Let's go delulu

Scenario:

It was supposed to be a small catch up between you two and the Gaang in ember island. Planned by Aang, obviously, just to...catch up with each other, see how life is being handled, and maybe to also watch that weird play about your adventure during the war(which had become tradition at this point)

So how did you all end up in this situation, ambushed by thousands of rouge fire benders and non benders that refused to live up to the peace of the new era?

And how is it...that by coincidence...you just got the same wound as him?

Aang

Spirits now that this wasn't what he had planned for the week. No...not at all.

This was meant to be the usual annual trip...well...the ones he normally does at this time to spend the time with the others, not as the avatar. Not as last Airbender or savior. But just as Aang.

An Aang that wanted to relax with his spouse and enjoy watching that cringy show that always got his manners and even gender wrong at times

But no...he was here, fighting. Swooping an pair of benders to the side with his air bending. Using earth bending to make the others distracted while he tried, so hard to defend and assist you. Keeping an careful eye.

But gosh. They kept coming.

Where did they all come from?

Why couldn't he have just one moment. One single moment of peace with you at his side?

He was focusing his best. Dodging the attacks. Defending himself. Knocking them out, making sure he doesn't hurt them too seriously.

That he had strayed his eyes off from you and left a weak spot for a second.

Just three seconds

So imagine the terror he felt when he saw thunder. Blue thunder. Coming from the sky and a scream mixed gasp that lasted only, barely, a few seconds.

Not Katara's scream. Not Toph's scream, or even Zuko or Sokka's.

Yours

That pure unadulterated agonizing scream cut through every single defenses or plans he had the moment he saw one of the rouge fire benders use lighting bending and struck you behind the back.

The worst of all. It felt like he had froze for a few moments.

And watched his world crash down like it was nothing more than the ashes of the most valued thing in his life.

Then he started to move.

Not walk. Not run, but rush using pure wind speed and catch you in his arms as you fell from strucked roughly in the back.

"Sweetheart? SWEETHEART!! oh no no no no no....what....no no. Please. Please keep your eyes open for me. Okay darling? Okay?... Just... Just... please!"

He pleaded, so...so much, analyzing how you looked. And spirits. Oh in the name of yangchen....he couldn't describe how terrified he was in the midst of his tears.

You looked half dead, and that horrified him to the extreme. You were barely conscious, you're eyes staring at nothing but the dark smokey sky above with dried tears marks. But you were breathing. He felt it.

He tried to gently, the best that he could. Try to make you stay conscious, even when his heart had dropped, or beat so hard agaisnt his ribs that he could barely even breath.

This was a nightmare. A nightmare that he couldn't wake from because it's reality.

He was the avatar. He was an master of all elements. Balance between worlds. Yet...did all of that even mattered when you, his beloved, his first love, was barely even awake in his arms?

His hands. No body trembled as he gently turned you over to see the damage. He needed to stay focus. He needed to access the wound.

....It was much more worse than his.

Azula lighting bending was focused, precise. A master, and she had one goal. To stop his heart and kill him. It is why the lighting scar wasn't as big.

But this? This was not a precise wound. It was large. Messy, and red. Oh it was red, all red. An action that was clearly taken from watching lighting bending from others.

He couldn't focus on the why. Or the how a firebender was able to learn lighting bending.

All his vision was on you.

His hearing? It was deafening with a ringing. His vision? It all tunnels to you.

In fact, it took all his control in his body to not explode into the avatar state and instead focus on getting the lighting out of the body.

His hands trembled seriously as he focused on shifting the lighting out, he wanted to focus, he really did. But it felt like he was that 12 year old kid again that ran away from the southern air temple.

He should thank Zuko. Spirits. He should've thanked him years ago. Because one moment. You were dead limp in his arms. The next he saw you gasping and coughing awake.

Oh thanks the spirits. Thanks goodness. Thanks everything. He grasped you close to his chest. His head moving to your shoulder and the crook of your neck. It took all of him. All of him. To resist tapping into the avatar State and attacking everyone.

"oh thanks the spirits sweetheart...oh thanks the spirits...oh sweetheart...I..I can't-"

He could only let out a choked breath. His eyes glimmering with tears. He was shaking. You felt it in your half conscious state. Or barely even stable state as he cradled you close to him.

