#like that his girlfriend the greatest earthbender to live is his girlfriend
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Taang Fluffy Headcanons
- Aang and Toph never marry - partially because Aang's culture doesn't believe in matrimony and partially because Toph isn't keen on extravagant festivities. However, Aang is a hopeless romantic and ever since he'd first learnt about the Water Tribe tradition of gifting your SO a betrothal necklace to honor their commitment and love, he couldn't help but want to do something similar for Toph. It wasn't a necklace, nor a ring, but a small bracelet made of metal with gold and green accents. Simple and small, Toph wore it proudly;
- They never planned on officially announcing their relationship to the public. But, the world still believed that Aang had feelings for Katara. Locals would pester Aang about his non-existent relationship with the waterbender, questioning him about the hopes of their engagement, potential children. Toph never verbally admitted his displeasure over the rumors, but Aang was vigilant and knew her well enough to know she was bothered. So, on one particular visit to Republic City - when a large crowd had formed anticipating the arrival of the Avatar and Toph Beifong... Aang kissed Toph infront of everyone. It has earned him a rather nasty punch to the arm and a scolding when they were alone, but, since then people were aware for whom Aang's heart beat.
- Toph's love languages are acts of service and quality time. Aang's love languages are words of affirmation and physical touch. They're not big on PDA but behind closed doors they are such saps.
- Toph remains pretty short whilst Aang skyrockets past her to the point her head barely reaches the top of his shoulders. He absolutely adores teasing her on their height difference.
- Toph secretly loves cuddling.
- Aang and Toph are a chaotic duo whose sole goal in life is stressing thir friends into an early grave. At any prestigious event that would invite the honorable couple, they would always make the most of their time. They would dance ridiculously, annoy their friends, earthbend just for the laughs and be glued to the hip together. No matter the occasion or the circumstances, they would always be happiest with each other.
- They are the first of their group to have kids. At twenty, Toph tells Aang she's pregnant and, though young and ill-prepared, they accept the challenge (besides, Aang needed to repopulate the Air Temples, might as well get a head start). Their friends are skeptical but supportive nonetheless;
- Toph initially only thought of having two, maybe three, children. But, she enjoys parenthood, adores her babies and it doesn't help that her first three sons all turn out to be airbenders... and she'd be damned if her earthbending genetics weren't passed down to atleast one of her kids. Aang and Toph eventually stop at 6 - 4 airbenders and 2 earthbenders;
- Aang and Toph (despite everyone's concerns) are fantastic abd loving parents. Toph makes sure that Aang doesn't favor their airbending kin and Aang is quick to scold Toph if she is ever too brash. They learn and become better parents with one another, love all their kids equally and provide them a secure, stable and chaotic childhood.
- Once all of their kids are capable and respectful adults, Aang and Toph eventually retire to The Swamp. Only ever leaving for major events - the birth of the grandchildren, peace summits, Avatar duties, etc. They built a little home and grew old together.
#taang#toph x aang#aang x toph#toph beifong#headcanon#we could have had it aaaalllll#they would have been such a power couple#aang would be the biggest toph simp#like that his girlfriend the greatest earthbender to live is his girlfriend#he would be whipped#also i can't get over the image of toph trying to parent a baby airbender#god we were robbed
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Fav Tropes and Why
All Loving Hero - Many people in the fandoms and IRL think someone who believes in kindness and love is “weak”. I call BS on that statement. It’s easy to believe being cruel and/or edgy is “mature” but it’s not. Willingly choosing to be good in a world where others tell you to stop is the pinnacle of strength and resilience.
Amazon Chaser - Seeing a (usually male) character be smitten with a female’s character battle prowess and/or fiery attitude is *chef’s kiss*.
Babies Ever After - What can I say? I love seeing my favorite OTPs having a child and/or children together. It makes me think back to the beginning and progress of their love.
Badass Family - The family that kicks ass together is the family that will ALWAYS worm their way into my heart.
Beware The Nice Ones - Seeing a normally nice and gentle character go APESHIT when pushed too far will never get old.
Big Brother (Big Sister) Instinct - Protective siblings for the win.
Bittersweet Ending - Sometimes you want a straight up happy ending but life doesn’t happen like that. In reality, the best you can get is half happy and half sad. It’s bittersweet for a reason.
Childhood Friend Romance - It’s just a sweet concept. Two people who have known each other all their lives, falling for each other, and then forming a romance is absolutely wonderful. Marrying your best friend and true love at the same time? PEAK ROMANCE.
Cool Big Sis (Bro) - Having caring, loving, encouraging older sibling figures is PEAK SEROTONIN.
Dark And Troubled Past - Hearing a person’s troubled life can better humanize them to the audience. Me included.
Feminist Fantasy - In short, this trope is about a fantasy and/or scifi story featuring a female protagonist and/or large female cast. And many of people’s favorite shows/movies fall into this category.
Handicapped Badass - I believe I was introduced to this trope when I was graced with ultimate presence of THE best earthbender of ATLA/Tlok, one of THE well-written characters in history (animated or live-action), and one my ultimate fav characters: Toph Bei Fong. She was a blind girl but she was able to use what people perceived as a weakness to be her greatest strength.
Hard Truth Aesop - Something needed in a lot of media. Sometimes the moral of a story isn’t as straightforward as meany would like it to be. It makes life more complicated and nuanced.
Interspecies Romance - I think my liking of this trope aka “Monster Boyfriend/Girlfriend/Romance” started with one of my favorite disney movies: The Beauty and The Beast (the OG one). Seeing a huge, monstrous being (who is ironically still quite good looking) having a tender and loving romance with their human lover is peak romance. Like Guillermo del Toro, I am all for monster romances.
Mama Bear - The woman who birthed you for roughly 9 months, is ready to go through all hell to protect you. Good parenting.
Papa Wolf - Similar to the Mama Bear trope, a dad going beast mode to protect his child/children is good parenting at its’ finest.
Platonic Life Partners - Despite popular belied, it IS possible for male and females friends to be and stay just like that: FRIENDS. And it’s not “lesser” than
The Reason You Suck Speech - Whether they’re the hero or villain, a rant meant to call them out on their shortcoming and how said shortcoming keep hurting the goal and/or other people is great. It makes either the hero grow or makes the villain get their final comeuppance.
Took A Level In Badass - Watching the progress of how a wimpy, unskilled character transform into a badass is freakin’ awesome. Either they become badass in skill, personality, and/or both are all equally awesome.
Watched It For the Representation - I don’t care what some pretentious, attention0-seeking jerks say...Hearing another person reveal how empowering and validating it felt seeing someone similar to them (i.e., race, sexuality, body type, etc.) is great to see.
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the boiling rock [zuko]
Pairing: Zuko x reader
Disclaimer!: The reader is Sokka and Katara’s older sister!
Requested?: Yes! By @thegirlwholikestomanythings: “ Hi! I have a Zuko x reader request if you don't mind. Maybe something like the reader being Katara and Sokka's older sister and Zuko having a big crush on her after he joins in S3?”
Summary: Sokka goes to break Hakoda out of The Boiling Rock and is shocked to find you there as well. He’s even more shocked when he figures out that Zuko’s a simp for you.
this is based off of the boiling rock episodes but there are a few changed made! there’s also like a pov change halfway i’m sorry. TIS A LONG ONE!!
.masterlist.
~
When Zuko defeated Combustion Man, Aang didn’t let him join the group until he gained approval from all of his friends.
“Toph, you're the one that Zuko burned. What do you think?”
The blind earthbender smirked, a sinister look on her face as she pounded her fist into her palm. “Go ahead and let him join. It'll give me plenty of time to get back at him for burning my feet.”
Satisfied with her answer, Aang turned to the Water Tribe boy. “Sokka?”
“Hey, all I want is to defeat the Fire Lord. If you think this is the way to do it, then, I'm all for it,” he said, crossing his arms as he leaned against the wall near him.
“Katara?” Aang asked uncertainly, noticing the stony look on the Water Tribe girl’s face.
“I'll go along with whatever you think is right,” she replied, glaring at Zuko.
“Great!” Aang said, ignoring Katara’s reaction. “Then that’s settled. Welcome to the group Zuko!”
Zuko paused slightly, looking around as he noticed the absence of the other Water Tribe girl he had always seen with the Gaang.
“Not that I’m complaining,” the prince said, a questioning look in his eyes. “But isn’t there someone else you should be asking? Where’s the other Water Tribe girl?”
The group went silent at Zuko’s words as Katara’s face hardened and Sokka looked away, a sad expression making it’s way onto his face.
“She’s gone,” Sokka said roughly as he began to storm off.
Katara reached out for his arm, grabbing onto him as he passed her. “Sokka, it wasn’t your fault.”
“Not my fault?” Sokka roared, stray tears escaping his eyes as he faced Katara. “It was my invasion plan Katara! I should’ve taken the fall. Not her!”
He shrugged her hand off before walking off deeper into the Air Temple. Katara sent Zuko another glare before hurrying after her brother, leaving him alone with Aang and Toph. Zuko glanced at Aang uneasily, not wanting to ask about what had happened. With a sigh, Aang sat down looking at Zuko expectantly.
The prince sat down across from Aang as Toph sat to his left, the usually loud-mouthed girl abnormally quiet.
“The other Water Tribe girl that would travel with us is (Y/N),” Aang explained quietly. “She’s Sokka and Katara’s older sister.”
Zuko nodded in response before speaking. “W-What happened to her?”
“She got captured by the Fire Nation on the Day of Black Sun,” Aang replied, looking down at his lap. “You know about the invasion right?”
Zuko nodded once more.
“Well it was Sokka’s invasion plan,” Aang continued. Zuko’s eyebrows rose up in surprise, going unnoticed by Aang. “He came up with it and (Y/N) and Hakoda, that’s their dad, fine tuned it. They thought of everything that could possibly go wrong and when the day came, Sokka was the one leading it.”
Aang’s face suddenly turned into one full of guilt. “I-It was actually my fault that she got captured. If I hadn’t gotten distracted by Azula, we could’ve gotten away before the eclipse was over. Instead, they caught up to us before we could get back to the beach. Hakoda told us all to leave on Appa and to take the youngest members of the group but (Y/N) didn’t fit because we had Teo, Haru, and The Duke with us. So she decided to stay behind and take the blame for the invasion so that they wouldn’t go out and look for us. She said that they’d believe her because she was traveling with the Avatar and because she was the daughter of the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe and she had a reason to want to attack the Fire Nation.”
Aang couldn’t stop the tear that slipped out. “I guess she was right because we weren’t followed after we escaped.”
“C’mon Twinkletoes,” Toph said, leaning back on her hands. “(Y/N) knew what she was getting into. She’s not dumb. She’s strong, smart, and patient. In fact, I’m willing to bet she’s making those Fire Nation guard’s lives hell.”
Zuko observed Toph as she spoke about the missing Water Tribe girl. “How are you so sure?”
“Please,” Toph scoffed, cracking her knuckles. “She’s the only idiot here that can beat me in a fight. She’ll be fine.”
“Oh,” Zuko said, slightly surprised. “Is she a waterbender too?”
“Nope,” Toph said. “That’s how I know she’s okay. She can beat me in a fight, and I’m the greatest earthbender in the world! I invented metalbending.”
Zuko’s eyebrows shot up in surprise at Toph’s words. “She beat you without any bending?”
“She did,” Sokka’s voice rang out. The group (except Toph) turned around to find Sokka walking towards them. “Which is why we needed her here, not in prison. She shouldn’t be paying for my mistakes.”
Without another word Sokka climbed onto Appa, shooting Aang a look when the Air Nomad shot him a worried glance. “Don’t worry Aang. I’m just gonna clear my head. Yip yip.”
The conversation ended with Sokka’s departure and silently, Aang showed Zuko to his room.
~
“Hey, can I talk to you for a second?” Sokka asked, catching Zuko’s attention as he handed him a cup of tea. Zuko set down the tea and followed Sokka to where he was standing, softly petting Appa when he opened his eyes to look at them.
“So, what’s up?” Zuko asked, looking back over at the group before focusing on Sokka.
“If someone was captured by the Fire Nation, where would they be taken?” the Water Tribe boy asked, trying to look nonchalant. At Zuko’s suspicious look, he spoke again. “When the invasion plan failed, some of our troops were taken. I just want to know where they might be.”
“We both know this is about your sister, Sokka,” Zuko replied. “I can’t tell you.”
“What? Why not?” Sokka asked, mildly irritated.
“Trust me,” Zuko said, turning to leave. “Knowing will just make you feel worse.”
