I can get why someone would say you can’t do the same in a Marvel film, but Sci-Fi has always been a projection screen for political subjects for decades now. Star Trek has been doing it since the 1960s and if they had actually committed to making Thanos allude to actual political slogans of today, he would have been way more relevant.

Dynamics (aka how to make someone likeable without condoning their actions)

On my main, I made a post once about Loki and Magneto and how having, forming and developing relationships helps to flesh out a character. In short: We learn to understand them. We see them grow. We see (ideally) how they learn from encounters and how it shapes them. Now we are entering the realm of likeable again with Azula, because what made her a brilliant villain was not her brilliance or her abilities (they made her a great opponent though) but her motivations. The more we see her family, the more we learn that she, too, is a victim of a dysfunctional family. She allows a whole new perspective on the royal family. That scene where she tells Ozai that he ‘can’t treat her like Zuko’? - those were ten fucking books written in one line. Her descent into paranoia basically rewrote every scene of her in the past and is also a reminder that she’s 15 and yes, of course, she’s a victim. She’s a child fighting in a war.

How many meaningful relationships does Thanos have? He’s quite fond of Gamora I guess? Less fond of Nebula? There was an embarrassing attempt to create a connection between him Tony. Now, remember that in the comics, Thanos is someone driven by love. He loves death - that’s the relationship that drives him. It’s important that there is a face to everything. Show me Thanos family, show me his homeworld. Show me his previous desperate attempts to save the people he loved and how he was held back and driven to more and more desperate measures. Show me how he finally gives in and wants to destroy everything.

“show don’t tell”

I’m going to argue for a Thanos solo movie now :) (kinda)

Okay I feel kinda compelled to put David in this when I’m already posting this on my rp blog but also a) I love him and b) shut up. short summary: David was created an android that is programmed to serve humans. He grows to resent them more and more, especially because many of them are petty and abusive towards him until in the second film, he just wants them dead. Now in his first scenes of Prometheus, we see him alone on the ship while the human crew is in cryosleep. We see him eat, play basketball, ride a bicycle, watch people’s dreams. He also watches Lawrence of Arabia while dying his hair to look like him and quotes the above sentence several times just before the rest of the crew wakes up.

It’s a tiny sequence in the film but we learn various things about David: He’s vain, he does things he - as a robot - doesn’t have to do, he identifies strongly with a man torn between two cultures, he has a lot of fun when he’s alone, he habitually spies on people, he is feeling pain in some capacity and he associates it with humans. We learn all of that in those few tiny moments.

compare all of what we learnt in this short sequence to what we know about Thanos. After seeing him in...I think three films by now? And having people talk about him in even more? With literally every character I listed now (excluding Moriarty bc he’s a negative example) we know what drove them to do what they did. We know their pain. We know them. Even if the things they are cruel because here it comes:

They are a Story.

And Thanos is a plot device.

or to quote fellow tumblr user hackedmotionsensors: I’ve never liked Thanos because hes like a video game villain. Like he’s the annoying equivalent of finding the final boss in a FF game and its just a giant head or something stupid.

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wiseabsol · 5 years

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WA Reviews “Dominion” by Aurelia le, Chapter 10: Rescue

Link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6383825/10/Dominion

Summary: For the Fire Nation royal siblings, love has always warred with hate. But neither the outward accomplishment of peace nor Azula’s defeat have brought the respite Zuko expected. Will his sister’s plans answer this, or only destroy them both?

Content Warnings: This story contains discussions and depictions of child abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and incest. This story also explores the idea that Zuko’s redemption arc (and his unlearning of abuse) is not as complete as the show suggested, and that Azula is not a sociopath (with the story having a lot of sympathy for her). If that doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, I would strongly recommend steering clear of this story and my reviews of it.

Note: Because these were originally posted as chapter reviews/commentaries, I will often be talking to the author in them (though sometimes I will also snarkily address the characters). While I’ve also tried not to spoil later events in the story in these reviews, I would strongly recommend reading through chapter 28 before reading these, just to be safe.

Now on to chapter 10!

CHAPTER 10: RESCUE

Diving right in, the author’s note. “Ozai’s objective was twofold. To train Azula to keep her head about her in the act”—so no getting distracted by thoughts of romance or sexual pleasure, then—“and to make her skilled enough (and convincing enough) that she could effectively distract her partner and/or make him compliant to her will.” So also heteronormative assumptions from Ozai, then. We also know that this had to be happening after Zuko was exiled but before Azula was sent on her mission, so this training was taking place when she was roughly eleven to thirteen years of age. That is um…well, pedophilic, for one, Ozai, but also far too early for Azula to be mature enough for that, either physically or psychologically (not that any of this would have been “better” if she was older, because it’s traumatizing regardless). However, grooming like this starts early, so sadly, this is truth in television.

Ah, there was a Dai Li agent in the asylum staff. I did not catch that, but it does explain how the Earth Kingdom learned that Zuko was missing that night, in addition to Azula breaking out.

Anyway, on to the chapter itself. Azula is incognito as a peasant, which is probably a cute look for her. Azula is pretending to be Rai’s cousin, which isn’t a bad plan on Rai’s part, even if Azula snootily think they look nothing alike. Then we get a mention of the late Lu Ten with his “sleepy eyes.” I wonder if that’s a dig at his Earth Kingdom features, or if Lu Ten was legit always tired from war training. Given that this is about the physical appearances of relatives differing, I’m guessing the former.

Azula shows some paranoia about the pirates possibly recognizing her and planning to turn her in for a bounty, but she dismisses the thought quickly. And really, why would they recognize her at this point? They don’t know that she escaped from Ember Island, barely anyone has seen her for four years, and Rai gave a reasonable excuse for her presence on the ship. I’m sure the pirates are too caught up in their own affairs to give Azula much thought, but I’m sure that Azula, who was rather used to being the center of attention, might have some trouble believing that.

Rai, though, definitely knows who Azula is, given that she treats Azula with “grating familiarity” and “deference by turns” and knows how Azula likes her baths.

“She had deliberately avoided looking in any mirrors when she left the house on Ember Island”—nice callback to her hallucination in the show! I’d be spooked of them too in Azula’s position.

“Her split lip had knit almost completely in the intervening days, to a tender pink that Azula knew from experience would not scar”—so Azula has had her lip split enough times to know if this will leave a lasting mark. Given how much lipstick she wore in the show, this suggests that Azula probably does have a scar or two on her lips.

“She never used to bruise so easily”—there are also some awful implications here, but the more pressing point is that Azula’s health has taken a hit from her time in the asylum.

“Leave it to her clumsy brother to injure someone during sex, Azula reflected wearily. Sometimes she wondered how Mai put up with him. But he was probably a lot nicer to Mai, since he cared for her at all. Azula thought that probably made a difference, when people had sex.”—That Azula has to guess this is heartbreaking. Also, this means that she never once felt loved while having sex. I wouldn’t expect her to, but it’s a painful reminder that her only experiences with it have been violent.

Azula then second-guesses herself, in this case about why she bothered to put on makeup at the house. My guess is that it made her feel more like herself, which she must have needed after those years in the asylum. She admonishes herself for, essentially, questioning if she should have done things differently. Like many abuse victims after the fact, she is policing her own thoughts here, reminding herself that her abuser—Ozai—wouldn’t like seeing her so “weak.” She also thinks that he would be “right” to hate her for it, when really, this is the normal response to getting hurt. Azula has a lot of lessons to unlearn. We also learn that Azula used to see hallucinations of Ozai, too, which is upsetting.

Rai, when she walks in on the still naked Azula and sees the bruises, comments on it: “With men like that, it never stops. No matter what they promise.” However, I doubt that Azula is ready to face that realization about her father—that no matter how much she gave to him, he would never stop hurting her, because she would never be enough. “That was not the first indication Rai had given that she escaped an abusive relationship, and believe Azula had just done the same. She was content enough to let the cook keep thinking that”—except that it actually is true for Azula, given how Ozai and Zuko treated her.

We get an interesting bit of characterization after this. “It was the respect Rai afforded her . . . that made the princess truly wary. If she were the same breed of royalty as Zuko, she might think this a natural consequence of her noble bearing, and no more than she was due. But Azula was second-born, and she knew that it was not enough to be owed obedience, loyalty, or love. You had to exact it. You had to earn it. It would not simply be given.”

Three out of four of those makes sense. However, love isn’t something that anyone should have to “earn.” It should be freely given, especially between family members—which, of course, is not something that the adults in Azula’s life taught her. Or, in Ozai’s case, thought advantageous to teach her.

Azula, in her musing about Rai and the cover story she gave her, raises a point about Zuko gutting their high military command and “beggaring” the realm with war reparations. I wonder how much truth there is to this, or if Azula’s view of Fire Nation superiority is coloring her perspective on the matter.