You didn't know when he went to call Katara, or when you moved.

But he did, it was ingrained. And will always be on his mind.

-----------------

After the battle, and getting into safety, with Katara checking on you and the rest. Aang couldn't help but always look at your resting figure in your shared bed. At your bandaged back, covered by your sleeping robes and a thin blanket.

He couldn't help it. He felt guilty, and unfortunately, knew all too well what you dealt with. Even if he went unconscious immediately after he was struck.

He wished he could've stopped that lighting bender.

And he wished he could've protected you.

Spirits. He wished he couldve switched places with you.

He moved from his spot of the bed to gently cupped your cheek. His eyes shaky as he took in a heavy breath then, slowly moved to lean his bare forehead agaisnt the side of your face. Silent tears escaping him.

"I'm so sorry...I'm so..so sorry that I couldn't protect you"

He softly whispered. Meaning each single word.

Because yes. He was sorry.

He was the avatar.

And he had failed you.

Zuko

No

No.

No.

Who? Why? How

He was with you all this time. He promised to protect you afterall. He did, in his vows,during meetings, before bed, in the quiet moments. And right before this trip.

So how is it. How, That the moment he moved in a battle, just for a few seconds to defend Sokka from an brutal attack from two firebenders while Sokka ambushed them in a swift move-

Did he hear the most horrible familiar, and agonizing scream of yours.

....oh no.

He was terrified of that sound.

He hated that sound.

And he feared the sound that came after it.

The dreadful, traumatizing hiss of flesh being burnt...wait...

No.

He didn't just move. He snapped, quickly to see the sight.

And it call came flashing back to his mind about that day. That very day that had transformed his life.

Happening right before him more than 6 years later.

He was seeing it. Right before him, himself on you, and his father on a man that was grinning sadistically as he burned your face. That beautiful face that always brightened at the sight of him even in the hallways you shared.

But that brightness was gone. Only tears, and a cry.

A cry for him.

Spirits, he never moved so fast than he had done just now. He was sprinting. He was running.

He was flying full speed ahead, using his firebending as boosters to-

SLAM!

His smashed his feet against the mans face. Throwing him feets off of you. He wanted to fight him. To slam his hands on the man and show him what you dealt with. What he dealt with. But that visceral cry of yours broke him out of trance.

The moment you cried. He had immediately moved. Immediately going onto his knees as he accessed each single part of you, looking at your arms. Your legs then slowly to your face.

Oh that was the worse part.

Half your face, but on the right side. It was bad. No worse than bad. He couldn't even find the words to describe it.

His teeth chattered as he tried. Oh so tried to gently cupped your face to take a more closer look.

You had a handprint. He could see it. The fingertips reaching the side of your head. Burning the hair, your eye. You could barely see through it and you cried and broke before him. Lord those sounds coming from you is breaking him

Especially by your actions. Your were grasping onto him so tightly your shoulder shaking by each painful sob that you couldn't maintained when he moved you closer to him.

"It hurts- I can't..its...nnnghh"

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. His heart broke for you. His mind shattered at the moment. Your tears. Oh spirits. Your sobs. For the love of the two great dragons...oh spirits...he wished he could've protected you or done SOMETHING. oh god oh god-

"I know. I know baby. Oh spirits I know- shh shhh"

He didn't know what to do. He didn't know what to say. And that was the problem. He UNDERSTOOD your situations. For the Sun warriors- he BEEN in that situation.

So why can't he, for great dragons sake. Comfort you?

He could only hold you as tightly as you held him and cradled you so close to him, it was as if he was mending you two in one flesh.

He felt desperate. Oh he did. He did he-

He snapped his head towards Katara who had finished off with the last of the rouge members.

Katara. Oh thanks the sun for her being her. Oh thanks EVERYTHING She's here.

"KATARA! KATARA! PLEASE-...It's...it's them."

He never felt this desperate. He never pleaded. He was always the calm headed one, the one who was supposed to finish off that DARN man that dared get his hands on you.