“It’s not just about (Y/N)!” Sokka hissed, causing Zuko to stop in his tracks. “It’s my dad. He was captured too. I need to know what I put them through.”
“It’s not good Sokka,” the prince replied, not meeting his eyes.
“Please.”
Sighing deeply, Zuko gave in. “My guess is, they were taken to The Boiling Rock.”
“What’s that?”
“The highest security prison in the Fire Nation,” Zuko ignored Sokka’s horrified look. “It's on an island in the middle of a boiling lake. It's inescapable.”
“So,” Sokka said, trying to appear indifferent. “Where is this place?”
“Why do you need to know?” Zuko asked, eyes narrowing. “What are you planning?”
“Nothing!” Sokka tried reassuring the prince. “Boy, you’re so paranoid.”
Zuko rolled his eyes before replying. “It's in the middle of a volcano between here and the Fire Nation. You guys actually flew right past it on your way here.”
“Thanks Zuko,” Sokka said before letting out a very fake yawn as he stretched. “Just knowing makes me feel better.”
“Sure it does,” Zuko scoffed, watching the Water Tribe boy walk away. Noticing that everyone was getting ready to go to bed, he stealthily climbed up onto Appa’s saddle, gently shushing the sky bison when he once again opened his eyes.
~
At this moment, Zuko sort of regretted joining Sokka on his journey. After having successfully convinced him to take his war balloon instead of Appa, the two boys found themselves existing in awkward silence.
“Pretty clouds,” Sokka spoke first, slightly startling Zuko.
“Yeah...fluffy,” the Fire Nation prince replied before focusing on the fire again. Sokka began whistling casually, drawing Zuko’s attention. “What?”
“What?” Sokka asked, the awkwardness between the two boys palpable. “Oh, I didn't say anything. You know, a friend of mine actually designed these war balloons.”
“No kidding,” Zuko said with slight surprise.
“Yep. A balloon...but for war,” came the other boy’s reply.
“If there's one thing my dad's good at, it's war.”
“Yeah, it seems to run in the family.”
“Hey, hold on,” Zuko said, slightly offended. “Not everyone in my family is like that.”
“I know, I know,” Sokka replied, hands raised in defense. “You’ve changed.”
“I meant my uncle. He was more of a father to me. And I really let him down.”
“I think your uncle would be proud of you,” Sokka said, looking at Zuko intently. “Leaving your home to come help us? That's hard.”
“It wasn’t that hard.”
“Really?” Sokka asked in disbelief. “You didn't leave behind anyone you cared about?”
“Well I did have a girlfriend,” Zuko replied, smiling slightly. “Mai.”
“That gloomy girl who sighs a lot?” Sokka asked, trying to hold back his smile.
“Yeah. Everyone in the Fire Nation thinks I'm a traitor. I couldn't drag her into it,” Zuko explained before hesitating slightly. “Besides, I didn’t truly like her. Trust me, I know that sounds bad. When we were kids we liked each other, but we’re not kids anymore and we’ve both changed and things just weren’t working out.”
Sokka nodded in understanding before crossing his arms. “My first girlfriend turned into the moon.”
Zuko paused for a few seconds, looking up at the moon and wondering if Sokka was being serious before turning to him. “That’s rough buddy.”
Silence ensued again, the scene almost relaxing if it weren’t for the fact that the two of them were heading for the most high-security prison in the Fire Nation.
“So,” Zuko broke the silence, looking at Sokka uncertainly. “What happens if we get there and (Y/N) isn’t there?
The question caught Sokka off guard, causing him to scowl. “She will be.”
“But,” Zuko pressed, trying to make the boy understand. “What if she isn’t?
“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” Sokka replied, crossing his arms and looking away as he tried not to think about Zuko’s words.
“Why don’t you just wait until after Aang defeats my father to set everyone free?” Zuko asked softly. “You’d have a much better chance then.”
“You just don’t get it!” Sokka yelled, looking back at Zuko. “See you and your sister might not get along very well but (Y/N) is the most important person in my life. She was the one who took care of me and Katara after our mom died. She was the one who basically led our tribe after the men went off to fight. She always knew what to say and what to do. We need her Zuko. I need her, Katara needs her, Aang definitely needs her, heck even Toph needs her!”
Zuko stayed silent as he focused on the fire, giving Sokka a few minutes to calm down.
“You’re right Sokka,” he finally said. “I don’t get along with Azula. We’ll find her.”
Sokka didn’t reply, instead choosing to look up at the moon, hoping that he had made the right choice.
~
Soon enough, they had reached The Boiling Rock. Zuko followed after Sokka, a bit disgruntled at the fact that his war balloon had been destroyed. They had somehow managed to get guard uniforms and sneak into the prison, a feat Zuko found impressive considering that Sokka didn’t have a fully thought-out plan.
“I hope these disguises work,” Zuko hissed, shoving Sokka softly with his shoulder.
“We just need to lay low and find (Y/N) and my dad as soon as possible,” Sokka quietly replied, rubbing his shoulder. “Ow!”
“Guards!” another guard ran past Sokka and Zuko, causing them to flinch. “There’s a scuffle in the yard. Come on!”
The two boys exchanged looks before running after the guard, eventually coming to an open space where a guard was harassing a prisoner. The rest of the guards were trying to keep the other prisoners away from the confrontation. Sokka subtly tilted his head, motioning for Zuko to join the other guards. They split up slightly, trying to keep the crowd in control.
“I didn’t do anything,” the prisoner in the middle of the platform stated, walking away from the guard. “I’m going back to my cell.”
“Stop right there Chit Sang,” the guard said, sending a fire whip towards him. “I’ve had it with your unruly behavior.”
One of the prisoners Zuko was trying to hold back began to slip past him and he reached out to grab them. His eyes widened when he made eye contact with the girl, who then promptly proceeded to shove him off of her and onto the ground. Zuko stared at the girl, his heart speeding up slightly and his stomach lurching as she shot him a glare and marched right up to the guard who had created the fire whip.
“Leave him alone!” she growled, stepping in front of Chit Sang. The guard simply laughed before stepping forwards.
“What are you gonna do Water Tribe scum?”
Zuko flinched as Sokka swatted him, tilting his head towards the girl. “That’s her! That’s (Y/N)!”
Sokka grasped Zuko’s arm tightly, knowing that he couldn’t jump to his sister’s defense. The two of them watched in anticipation as the guard shot out a blast of fire, aiming it at you. Zuko’s eyes widened at the sight. You weren’t a bender, you were going to get burned.
His jaw dropped as you gracefully slid underneath the blast before coming up and swatting the guard’s hand away. When the guard tried to aim at you again, you swept your leg in a graceful arc, knocking him down. You were amazing.
“Cuff her!” the guard barked, embarrassment clear on his face as all the other prisoners cheered. Two of the other guards grabbed you roughly, cuffing your hands behind your back and shoving you roughly in front of the guard you had knocked down.
“You think you’re tough, don’t you?” the guard asked. You didn’t look at him.
“Look at me when I speak to you!” the guard screamed. The yard went silent as everyone waited to see what you would do. Slowly, you lifted your head and met the guard’s eyes. His face held a smug expression, which was soon wiped off when you leaned forward and spit in his face.
The yard went wild again, the guards struggling to keep the prisoners under control. The bully guard lunged forwards, gripping your face tightly in his hand. He stared you down for a few seconds before tossing you to the ground. Scowling, he turned to Sokka and Zuko, who seemed to be the only guards not busy at the moment. “You two! Take her to her cell.”
Sokka picked you up and Zuko led them inside, stealing glances at you as you walked. At one point Sokka caught his gaze, giving him a confused look before his eyes widened in realization. He looked between you and Zuko before glaring at the prince and shaking his head furiously. Zuko avoided his gaze after that. They found your cell quickly enough and Sokka softly pushed you in before stepping inside and pulling Zuko with him.
He took off your cuffs easily enough and you stepped away from him, rubbing your wrists gently.
“What do you want?” you snarled, eyes shifting from one guard to another.
“(Y/N)!” one of them cried out, moving towards you. You sidestepped quickly, grabbing his arm and shoving him up against the wall. He groaned in pain as you pulled his arm back.
“What do you want?” you hissed, not taking your eyes off of the other guard.
“(Y/N/N),” the one you were holding squeaked. “It’s me!”
Your eyes widened at the voice and you stepped back, still keeping your hand on the guard’s arm. “Sokka?”
Sokka used his free hand to take off his helmet, a large grin on his face as he turned to look at you. “Yes! It’s m-”
His words were cut off when you yanked on his arm, pulling him close to you as you wrapped your arms around him in a tight hug. Sokka melted into the hug, wrapping his arms around you tightly as he held tears back.
“Spirits,” you whispered, pulling back and looking at your baby brother. “Sokka what are you doing here? How did you get here?”
“Uh, we took my war balloon,” the other guard replied. You froze slightly at the familiar voice, turning to find Prince Zuko standing there, waving awkwardly.
“You,” you snarled, stomping up to the prince and pushing him up against the wall. You held your forearm against his throat, staring him down. Zuko didn’t do anything in return, a dazed smile on his face as he stared back at you.
“(Y/N) what are you doing?” Sokka yelped, placing a hand on your shoulder. You looked away from Zuko, glancing at your brother in disbelief.
“What do you mean? Have you forgotten that he’s tracked us all over the world? Or that he’s tried to kill us? Multiple times!” you glanced at Zuko again, noticing that he was still smiling. “Why are you smiling at me? Sokka, why is he smiling at me?”
Sokka snorted softly, the scene in front of him reminding him of the first time Aang had met him and Katara. Shooting a tired look at Zuko, he gently pulled you away from the scarred prince. “I don’t know why he’s smiling at you but I do know that he’s part of the team now, so lay off okay?”
You looked at him in disbelief before whirling around and facing Sokka. “Alright but that still doesn’t explain why you’re here.”
“We’re here to break you out?” Sokka said, rubbing the back of his neck as he turned his gaze to the floor.
“Seriously?” you hissed, stepping closer to him and causing him to stumble back. “This couldn’t have waited until after Aang defeated Ozai?”
“I told you so,” Zuko mumbled, shooting a pointed look at Sokka.
“Stay out of this,” you whisper-yelled, pushing him back up against the wall with one hand. “You have to leave. Both of you.“
“Well you see,” Sokka said, chuckling slightly as he met your gaze. “We can’t exactly do that.”
“Yes you can,” you replied, grabbing Sokka and proceeding to push the two boys towards the door. “Just get back on your little war balloon and leave.”
Zuko and Sokka exchanged nervous glances at the mention of the war balloon, causing you to narrow your eyes at them.
“Don’t say it.”
“It popped!” Sokka squealed, bouncing away from you as he noticed your expression. “But we’ll get out of here, and you’re coming with us.”
You couldn’t help but facepalm at your brother’s words.
~
The guards had only released you from your cell when it was your turn to do the cleaning. You hadn’t heard from Sokka since he had left you, and you were worried that he had gotten caught. You were so distracted by your thoughts that you didn’t notice the other prisoner who was mopping, resulting in you bumping into them and falling down.
“I’m sorry,” the other prisoner said, extending a hand to help you up. You glanced up, making eye contact with Zuko. Your eyes widened almost comically and you grabbed his hand, simultaneously pulling yourself up and pulling him closer to you.
“Where is my brother?” you asked as you leaned in close, panic in your voice as you whispered in his ear. Zuko tried to ignore the blush on his cheeks as your close proximity, focusing on your question.
“He’s fine,” he whispered back. “It was just me who got caught.”
You let his hand go, stepping back and nodding subtly before going back to mopping. Zuko stayed close to you, pretending to be focused on his mopping as he stole glances at you. Feeling his gaze, you looked up and arched an eyebrow as you made eye contact. The prince flushed when he realized he had been caught, looking back down before speaking.
“I-I never introduced myself,” he spoke softly. “I’m Zuko.”
“I know,” you replied flatly, walking further away from him. Zuko stood awkwardly for a moment before inching closer to you again.
“So you’re (Y/N),” he spoke again. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”
You snorted at his words, your eyes not leaving the ground. “Yeah I’m sure it is.”
“You’re a really good fighter,” Zuko continued, still trying to make conversation. “Even back when I was still hunting the Avatar you were the one that I was most worried about holding off.”
“Good to know,” you said drily, finally looking up at Zuko. “Look, Sokka may trust you but I don’t, okay? First of all, you haven’t really done anything but cause trouble for us. Second of all, you actually brought my brother here. I appreciate the sentiment but I’m not exactly thrilled at the idea of my baby brother breaking into a Fire Nation prison.”