Moving on, Azula is approached by Rai’s assistant, a pre-pubescent boy who has a crush on Azula. “Azula saw that he still had all his teeth. Quite an accomplishment among this lot.” Oh lol at her internal snark. The boy asks her out, but Azula shoots him down. Rai reproaches her for that, and apparently this is a conversation that they’ve had before, because Azula mentioned to Rai that the boy would like anyone with prominent breasts who wasn’t over thirty, which Rai didn’t appreciate. I wonder if it’s the cynicism about guys or the dig at Rai’s age that Rai didn’t like.

“And people wondered why she lied, when she got looks like that for telling the truth, Azula considered. She learned a long time ago which option served her better. And anyway, she shouldn’t care what a peasant thought of her.”—Except Azula does care what Rai thinks because Rai reminds her of Ursa. Also, Zula, this is where the sentiment of “Azula always lies” came from.

“‘I knew his like once,’ Azula contradicted darkly, thinking of her brother before he got his scar. ‘You shouldn’t let the helpless exterior fool you.’”—Azula, honey, the kid is twelve. Don’t project your baggage with Zuko onto him.

“‘Really?’ the cook asked in genuine surprise. ‘I hadn’t thought—’”—Rai is assuming that Azula means a nice young man who she got romantically involved with, and is surprised, because as far as Rai knows, no one ever courted Azula. Her thoughts wouldn’t make the jump to Zuko, because that’s not a connection that most people would intuitively make. Azula, on the other hand, has a hard time distinguishing between familial and…I don’t want to say romantic, but romantic bonds, because of the incestuous abuse she went through.

Rai is actually aware of the incest, albeit not between Zuko and Azula, but we’re still getting to that reveal. As it is, Rai confirms that she knows Azula by almost calling her “my lady.”

After that, Azula has a conversation with some of the ship hands. There is an amusing moment where Azula thinks that Mai would be disgusted by the flamboyant outfit of the captain, and a less amusing moment when it’s mentioned that one of the crewmen wanted to get into Azula’s pants after she “officially” boarded the ship. Said crewmen calls Azula a whore, she retorts with her characteristic sarcasm, and he tries to attack her, but is held back by his crewmates. We learn that this charmer’s name is Lee, and doesn’t like being ordered around by women, so he’s definitely going to be a problem moving forward. After this, Azula follows Rai into town, albeit at a distance. I get why Azula’s instinct to spy on Rai is there, but a part of me is also like, “Maybe you could have just asked her some questions first, Zula?”

Next we meet up with Iroh! Hi Iroh! He’s arrived at the Fire Nation to check on Zuko and the post-Azula’s escape situation. It turns out that General Shin, the mole in the previous chapter, has been murdered in a gruesome way. This had to have been ordered by someone at court, who made the same connection that Zuko did. I suspect that the killers being loyalists to Azula and Ozai is probably right, but honestly, it could have been anyone, since Shin betrayed his country and the royal family.

Iroh hears other rumors on his way to the palace, some closer to the truth than others. “But hearing so much slander and baseless speculation against his nephew made Iroh’s blood boil”—Iroh, you should know that there has to be some kernels of truth in the gossip. You’re part of the White Lotus, catch up, buddy.

We learn that most of the palace kitchen staff was replaced after someone tried to poison Zuko’s food. There’s probably been a lot of turnover in general, between Azula dismissing most of her staff and Zuko replacing most of his. Interestingly, there hasn’t been any more assassination attempts since Lu Ten was born, possibly because it would have meant that the cleverer Mai or Iroh would have become Lu Ten’s regents, and would be harder to manipulate than Zuko. That being said, given what seems to be Mai’s fertility problems and how difficult Lu Ten’s birth was, I’m surprised that no one gunned for Lu Ten after he was born. Sure, the response of the royal family would have been filled with fire and blood, but what would they do afterwards? Unless Mai could have another child, which seems unlikely, they would have been facing a succession crisis. A lot of people would have been eager to take advantage of that opportunity.

Anyway, Iroh learns some of Zuko’s movements as of late, and we get the detail that Zuko burned his and Mai’s—once Ozai’s—bed. I can’t say that I blame him, considering that that is likely where Azula was assaulted. There’s also something rather, uh, skin-crawly about the fact that not only was Lu Ten presumably conceived there, but (SPOILER) so was the child that Azula aborted.

After this, Iroh goes to find his nephew, and overhears Mai and Lu Ten’s nanny arguing over whether Zuko should be left alone with his son. Mai, despite being livid with Zuko, says that he would never hurt Lu Ten and would sooner hurt himself. The nanny, however, is pretty sure that Zuko will hurt himself, and I’m like, “Yeah, nanny’s got a point here, Zuko’s losing it right now.”

Iroh immediately picks up on the fact that Zuko and Mai’s relationship is rocky, though doesn’t hazard a guess as to why. He also wonders if “keeping certain aspects of their family from Zuko” was the right call. I would say no, given that it meant that Zuko was unprepared for Azula’s behavior after she was triggered, and he might have had a better idea of how to respond had he known. Also, Iroh should have told the doctors what he learned, as gross as he found it. It’s not like the doctors could help her if they didn’t know what her underlying problems were.

Iroh remembers his last visit to Ozai, when he accused his brother of sexually abusing Azula. Ozai at first tries to deny it, then shrugs it off when he realizes that Iroh won’t buy the lie. “He had been just the same as a child, never clinging to falsehoods as most children would when caught in a lie, but admitting ugly truths with a studied disdain. As if lying were a game he chose not to play anymore, because it had lost its fun. A stale joke not worth examining further, and wasn’t the other person fool for paying any mind to it?” This is very creepy.

“Iroh should have known that he could never be trust with a child—any child—even one so obviously suited to him as Azula. Especially one so obviously suited to him as Azula.”—Two things, Iroh. First, there’s subtle demonization of Azula going on here. Second, she didn’t resemble Ozai when she was a very young child. Ozai molded her after himself in large part because you and Ursa took a hands-off approach to her. Azula might have turned out very differently had you been more of a presence in her life. This is why Aunt Tam scowls at you from the AU.

The conversation continues for a while, with Ozai pointing out that Zuko hates Azula, and Iroh internally denying that. “But his sparing Azula and seeking her recovery were proof enough [that Zuko loved Azula] for Iroh.” I think they’re both right. Zuko does love Azula, but that love is buried under a lot of baggage.

Iroh comes out of this memory to find Zuko looking like a wreck. There’s a bittersweet interaction between Zuko and little Lu Ten, then the nanny retrieves the toddler. Iroh and Zuko start talking—Iroh notices that Zuko keeps apologizing, wracked with guilt as he is—and Zuko is upset at how everyone knows that he burned Ozai.

“‘They’re servants. They talk,’ Iroh reminded him patiently, remember that Zuko had never been particularly good with people, and couldn’t be expected to know this.’”—And this is the man you put on the throne. Granted, he was the only viable option, but still, Iroh. Maybe you should have insisted that he come to a few White Lotus seminars to learn this stuff?

They start getting into the subject of how Ozai abused Azula, and Iroh remembers how he found out: “He heard it in her soft words, read it in her fingers straining, eyes as empty as a doll’s. Dead on the surface, screaming underneath.” Yeah, we’ll get to THAT scene eventually, but this also tells us that Azula was almost certainly too traumatized by her training for her be “convincing” at sex. She was disassociating during that incident with Iroh, but that still reads more like fear and desperation than seeming into it. Honestly, Ozai, maybe you should have just waited until she was older and found a nice sex worker to instruct Azula in this stuff. Albeit that wouldn’t have ended well for the sex worker, and that would have meant yielding control of the situation to Azula and said sex worker, but like. If you had to do something like this—which you definitely didn’t, let’s be clear here—there had to be less awful ways to go about it.

Anyway, Zuko quickly realizes that he’s not telling Iroh anything new about Ozai and Azula, and Zuko—in his outrage over Iroh not saying anything about this to him or Azula’s doctors—almost admits what happened on the night that Azula escaped. Iroh jumps to the conclusion that maybe Zuko killed Azula, and that’s why he’s acting so guilty: “It would have been self-defense, or an accident. It had to be, but Zuko would blame himself, Iroh knew. That was the kind of man his nephew was. Iroh knew the kind of man his nephew was.” You most certainly do not, Iroh. I think that Iroh is invested in believing that Zuko is better than the rest of his family and can redeem it, though. This makes him blind to the fact that Zuko still has problems rooted in abuse. To be fair, Zuko made a lot of progress towards becoming a better person over the course of the series, but that was also when he was apart from the toxicity of his core family. Stepping back into it was bound to dreg up behavior like this, because Zuko never properly worked through it. He ignored the problem, rather than face it, because it was easier. Basically, the poor kid needed some therapy where his sister and parents were concerned, but didn’t get it.

“But his denial came swiftly enough that Iroh knew it was the truth.”—Yeah, Iroh, Zuko didn’t kill Azula. He raped her. Your pick as to which of those things is worse.

Zuko admits that Mai knows what happened, but I don’t see Mai spilling those beans to Iroh. Iroh also thinks that “[Zuko] looked almost scared, ashamed, terribly lonely. All things he had no business being.” Oh Iroh, no, Zuko definitely earned this. Mind you, this is not a productive way for Zuko to be spending his time, because becoming a recluse means he’s not dealing with the political conflict around him OR helping make it up to Mai and Azula.