But he can't keep his composure when his darling. His beloved. The one he had had married and had become his royal consort and partner in the fire nation. Is just....

He can't explain it without wanting to break down.

Everything was overwhelming, as much as for you, as for him, the smell of iron, of burnt flesh, of burnt hair. Lingered in the air around you. The sounds of you crying. Of that high pitch cry and whine mix. The feeling of you breaking each second and barely keeping yourself from falling off of him-

He couldn't handle it.

❤️‍🔥 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~❤️‍🔥

By the time that everything had settled.

Zuko just...never found the words. He was silent. More silent than he had ever been.

And he had never left your side.

Even after food was offered to him, or when Aang tried to comfort him. Or Katara tried to get him to even eat or drink anything.

His focus had been on you. Always on you. His eyes. Now red and puffy, just...stared at you like you were his life.

And you were. You were the flame of his life.

What would he be without you? When you were with him from the very start, even in his childhood. His banishment, the times he hid his identity.

You were there. So...what would his life be without you?

His hands gripped your hands like your were his living prayer. Each breath you took was just a sign of the tiny relief that sparked beneath his heart.

Instead of saying any words of apology. He just moved his head toward the hand that he grasped. The one with that signature ruby red ring he had given you as a promise.

"...I failed you. My flame.....and I...I will never forgive myself for failing you."

His voice broke as he just trembled.

He had broke his promise.

...and he doesn't think he can make up for it.

Sokka

(Special Headcanon! :In which Sokka has a side burn from during the war)

This day? Started out great, wonderful! You were laughing, elbowing him, enjoying his jokes too!

Spirits, it was so lovely.

But how it ended?...He's not going to talk on that.

Or joke. Because why would it be a joke?

Much like the others. He too was working extremely hard to keep up and defend himself and you from the ambush. His eyes were everywhere.

Who knew a small civilization would attempted to kill them all during this break?

Well...he probably did. He had a bad feeling. But your insistence in going had melted that worry down.

....he wished that didn't happen.

Oh...he wished it upon the spirits of Tui and La.

When the group diminished. Or when actual support of the fire nation soldiers came to arrest them. He was finally relieved of all worries.

"We finally did it! Oh we finally did! Isn't that right my lovely-"

He turned around. Expecting to see you, just exhausted as him, probably minorly bruised and sweaty.

Instead. He found you on the ground. Unconscious, the smell of flesh and clothing in the air. Not a single sound escaped you.

Oh did everything just crumbled like it was nothing but a house built on sand.

One second. He was here.

The other he was seeing his mother on the ground, burnt to the crisp with Katara screaming for her to wake up, as if she, by some miracle of the water spirit. Would.

He was seeing Yue in his hands. Souless. Cold. Like a corpse. He never felt a cold body before that day. He never felt his heart crumble like it was nothing.

But this...was different. It was...exactly like an situation he barely had remembered himself. Only the healing of Katara and waking up with you crying on his shoulder.

..this..

This...

This..

"...Darling?..." his words were barely even a whisper as he stepped closer, no. It couldn't be. It...it..please. Just let it be a joke.

Each step felt like lead.

Each breath felt like he was inhaling in a small airless closet.

That didn't stop him from rushing to you even if his body was telling him the signs that he had felt and seen on those days that marked his whole life.

Once he finally came to you. He collapsed on his knees and pulled you into his arms. His breathing wheezing as his face turned to every single crevice of your face and body.

"Hey! Hey! You...this is a joke right? Right? Darling! This isn't funny! Not funny at all!"

He wished he could've heard a single remark from you, which made him grow silent.

But he refused to let himself grieve when your chest was rising and lowering. You had a chance. Even when the burn.

Oh.

His eyes stayed on the wound, it was way worse up close. Charred, red. Deep. Right on your side, a side that he couldn't protect.

A sign that his plan during the fight failed. A side he had catalogue into his mind the moment the battle started.

He was a man of many great ideas, a strategist, a leader. So when one of his plans failed. He felt just as useless as he was when he was just a kid back in the southern water tribe.

But he wouldn't let this past when he felt you breathing. You weren't dead. Only horribly wounded.

He moved his arms. Pulling one under your knees. The other carefully raising your back, and pulled you into a bridal style carry.