Zuko swallowed harshly, looking away. “I’m sorry. But he was really adamant about rescuing you and your dad and-”
“Wait,” you interrupted Zuko. “I’m the only Water Tribe member here. My dad is still being held somewhere in the Fire Nation capital.”
Zuko’s eyes widened briefly before he composed himself. “Oh. Alright then I guess that means we can leave as soon as Sokka comes back to meet us.”
The two of you continued to mop in silence before someone suddenly grabbed your upper arm, causing you to stiffen and causing Zuko to get into a defensive stance.
“Calm down, it’s just me.”
“You really have to stop doing that Sokka,” you hissed, yanking your arm away from him. “Zuko told me about why you’re here. I hope you know we can leave now. Dad isn’t here.”
Sokka’s face fell briefly before he forced a smile onto his face. “He may not be but guess who is? Suki! Why didn’t you tell me she was here (Y/N)?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” you whispered. “Maybe because I was too busy freaking out about the fact that my kid brother and the Fire Nation prince broke into prison and don’t have a way to get out!”
“Shh!” Sokka hissed, putting his hand over your mouth. “Be quiet! And I’m not your ‘kid brother’, you’re only a year older than I am.”
Zuko stayed quiet as the two of you stared each other down before Sokka let out a yelp and took his hand off your mouth. “Did you just lick me?”
You didn’t reply, a smirk on your face as you crossed your arms. Zuko stifled a laugh at the scene in front of him, coughing quietly when you shot a look at him. The three of you stood still as a new voice interrupted.
“So, what’s the plan?” Suki stood near you, hiding in the shadows that the staircase provided. You exchanged a glance with Sokka, nodding in encouragement.
“So, listen, I think I have an escape plan,” Sokka began, a little nervous at being in charge of the escape plan. “I checked out the coolers again, and the point of them is to keep firebenders contained, right?”
“Yeah,” Zuko replied, unsure as to where this was going.
“So, they're completely insulated and sealed to keep the cold in. Well, to keep the cold in, it also has to keep the heat out, right?”
Zuko and Suki exchanged confused looks before looking over at you, only to see you smiling widely as you caught on.
“Just get to the point Sokka,” Suki said, glancing around nervously.
“It's a perfect boat for getting through the boiling water!” you said, eyes sparkling as you looked at Sokka proudly. Despite the situation, Zuko found himself smiling at the sight of your smile.
“Sokka,” you said, leaning in close to your brother while keeping your eyes on Zuko. “He’s doing it again.”
Sokka scowled and smacked Zuko’s head, causing the boy to straighten up and ignore Suki’s smirk. “The cooler as a boat? Are you sure?”
“I’m telling you, it’ll work,” Sokka said, giving them each a serious glance. “I walked around the perimeter. There's a blind spot between two guard towers. It's the perfect launching point. I already tested it out. We'll roll the cooler into the water and just float with the current. It'll take us straight across. As long as we don't make a sound, no one will notice. And bing-bang-boom, we're home free.”
“But how are you going to get the cooler out?” Suki asked, a worried frown on her face.
“Yeah. How are you gonna get the cooler out?”
The four of you turned as Chit Sang landed next to you, causing Sokka and Zuko to stutter as they tried to tell Chit Sang that they weren’t planning anything. You rolled your eyes, stepping closer to Chit Sang before speaking. “That’s easy, isn’t it? We just need to get a firebender into the cooler.”
Sokka and Zuko gaped at you, shocked that you had given them away.
“Calm down,” you scoffed, patting Chit Sang’s back. “Chit Sang and I go way back. He’s the one who made all the other firebenders leave me alone.”
Chit Sang nodded before turning back to the group. “Look I won’t tell the warden about your plan if you let me come along.”
Sokka stared at you intently, the two of you having a silent conversation before turning back to the group. “Fine! But we need to get someone into the cooler.”
Sokka handed Zuko a wrench. “Here. You’re going to unbolt the cooler, from the inside.”
Zuko looked back at Sokka, confused. “How am I going to get in there?”
You grinned widely, patting Zuko’s chest as you walked past him. “I got this. Follow my lead.”
You picked up your mop, motioning for Zuko to do the same. You began mopping, casually walking around as you kept Zuko in your periphery. The prince didn’t dare look at you so he was caught by surprise when you bumped into him from behind.
“Hey!” you snapped, turning around and glaring at him. “Watch where you’re going.”
Zuko froze for a split second before realizing this was your plan. “You’re the one who bumped into me. How about you watch where you’re going?”
A smile played at the corner of your lips as you stared each other down. Zuko noticed and felt his cheeks grow warm as he tried to hold back a smile of his own. The two of you stood there for a few seconds, staring at each other until Sokka coughed loudly.
Tearing your eyes away from the prince, you lunged at him. He easily dodged your swing before throwing a halfhearted punch back at you. You rolled your eyes as you kicked at him, losing your balance slightly as he swatted your leg away. You recovered quickly and threw another punch, a soft gasp leaving your mouth when he grasped your wrist and twirled you around, your back pressed against his chest as his arm held you tightly in place.
You struggled for a moment, sighing in defeat when you realized just how strong he was. You tilted your head back slightly, your lips brushing against his ear as you whispered into it. “You have to firebend at me Zuko.”
“I don’t want to hurt you,” he mumbled back, causing you to roll your eyes again.
“I’m a big girl. I can handle myself,” you replied. With a grunt, you elbowed him in the stomach. He let out a soft ‘oof’ and you took that chance to break out of his hold. You dropped down and spun, your leg outstretched as you tried to knock him down. He jumped over your leg easily before shooting out a blast of fire at you. He held his breath for a second, sighing in relief as he noticed you roll out of the way.
“No firebending!” a guard shouted, roughly grabbing Zuko from behind. You sent him a soft smile, receiving a smirk in return. As he was led away, Suki came up to you, a big smile on her face.
“So,” she said, her tone teasing. “What was that?”
“Yeah (Y/N),” Sokka said, crossing his arms as he came up to you. “What was that?”
You rolled your eyes before walking past the two of them. “It was a fight.”
“That’s not what it looked like from my point of view,” Suki called out after you, causing Sokka to send a glare at her. You simply chuckled at her words.
~
“(Y/N)?”
You stood up from the floor of your cell, looking at Sokka as he stood outside your cell. “Yeah?”
“It’s time.”
Sokka opened your cell and threw you a guard’s uniform before quickly closing the door and allowing you to change. When you were done, you knocked on the door three times, fixing your helmet as you waited for him to open the door.
Together, the two of you made your way towards the cooler, trying to avoid any guards on your way.
You opened the door to the cooler, a small frown making its way onto your face when you noticed that Zuko was shivering.
“I can take you back to your cell if you’ve learned your lesson,” Sokka said, looking way too smug. You rolled our eyes and focused on Zuko as he looked up at the two of you. His eyes met yours as he let out a breath of fire, his shivering stopping completely. He sent you a cocky smirk and you ignored the flopping you felt in your stomach at the sight of it. (A/N: y’all know what smirk i’m talkin bout)
“Yes I have,” he breathed, showing you both all the bolts and screws he had removed. “Completely.”
“I got Suki and Chit Sang out of their cells a few minutes ago,” Sokka whispered. “They'll be waiting for us at the shore.”
“Someone’s coming!” you whisper yelled, letting out a small yelp when you were pulled into the cooler. The three of you barely fit into the cooler but that didn’t make it any less cold. Even though you had grown up in the South Pole, you found yourself shivering at the temperature, your breath coming out in icy clouds.
Zuko glanced down at you, a frown appearing on his face as he noticed you shivering. He hesitantly wrapped his arms around you, bringing you in close as your expression changed into a bewildered one. You opened your mouth to say something, but quickly shut it when you realized just how warm he was. Sokka, unfortunately, didn’t stay quiet at the scene playing out in front of him.
“What do you think you’re doing?” he screeched quietly, trying to pry the two of you apart. You quickly pushed him away.
“Sokka, shut up,” you mumbled as you wrapped your arms around Zuko, your teeth still chattering. “He’s warm and I’m freezing.”
Sokka’s jaw dropped as you casually buried your face into Zuko’s chest, a content sigh escaping you as you got warmer by the second. Sokka stayed quiet as the voices outside got closer, instead miming a throat slitting motion as he stared Zuko down, causing the prince to swallow harshly.
“...Yeah. new arrivals coming in at dawn,” a male voice sounded, catching your attention.
“Anybody interesting?” a female voice asked in reply.
“Nah, just the usual. Some robbers, a couple traitors, some war prisoners,” you and Sokka exchanged a disbelieving look. “Though I did hear there might be a pirate.”
“No fooling!”
The voices faded as they walked away and you all took that chance to leave the cooler.
“War prisoners,” Zuko stated, his eyes not leaving Sokka’s. “Could be your father.”
“I know.”
“Well, what should we do?” Zuko asked. “Are we going ahead with the plan or are we waiting another night?”
“I don't know!” Sokka cried out, looking distraught. “Is it right for me to risk Suki and (Y/N)’s freedom, all of our freedom, on the slim chance that my dad is gonna show up?”
You stayed quiet, not knowing what to say.
“It’s your call Sokka,” Zuko finally said, trying to let the other boy know he was there for him.
Sokka thought about it for a moment, eyes focused on the ground. After a few seconds he looked up and scowled, crossing his arms as he glared at you. “You can let go of him now (Y/N).”
A bright blush erupted on your cheeks as you looked at Zuko, an embarrassed expression spreading across your face as you realized you were still holding onto each other. You stepped away from him quickly, clearing your throat as you did so.
~
The three of you had somehow managed to get the cooler down to the shore, not that it mattered considering the fact that Chit Sang had just taken your only means of escape. It wasn’t his fault really; it was you and Sokka who had been extremely hesitant to leave, not wanting to risk the chance of your dad being on the gondola the next morning.
Suki and Zuko had stayed behind with you, the four of you waiting in the blind spot for the gondola to arrive. It had almost been light out when alarms were set off, causing all of you to whip your heads to where the cooler had been floating off.
“The plan failed!” Sokka said sadly. “They got caught.”
“I guess it’s a good thing we didn’t go along with them huh?” you said, earning a dull look from your brother.
“The gondola's moving,” Sokka said suddenly, grasping your hand. “This is it. If my dad's not there, we've risked everything for nothing.”
“We had to,” you whispered back, squeezing his hand. The four of you now stood in the yard as you waited in anticipation, looking up as the gondola doors opened.
“Is that him?” Zuko asked as the first prisoner got out.
“My dad doesn’t have a nose ring!” both you and Sokka exclaimed, looking at the prince weirdly. More men came off the gondola, both you and Sokka shaking with anxiety as you kept an eye out for Hakoda.
“Where is he?” Sokka asked as the last man stepped off. “Is that it? That can’t be it.”
“I’m sorry,” Suki whispered, rubbing both of your backs.
“Hey you!” the guard called out, drawing your attention. “Get off the gondola.”
You waited with bated breath for the last person to emerge, your hand tightening around Sokka’s and causing him to wince. Your eyes widened as you watched the final prisoner get off, dark jaw-length hair surrounding a face that held tired blue eyes. You immediately turned to Sokka, tears threatening to spill.
“Sokka,” you whispered. “It’s dad.”
~
You had been pacing back and forth worriedly ever since Sokka had gone to join the other guards and quite frankly, both Suki and Zuko were tired of it.
“Please just stand still (Y/N),” Suki said, gently reaching out and grabbing you. “If something was wrong, we would’ve heard it already. Your brother isn’t exactly the quietest.”
You nodded in agreement and sat down, nervously biting your lip as you waited for Sokka to return. You barely flinched as Zuko sat next to you, Suki giving him a knowing glance as she wandered off slowly.
“Look,” he began, staring straight ahead. “I know you don’t like me, but I need to tell you this okay? As much as you can’t help but worry, you shouldn’t. Sokka’s smart and he knows what he’s doing...sort of.”
He chuckled at the halfhearted glare you directed at him. “I’m kidding. But really, Sokka’s smart and brave and he was so set on coming up here and breaking you out and I know he’s going to do it because he has heart. Plus he has you helping him out. So stop worrying so much okay? Also, never repeat any of what I just said to him”
You snorted at Zuko’s words before bumping his shoulder with your. “Thanks Zuko. You know what? Maybe you’re not as bad as I thought.”
The prince’s eyes widened in shock and he smiled down at you, blushing slightly when you smiled back. Your moment was ruined when Sokka came sprinting back, causing Suki to join you as well.