The conversation turns back to Ozai, and while both Zuko and Iroh agree that Ozai should be executed for what he did, there would be no way to explain it without revealing the abuse that Azula went through. They don’t actually say the last part, but that’s what would have to happen, and Azula would be horrified to have it revealed. It would also cause a scandal that would either damage her reputation or make people feel sympathy for her, the latter of which wouldn’t be good for Zuko, politically-speaking. Though who knows, the people might be like, “Hell yeah, you go kiddo, burning your rapist father!” Or maybe not. Kinslaying is probably a no-no in their culture. Not that it stopped Ozai, but still.

Iroh reminds Zuko that he can’t just kill people because he’s the Fire Lord, like Ozai did, and naturally Zuko freaks out at the implication that he is anything like his father. The first step to moving away from abusive patterns is in acknowledging where those similarities are, though, Zuko. As a side note, Iroh, what even is the point of a hereditary monarchy if the king’s word isn’t law? I’m being a little sarcastic here, but that is why people squabbled over thrones as much as they did throughout history—because it meant being able to do whatever you wanted, at least while your reign lasted.

“‘If you kill him, Azula will never forgive you.’”—I mean, probably not. I’m not sure that she’s fully realized that he was abusive to her yet. I think there were points during her training where she knew that something was wrong, and that Ozai might end up killing her, but once she wasn’t in immediate danger, she could justify his actions to herself. After all, the alternative was that she’d invested herself into someone who could never love her and was only using her, and that is a terrifying and humiliating realization to have, and would have made her feel even more alone. This is another one of those, “How would Aunt Tam’s inclusion have effected this?” sort of thing. Azula is nineteen in this fic. Would she have been able to make more progress in recognizing Ozai’s abusiveness earlier, had she had a healthy adult relationship as contrast? I would hope so, but I’m not sure.

Moving on, Zuko’s response to this is that Azula will never forgive him anyway, and Zuko will never forgive himself, so why not just kill Ozai? Iroh tries to appeal to Zuko’s better nature here, but honestly, the best reason to give Zuko is that it would be political suicide, which—while Zuko might not care about how it affects him—would negatively impact Mai and Lu Ten. That might have a chance of scaring Zuko straight.

Zuko admits to surrendering to his “lowest instincts,” and a part of me is like, “Iroh, when you realize down the road that (SPOILER) Azula is pregnant, are you going to put these two things together?” I would think that he is smart enough to figure it out, buuuuut again, he has blind spots where Zuko is concerned, and incest is not a conclusion that most people would jump to.

“But Iroh could not help him take it back. He didn’t even know what it was.” There is no taking it back, Iroh. Zuko can’t un-fuck this situation.

In any case, Iroh is going to step in to make sure Zuko survives, even if Zuko doesn’t care about his own survival. Good on you, Iroh, and good luck.

Shifting back over to Azula, she’s shooting down Rai’s messenger hawk to Iroh. That hasn’t been revealed yet, but that is what’s going on here. The bowmaker whose bow she borrowed is not pleased, while the waif who watched her shoot down the bird thinks she’s pretty cool. Azula thinks that her hallucinatory mother should be scolding her for killing animals and threatening small children, and that “defenseless little creatures should know by now to stay away from her . . . Even the stupid turtleducks had that much sense.” This is mildly painful because it’s Azula putting herself down, but also mildly funny in light of the defenseless little creature that will eventually come under Azula’s care.

In any case, the stall-keeper and the kid go tell on Azula for killing the bird, and Azula makes a reference to Toph: “At least the Beifong girl has some excuse, using her feet to see as she did….” Toph and Azula’s potential friendship always intrigues me in fanfic, though who knows if such a thing will form in “Thrones.”

“‘It was that little colonist, with her Fire eyes.’ The earthbenders exchanged a look that Azula couldn’t decipher from her vantage.”—Alright, so the earthbenders have been told to be on the lookout for Azula.

“‘She wasn’t a customer . . . She didn’t even buy anything….’”—I FEEL YOUR PAIN, WEI JIN! RETAIL IS THE WORST!

“Father would, but he was in prison… Soon, she promised herself. And him.”—Girl, let him rot in prison. He deserves it.

Moving on, Azula starts to read Rai’s coded message to Iroh, and feels stung by the betrayal. Betrayal is never going to stop hurting, Zula. The message, in any case, tells Iroh that Azula is traveling incognito, that General How is likely to start a war if he succeeds in killing Azula, and some of Azula’s movements.

“She wondered what clumsy lie Zuko would tell to cover his mistakes this time, and if Iroh and his friends would find him out. Mai had probably discovered the truth already, if she knew that knife-wielding traitor….” Azula maintains a grudging respect of Mai’s competence, even after Mai turned on her. She’s still upset by it, though, if her tears are any indication.

“Her uncle lived in Ba Sing Se now, she recalled, though she couldn’t say just how she knew.”—So her talks with Iroh towards the beginning of her stay in the asylum are murky to her, meaning that she probably doesn’t remember revealing Ozai’s abuse to him.

Azula dismisses the idea of killing Rai, because she doesn’t want to leave a trail of bodies behind her. I’m trying to remember if Azula has actually killed anyone in the backstory established in this fic thus far? I’m thinking that she hasn’t.

We get a funny callback to the series with the enthusiastic merchant on the docks, before Azula returns to the ship. There is also this darkly funny passage as she goes into the captain’s chamber: “In her experience, it was usually enough to simply act purposeful, and no one would question your purpose. A lesson her brother could take to heart. She conceded it might be harder to manipulate appearances with a quarter of your face burned off, but Zuko didn’t even try.” I should not find this amusing, but the audacity of it makes me smile.

Azula then vandalizes the captain’s world map by drawing the Pai Sho grid over it and then begins to forge a new message from Rai to Iroh. During this process, she realizes that Rai was a cook in the palace kitchen and one of the people she banished. She also remembers that Rai was relieved to go, but Azula never followed up on that. Azula admonishes herself for not making this connection sooner, and for trusting Rai like she did her friends.

“But half-hanged? Was she supposed to be in some danger here?”—Holy god, YES, Azula, you’re in a lot of danger! The Earth Kingdom wants to execute you for showing them up!

“A forgery had gained her father his throne”—Azulon’s will, no doubt—“with some timely intervention from her mother”—This was implied in canon, but this confirms that Ursa had a part in Azulon’s death. Apparently Ozai taught Azula how to forge messages early, because of course he did.

“That crafty old bastard could do with a dose of humility anyway.”—Honestly, Iroh, it’s kind of true. You and Azula have more in common in terms of your strategic minds than you think.

“With both of us at it, I’m sure we shall eventually succeed.”—LOL, Azula. Never change.

Azula, with the forged message in tow, robs Rai’s things, including what she briefly worries might be Rai’s life savings. The fact that the thought does give her pause is a reminder that Azula has a conscience, even if she ignores it.

Oh lord, so Azula goes looking for food, and I forgot that Lee decides to attack Azula at the end of this chapter. First he does her the favor of revealing that there is a bounty on her head, including wanted posters. Then he reveals that he’s put blasting jelly on the floor of the hold, because he’s A.) An idiot, and B.) Wants to scare Azula into letting him rape her before he hands her over to the authorities. He’s a real piece of work.

In the ensuing fight, he manages to pin her down, though she bites his tongue and thinks, “It was no defense her father ever taught her, but it served” and my skin crawls. After that, Azula sets his beard on fire, which gets him to let her go. She then knocks him out, but vomits afterwards. “When had she ever been this squeamish? It wasn’t as if she killed him….” I’m pretty sure Azula is reacting to shock from the attempted sexual assault here, and to the reminder of the violations she’s already experienced. Her body remembers, even if her brain is scrambling away from the thought.

“Granted, she had only ever killed one person, and then only technically, since he came back to life.”—So Azula is confirmed to have never actually killed anyone. Good to know!

“For Azula, it was not a matter of wanting to kill anyone. It was a matter of them needing to be dead. She allowed that her brother might be an exception. But then sometimes, she thought he just brought that out in people.”—This makes her very different from Ozai, who took pleasure in dominating over and killing people. Guy basically had a hard-on while burning the Earth Kingdom countryside.

Moving on, Rai finds Azula in the aftermath of the fight and is horrified on Azula’s behalf. Azula immediately reveals that she knows that Rai is a traitor, and Rai is upset at this turn of events—she genuinely wanted to help Azula—though Azula doesn’t see that, instead thinking that Rai is pretending. Azula makes a cynical comment to that effect, which shows us that she’s internalized Ozai’s belief that all people are selfish at heart. Rai, bless her, reveals the death sentence hanging over Azula’s head.

She also tries to get Azula to consider trusting Iroh, but Iroh burned that bridge years ago. He was, after all, the one who said, “She’s crazy and has to go down” to Zuko. He’s also biased in Zuko’s favor, and didn’t tell her doctors some very pertinent information about her, so I don’t think he’s equipped to help Azula. At best, he could hide her, but that wouldn’t be the freedom she wants and needs.