“(Y/N), c’mon! I found him,” Sokka exclaimed. Without another word, he grabbed your arm and dragged you away from the group. A wide smile was on his face and you felt yourself smile as well when you came to a stop in front of a cell.
Sokka slid the door open, looking around before ducking inside and draging you with him. “Thank goodness you’re okay!”
“Oh you’ll see just how ‘okay’ I am,” Hakoda replied, swinging at what he believed to be a guard. You stepped in front of Sokka before pushing Hakoda’s arm out of the way, ducking under it and pushing him softly before pulling Sokka out of the way.
Hakoda’s eyes widened at the familiar movements,searching the faces of the two guards standing before him. “Sokka? (Y/N)?”
"Dad!” you cried out in unison with Sokka, the two of you removing your masks as you smiled at Hakoda. His eyes filled with tears as he brought you into a hug and you couldn’t help but let a few tears slip as well.
“Where’s Katara? Is she okay?”
“She’s fine dad,” you said, tightening your hold on Hakoda. “She’s not here.”
“Where’s Bato?” Sokka asked, pulling away. “Where’s everyone else from the invasion?”
“The others are being held at a prison near the Fire Nation palace,” Hakoda replied. “They sent me here because I kept being difficult after they singled (Y/N) out as the leader and sent her here. But before I left, I met some young women who said they knew you. The...Oshinama Fighters? ”
“You mean the Kyoshi Warriors?” you asked.
“That’s right.”
“Their leader Suki is here,” Sokka said, a blush visible on his face. “She’s gonna escape with us too!”
“Good. We'll need all the help we can get.”
“And you know Prince Zuko?” Sokka asked, getting excited at the thought of finally leaving.
“The son of the Fire Lord?” Hakoda asked hesitantly. “I don't know him, but I know of him.”
"Well he’s here too!” Sokka exclaimed.
“That sounds like a major problem,” Hakoda replied, crossing his arms as his face hardened.
“Actually,” Sokka said, smiling nervously. “He’s on our side now.”
Hakoda shot him a disbelieving look, causing you to step in.
“I had the same reaction dad,” you said, putting a hand on Hakoda’s shoulder. “But he really has changed. He came here with Soka to break me out. He’s been a big help.”
Hakoda’s face softened at your words. You had always been a good judge of character, so if you approved of the prince, then he did too. “So, do you have a plan?”
“We had one,” Sokka said, looking down sadly. “But some of the other prisoners got involved and ruined it. I dunno if there's another way off this island.”
“Sokka, there's no prison in the world that can hold three Water Tribe geniuses.”
“Then I guess we’d better find two more to help me plan something,” you teased, making Hakoda laugh and earning a dull look from Sokka.
~
You sprinted towards the yard, having been distracted by another guard for a few minutes before all the prisoners had been let out. When you reached your dad, Suki, and Sokka, you were surprised to see Chit Sang speaking with them.
“Hey you! You're lucky I didn't rat you out,” Chit Sang said, staring Sokka down. “But my generosity comes with a price. I know you're planning another escape attempt, and I want in.”
You nodded at Sokka, telling him to go along with it. He sighed softly before facing Chit Sang. “Actually, we're trying to escape right now, but we need a riot. You wouldn't happen to know how to start one, would you?”
“You seriously couldn’t start a prison riot?” you asked in disbelief, looking at the three of them in disappointment. “C’mon Chit Sang, let’s show them how it’s done.”
The two of you stepped forwards, Chit Sang picking up another prisoner as you strutted up to one of them.
“Hey everybody!” you yelled, the yard going quiet as you spoke. Without hesitation, you punched the prisoner closest to you. “Riot!”
The yard exploded into chaos as people began fighting and throwing stuff around. You quickly fought off the prisoner that you had punched before returning to your friends.
“Impressive,” Hakoda said, looking around at all the chaos.
You turned and swung as you felt someone bump into you, the person letting out a loud grunt as your fist met their face. Your jaw dropped as your eyes met piercing gold ones, your hands coming up to your face in slight horror as you realized that you had just punched Zuko.
“Yep,” he said, clutching his face. “I probably deserved that after everything I’ve done to you.”
“I’m so sorry,” you choked out in between giggles, earning a smile from the prince.
“Zuko! Good, we’re all here,” Sokka said, drawing you all into a huddle. “Now all we need to do is grab the warden, and get to the gondolas!”
“And how do we do that?” Zuko asked.
Sokka hesitated for a few seconds. “I’m not sure.”
Zuko groaned, throwing his hands up in frustration. “I thought you thought this through!”
“I thought you told me it's okay not to think everything through”
“Maybe not everything, but this is kind of important!” Zuko cried out.
“Hey fella,” Chit Sang interrupted, tapping Zuko’s shoulder before pointing at you. “I think your girlfriend’s taking care of it.”
“You’re dating my daughter?” Hakoda asked, glaring at Zuko.
“W-What? No!” Zuko cried out, slightly fearful of the Water Tribe Chief.
“Damn right you’re not,“ Sokka said, crossing his arms before Chit Sang spun him around.
“Your girlfriend too buddy.”
All four males went silent as they observed both you and Suki. You swiftly made your way up the tower, effortlessly taking guards down as you inched towards the warden. Suki took a stance at the base of the tower, fighting off any other guards who attempted to rush to the warden’s rescue. She was a truly impressive sight, her training as a Kyoshi Warrior shining through as she took down every guard that came at her effortlessly. Sokka stood a few yards away, awestruck at the sight in front of him.
Meanwhile, you had successfully made your way up to the top of the tower. You made quick work of the remaining guards before finally facing the warden.
“You wouldn’t dare,” he snarled, getting into a defensive position.
“Watch me,” you quipped, lunging at him. You avoided his punch, grabbing his wrist and spinning him around before shoving him up against the railing. You grabbed his sash, tying his hands before knocking him down and making sure he was tied securely before smiling over at your dad. “You’re my prisoner now warden.”
Down in the yard, Hakoda, Zuko, and Chit Sang all stared at you in awe, Sokka still focused on Suki.
“That’s my girl,” Hakoda stated, a proud look on his face as he looked up at you.
“Do you think she’d want to be my girl?” Zuko muttered dazedly, unintentionally speaking louder than he meant to. When he realized what he had said, he looked up in embarrassment, being met with an amused glance from Chit Sang, a harsh scowl from Hakoda, and a sharp slap from Sokka.
“Shut up!” Sokka hissed before grabbing Zuko’s arm and rushing to join you and Suki.
You all ran to the gondola, making sure that the warden was still tied up as you dragged him with you.
“We’re almost there!” Suki cried out.
“Spoke too soon,” you groaned as a group of guards came across your path, immediately sending two blasts of fire at you. You yelped as Zuko pulled you out of the way before stepping in front of you and dissipating the blasts. He sent a series of blasts back at them before grabbing the warden from you.
“Back off! We've got the warden!“ he shouted, successfully stopping the guards. When they didn’t make any movements he grabbed your hand and tugged you along. “Let's go”
Suki was the first to make it to the gondola, holding the door open for everyone else. “Everyone in!”
You all clambered on and you glanced around, realizing that someone was missing.
“Zuko!” you yelled, looking back at the prince. He started the gondola and you felt yourself panic as the guards closed in on him. “What are you doing? Hurry up!”
“I’m making it so that they can’t stop us!” With a few kicks, Zuko managed to break the lever that controlled the gondola before sprinting towards you. You leaned out of the door slightly, watching him in anticipation.
“C’mon Zuko,” you whispered to yourself, biting your lip as the gondola left the platform, now hanging freely. Zuko sped up and jumped, his feet landing on the edge of the gondola. He wobbled for a bit before you grasped his arm, fully pulling him into the gondola and into your arms. Zuko looked at you in confusion before wrapping his arms around you as well.
“Are you sure they’re not dating?” Hakoda asked, his voice quiet as he addressed Sokka. Sokka sent Zuko a menacing glare, the scarred prince gulping and loosening his hold on you when he noticed.
“What were you thinking?” you cried out, finally pulling away from Zuko and slapping his head.
“Ow!” Zuko hissed, rubbing the spot you had hit. “I was thinking ‘let me get rid of this lever real quick so that they don’t catch us’.”
“You could’ve gotten captured!” you yelled at him, taking a step towards him.
“Way to think ahead,” Sokka commented, saving Zuko from another slap.
“We’re finally on our way.” Suki sighed, sharing a soft smile with Sokka.
“Wait,” Hakoda said, leaning out of the window. “Who’s that?”
You leaned out of the window on the other side of the gondola, resisting the urge to blush as you felt Zuko’s chest press up against your back as he tried to get a good look at the platform.
“That’s a problem,” Zuko groaned. “It’s my sister and her friend.”
“This is a rematch I’ve been waiting for,” Suki growled, cracking her knuckles.
“Get in line,” you scoffed, your eyes narrowing as you watched the princess approach. You climbed out of the gondola and onto the roof, being followed by Sokka, Suki, and Zuko.
Suki and Sokka turned to face Ty Lee as she landed onto the roof gracefully, quickly becoming preoccupied with the chi-blocker. You carefully observed Azula as she landed a few feet away from you, staring you down as she stalked closer.
“Well, well, well,” she spoke, her voice taunting. “If it isn’t the Water Tribe scum.”
“Don’t speak to her like that,” Zuko barked, stepping slightly in front of you.
“Aww, does Zuzu have a little crush?” Azula teased, pouting as she shifted her gaze to Zuko. “Snap out of it Zuko. We raided her village multiple times. She’ll never see you as anything other than a monster.”
“Still not over what your mother used to say about you huh?” you shot back, missing the hurt look in Azula’s eyes as she shot lightning at you. You swiftly dodged the blast and ran at her, sliding onto the ground when she let out another blast.
Zuko watched as you stood up, landing a solid hit on his sister before bouncing back and dodging the hit she sent your way. He tried to find an opening to attack Azula but eventually gave up for fear of hurting you. Instead he chose to jump into the fight and wipe out the blasts Azula kept sending at you, even if you were expertly dodging them.
Azula soon grew tired of the fight, and knowing that she couldn’t beat you in the moment decided to send a blast of fire at Zuko. She caught him off guard and although he managed to wipe out the blast, he ended up tumbling back and landing dangerously close to the gondola’s edge.
“Zuko!” you yelled, momentarily distracted from the fight. Azula took this chance to kick you down, punching you before kicking you once more when you tried to scramble to your feet. You were sent stumbling against the metal handle that attached the gondola to the cable, gasping in pain as you crashed against it. She grinned widely when your head hit the metal.
You blew your hair out of your face, wincing as you reached up to touch the sore spot on your head and sighing when you noticed the blood on your fingertips.
“You have nowhere to go,” Azula stated, stalking towards you. Blue fire danced at her fingertips, her eyes hungry with anticipation as you struggled to stand. “Such a shame, you could’ve been a great asset to me.”
“I would rather die than join you,” you shot back, finally managing to stand up.
“Fine,” Azula spat, the fire growing as she narrowed her eyes. “Have it your way.”
You closed your eyes and braced yourself, knowing that you were in no shape to block her attack. You felt the heat approaching before it disappeared. Opening your eyes, you gasped softly as you saw Zuko standing in front of you. He sent blasts of fire back at Azula before the gondola swung dangerously, sending them both stumbling.
“They’re about to cut the line!” Ty Lee shouted at Azula.
“Then it’s time to leave,” the princess smirked. “Goodbye Zuko.”
Azula blasted away as Ty Lee backflipped gracefully onto the other gondola. Zuko glared at Azula briefly before rushing to your side, reaching down and gently picking you up.
“Are you okay?” he asked, his face twisting with concern as you stumbled.
“Yeah,” you breathed. “Just peachy.”
You tried to walk on your own only to stumble once more and fall right into Zuko’s arms. You shook your head slightly, trying to walk off once more.
“(Y/N), stop,” Zuko said, scooping your legs up and fully carrying you.
“P-Put me down!” you yelled, drawing Sokka and Suki’s attention.
“Hey! Put her down,” Sokka cried, rushing over to your side. He was stopped when the gondola swayed again.
“Stop struggling,” Zuko hissed, tightening his grip on you. “You can’t walk without stumbling. You probably have a concussion.”
You pouted but stayed silent, knowing that the prince was right. Carefully, he made his way over to the edge of the gondola, noticing that Hakoda was leaning out of the window. Carefully, he handed you down to him, making sure that you were safely inside before swinging himself in as well. Sokka and Suki quickly followed.
“They’re cutting the line,” Zuko stated, exchanging glances with everyone else. “The gondola’s about to go!”
“I hope this thing floats,” Hakoda said, fussing over your head wound as you tried to push him away.
“Hey!” you suddenly cried as the gondola began to move. You glanced out the window. “Who’s that?”
“That’s Mai!” Zuko exclaimed, his eyebrows furrowing as he observed her fighting with the guards.
The gondola made it to the other side without any other mishaps. When you got there, Zuko carefully picked you up once again, making his way out of the gondola. Sokka kept his gaze on him, only looking away when he felt Suki grab his hand. She shook her head at him before looking at you and Zuko. “Calm down. There are worse people she could be with.”
Sokka rolled his eyes at her words before trailing after Zuko, a barely visible smile appearing on his face as he noticed how Zuko was fussing over you as well. Hakoda and Chit Sang tossed the warden back into the gondola before joining the group. They all walked for a while before Zuko paused, standing on the cliff that was overlooking the rest of the volcano.
“What’s wrong Zuko?” you asked quietly, your eyes not leaving his face as he scanned the landscape in front of him. At this point, everyone else had backtracked to where you were standing.
“My sister was on that island,” was his only response.
“Yeah, and she's probably right behind us, so let's not stop!” Sokka said, trying to convince Zuko to keep moving.
“What I mean is she must have come here somehow,” he replied, his eyes still looking around.
“There!” you exclaimed, pointing at a large airship. “That's our way out of here!“
~
The six of you all managed to make it to the airship quickly enough and Zuko quickly lit the fire and guided it away from The Boiling Rock. The atmosphere was lively as everyone tried to catch up with each other, the excitement from the day eventually leaving everyone as the sun began setting. One by one, everyone fell asleep until it was just you and Zuko awake.
You had been looking around the ship, smirking in victory when you found a first aid kit. Silently you wandered out to where Zuko was, trying not to startle him.
“Long night?” you asked, leaning on the wall next to him.
“Someone has to keep the fire going,” he retorted, a faint smile present on his handsome face.
“Can you help me?” you asked quietly, meeting his eyes as he turned to face you. He nodded and you handed him the first aid kit before sitting down in front of him. You flinched slightly as his hand grabbed your jaw, closing your eyes as you reveled in his touch, remaining oblivious to the way his heart was racing at the close proximity. His touch was feather light in comparison to the guard who had grasped your jaw in a similar way back at the Boiling Rock. You snorted softly as you recalled the incident that had taken place a mere day ago; it seemed like it had happened ages ago.
“I’m sorry,” Zuko whispered, tilting your head to get better access to the cut on your head.
“It’s fine, it doesn’t hurt,” you murmured back, eyes still closed.
“Not about that,” Zuko replied, cleaning the wound as best as he could with the supplies you had given him. You hissed softly as he tried to place the bandage on, breathing deeply to try and ignore the pain. “I’m sorry about everything. I’m sorry for hunting the Avatar down and chasing you all around the world. I’m sorry about your mother. I’m sorry for the raids that tore your village apart. I’m sorry that I kept causing you harm even when I had the chance to do good.”
You opened your eyes at his words, reaching up and gently grabbing his hand to bring his attention to you. He could’ve sworn his heart skipped a beat. You stared at him in silence, his golden eyes never leaving yours even as he fidgeted uncomfortably under your gaze. Your face softened as you realized just how full of guilt Zuko really was, your heart aching as you realized that you couldn’t spend any more time hating him. Not when he had already done so much to try and make up for his mistakes.
“No Zuko,” you finally spoke, guiding him to take a seat in front of you. “I’m sorry for being so harsh towards you. You did more than enough to prove that you aren’t the same bratty prince you were when we first met but I wasn’t willing to look past the fact that you were once our enemy. You left the Fire Nation to help Aang and I can’t imagine how hard that was-”
“Trust me,” Zuko interjected, laughing humorlessly. “It wasn’t that hard. My father and sister are horrible people.”
“Still,” you said, leaning in a bit. “They’re your family. Betraying your family isn’t easy, even if you don’t get along with them.”
Silence ensued as Zuko stood up and carefully finished bandaging your cut. He took his seat in front of you once more, watching the fire as you watched him.
“What?” Zuko asked, his cheeks heating up he realized that you were still staring at him.
“Thank you Zuko,” you stated, finally looking away from the golden-eyed boy.
“Don’t thank me,” Zuko replied. “It was Sokka’s idea to break you out.”
“I mean for saving me from Azula,” you whispered, looking back up at him. “She really had me backed into a corner.”
“I wasn’t going to let her hurt you,” Zuko stated, staring into your eyes. “Sokka would’ve killed me if we came all this way just to lose you to her.”
You giggled at his words, causing him to smirk in satisfaction as he realized that he had made you laugh. “He would’ve, wouldn’t he?”
There was another silence before you spoke up again. “In all seriousness, thank you. I never thought that I’d be calling Prince Zuko my hero.”
Zuko gulped as he realized just how close the two of you were. Neither of you made a move to back away and you flushed when you caught yourself glancing at the prince’s lips.
You blushed harder when you realized he had caught you in the act.
“Zuko,” you whispered, squeaking softly when said boy leaned forwards and connected his lips with yours. The kiss was soft and hesitant, with both of you holding your breath as you realized you were kissing each other.
Pulling away, Zuko’s eyes widened. “Oh spirits. I-I’m sorry. I can’t believe I just did th-”
You cut Zuko’s apology off with another kiss, this one a little less awkward. His hand came up and grabbed your waist, pulling you a little closer as his other hand cupped your cheek. Your hand came up to grab his forearm, your brain trying to comprehend the fact that you were kissing Zuko and wondering how in the world he was such a good kisser.
“I thought you said you weren’t dating my daughter.”
The two of you flew apart as you heard Hakoda’s voice.
“D-Dad!” you exclaimed. “We weren’t- I wasn’t-”
Hakoda held up a hand to stop your stuttering. “It doesn’t matter. He risked his life to help your brother break you out of prison which means he’s good in my books. Just please don’t kiss in front of me. And maybe don’t let Sokka find out about this just yet. Good night.”
You turned to Zuko in embarrassment as Hakoda walked away, making eye contact with him before the two of you dissolved into laughter.
“Well that’s one way to get the parent’s approval,” you muttered, smiling at Zuko as he wrapped his arm around your shoulder and pulled you into him.
The two of you spent the rest of the night awake, talking about everything and nothing, stargazing as Zuko kept the flame alive.
“You know, I used to know the moon spirit when she was alive,” you said smugly, glancing up at Zuko as he smiled widely at you.
“Oh really?”
“Yeah! In fact, she was Sokka’s first girlfriend.”
Zuko smiled and pressed another kiss to your lips, smiling softly when he felt your hand come up to his chest.
And in that moment, Zuko knew he had made the right decision by deciding to join the Avatar. After all, if he hadn’t then why would the universe have chosen to reward him with something as amazing as you.
~
taglist!
@musicalkeys, @mywigglybaby, @bubblebars, @iguessthefloorislava
#zuko x reader#prince zuko x reader#zuko#prince zuko#atla zuko x reader#atla zuko#avatar#avatar: tla#avatar: the last airbender#avatar x reader#atla x reader#aang#sokka#katara#toph#hakoda#azula#mai#ty lee#suki
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Zutara Month Day 10: Oma and Shu
I’ve seen some people point out that Zutara doesn’t necessarily fit Oma and Shu because the Oma and Shu myth is more Romeo and Juliet than enemies to lovers, and those people are not necessarily wrong. Romeo and Juliet, just like Oma and Shu, were never themselves enemies. They did nothing but love each other, but were forbidden from being together because of the feud. Zutara, in most interpretations, is less a “forbidden” romance and more a transition from enemies to friends to lovers. Most people imagine them growing to love each other after becoming friends, often after Zuko’s redemption and the end of the war. Nonetheless, the Oma and Shu story does share several parallels with Zutara that many fans have picked up on. What I want to do is examine some of these parallels from a meta angle, to look at the Oma and Shu story as it appears in the series and other similar stories that appear in ATLA, and to also compare them to similar stories in the real world, and analyze a bit the popularity of these various tales of forbidden love, why they are popular, and what their purpose is, as well as how Zutara fits into all this.
In universe, the Oma and Shu story, in addition to being a love story, is also an origin myth of sorts for the Earth Kingdom. It explains the creation of the city of Omashu, as well as telling the story of some of the first humans to learn earthbending. The message of the story, in addition to being a tale about love thriving between two unlikely people, and a cautionary tale about what happens when love is prevented from flourishing, is also a message about love being an act of creation and a force of transformation.
Love is brightest in the dark.
This sentence is a paradox, but it fits with the theme of balance that the show comes back to again and again, of breaking down barriers and deconstructing dichotomies to create something new, something more whole than the original. Something mirroring the harmony of yin and yang.
The greatest illusion of this world is the illusion of separation. Things you think are separate and different are actually one and the same. We are all one people, but we live as if divided.
The above quote by Guru Pathik is also similar to Iroh’s philosophy, which he tries to teach Zuko.
It is important to draw wisdom from many different places. If you take it from only one place, it becomes rigid and stale. Understanding others, the other elements, and the other nations will help you become whole.
Iroh also says something in “The Crossroads of Destiny” that echoes the Oma and Shu story.
Iroh: Perfection and power are overrated. I think you were very wise to choose happiness and love.
Aang: What happens if we can't save anyone and beat Azula? Without the Avatar State, what if I'm not powerful enough?
Iroh: I don't know the answer. Sometimes, life is like this dark tunnel. You can't always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but if you just keep moving, [Aang earthbends the rocks away one last time. Iroh's fire blows out. He smiles.] you will come to a better place.
Iroh says that Aang is wise to choose love over power, while walking through a dark tunnel, and advises Aang to trust in the darkness to bring him to the light. Meanwhile, Zuko and Katara, two people on opposite sides of a war, share a moment of unlikely tenderness in a cave lit by glowing crystals.
Zuko in the crystal catacombs does what Iroh has been trying to teach him to do, to let go of pride and the need for power, and to instead embrace compassion and humility. Which is what he does when he apologizes to Katara. This is also part of what stories like Romeo and Juliet teach us, that pride and petty grievances are destructive, and that only by embracing love do we become whole.
I know the prompt is Oma and Shu, but thinking about that story and its place in the narrative made me think about other mythic stories that appear in the series, so let’s look at another one that has significance for zutara: Love Amongst the Dragons, Ursa’s favorite play that she took young Zuko and Azula to see every year.
The actual story of Love Amongst the Dragons, according to the ATLA wiki, is this:
The play features the Dragon Emperor, bound to mortal form by the Dark Water Spirit, and forced to adopt the alias of Noren. The humble experience results in Noren falling in love with a mortal, and through this love he is able to break free of his curse. The play concludes with Noren defeating the Dark Water Spirit and embracing his mortal girlfriend, revealed to be the Dragon Empress.
What struck me when I found this description was that this is, with some slight changes, pretty much the Chinese myth of the marriage between Dragon and Phoenix, a representation for yin and yang and harmony in marriage, and which I compared in a meta to zutara as well.
Like the Oma and Shu story, it is a story about unlikely love, and about crossing divisions. It also has a lot of similarities with various myths involving shapeshifting love-interests, often referred to as “animal bride/husband” myths (which beauty and the beast is a subset of).
The symbolism of the tale in-universe is in its connection to Ursa, and thus Zuko’s connection to his mother. Zuko’s connection to his mother is contrasted with his connection to his father, which is representative of Zuko’s destructive side. When Zuko was trying to capture the Avatar, he was searching for his father’s approval, to become someone that would earn his father’s love. Ursa, meanwhile, taught Zuko kindness and compassion, and told him that it didn’t matter that he wasn’t the most powerful or strong. That Ursa took Zuko to see this particular play is significant, a play about a godlike being, the Dragon Emperor, being humbled and learning to love.
Only with your glory hidden in false form could you recognize my devotion.
Though different, and originating in a different nation, this is another tale about love shining through the dark, about letting go of pride and choosing compassion. Animal bride/husband myths are often about seeing past what is hidden to see the truth. They are stories of transformation, and like the Oma and Shu story, are about the transformative power of love.
It’s also from this play that Zuko gets his Blue Spirit alter ego, which Zuko uses as an exploration of his own identity apart from being the Fire Nation prince. In this story the same mask is worn by the villainous Dark Water Spirit. It is very interesting that Zuko uses an identity associated with water for this purpose. Also, like the Blue Spirit, the Dark Water Spirit seems to be a bit on the morally ambiguous side. Even though the spirit is defeated at the end of the story, its motivation for transforming the Dragon Emperor seems to be to teach him humility, and this is a message the play seems to promote.