“The cook just gazed sadly at her, the sort of look her mother used to give her when Azula said something unkind.”—Another comparison to Ursa. New AU Idea: Rai adopts Azula and they sail the seas together as pirates. Let’s be honest, Azula would have fun as a pirate queen.

Rai is unsurprised when Azula reveals that she stole her money, and a part of me wonders if Rai purposefully made the money easy to find. After all, she presumably hid money from her abusive husband, so she might have more skill with concealing her valuables than Azula thinks.

“Be thankful it wasn’t your life I took, traitor. But she couldn’t bring herself to say it.”—Yeah, Azula has a conscience, however much she tries to pretend that she doesn’t.

Azula decides that it’s time to leave and doesn’t bother gathering some food before she goes, even though she does think about it. I think she’s too upset to bother, even though it would be the smarter thing to do, strategically speaking. Buying food from a vendor means she might be spotted by her pursuers, after all. The pirates do notice that her shirt has been torn open, but don’t ask about it, or come after her when she steals one of the lifeboats. In an impressive feat of firebending, Azula makes mist steam from the river to cover her escape, and then has a bit of a cry.

“Not for rescue, as most passengers might do on such craft. She knew how that would end, had always known. Even if she denied it to herself. She didn’t know why she denied it to herself.”—Because it’s really fucking lonely to think that no one is coming to help you, Azula, that’s why. Especially when Rai gave you hope that someone would.

The A/N makes a good point about why the situation with Lee had to go down, and going this route means that Azula has finally succeeded in fending off unwanted sexual advances from someone. Right now, though, Azula is very shaken, so we’ll have to see if her confidence in herself takes a hit from this, or is bolstered.

Once again, thank you for the read, Aurelia! I hope to get to chapter eleven sometime soon!

Sincerely, WiseAbsol

#WiseAbsol #Dominion by Aurelia le #Fanfiction #Review #Azula #avatar: the last airbender

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bellatrixobsessed1 · 5 years

Text

Wan High Weeping (Part 45)

Zuko handed his chip to Iroh, the old man smiled warmly. “One month, Zuko. You should be proud of yourself.” He handed the chip back. “Jasmine or ginger?”

“Whatever you think would taste the best.” Zuko replied, knowing very well that the man would brew up every type of tea if he had the chance. Especially since he was brewing it in celebration of him having been newly cleared for outpatient. He watched Iroh bring down his special tea set and his higher end herbal mixes. “You don’t have to do that uncle. I’ve only been a month clean.”

“A month clean is more to celebrate than a year clean.”

Zuko furrowed his brows.

“It gets easier and easier over time. I’ve always thought that it was the first few months that counted the most. Those are the months where you have to truly fight and restrain yourself.” He set the cups out on the table. “So let’s celebrate the strength in that.”

Zuko picked up one of the cups. They had a red class make with a filigree trim of gold that resembled the powerful scales of a dragon. Genuine gold, according to his uncle. That genuine gold trim was inlaid with genuine ruby, table cut. He was almost afraid to pick it up, let he shatter it. He was almost certain that the glasses were the most expensive things his uncle owned, next to the matching teapot; a thing that depicted an dragon unfurling its shimmery wings and puffing out a breath of metallic fire.

It would be at least an hour before the tea would be served. Only Iroh could draw it out that meticulously. But that had to be the reason why his tea was particularly wonderful, with the ability to make him feel wholly cleansed by the last sip. Some months ago he would have been rushing the man, telling him to hurry it up as it was just tea and he had things to attend. Today he was glad for the length of preparation. “Uncle, I have something to talk to you about.”

“Anything.” Iroh replied.

“I love it here, you know I do.” He paused. “And I know I just got back…”

Iroh moved his tea kettle to the stove. “Yes?”

“But I ran into Azula and she said that she was living with mother.”

Iroh smiled. “And you want to go stay with her for a while.”

Zuko nodded. Though he was worried at the prospect of staying with Azula again. “How far away does she live?”

“Not very far at all.”Iroh replied. “You could walk there, if you really wanted to.” He turned away from the kettle. “Would you like to bring some tea to your mother and sister?”

It sounded like a plan to him.

.oOo.

“Teo, this is my mother.” Azula introduced.

“Good afternoon, Ms. Kasai!” He greeted.

“Ursa is fine, dear.” She smiled. “How did you meet my daughter?”

“Well, there was this one time--I think it was last year--when she threatened to push me out of my wheelchair. You know, typical love at first sight things.”

Azula resisted the urge to slap her hand against her forehead. “Keep sharing stories like that and I will push you out of your wheelchair.” She mumbled.

Ursa sighed. “Well I’m glad that the two of you have moved passed that.” Azula supposed that she appreciated her mother’s efforts to not accuse her of being difficult to care for. “She has been treating you well lately?”

Teo curled his hand around hers. “Yeah, she’s been great.”

Ursa moved into the pantry and pulled out some homemade pastries. She offered them to Teo. “Thank you for being there for her when I wasn’t.”

“Yeah, no problem.”

“If you want to give some to your father for raising such a gentlemen, I’d appreciate it.”

Azula couldn’t tell whose face was more flushed, her’s or Teo’s.

“I can do that.” He took the tin.

Ursa turned to Azula. “I have some for Katara and her family as well.”

“I’ll try to remember.” Azula replied. She ought to remember, it would likely do Katara well to have some kind of a treat the monday after her trial. Based upon the silent treatment she was given by both TyLee and Katara, she was willing to bet that it was in full swing.

“Alright, well I have a sequel to work on. If you two need anything, give me a call. And let me know if you plan on going anywhere.”

Azula fights back a frown, Ozai had never made her report where she was going. “I was just planning on going around the block.” Between practice and therapy sessions, she hadn’t exactly gotten to explore the neighborhood. That was her plan for the day, the venture would be more pleasant with some company.

As soon as she stepped outside, she regretted it. She didn’t realize that the forecast had called for snow. She drew her hood over her head. It was a light fluffy sort of snowfall, the kind that clung to her lashes and the wool of her gloves, but only for a second before they melted away. The ground already had a light dusting of the stuff; it glittered trees and set the windshields of cars shimmering.

“Your mom is a nice lady.”

“She’s trying.” Azula replied. Though trying was an understatement. The woman was doing everything in her power to make Azula feel at home. It was almost suffocating, especially when put up against the lack of affection Ozai had shown her. Yet it was as comforting as it was overbearing. She no longer outright dreaded breakfast. She wasn’t comfortable, by any means, but she wasn’t going to great lengths to avoid it either.

It also didn’t horrify her to bring back a lackluster report card. Ursa insisted that her collection of B’s was perfectly acceptable. Azula disagreed vehemently, agitated that she had let them slip that far. Granted Xi River was in the process of discussing accommodations in light of her transfer, her abuse, and her suicide attempt. Even so, she didn’t want a pity grade.

It was a hassle to do so, but she left those thoughts on the back burner for the time; she had promised Teo a real date. In her mind, she flipped subjects to something lighter--her teammates were as awful on the court as they had claimed, but they treated her well. She both hated and loved to admit that Yue had been right, they paid very little attention to her body. Shoko in particular seemed to put all of her attention on simply not getting a volleyball to the face.

“I have my first game next weekend.” The words were accented by small misty puffs that drifted skyward. “Are you going to come?”

“Of course I’ll come. What time does it start?”

“It starts at seven.” She replied. “I would be there by six.” Actually she would be there by five if someone had invited her to a game, but she couldn’t imagine Teo wanting to arrive that early.

“I’ll see if Katara and TyLee want to come.” He came to a stop. “This is pretty nice.”

She wasn’t sure if he was talking about the pond and its snow-speckled cattails or the faded white gazebo overlooking it. She wheels him toward it, only to find that its only entrance had stairs. She hadn’t seen him look so disappointed in a while. With a deep sigh she attempted to lift him out of the chair. She supposed that she could handle carrying him for that short distance. She set him down on the bench built into the gazebo, facing the water. The effort left her terribly winded but his eyes had such a twinkle. She sat herself down to catch her breath. After a few moments, he pulled out his camera. At first only capturing the pond and the snowfall. Eventually he grew board of this and slung his arm around her.

Her cheeks are rosy with the cold. She cold no longer feel her nose. But she let him snap the picture anyhow.

He snatched up her phone and took a second. How wonderful, she would never have to worry about forgetting the time she almost froze her ass off in a gazebo. She shivered. With her phone back in her hands, she took off her gloves to send Katara a quick text, asking her to let her know how the trial had gone. That alone, left her hands a shade of pink. She shivered with more force.

“You don’t do too well in the cold do you?”

“I have no idea why you’d say such a thing.” She muttered through chattering teeth.

“Do you want to head back to your place?”

She didn’t spare it a second thought. She scooped Teo back up and put him in his wheelchair. They hadn’t gotten very far at all, in their walk. She supposed that she would have to explore the place in the spring, or at the very least, on a warmer winter day.