Zuko and Azula’s dialogue from the above comic pages is interesting because it expands on what we already know about both characters. Zuko complains about always having to play the villain, just as he was made a scapegoat by his father and sister, and his adapting of the Blue Spirit identity is essentially him reclaiming that identity that was forced on him while trying to figure out who he really is. Azula sees herself as the Dragon Emperor, but she misunderstands the message of the story completely, and it’s not a coincidence that she talks over the love scene in the comic above and responds angrily and pridefully to the man who tries to shush her. Similar to Ozai when he names himself the Phoenix King, ironically misinterpreting the actual myth. I also think there’s something interesting to say about gender here, as this post points out. Not only does Ozai associate himself with a female figure, but Azula associates herself with the male Dragon Emperor, while Zuko is associated with the more feminine water spirit (water being a feminine element.) However, by the end of the series, Zuko embodies the transformed Dragon Emperor, while Katara I associated before with the Phoenix/Dragon Empress, as she is associated with healing and rebirth. Also notice the red and blue color coding in the comic page above, both with the Water Spirit and Dragon Emperor and in the coloring of the two lovers.
This also brings me to another play present in the series, the play that the gaang goes to see performed by the Ember Island Players. The same players that Zuko says his mother took him to see. The play we see them put on in the series is a Fire Nation propaganda play, promoting Ozai and the war. I actually can’t imagine that Love Amongst the Dragons, a play about a Dragon Emperor learning humility, was very popular during Ozai’s reign. We hear about it being performed before Ozai became Fire Lord, but we can assume that those visits to the theatre stopped after Ursa’s disappearance. The only other time we hear about that particular play being performed is after the end of the war. This leads me to imagine that it was necessary for the Ember Island Players to find a different play to perform while Ozai was in charge. While the play is not necessarily subverting Fire Nation superiority (the villain is a water spirit, after all), it is confrontational enough that I can imagine Ozai’s brand of narcissism seeing it as a challenge to his authority. Ozai who disdained love in favor of power and control.
“The Boy in the Iceberg” contains another love story between two people from opposite sides in their depiction of Zuko and Katara in the crystal catacombs. I wrote before about how I’ve seen interpretations of this that say that the Fire Nation was trying to portray zutara as an “inferior” Water Tribe woman falling for a “superior” Fire Nation man - essentially saying that the play is in favor of zutara as a piece of Fire Nation pro-colonization propaganda - but the problem with this is that that isn’t how zutara is depicted in the play. The play mocks zutara by portraying Zuko as submissive and subservient to Aang, and Zuko is later killed, as he is currently a traitor and threat to the Fire Nation. Thus, the “romance” between Zuko and Katara is not being depicted as supporting the superior masculinity of Fire Nation men, but rather portraying Zuko, who willingly chose to dissasociate himself with the Fire Nation, as emasculated and submissive to other, “lesser” men and aggressive “foreign” women.
This is a complete mockery of the real connection that Zuko and Katara had in the catacombs, the kind of love that is inherently subversive because it requires Zuko humbling himself in front of Katara and admitting that he was wrong, and working for her forgiveness. It is the kind of love that the Fire Nation under Ozai’s rule rejects. The kind of love that is truly transformative, revelatory, and brings light to the darkness. The kind of love that creates rather than destroys, that unifies rather than divides. That is humble and not prideful. That’s the appeal of zutara.
#zutara#zuko#katara#zutara month 2021#atla meta#the cave of two lovers#the crossroads of destiny#the ember island players#oma and shu#love amongst the dragons
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I mean if you’re making playlists.... I’ve seen a lot of Zutara playlists and that Sukka one you made was freaking adorable! Can I request a Taang one 🥺
I just have very soft feelings for them and would like to cry to a playlist pls 😭🥺💛
OF COURSE YOU CAN REQUEST A TAANG PLAYLIST, JOY. WHO DO YOU THINK I AM? I WOULD NEVER DENY YOU SOMETHING SO PURE.
We both know this is you subtly trying to get me to be more of a hardcore Taang shipper. 😉 No, I'm kidding. I know you love them. I love them too! 💛
Oh, this playlist was so sweet to make! I have so many E.M.O.T.I.O.N.S now. (Explanations below the cut to save space.)
Wildflowers by Tom Petty
Seven Wonders by Fleetwood Mac
Fools by Lauren Aquilina
Why Can't I? by Liz Phair
The Louvre by Lorde
Precious Metal Girl by Weezer
Doors Unlocked and Open by Death Cab for Cutie
Wild Heart by Mumford & Sons
From Afar by Vance Joy
My Arms Were Always Around You by Peter Bradley Adams
Send me a playlist title and I’ll give you 5-10 songs I think would go on it!
Wildflowers
You belong among the wildflowers/You belong somewhere close to me/Far away from your trouble and worries/You belong somewhere you feel free
This song makes me think of the moment Aang asks Toph to teach him earthbending and join the Gaang. I also think it could carry over into plans they make post-war and could represent their adulthood. Really, it's a song that feels applicable to them at any point in their lives. And it goes both ways! They'd want one another to have freedom and they'd want to be by each other's side in that freedom.
Seven Wonders
So it's hard to find/Someone with that kind of intensity/You touched my hand, I played it cool
I see this as a "Toph is pining" song. It's probably a post-war POV for her. She's been around the world with Aang and has developed feelings for him, and she knows that she'll never find this kind of adventure with anyone else. Maybe they part ways for a time after the comet. They're still friends, of course, but their post-war plans take them in different directions and Toph has that big "OH" moment.
Fools
Friends, I watched us as we changed/The feelings in my headspace rearranged/I want you more than I've wanted anyone/Isn't that dangerous?
Best friends to lovers anyone? Honestly, I could see this song from either of their POVs. If we're talking Zutara, Sukka, Taang endgame, I see Toph and Aang taking the longest to get there. Possibly even into their mid-to-late twenties. Everything is just so good and easy between them, you know? They have an easy camaraderie and they can tell one another anything, but they know something is there underneath it all and they're terrified. Katara and Zuko are probably the ones who finally tell them that they need to have The Talk.
Why Can't I?
Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you?/Why can't I speak whenever I talk about you?
Mutual-pining-but-they're-with-other-people, anyone??? I mean, you could even tie this into the previous situation. Toph and Aang are such good friends and they can't hang on to significant others because other people find their closeness weird. The vibes they throw off around one another are just a big red flag to anyone else who wants to date them. And they're like, "No! We're just best friends! I don't get butterflies! My breath isn't taken away by the most mundane moments! THIS IS FINE!"
The Louvre
But we're the greatest/They'll hang us in the Louvre//Okay I know that you are not my type/(Still I fall)/I'm just the sucker who let you fill her mind
Ah, yes. This one is a Toph POV for sure. She's in denial, you know? "He's not my type! I'm not into him!" But her heart just starts hammering whenever Aang comes around. She gets so caught up in him. And one day she gives in and decides to make a move and... Broadcast the boom boom boom boom and make 'em all dance to it. 😉
Precious Metal Girl
'Cause you're my precious metal girl/My best friend in the world
Okay. I know this is super cheesy, but COME ON. She's his precious metalbender girl.
Doors Unlocked and Open
Down in the ocean of sound, sound/We'll live in slow-motion/And be free/With doors unlocked and open
This song gives me so many domestic!Taang vibes. They sleep with the windows open at night and they don't lock their doors and breezes curl throughout every corner of their house (which they built from stone themselves) and they're free.
Wild Heart
It took a wild heart to tame mine/And it took a wild heart to charm/Now a wild heart has gone and floored me/With this ever lasting glance
I see this going both ways! Aang has a wild heart in that he's so free and Toph's heart is wild in that she's Toph Fuckin' Beifong. It takes them to round out each other's edges and smooth one another's rough spots. They never fail to astound one another every day, whether it's with a new bending move or the sheer force of their love for one another. And maybe it took them a long time to settle down, but when they did it was with each other because they are perfect together.
From Afar
You lined me up/Across the room/Two falling sparks/One willing fool//It shouldn't come as a surprise/What I'm feeling, what I'm feeling now
Okay, I gave you Toph pining and mutual pining. Now... I give you AANG PINING. I personally headcanon Toph falling first but being very in denial about it. But if Aang were to fall first, this would be the song. And maybe it freaks her out because she's like, "We're friends! This is not what friends do! Why are you throwing off those vibes, Twinkletoes?" He doesn't understand how she's so surprised by his feelings, of course, because she's incredible. She's Toph Beifong. But she is because his first girlfriend was Katara and he's had other girlfriends like that since. And Aang is like, "Yeah. And they were all great in their own way. But they're not you." (Nobody look at me. I'm v emotional now.)
My Arms Were Always Around You
Your pretty little wings/They must be getting tired/Trying to keep your feet/Up off the ground//No more dreams/Must I sacrifice/My heart is safe/You'll guard it with your life
Ohhhhh. Yes. Okay. This song is for both of them. Toph gives Aang a safe space to ground himself and Aang gives Toph the freedom to chase her dreams without inhibition. They always have one another's backs. They're always there to support one another. At the end of a long day, they're always there to let the other sink into the comfort of their embrace. 🥺
#ask evergreen#evergreen answers#kinzjoydragon#taang#playlist asks#I hope I did them justice in your eyes Joy!!!!
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And Maybe We’re Like Fire and Ice
Title: And Maybe We’re Like Fire and Ice
Pairing: Zutara, very slight Sukka
Rating: M (there is smut, you have been warned)
Summary: It's an easy kind of love, the way Zuko loves her, and the way she loves him. It's simple in the way a turtleduck needs a pond to swim, the way a dragon needs fire to breathe. How the airbenders rely on the wind to carry them to the highest turrets on the temples, how the blood in the human body needs the heart to live. It's simple in the way fire ignites the world, and water soothes the burn. Like yin and yang, push and pull, hot and cold, ice and fire.
Notes: Hi guys, I posted a link to this fic the other day but I realized that you all probably prefer reading this on tumblr (that’s why you’re here). I’m reposting the fic here so you guys can read it in it’s entirety without having to leave the site.
Update: I just realized that this fic kinda technically fits zutara month, day 29: home, so I’m gonna tag it now. Haha, that’s me, always late to the game
Here’s the link to AO3 though, if you’d like to read it there: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24365008
Katara is twenty three years old when she decides rice wine is her favorite. It's been a long three days at the annual trade summit in the Fire Nation, and Katara is spent. She hates musty politicians and stuck up noblemen, and if it weren't for the fact that she had Toph, Aang and Sokka by her side, equally suffering, she'd probably drench the throne room in a tsunami of her own sweat.
(Zuko would probably murder her, but then feel bad about it and probably cry himself to death and then go searching through the spirit world to redeem himself to her. The thought of spirit Zuko chasing her after death is enough to amuse her and get her through the remaining days, although she wants to tell ambassador Shen of Omashu to suck it.)
She, Zuko, Aang and Toph are currently in Zuko's study, splitting a case of rice wine. Katara and Zuko are on their second shared bottle, Aang has had two cups and declares he's seeing stars, and Toph's probably had at least four bottles herself, nursing what looks like a fifth. Sokka has long since departed, no doubt chasing Suki's tail, and Zuko sputters and spits out his wine when Toph eloquently states he should wash the bed sheets, of every room in the palace.
"Toph!" Zuko splutters, looking thoroughly scandalized. Toph doesn't even look abashed, and downs another mouthful of wine straight from the bottle. She cackles and elbows Aang, who goes flying into the nearest ornamental case with an audible crack.
"Oops," she says, and raises the bottle.
Zuko's eye twitches, and that's when Katara steps in, to save Toph's ass and probably Zuko's sanity. "Alright, enough. I think it's time we called it a night. I should probably get Aang to his room."
Aang is snoring.
Zuko turns his gaze on her, and she can't tell if the plea in his eyes is begging her to take Toph and Aang away, or for her to stay.
Toph makes the decision for her, clambering to her feet and dropping her bottle, now empty. "Nah, Sugar Queen," she says making her way over to Aang. "I got Twinkletoes over here. You hang out with Sparky before he dies from lack of attention."
Zuko whines, but Toph ignores him and reaches down to pick up a very unconscious avatar, slinging him over her shoulder with ease. The image before Katara, of a slight noblewoman hardly taller than her shoulder, with dirt caked under her fingernails and her hair in a messy bun, holding up a tall, lanky bald boy with nothing but her single hand, would make anyone break out into a fit of laughter. But Katara knows all too well the strength in Toph's pinky finger, and doesn't say a word.