“Whose car is that?” Teo asked.

“I’m not sure, maybe one of mother’s friends.” Using a makeshift ramp, she helped Teo get onto the porch and pulled the door open. Hot air was pleasant on her skin. The smell of herbs was twice as potent as it was prior to her walk. She hung her coat and hat up and made her way into the kitchen, Teo in tow.

“Uncle?”

“Good evening, niece.” He greeted. “If I would have known you’d have a guest, I would have brought a fifth teacup.” “It’s fine, uncle. Teo and I can share.” She was trembling and desperate for something to warm her. So much so that she almost didn’t ask him what he was doing there.

“I came to drop your brother off.” He filled her cup and handed it to her. “I hope that you will make things easy for him.”

“He wants to live here?” But of course he did, their mother meant the world to him. It was going to be strange to be in his company again. It had been so long. She brought the teacup to her lips, savoring the heat that rolled off of the liquid and onto her tongue.

Azula heard a drawn out beep and Ursa stood. “The two of you made it back just on time for dinner.” Iroh followed her into the kitchen, no doubt to give she and Zuko some bonding time.

“Sweet.” Teo smiled.

Azula still didn’t share his sentiments. Two weeks into her new meal plan and it still left her feeling privately ashamed and without the comfort of being able to rid herself of it. For an uncountable amount of times, she reminded herself that the purging didn’t do anything anyways. She swept a curtain of hair out of her face and offered the teacup to Teo. She had taken care to leave it half full.

“Thanks.”

She nodded.

.oOo.

Zuko knew that he would be seeing Azula soon, his mother had told him that much. He hadn’t expected to see her enter, hand in hand with Teo. The last he recalled, she was mocking the boy for his condition. And yet, she had helped him get comfortable at the table’s end, she was sharing her drink with him. It would seem that he had missed a lot where Azula was concerned. Every time she spoke it became more apparent. Granted, she was still much quieter than usual--perhaps it was because he had showed up unannounced.

Physically she was different too. His brief and somewhat distant glance at her in the rehab facility hadn’t been enough time to process it. Since then she had put on a little more weight and it occurred to him that, that was why he hadn’t recognized her right away. He felt bad for thinking so, even if she’d never hear it.

And her hair, had it been dyed when he first re-encountered her? He could have sworn that it was fully black. But now her hair faded from its natural hue to a deep crimson to a vivid read. It had been trimmed nicely and framed her face well.

She was wearing makeup again, winging her eyeliner in the way he was use to seeing her wear it.

The clothing she wore was different as well; stylistically it was the same, but it was much baggier. He didn’t know if he should attribute this to insecurities or to the cold.

All in all, she was well put together, as usual. It wasn’t fair that her life could be in such disarray that she needed therapy, and that she could still look as sharp as ever. He wondered if he should vocalize his thoughts but decided against it, not knowing how she would take it. Instead he pulled his chip out of his pocket and set it on the table. “I got my red chip today. Picked it up really early this morning.”

“Your red chip?” Azula asked.

“I’ve been clean for a month.”

“I thought that you were admitted in October.”

“I had a relapse.” He replied reluctantly. As soon as he said it, his stomach heaved. He had just given her a huge opening. He was lucky his mother was still out of earshot, he didn’t want to give her another thing to get teary eyed over.

.oOo.

He relapsed.

Azula supposed that she wasn’t surprised, he hadn’t had many people to support him. She almost felt bad for having people to hold her hand when he had no one until now and most people considered her to be the more unapproachable and unlovable of the two.

She could see it on his face that he thought she was going to hold his confession over him for years to come. But she had nothing to say. She was a pound or two away from having a relapse of her own. “Did you have to go through it alone? The withdrawl, I mean?”

“No, I had Hahn.”

“Hahn?”

“He’s two years clean and he likes to drop by to help newcomers.”

She didn’t know where to carry the conversation from there and a hush fell over them. Zuko rested his arm on the table, it still bore signs of abuse. Pockmarks accented the length of his forearm and she was almost certain that those scars would remain.

Aside from that, he seemed to be in a much better state. His hair was clean, his face was well-shaved again. He no longer had the look of a man in times of famine. His eyes stood out the most. They were focused and had a spark to them.

His eyes had life.

It didn’t occur to her just how haunting and hollow his appearance had diminished until, the old Zuko resurfaced. She picked up the chip. “One month.” She wondered if bulimics got special chips.

Zuko smiled, he seemed so proud. He had well and earned his right to be so. She flicked the coin back to him. He caught it and returned it to his pocket.

“Wow, you guys are tense.” Teo remarked. She had to ponder upon what his relationship with his brother might have been like.

“So, when did you and Azula become friends?”

“Friendship happened some time in September. Dating started...actually that’s kind of unclear, it just kind of happened.” Teo replied.

“He’s your…?”

“Yes, perhaps you should get one.”

“For your information, I already did.”

“You got back with Mai, already?” Azula asked. It brought a dull ache to her heart to think of Mai. The girl hadn’t spoken to her in ages and the thought of reaching out...that window had well and passed.

“No.” Zuko replied. “We were talking about boyfriends. I said that I got one of those.”

“It’s Hahn isn’t it?” His face flushed and Azula smirked. “It is Hahn.”

She tried not to think about where that was going to leave Mai.

.oOo.

Zuko smiled to himself, dinner had gone so much better than he thought it would. Speaking to Azula became surprisingly pleasant after some of the awkwardness cleared. She, him, uncle, and mother--aside from the absence of a father, it was like a real family dinner. If things with Ozai hadn’t been so rough and recent, he might have made a joke about Teo filling in for their father. But Ozai was one subject Zuko couldn’t seem to make light of. And Azula? She didn’t bring the man up at all. In fact, she still hadn’t reveal anything at all about what had led to her living with their mother.

Altho, hesitantly, she was eating again. A full and regular meal at that. She made no mention of this either and he felt like he’d be pushing boundaries to ask.

He would chalk it up to Ozai simply forcing her to fast. That would explain, at least a little, how she ended up at the table with he, mother, and uncle.

After a while, she pushed a mostly empty plate to the side and announced that she was going to be taking Teo home. It was getting late and she had a two hour commute going both ways.

Now it was just he, uncle and mother.

“Do you want me to get your things from the car?” Iroh offered.

“Please.” Zuko replied.

“While he does that, I can show you to your room.” Ursa spoke. “I didn’t realize you were coming, otherwise I would have gotten you things to decorate with, like I did for Azula.”

“It’s okay.” He was just glad to be in her care again.

“Tomorrow we can go to the store and pick up a few things.”

That sounded good to him. She led him around the mansion. It was a lovely place with a much warmer and more inviting ambiance than Ozai could have ever hoped to create. With the conversation and his thoughts in a calmer, quieter place, it registered that Ursa had soft music playing in the background. The Chinese harp and a Chinese zither welcomed him to his new life.

The wallpaper was as floral as her garden. Winter plants, hung in pots by every window. She led him passed Azula’s room. It was as tidy and organized as ever. He noticed that she was displaying her medals and trophies again. Her favorite volleyball, was propped against her dresser.

He didn’t know how he was going to decorate his room yet. A few rock band posters couldn’t hurt. He’d probably place the tea set Iroh gifted to him on his dresser. Other than that, he wasn’t sure what he’d do. He’d probably just collect things to decorate with over time.

“Are you disappointed in me?” He asked.

Ursa came to an abrupt halt. “Why would you think that? I haven’t done anything to make you feel that way, did I?”

“No.” Zuko replied. “But I feel like having a heroin addict for a son, isn’t something to be proud of.”

“Oh, Zuko.” She took him into a hug. The kind he had longed for since the divorce. The kind that made him feel like he was worth the world. “I’m going to tell you what I told Azula.” She paused. “I’m not disappointed in you, I’m disappointed in your father for driving you to this. I’m furious actually. The court gave you to him, thinking that he’d give you a better life. I let him take you because I thought that he could provide for you better than I would.”

“Living on the streets with you, would have been safer than living with him.” Zuko agreed. “Maybe not for Azula, but…”

“Zuko.” She spoke firmly. “There’s a reason I’m fighting for custody over her. I’ll leave it to her to tell you about that, but Ozai was no good for her either. I need the two of you to support each other. If the two of us can work things out with her, your father will have that much less in his favor.”

.oOo.

Teo beckoned her inside. It was already 10:33. She rolled her eyes, “I can’t go in before you, you need me to hold the door, remember.”

“Let me at least pretend to be a gentleman.”

She took hold of the outer glass door and allowed him to pass. The inner door stood open on its own. “Now you can be a gentleman.”

“Urge gone.” He replied, wheeling himself the rest of the way in.

“Incredible.” She muttered under her breath. She hadn’t the time to come inside anyhow. “I have to get going.”

“How long is your drive?” Teo’s father asked.

“Two hours.”

“That is way too late to be driving!” The man declared. “You know, tired driving is as dangerous as drunk driving…”

“Dad!” Teo cut him off. “Do you want to spend the night, Azula?”

Azula sighed. Well, she was living with her mother now, she might as well give her something classically motherly to worry about. She sent the woman a text, telling her that she would be spending the night at Teo’s house.

“Our picture already got likes.” Teo remarked once they were in his bedroom.

“You posted that!?”

“You didn’t say not to.”

Fair point. She still didn’t like it.

“Who’s Nagako?”

“She sits with me at lunch.” Azula replied. She opened up her phone’s internet browser. She hadn’t logged into any of her social media pages since her attempt. She hadn’t anyone to talk to. It shouldn’t have been a shock to find new friend requests, it should have been something she was used to. Once upon a time, she had received them daily. She approved Katara, Nagako, and her volleyball team. “This guy seems like a creep, I should block him.”

Teo, still looking down at his phone, replied, “yeah.”

She hit the block button.

It took him a few moments. “Hey! Unblock me!”

Her smirk only faded when a message notification popped up. Really, it would do her well to leave it unread. But she was curious. Curious and unwilling to look like a coward. She unblocked Teo before clicking it.

The message was much simpler than she would have thought. ‘Please don’t sue me.’ He was typing again. ‘My parents will kick my ass.’

All the more reason to go through with the lawsuit.

“Who is it?”

“Chan.”

“What does he want?”

Azula shrugged. “Mercy.”

Her fingers hovered over the phone’s keyboard. ‘I’ll kick your ass myself.’ Against her better judgement, she hit send.

‘So will I. I’ve been doing a pretty good job of kicking my own ass, actually.’

She had a response at the ready, but he started typing again.

‘Can we talk.’

‘We’re talking now.’ She replied before he could begin again.

‘In person?’

‘That sounds like a perfectly horrible idea.’

Another message popped up. Clicking on that one would have been a worse idea still. He was going to have her head for it, but she blocked her father anyhow. The action left her feeling exposed and uneasy.

‘Please.’ Chan persisted. ‘You can bring that Ryoko chick, she looks perfectly terrifying.’

Azula looked to Teo, “you up for a little...adventure tomorrow?”

“Are you asking me if I want to talk to Chan with you?”

“Come or don’t come, I’m rather curious.”

“Fine, I’ll go with.”

She turned her attention back to her phone. ‘12:00. If you aren’t there at exactly 12:00, you won’t be seeing me.’

.oOo.

Zuko stretched and yawned. The scent of pancakes tickled his nose. It took him a moment to recall that he was in a new bed. A more comfortable one with a foam mattress and a collection of push pillows. The sun streamed through his windows as brightly as winter would allow.

“Did Azula ever come home?” Zuko asked, upon finding only his mother at the table.

“She spent the night at Teo’s.” Ursa answered. “Syrup?”

Zuko took the syrup and poured a generous amount over his pancakes. The smell of coffee adds a friendly tang to the morning. He couldn’t fathom why he hadn’t thought of finding and living with his mother earlier.

It might have saved him from a trip to rehab.

But then, he had started using heroin before his eighteenth birthday. Even so, he can’t bring himself to wholly regret having started his use. He didn’t think that finding Ursa would have been possible without. Even if that was the case, he wouldn’t have met Hahn.

“These are really good!” Zuko commented. He couldn’t recall the last time he had eaten homemade pancakes. Tastes like the would surely keep him away from heroine. He liked to think so anyways.

“Thank you.” Ursa smiled. “I thought that it would be too late to ever cook for my children again.”

His phone flashed, he picked it up, eager for good morning wishes from uncle or Hahn. Instead Mai’s name glared from the screen. He considered letting it pile on top of all of the other messages from her, he had missed while in rehab.

.oOo.

Chan stuffed his hands into his pockets. He wasn’t looking forward to this one at all. The trial had good and ruined his Saturday, he might as well end the weekend on a sour note. The only good news was that Jet’s collection of outbursts had essentially sealed his fate. But he didn’t condemn himself without collateral damage. The man went on a good tangent about how Chan had, had a good hand in Ruon’s demise. How his parties were trashy and perfect for people like Jet. He had asked Chan if he considered how many other people had been assaulted at his parties, people who didn’t and would never come forward. It turned his stomach.

And turned it twice over when Jet stated that he had enjoyed hitting Ruon where it hurt. Thrice over when Jet stated that he had laid some unwanted moves on Ruon, just to see him squirm.

The boy was vile through and through, and not the kind that could be helped. Chan had to guess that the boy didn’t want to change.

It was his final words that followed him. “Punch me as much as you want, you killed him too.”

He had, hadn’t he? Ruon was dead because everything had been a joke or a party to Chan. It was easier that way, until it wasn’t.

He could have pulled Jet off of Katara and made something of himself. It could have been an eye-opener, but it was easier to remain blind.

Ruon killed himself because he had a friend who was def to his problems.

He killed Ruon just as much as Jet had.

He had almost done Azula the same.

Hell, he probably had Teo teetering close to the edge and Katara as well.

It was frigid and nippy as hell but he made his way down to the beach. She hadn’t told him where to meet her. She didn’t need to. He wandered to the volleyball court, the season had already formed sparkling crystals on the net.

12:00 turned into 12:01 and 12:01 turned into 12:02.

He should have asked for a location.

“You better make this worth my while.” He jumped at the sound of her voice. “You know that I hate this weather.” She was buried beneath so many layers, it was hard to forget. He did try to forget, however, the day he had taken her ice skating and she bundled herself up in much the same way.

“You said 12:00.” He commented lamely.

“Yes, you needed to be here by 12:00. I get to take my time.” Her voice dripped with venom and hate and he was beginning to regret extending the invitation. “Katara told me that you got out of your last trail without repercussion. Why shouldn’t I change that?” She folded her arms over her chest.

It was hard to gauge her expression beneath her layers of hoods. He didn’t need to see it to know that she was unshakably pissed. The biting cold wasn’t doing him any favors. “Do you want to go to a restaurant or something?”

Wrong move.

“What, so you can make more fat jokes?”

Completely wrong move.

“Do you think I’m as dull as you?”

He looked to Teo for help. He knew he wouldn’t get it based on that shit eating grin the boy was wearing.

“I just thought that you’d want to go somewhere warmer.”

“Not necessary, this conversation is going to be quick.” Azula replied. “I believe that it’s already almost over.

He groaned, he was going to have to swallow his pride. “Okay, look, I was an asshole.”

“You speak as though you aren’t still.”

The girl was merciless. He supposed that it was nice to see fire back on her tongue, he just wished it wasn’t lashing at him. Still, he knew that the lashes were well earned, he had been one of the people to kill the flame in the first place.

“I’m trying to fix that.”

“You’re trying to save yourself from another trial.”

“I don’t want to be like him.” Chan insisted. “Did Teo give you this big of a hassle when you apologized to him!?”

“Kiss my ass, Chan.”

Teo’s snickering didn’t do Chan’s temper any favors.

“I’m trying!” He sputtered. “And it is not working.”

“Clearly.” Teo snorted.

Azula looked horrifically unamused. She looked down at her phone. “I live two hours away, thank you for your hand in that, by the way. I have to get going. Have fun with Usha.”

“Wait!” Chan raked his hands through his hair. “I don’t even like Usha. I only got with her to bother you.”

“Congratulations, it worked for a while. Good to know that it bothered you too.” She hit a button on her car keys and he heard the faint pop of the doors unlocking. She turned around. “While I’m here, I might as well ask why.”

“Why what?”

“Why did you want to bother me?”

“I wanted attention.” He confessed.

“You had it.” Azula scoffed. “I want a real reason.”

And he had none for her. They’d known each other for years. They had been in the same group of friends for years. Until her accident. He knew that Usha had been sitting there nice, pretty, and waiting for Azula to fall so that she could take her place at the top. She told him that much. But him? Where was the appeal for him?

He couldn’t say why, but it had simply been fun. It was one thing to pick on a nerd and a completely new and interesting experience to pick on someone who had toppled painfully down the social ladder. Was that it? Was that really the only reason he had done it?

“I don’t have one.” He admitted.

“I know.”

The snow crunched beneath her feet as she wheeled Teo back up the beach. Between the sand and the ice, it was a task she was struggling with. He reached out. “If anyone’s accidently dumping Teo into the snow, it’s going to be me. You’ve pushed him out of his chair enough.”

She wasn’t missing one chance. “It’s good to have you back.” He tried. It was one final attempt at ass kissing.

“You do not have me back.” She huffed as she fought to free Teo’s wheelchair from a mound of snowy sand. It would be comical if she wasn’t so frustrated and he wasn’t so stressed. “Not even.” Another huff. “Close.” The chair was free.

“I mean that it’s good to hear some of that sass again.” If nothing else, at least he knew that he hadn’t left any permanent damage to her self-worth. “Can I please help you wheel nerdass...Teo back to your car?”

“Nerdass doesn’t want your help.” Teo grumbled.

“Neither do I.”

He watched her help Teo into her car and then she climbed into it for herself. It would seem that things were finally going to catch up to him. She turned her keys and the engine wheezes. She gave it a second go and a third. He wasn’t a lip reader, but he knew her well enough to know that she was silently cursing to herself and to Teo.