She and Zuko bid Toph goodnight, and with a grumble about Aang's tolerance (or lack thereof), the greatest earthbender in the world takes her leave. Zuko is quiet for a moment, but then looks at her and picks up the half empty bottle of wine before him. "Wanna go somewhere more private?" He asks.
Katara snorts, but takes the hand he offers her. "You just want to go back to your room to make sure Sokka hasn't gotten to it."
Zuko has the decency to look affronted, before pulling her out of his study and down the hall to the royal apartments. "I'm trying hard to not think about that, thank you very much." They stop before the door to his room, disregarding the royal guards standing before it. He turns and looks at her. "He wouldn't, would he?"
Katara snorts, and pushes the door open, shoving her way past Zuko into his room. "The last thing I want to think about is my brother's love life, thank you very much, but no. Suki would never let him."
He laughs and follows her into his room, closing the door behind them. With a single snap, he lights the fire in the fireplace, illuminating the room in a soft glow.
Katara goes and sits by the fire, closing her eyes and savoring the warmth it gives off. She hears Zuko rummaging around. She opens one eye and finds him disrobing his outer layers, leaving him in a simple red tunic, much like the one he wore when they were still Team Avatar, young and foolish, just a bunch of kids trying to save the world.
He comes to sit next to her. “I can’t remember the last time I was here,” she muses, taking the bottle and sipping. “What was it, like three years ago?”
“Five,” Zuko says, taking the bottle from her. “It was five. We were sitting right here when you came up with the idea to travel throughout the kingdoms, creating hospitals for the impoverished and the wounded from the battlefronts.”
Oh.
Katara is quiet for a moment, and she takes this small second of silence to study Zuko. He’s always been a contrast of emotions, and right now he seems sad and happy mixed together all at once.
Five years, she thinks. She remembers now, sitting here with Zuko, brainstorming ideas to help out those who needed her. Traveling with Aang had been great until it hadn’t been- until she’d been reduced to nothing but the Avatar’s girlfriend. She’d needed something for herself, something that would be hers and hers alone, where she could be just Katara again, master waterbender.
Zuko had been the one to ignite the idea. Stories of impoverished villages scattered throughout the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom. I don’t know how to help them, Katara, he had said to her. So many villages suffer from hunger and sickness, so many people with too many scars and not enough doctors to help them.
Hospitals. That’s what the world needed. And Katara could procure them.
And so she had. She had traveled from kingdom to kingdom, raising hospitals everywhere she went. She never spent too much time in one place, often spending just enough time to train doctors and healers what she knew, aiding the most severe cases with her waterbending, before moving on to the next town that needed her help.
It felt good, helping people. Like she was always meant for it. The girl with blood on her hands and a healer’s touch. A warrior and a healer.
I will never, ever turn my back on people who need me.
But maybe, she thinks, in the process of finding myself, I may have lost a few people along the way.
Five years is a long time to miss someone.
“How long do you think you’ll stay this time?” Zuko asks, breaking the silence. He’s turned towards her now, leaning in, and she can see the little flecks of amber in his eyes, glinting in the fire light.
“I’m not sure,” she says, suddenly aware of the temperature in the room, the temperature settling in the core of her body, making her breath come quick and fast. “I’d like to stay longer, this time. My hospitals are all running smoothly, and now that trade with the Earth Kingdom has been renewed, we won’t be seeing a shortage of supplies any time soon.”
Zuko’s eyes darken, and he leans in further, their faces separated by only their breath and the whisper of smoke from the fire. “Then stay,” he whispers. His eyes burn, and Katara recognizes that look all too well.
Five years is a long time to love someone.
Their lips crash together, and Katara drops the bottle of wine, opting instead to wrap her arms around his neck. Zuko’s arms cage her in and pull her flush against her body, where she can feel the wild rhythm of his heart pounding in his chest, matching her own. She gasps into his mouth, their breath mingling, and Zuko growls her name.
Zuko’s warmth has Katara overwhelmed with heat and weak in the knees. As if sensing her, Zuko stands, pulling her up and stumbling backwards. Her knees hit the mattress and he pushes, sending back onto the mattress. She whines at the separation, but he’s back on her in an instant, a fiery passion as he pins her to the bed. She tastes the desperation and need on his tongue, and arches against him, feeling the hard length of him pressed against her belly.
Zuko pulls away, panting. There’s a fire burning in his eyes, and Katara runs her hands through his thick black locks, feeling him leaning into her touch. He leans in and Katara arches her neck, letting his tongue trace rivers down the length of her throat. She’s overcome by her need for this boy, and she scrabbles for his tunic, yanking it open and off his broad shoulders.
He grunts and throws it off, baring his torso to her. Reverently, like a painter tracing their way over a canvas, she runs her fingers down his chest, stopping at the starburst carved into his sternum. The boy from her past is gone, replaced with a young man- evident in his marbled muscles, the sharp angle of his hips, the trail of hair stopping at his waistband-
He groans as she palms him through his trousers. “Katara,” he grunts, taking her hand. “I don’t want to rush you-”
She kisses him again, and he relents. She touches him through the fabric, listening to the hisses and groans he gives off when she does something he likes. It’s thrilling- to hold a man in the palm of your hands and reduce him to a quivering mess. She continues to touch him, until he finally grabs her hand and pulls her away from him. She frowns, but he smiles and kisses her, before pulling away with a smirk on his face.
“My turn,” he says, and Katara shudders from the burning desire in his eyes. He makes short work of her tunic and leggings, leaving her in just her wrappings. His eyes run over her figure, hands dancing over her breasts, her waist, her thighs. “I don’t want to forget this.”
You look so good in my bed sheets.
Katara moans when he dips his head, placing light kisses on her breasts over her wraps. His hands come up, molding and massaging until she’s a panting mess, breasts peaked under her wrapping. He smiles and makes quick work of the fabric, deft fingers unwinding and baring her to his mercy. He stares for a moment and Katara holds her breath, heart pounding, before he dips his head and takes her nipple into her mouth.
“Oh,” she gasps, arching into his mouth. His other hand comes up and cups her other breast, thumbing her peak while his tongue works, and she’s a writhing, moaning mess. Katara feels her toes curl, and he abandons her breasts, kissing down her stomach. She raises her head, panting, as he makes quick work of her lower wrapping. She squirms under him, but he raises an arm and pins her down. He gingerly maneuvers his body in between her thighs, and Katara feels warmth pool in her core as he studies her.
A long moan is drawn from her as he runs a finger along her slit, gathering the wetness that has pooled there. He parts her folds with his hand, and Katara holds her breath-
He puts his mouth on her, and Katara’s world bursts into color. She’s submerged in a world of pleasure as he works his mouth on her, sending tingles of pleasure radiating out through her body. She moans, and he slides a finger into her wet heat, sending another wave of pleasure through her. The feel of him inside her and his tongue on her has her seeing stars, and it only takes a few moments before she cries out, arching against him as she comes. His name falls from her lips once, twice, thrice, before she falls back against the mattress, chest heaving and seeing stars.
Zuko crawls back up her body, kissing a lazy path across her skin. Katara twitches as his hands come up to cup her breasts again, and he finds her lips, kissing her with the same passion as before. She can taste herself on his lips and she gasps against him.
It only takes a few minutes before she’s arching against him again, using her feet and hands to loosen his trousers. He grumbles and bats the offending item away before falling back between her splayed legs, taking her hand in his.
“Are you sure?” he asks, eyes burning into hers as he takes her hand to his mouth, placing light open mouthed kisses to her fingers. She’s overwhelmed by her want for this boy- this young man who always asks, who always puts her first.
“Yes,” she gasps, reaching down and taking him in her hand. He groans, eyes squeezing shut while she strokes him. She leans up, kissing him and pulling him down to her as she lines him up. “Please.”
He mouths along her jaw and throat and pushes, and Katara’s breath hitches. It doesn’t hurt- just a tight, slick slide and a whimper, and he’s home. His head falls to her shoulder, and he whispers a mantra of Katara, Katara, Katara into her shoulder.
They fall into a steady rhythm. The stretch of him inside her is delicious, the press of his chest against her breasts, the way he laces his fingers through hers as he thrusts. She finds herself arching against his every thrust, pulling him deeper into her until she’s gasping his name and seeing stars. Sweat drips off of him, making him gleam in the firelight, and he moans into her shoulder. She pulls him back to her, his lips rough against hers as he desperately rolls his hips against her. Their breaths mingle, and Katara feels like this is an eclipse- like she is the moon and he is the sun, and in the moment they meet, it’s electric.
Zuko speeds up, and Katara moans into his mouth. Although she knows she won’t get there a second time, he’s still sending sparks of pleasure flying through her and igniting her bones. But she wants him to get there too, and so she wraps her legs around his hips and clenches, arching her body so that she is flush against him and her breasts rub against his skin. That seems to be it for Zuko, and his thrusts become erratic, pulling her hard against him two more times before he tenses, groaning into her ear. She feels the warm rush of him through her and pulls him tight.
They lay there panting, and Zuko peppers her shoulder with kisses while they come down from the high. Katara gingerly unwraps her legs from him and he slowly pulls out, hissing from the oversensitivity. Katara kisses him, then quickly removes the evidence from their bodies with a flick of her hand. Zuko chuckles, and cradles her to his chest.
They don’t speak for the longest time. She dozes off after a few minutes, to the press of Zuko’s lips on her temple and a rasp of I love you whispered in her hair. ________________________________________________________________
“And maybe we’re like fire and ice,” Zuko murmurs into her shoulder, lips pressing into her warm skin. Katara lolls her head back against him, letting him trace a map from her throat to collarbone, pressing featherlight kisses across her skin. She is rejuvenated from her impromptu nap and coils against him like a firelily panther.
“What do you mean?” she asks, stretching her body out next to his. It’s warm, tangled up in him under the sheets, but Katara has no intention to move from her spot. She refuses to relinquish the heat of him, the way her legs slot between his, how his angular hips press into hers, the feel of his rough, scarred skin sliding against her body. She can imagine how they look- light and dark molding together like a painting. Like the way the sun bleeds into the ocean as it sets.
Zuko pauses. “Well,” he begins, raising his arm and beginning to trace his finger over her back, tracing imaginary patterns into her skin. “Uncle always stressed about balance and harmony in the world. Light and dark, good and evil- he’s been to the Spirit World before, you know.”
“I did not.”
“It’s not the point. Anyway,” he continues. “Maybe that’s what we are- two people in perfect harmony with each other. If air and earth are complete opposites, that means fire and water are too. You and I, we make up two halves of the coin.”
“Balance,” Katara whispers, and Zuko lowers a kiss to the back of her neck.
“Yeah,” he says. His fingers continue to draw on her back, and Katara frowns when she realizes that he’s drawing the symbol of the Fire Nation across her skin. “Uncle told me that fire is the element of power. The people of the Fire Nation have desire and will, and the energy and drive to achieve what they want. We are proud and passionate.” He’s now drawing the Water Tribe symbol on her skin. “But water is the element of change. The people of the Water Tribes are capable of adapting to many things. They have a sense of community and love that holds them together through anything. Your people are compassionate and loyal.”
She rolls over to face him, and his arm drops heavily around her waist. She savors the weight of him against her, and places her hand over his scar. He sucks in a breath and closes his eyes, pressing against her palm. He is warm under her hand, and she runs her fingers slowly over the ridges of tough skin. His eyes open again, and he turns his head to press a kiss against her palm.
“What are you saying, Zuko?” she breathes.
He stares at her for a moment, and she memorizes the twin suns of his eyes, the wrinkles around them from when he smiles. There’s affection in his molten gaze, and he comes closer, rolling them over so that he’s propped above her. With one hand, he cups her cheek, and she leans into him, letting his rough, calloused fingers weave poems into her skin.
“I’m saying, I want you here, in the Fire Nation, with me,” Zuko says, and her heart sings with joy. “I know you love your work around the nations, and I know how much your hospitals need you. But I need you too, Katara. Together, you and I could make a difference here. I need you to help me change the world, to tell me when I'm wrong and soothe me when I'm angry. I want to be your drive to do good and change this country, to fuel your passion to heal. I want you, and you need a place to call home. I want yours to be here, with me.”
She stares at him. For so long, she’s been wandering the world untethered to any one person or place. Zuko’s right, she no longer has a home to call her own. The Southern Water Tribe is like a distant dream to her, and while she does visit occasionally, she can’t imagine calling the vast desert of snow and ice her home. Not anymore.