“I have a car and jumper cables.” Chan offered.

“Call the tow truck, Teo.”

“Really?” He sputtered. “Now you’re just being difficult.”

“Correct.”

Chan pinched the bridge of his nose. “Look. I’m sorry. Do you want to slap me in the face or something? Would that help?”

He didn’t expect her to take him up on his offer. The sting her hand left reminded him exactly why she had been so good at volleyball. “It helped a little.”

“How many slaps will it take to get you to hear me out?” He asked.

“At least one.”

He sucked in a deep breath, “go on.”

She rolled her eyes. “Start jumping my car. We can talk while you do that.”

#Avatar #Azula #Zuko #Iroh #Ursa #Teo #Chan #Mai #TyLee #Katara #Sokka #Suki #Aang #Toph #Ozai #Jet #Fanfiction

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setaripendragon · 7 years

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Like Fire and Water - Part 5

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 Figuring out how to write this part was one of the hardest things about this fic, but I’m actually really pleased with how it came out. I am a little sad I didn’t have space to fit more of Azula’s reunion with Ursa, but... on the other hand, I’m kind of glad I didn’t need to twist my brain into figuring out how Azula’s psychosis would show itself... ^^”

The sun cast glittering reflections on the surface of the bay, and Hakoda braced his forearms against the side of his ship to watch the waves. He kept half an eye on their surroundings, because he was not foolish enough to be caught unawares when he knew the Fire Nation were in the area, but most of his mind was back in Ba Sing Se. With Ursa, who was radiant with the relief and delight in seeing her son again after six years – Hakoda still wasn’t sure how he had managed two, and Ursa still awed him with her quiet, steely strength – and finally knowing how both her children had fared. With Katara, who he hadn’t seen since that day on the train station platform almost a full week ago, when she’d accused him of betraying Kya.

That memory still made him wince. Even though he knew that Kya would have scolded him up one side and down the other if he’d let a new love pass him by for the sake of her memory, it still… lingered. That pain. The grief never really went away, just like Ursa’s wounds from her previous marriage would remain. A different sort of pain entirely, but… that permanence was very similar. Similar enough that they could understand each other far more than Hakoda had felt with anyone else since Kya’s death.

He wished Katara could understand that, but he knew it would take time. Patience was something he could do, but it wasn’t always easy. He hated being the cause of Katara’s pain, and he hated that he had put her so at odds with Ursa. Of course, Ursa had laughed at him when he’d apologised for Katara’s behaviour. ‘You should have seen some of the tantrums Azula threw when she was little, that was nothing’, she’d said, and Hakoda hadn’t doubted her.

“You’re distracted.”

Hakoda blinked, and turned to see Bato propping his hip against the railing, arms crossed and a deeply unimpressed – if slightly amused – expression on his face. “Are you still worrying about Katara?” He pressed, when Hakoda decided that silence was the better part of valour. “Because you know there’s nothing you can do about that? She’ll come around to Xia in her own time, and it’ll only take longer if you push her.”

“I know.” Hakoda sighed. “I just don’t like discord in the tribe.” He grumbled.

Bato snorted. “Should have thought about that before you married Fire Nation royalty.” He pointed out, and Hakoda was glad to hear not a single trace of genuine scorn in Bato’s voice. Bato was the only one among the other warriors who knew the full truth of Ursa’s history. While the others knew that ‘Xia’ was Fire Nation, and had fled from an abusive marriage, they believed she was only half Fire Nation, and had been born and raised in the colonies.

If it had been Hakoda’s choice, he might have told them the full truth, because secrets among a tribe were a recipe for trouble, but it wasn’t. It was Ursa’s choice, and she had grown up in the Fire Court, where secrets were the currency that mattered. Still, Hakoda was glad she’d agreed that Bato could know, because he needed someone to talk to at times like this, and he was never more grateful for his best friend and his ability to put up with the trouble Hakoda dragged him into.

“She’s more than that.” Hakoda replied, aware that he probably sounded like a moon-addled teenager again, but unable to quite bring himself to care.

“Yeah, yeah, so you’ve said.” Bato drawled between snorts. There was a beat or two of silence, and then he puffed out a sigh, and dropped a hand onto Hakoda’s shoulder. “She will come around, you know. Katara’s been angry about Kya’s death for a long time, sure, but she’s always had more compassion than sense. She gets that from her father.” He added dryly.

Hakoda grinned to himself, but didn’t let Bato see that he’d been reassured just yet. “It’s not just Katara, though.” He said, matching Bato’s tone.

“Oh? Sokka giving you trouble, too?” Bato asked, disbelieving.

“No, actually.” Hakoda admitted, unable to keep the pride from his voice. “He and Ursa got on really well after a few minor hiccups.”

“Then… Ursa’s boy?” Bato hazarded a guess, clearly unable to think about the Fire Prince being in Ba Sing Se without serious discomfort.

Hakoda sighed heavily, but he couldn’t help a faint smile, either. “No, he’s not being trouble either. He’s just wary. So wary, and I don’t blame him one bit. I just hope I can… be enough of a good father-figure to him that he realises the way the Fire Lord treated him was wrong.”

“Ah.” Bato sighed in understanding. “What’s bothering you then?”

Hakoda eyed him sideways. “You try sitting down for dinner with the Dragon of the West, while he cheerfully doesn’t quite threaten you to be a good husband to the woman he loves like a sister and a good father-figure to the boy he loves like his own son or else.” He paused, to let the horror of that thought sink in. “And tell me how well you’d be feeling, even a week afterwards.”

Bato shuddered, and muttered a quick prayer to Tui and La. “It gives me chills just thinking that the Dragon of the West is inside Ba Sing Se, and we weren’t even fighting when he was on the battlefield.” He admitted ruefully. “But you knew what you were getting into when you-”

Years of fighting side by side with the man had Hakoda turning to find the threat before Bato’s expression had even finished falling. It wasn’t the massive Fire Nation steam ship he was expecting, but the Fire Nation symbol was still proudly displayed on the small craft. It looked almost like a cross between those strange motorised water-skis some of the ships would deploy, and a small passenger craft.

And it was coming straight for them.

“ALL HANDS ON DECK!” Hakoda roared, “PREPARE TO ENGAGE!”

The mad scramble to battle stations didn’t last long, but the enemy craft was light and ridiculously fast, and it was within shouting distance before the last of Hakoda’s warriors had scrambled onto the deck. The door to the closed off cabin opened, and a teenage girl stuck her head and shoulders out, offering a cheery wave. She was disarmingly cute, with a round face and large eyes, long brown hair in a plat and pink clothes instead of the usual red or black. “Hi!” She called. “Are you Chief Hakoda?”

“That would be me.” Hakoda confirmed, too bewildered to manage anything else.

“Oh, good!” The girl exclaimed brightly. “We’ve been looking all over for you. You were very hard to find, even though we knew you had to be around here somewhere.”

Hakoda had a very bad feeling about this. “That is kind of the point.” He called back.

“Right!” The girl chirped, undaunted by the reminder that they were enemies. Then she vanished again, but not before Hakoda heard her trill a bright “Found him!” to someone else inside the cabin. That bad feeling Hakoda had was getting worse.

Sure enough, the next person to exit the cabin proved all his horrible suspicions right. The girl was younger than Katara, though not by much, Hakoda would guess, wearing a full set of the lighter Fire Nation armour more common on scouts than soldiers. And she looked a great deal like her mother. Sharper and younger, and her hair was even darker than Ursa’s dark brown, but it was easy to see the resemblance.

“Koh’s lair.” Bato swore.

“Greetings, Chief Hakoda.” Azula said politely. The same polite tone Ursa used when she was really angry with someone. “I have it on good authority that you know where I might be able to find my mother.” She stated, although with a clear air of expecting a response.

“Ohh…” several members of Hakoda’s crew breathed in unison. Then they started muttering amongst themselves. Beside him, Bato slapped a hand to his face the way Hakoda dearly wished he could, but he had to at least try to appear more dignified than that. He also needed to figure out how on earth he was supposed to treat this girl. It was a fine line to tread, being a father-like figure, without actually acting like a father, which he was very certain would not go down well at all.

“I do.” Hakoda confirmed, running through all his options in his mind before settling on the one he thought was probably least likely to lead to disaster. “If you’ll come with us to that cove,” he nodded in the direction of a small, pebbly beach between the rocks that was far enough away from both where the Tribe usually moored, and the hidden docks of Ba Sing Se that he wasn’t risking revealing either, “I can send her a message that you’re here and to come meet you.”

“You won’t take me to see her?” Azula asked, far too innocently.

Hakoda snorted. “I won’t help Fire Nation get inside Ba Sing Se.” He informed her bluntly. “Even if I’m fairly sure you wouldn’t actually need my help.” He added dryly, thinking of how the Dragon of the West had managed to live for weeks within the walls without anyone so much as batting a lash.

Azula arched an eyebrow at him, an unreadable little smile on her face. “Very well.” She agreed, and somehow she managed to make it sound like it had been her idea all along and she was just humouring him, instead of the capitulation that it was. She gestured elegantly. “Lead the way.”

Hakoda did, although he made sure there was someone watching their backs on every ship. Once they were on the beach, he sent a runner with a hastily scribbled note to Ursa, unashamedly begging for a rescue. Then he was forced to face Azula. Most of his men had backed off to give them some space, though not so far that they couldn’t be there in a heartbeat if Azula decided to attack. Bato remained at his shoulder, though, tense and unhappy about the situation.

There were two girls with Azula, which, Hakoda realised, must be the friends Ursa had told him about, which would make the one in pink Ty Lee, and the bored-looking girl on Azula’s other side Mai. “Well,” Azula began, a hint of vindictive glee in her voice even as she tried to keep in mild, “isn’t this awkward.”

“Awkward as a turtle-duck on land.” Hakoda agreed, using Ursa’s phrase over the one he’d used all his life. As he’d half hoped, his response seemed to throw the Princess off for a moment. Her eyes widened, her polite smile faltering, and then the mask was back, like it had never shattered, except for the new gleam of calculation in her golden eyes.

“Oh, I know! Why don’t you tell us how you met Lady Ursa?” Ty Lee enthused.

“Yes, I’d quite like to hear that story myself.” Azula agreed. Mai just yawned.

Hakoda shrugged and went along with it. “We sometimes offer our protection to Earth Kingdom ships sailing to Ba Sing Se. Some of the Fire Nation pirates-” Azula bristled, glaring, and Hakoda raised a hand in apology. “Raiders,” he corrected, and Azula subsided with a frown, “got past us and started harassing the passengers. My men and I boarded the Earth Kingdom ship to drive them off, but it turns out your mother had gotten there first. Two of the raiders were dead, and the others looked like they were considering throwing themselves over the side to get away from her.” He couldn’t help smiling at the memory. It hadn’t been quite as cliché as love at first sight, but he did distinctly remember saying to Bato ‘wow, what a woman’. He may have been speaking loud enough for Ursa to overhear him.

Azula looked… uncertain. It wasn’t the same sort of vulnerability Zuko had shown, but there was a distinct edge of bewildered indecision in her eyes, a touch of fight or flight in the way she was holding herself very, very still. Finally she drew in a breath, and smiled smugly. “My mother might not be of Sozin’s line, but she is an Imperial fire-bender, and her skills made her well worthy of her position as my father’s wife.”

“More than.” Hakoda agreed mildly.

Azula’s eyes narrowed sharply, hearing the unspoken slight directed at the Fire Lord. A sneer twisted her lips. “Her weakness for useless sentiment, on the other hand, is the reason she was banished.” She added scathingly.

Hakoda breathed through the sudden surge of his temper. He’d never thought of himself as particularly short-tempered. The women of his family had always made him feel like a very mellow and reasonable sort of person, but Azula clearly had a whale-shark’s ability to smell the blood in the water. Well, if Azula wanted him angry, that was every reason for him to soothe back his temper and remind himself that she was his step-daughter now. How would he talk to Katara, if she’d been saying things like that?

“I wouldn’t call caring about your children a weakness, myself.” He said evenly, offering Azula a patient smile. “In fact, I’d say that denying the bonds of family and refusing to open your heart to someone is the real weakness. It’s not wrong to fear the things people can do to us when we trust them, but to let that fear stop you…” Hakoda shrugged fondly. “Ursa is many things, but she’s never been a coward.”

Azula rocked back on her heels like his words had been physical blows, which had not been Hakoda’s intent, although he couldn’t quite bring himself to regret it. At her side, Mai hissed a breath through her teeth, and Ty Lee grabbed at Azula’s arm, although whether that was to steady herself or the Princess, it wasn’t actually clear.

“I am not afraid!” Azula snapped, before she’d managed to recover her composure.

Oh, Hakoda’s heart hurt, hearing that. She sounded so young. Like Sokka, thirteen years old and begging to be allowed to come and fight with the rest of them. Like Katara, hands shaking as she worked through midnight to keep the nightmares at bay. And there was so much that she’d just admitted in that one furious denial. She knew it, too, because her face paled, and something much colder replaced her previous anger.

She didn’t look like a little girl anymore. She looked like an Imperial fire-bender, a daughter of Sozin’s line, ready and eager to burn the world to ashes. Still, Hakoda held fast to the memory of her face right after he’d spoken, the shock and fear that made her look her age. He smiled into the face of her wrath. “I am.” He admitted easily, catching her off-guard like he’d meant to. “There’s nothing scarier than offering your heart to someone and knowing that there’s nothing you can do if they decide to crush it. They might not even mean to. Sometimes-” He swallowed, and didn’t bother trying to keep the pain off his face or out of his voice. “Sometimes people leave, they die or get taken or forced away, even though they would have stayed, if they could.”

“Don’t talk to me like you know anything-!” Azula snarled.

Hakoda could feel his expression turn hard without conscious input. “You’re not the only person who’s lost someone they love.” He told her, keeping his voice calm and level, despite his own pain and Azula’s clear desire to roast him on the spot.

“I don’t-” Azula began, then stopped, staring at Hakoda like she was actually seeing him for the first time. “Oh, you’re good.” She murmured viciously. “You’d fit right in at the Fire Lord’s Court.”

Well, that was a compliment wrapped in an insult hidden inside a riddle. Hakoda had no idea how he was supposed to respond to that, so he fell back on a trusted back-up plan; humour. “You don’t think the blue would stand out?” He asked innocently.

Azula blinked rapidly at him. Ty Lee giggled. Mai and Bato both groaned in disgust.

Silence swelled, and Hakoda wondered if another joke might break the awkward tension in the air, but before he could actually say anything, Ursa finally arrived. He couldn’t help the way his shoulders slumped with relief, or the way just the sight of her made him feel stupidly warm and fuzzy on the inside. She had little more than a distracted smile for him, though, because most of her attention was on Azula. Her hurried glide across the pebbles slowed as she approached, but she didn’t actually stop until she was within arms reach of her daughter.

“Azula.” She said, voice thick with emotion.

Azula took a breath that shook. “Mother.” She greeted, and she was trying to sound strong and cold and unmoved, but Hakoda could still hear the fragile tremor beneath her cold fire.

Ursa made a small, devastated, delighted sound in the back of her throat, and tentatively reached out to pull Azula into a hug. Azula didn’t object, allowed herself to be held, but neither did she make any move to encourage or reciprocate. “You came. I didn’t know if- Oh, Azula. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I love you, I’ll always love you.” She said, words tumbling out in an uncharacteristic rush.

Over Ursa’s shoulder, Azula’s eyes were wide and glassy. And then, to Hakoda’s complete and utter shock, the tears spilled over, and Azula’s arms came up to return the embrace. She lowered her head to her mother’s shoulder – to hide the tears, Hakoda suspected, how very like her brother – and her hands became claws against Ursa’s back. “I hate you.” She hissed, so quiet Hakoda could barely hear her.

Ursa shook, and Hakoda desperately wanted to hug her himself, but he held back for now, soothing himself with the promise of later. “I know.” Ursa said, both tears and a smile clearly audible in her voice. “That’s okay. It doesn’t change how much I love you.”

“Stop it.” Azula snapped, high and wavering. “Stop saying that.”

“I will repeat it as many times as I need to until you believe me.” Ursa replied simply.

Azula made a quiet, wounded sound. Somehow, her friends interpreted that as their cue, and silently slipped around the mother and daughter to approach Hakoda. “We should give them some space.” Ty Lee informed him, strangely subdued.

Hakoda considered that. “I think I’m going to stay here.”

“She’ll kill you for seeing this.” Mai warned him.

Hakoda smiled tiredly at her. “I’m not going to turn my back on her when she’s hurting.”

Mai eyed him for a long moment, before her deadpan expression lightened. It wasn’t anywhere near a smile, but Hakoda thought it looked like approval anyway. “Huh. If you survive, you might even be good for her.” She said, then caught Ty Lee’s arm and dragged her off, shooting a hard, pointed look at Bato as she passed him. When Bato glanced at him before taking the hint, clearly dubious about leaving Hakoda there when a clear threat had been made, Hakoda waved him off with a reassuring smile. Bato did not look reassured, but he went anyway.

After considering his options, Hakoda seated himself on a vaguely chair-height boulder that was close enough to Ursa and Azula to hear a normal conversation, but far enough that they had the illusion of privacy. By the time he was pulling out his whittling knife and his latest carving project, Bato had somehow managed to convince the rest of the men to disappear, along with the two Fire Nation girls. Hakoda made a mental note to do something nice for his friend, as a thank you for taking charge and handling that potentially volatile situation so that Hakoda could be there for his family.

#Avatar The Last Airbender #Hakoda #Ursa #Ursa/Hakoda #Azula #Bato #Mai #Ty Lee #writing hakoda is like trying to juggle #wise chief #loving father #dork #which is most prevalent?#also I suck at writing sokka-like humour #so that just makes it harder #the more I write azula the more I like her

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