When she thinks about it, she’s not sure if she can call any physical place home at all. In fact, the only thing that stands out in her mind is Sokka, and Toph, and Aang. And Zuko. Her home is with the people she loves, the people she calls family. And when she thinks about it even more, the image of home behind her closed eyelids is the exact same image before her in this moment: Zuko, with sleep tousled hair and lips kissed by the moon, of warm silk sheets against her thighs and his fingers laced with hers.
“You really want me here?” she whispers. His eyes soften, and something within Katara’s soul lifts.
He leans down and kisses her, and Katara winds her arms around his neck, her legs pulling his hips down so that they are pressed together. He’s murmuring against her lips as he presses further into her, winding himself around her until she’s not sure where she begins and where he ends. The heat between them builds, and suddenly she wants nothing more but to have him again. The very thought of it makes the warmth bloom between her legs once more.
She spreads her legs and arches against him. He pulls away and looks at her, his mouth swollen and his eyes dark with desire. “Are you sure?” he asks, and she nods, arching against him again. He hisses and grinds himself against her, hard and thick against her thigh.
He pushes into her slowly and growls into her throat. The weight of him feels good against her, and she rolls her hips to the rhythm of his, pressing a constellation of kisses against his collarbone, her fingers coiling in the small of his back. He groans and holds onto her hips as they move, and moves to recapture her lips. Katara loves this- she loves him, and all that he symbolizes.
Maybe he's right- maybe he is her other half. Maybe he does ground her when her feet get too high off the ground, maybe he does ignite within her a passion to engulf the world in fire and water. Maybe she does allow him to soar, to make him feel loved when those around him would only see him burned.
Yin and Yang.
She meets his gaze and pulls him down to meet her. “Zuko,” she breaths, arching into him. “I love you.”
His eyes darken, and he leans down to capture her lips once more. Not much is spoken after that, and Zuko dims the firelight with a flick of his hand, so that only the moon is witness to what comes after.
________________________________________________________________
It’s still dark out, although Katara can tell that dawn is approaching, and Agni will once again rise to chase Tui out of the sky once more. Despite the lack of sleep, Katara feels strangely rested, but finding love after years of searching for it does seem to rejuvenate the spirit. Katara rolls over and looks at Zuko, meeting his gentle gaze, and leans in for a chaste kiss. He runs a hand through her hair, cupping her cheek, and whispers I love you against her lips. She smiles, and he pulls away, looking at her so fondly it makes her chest ache.
He gets up, and Katara pushes herself up to her elbows to watch him. He's beautiful, marble skin laid over a hard body. Sweat lies in a silver sheen over his skin, and the moonlight bathes him in a silver glow. With a flick of his fingers the candles in the room a light, and his skin turns golden. He shrugs a scarlet robe haphazardly over his shoulders, tying the knot lazily around his waist. He walks over to the large golden armour in the corner of the room, rummaging around and muttering to himself, before he straightens and comes back to her.
She sits up, holding the blankets around her chest as he settles next to her. With a smile, he takes her hand in one of his and covers it with the other. She feels something sharp and heavy in her hand, and looks down. His hand still covers hers, scarred and calloused.
"I don't expect your answer any time soon," he begins slowly, and she can hear the tremor in his voice. "Think of this more as a promise for the future." Then he pulls his hand away, and Katara's breath catches in her throat.
The headpiece is small enough to fit in her palm, and glows golden in the candlelight. The crescent moon of her people, the royal headpiece of the Fire Nation, rests in her palm. She raises her eyes, speechless, and meets Zuko's sheepish gaze. "A moon?" Is what finally falls from her lips.
Zuko chuckles and runs a hand through his hair. " Yes, I had it made for you. The blacksmith was a bit shocked at first, but I wanted it to be something special." His eyes soften, and he takes her free hand in his, fingers tracing the veins racing across her skin. "You're not Fire Nation, Katara, and you never will be. You're a woman of the Water Tribe, a master waterbender, a lady of the moon and ocean. If you do become Fire Lady, which, dear Agni I hope you do, I want to make sure the world remembers your heritage and where you come from. The waterbender of the Fire Nation."
Katara can feel the tears pooling in her eyes, but she furiously blinks them away. She will not cry because of the love this man has for her, who is willing to change the traditions passed down from his people for her. She smiles, wiping her eyes. "You know, Zuko," she begins lightly. "This is a bit big to fit around my neck."
He's quiet for a moment, and she watches his eyes slowly widen at her implication. "No! I, uh- see the thing is, I didn't want- I mean, I just-"
She laughs when his arms begin to flail, and pulls him down for a kiss. He starts against her lips, but after a moment he leans in, and they fall back down together onto the mattress. Katara laughs again once they separate, and Zuko nips her nose in response.
"I didn't want to replace your mother's necklace," he whispers, and Katara's hand goes to her throat. " I figured this was one Water Tribe tradition you wouldn't mind me skipping."
She smiles, and Zuko rolls to lay next to her. Katara lifts her hand and stares at the moon headpiece in her hand, admiring the smooth curve of it in her palm. "Thank you," she whispers, and rolls over to face him. He's watching her like she is the sun. "You're right, this is too soon, but I love it. And I want to be here, I really do. I want to be here with you."
He smiles and leans in close, resting his forehead against hers. " Thank you, Katara," he whispers.
It's an easy kind of love, the way Zuko loves her, and the way she loves him. It's simple in the way a turtleduck needs a pond to swim, the way a dragon needs fire to breathe. How the airbenders rely on the wind to carry them to the highest turrets on the temples, how the blood in the human body needs the heart to live. It's simple in the way fire ignites the world, and water soothes the burn. Like yin and yang, push and pull, hot and cold, ice and fire.
Zuko and Katara.
Notes: The lady of the moon idea was inspired from @zutarawasrobbed, as well as @kakarinlin who made the most beautiful artwork for the idea. Credits to these two lovely people for inspiring me.
I hope you guys liked it. Please let me know what you think (remember, I haven't written smut in a while so idk how good it is). I also have a tendency to write things in one sitting and publish it before it turns into a multichap monster, so don't hate me too much if it's got a weird flow to it
#zutara#zutara fanfiction#zuko#katara#my loves#zukoxkatara#wolfspirit44 on ff.net#zutara month 2020#always late#that's me
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Heartlines - Zutara Week 2018 Day One - First Kiss
“Oh what a thing to choose
But, no
In some way I’m there with you
up against the wall
on a Wednesday afternoon
Just keep following the heartlines on your hand”
- “Heartlines” by Florence + The Machine
#zutaraweek
@zutaraweek
There comes a certain point in every housewarming party for someone in their mid twenties that a threshold is crossed. After that threshold is crossed there can be no turning back. At this particular housewarming party, that threshold was kissing games with an empty bottle of alcohol.
Katara stared at Sokka, who held the bottle of firewhisky aloft.
“Everyone in a circle on the floor.” he commanded with an authority that was not a far cry from the tone he used on the Day of Black Sun.
“Sokka, what are you doing.” Katara rubbed her temples, she had already had far too much to drink and a game of spin the bottle with this crowd did not sound appealing in the least. One person in their little party was her brother, the other was her brother’s wife, one was the avatar and her ex boyfriend, one was the greatest earthbender on the planet who Katara wasn't sure had brushed her teeth in the last year,another was pink clad acrobat and her kyoshi warrior girlfriend and Zuko.
Katara glanced around the room, no one else seemed to have a problem with this except her. Well, and Zuko, who Katara was pretty sure hadn’t heard the beginning of the conversation and looked very confused.
“Sokka are sure this is a good idea.” the waterbender eyed her very drunk brother.
Katara stumbled forward as a hand slapped her back. “It's fine Sugar Queen, it'll be fun.” Toph gave her a wide grin and Katara grimaced. Katara wasn't so sure.
“So how do you play this.” Aang inquired innocently. The group had gathered on a mat on the floor of Sokka and Suki’s new home on Kyoshi island, in a loose circle with the whiskey bottle on its side in the middle of them.
“Well, young, naive twinkle toes, this game is called Ten Minutes in the Lower Ring.” Toph started confidently she leaned back on a couch behind her, one leg resting on the other’s knee and her head tilted back.
“No,” interjected Ty Lee. “I thought it was Eight Minutes by The Docks.”
“Wait, I thought it was called Six Minutes in The House.”
Katara heard a groan next to her and she turned to see Zuko pinching the bridge of his nose. “What are you all talking about? I've never heard of any of these games.”
“Yeah I'm confused too.” Aang looked around the circle.
Suki chuckled. “ Well Aang, and Zuko, on Kyoshi we call it Seven Minutes in Paradise, spin the bottle is another name for it, those other names reference to the pleasures one experiences in a harem.” she said it so nonchalantly Katara couldn't help but smile.
“What is this game?!” Aang's shocked voice made Katara out-right giggle.
“Well,” Suki continued, “its a kissing game, one person spins an empty bottle and they have to spend seven minutes in a room alone with whoever it lands on. Alone, as in,… making out.”
Katara didn't like how Aang’s eyes immediately turned to her, she looked away. They had only broken up afew months ago, it had been a very long (and painful) relationship for her.
“In the South Pole we called it Seven Minutes by the Fire.” Sokka said out of the blue. His bravado had faded a tad and now he shamelessly stared at Suki.
This was so weird.
“ lets stop blabbing and get to playing.” Toph chimed in. Zuko groaned again.
It was katara’s turn first and she found that her heart beat quickly as she considered her options. The only person that it wouldn't be incredibly painful to spend seven minutes with was probably Zuko and Ty Lee’s girlfriend (Katara was pretty sure her name was Nim Mae). Nim Mae wouldn't be too bad because Katara didn't know her and Katara could easily purge the incident from her alcohol hazed mind, and Zuko, well, Zuko was complicated.
Katara rested her fingertips on the cool glass and gave it a spin. For a moment the room was silent as the bottle spun but Katara’s heart began to hammer as it slowed, finally it came to a rest between Aang and Zuko. Katara wanted to crawl in a whole and never come out. But seemingly of its own accord the bottle shifted over to Zuko and the room let out a sigh of relief. Except for Zuko, he inhaled deeply and a blush rose up his neck.
“Up and at em you two, the bottle’s word is law.” Toph said almost to cheerily.
Katara looked over at Zuko who’s dark hair was a little mussed up and his gold eyes burned, he gave her a small smile.
“The bottles word is law.” Katara repeated.
Zuko and Katara found themselves in a small closet off one of the main hallways. The only thing in it was a bucket collecting leaking water from the roof. The room was quickly filled with their body heat and Katara could smell Zuko from her position leaning on the back wall.
He smelled really good, like spices. He leaned up against the door frame.
“So have you ever played this before.” Zuko asked awkwardly. Everything about the past fifteen minutes was incredibly awkward.
“No have you?”
“Nope”
“So do we just…?”
“Yep.”
There was a beat of silence where Katara worked up her courage and she crossed the foot of space between them meeting his lips.
When their mouths met, energy coursed through her body; hot and heavy. They broke away after first contact and there was another beat of silence as they both reflected on the threshold they had just crossed. Things would never be the same after this seven minutes in the closet.
Their lips met again.
This time more passionate. Zuko pressed Katara against the wall lifting her up on her toes. She threw her leg over his knee and straddled his thigh. She felt his hands roam up her sides as her tongue sneaked into his mouth. Her gut churned and Zuko braced himself with one elbow above her head. Katara tilted her head a little and she felt Zuko’s teeth brush her lip. They separated another time to catch their breath. The waterbender and the Firelord’s chests heaved in rhythm. Katara saw his eyes glint in the darkness. He brought his head closer until his heavy breathe was on her neck.
“Why have we never done this before.” Zuko murmured. Something light fluttered around in Katara’s chest. She pressed her mouth to the exposed skin above his collar as Zuko began to kiss her neck.
“I don't know.” Katara said, an uncontrollable smile spreading across her face. “But we sure were stupid”
Toph couldn't help but grin as she sat in the circle back in the living room, listening in to the two’s “little moment”. She would tell Katara later that the bottle cap was metal.
So I'm finally able to contribute to Zutara week! barely. I’ve had a really long week and my life has been super busy but here I am. an hour late to the first day of ZK week. but I hope you all enjoyed and I'm already working on tomorrows prompt (Letters)
#also bi katara is canon and you can fight me#she would have totally made out with nim mea#toph is my third favorite avatar character#Zuko and Katara#zutara#Zutara week#zutara week day one#first kiss#fanfiction#Avatar The Last Airbender#atla#avatar fanfiction#zutara fanfiction#zutara week 2018
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