He won't let this wound kill you. He can't let this wound kill you. He wouldn't dare it to. It didn't kill him. It WON'T kill you.

So he ran towards Katara, even through the pull of his exhausted muscles. Even when the adrenaline of his body was almost drained.

Because your life is as precious as everything he had ever had. And he didn't want to feel that mourning feeling he had with Yue again.

🪃 ------------------------🌊

When your wounds were treated and carefully tended to. He had went and checked around the place everyone was staying at. He didn't care if there were soldiers.

He won't deem it safe until his eyes said so. He wouldn't let his guard down, just like he did before. He won't.

But in the back of his mind. His guilt was speaking. It was speaking about his failure. His failed plan. It mocked him. His face didn't deem it. But the way his heart arched did so.

How could he call himself the great strategist if his ultimate plan failed? You were his primary goal, you were the one he needed safe first. Even if you proved yourself time and time again. He was stubborn on it.

He hated that he was right for once. He hated that a small part of his mind blamed it on his non bending abilities. He was capable.

But this failure moved him back to square one.

How could he be the most innovative one of the group when the one person that supported him throughout everything. Got injured in a way he could've prevented?

He failed and that's all there is to it.

A/N: well that's all there is to this! I couldn't remember any moments where Sokka had a personal injury so...I just went fuck it, did something. I'm sorry if its not that good, I'm not great at angst but that's all!

"you're.....real" you softly spoke as he settled you down. His hands never leaving your torso as he leaned in happily to the affectionate touch. The cold puffed out in his breath. His shoulders relaxing.

"and you're real too..I thought..you were just a dream girl I made in my mind but-" he cut himself off, letting himself just stay silent to adore your features and more of you.

That was when you two were caught off by someone clearing their throats purposely.

Immediately you got startled looking back to find Sokka, clearly confused while holding Appas leash. Looking back from Aang, turn back to you. Raising a brow.

...Shit, you forgot, outside of your point of view, that Aang was basically a stranger to you, and that they knew that well from last night. In which you said "maybe I could know this Aang guy" or something along those lines.

You felt the back of your neck start to warm up, your cheeks feeling hot, and so did your ears. You looked towards Aang who went stil. Then he ducked his head. Rubbing the back of his bare neck. Just as how flustered you came to be. He also became flustered.

Sokka crossed his arms, his confusions turned into suspicion as he stared from you, his little sister. To Aang, his current best friend. He moved foward. Appa however. Sat nearby Katara who was just confused from this whole scene.

"And here I thought you two didn't know each other. I thought maybe an handshake will do..or I don't know. An "hi" or "hello I'm blank". Not an hug or..or THIS." he mentioned to the two of you. Specifically eyeing aang's hand on your waist.

Aang immediately moved his hand away from your waist. Grinning awkwardly as he looked away from Sokka's protective yet suspicious look. "Uhh..well it's a long story"

You nodded vigorously, clasping your hands together. This definitely needed an explanation. An very long explanation that you might need to explain carefully.

Katara only hummed. Placing her hands on her hips. She was analyzing the situation. Your face. Aang's face, and the way you had reunited. "you better start talking, or I'm starting to think you hid something from us. Especially you Aang" she gave a pointed look at Aang who raised his shoulders. A bead of sweat dropping from his forehead.

You raised your hands as you tried your best to calm the situation down. Knowing that while Aang was their friend. They can be protective over you. You're their little sister.

"..well..how can I say this...uhm..." you pressed your lips together. Trying to think of the best plausible reason to explain how you and Aang know each other well enough that this happened.

You took a deep breath, closing your eyes for a while before speaking the honest truth "...we...have...connected dreams." finally, you said the truth out, closing your eyes as if you braced for an impact.

But all that you received was...silence.

Silence. Just silence.

You opened one of your eyes, looking back at the two to see their reaction.

They didn't stop staring at you two, actually, their confusion turned into bewilderedness. Katara and Sokka looked at each other, sharing an sibling look with each other, as if they're trying to see if they heard that right. Then looked back.

It was honestly...a lot of staring for a day.

Sokka finally spoke, blinking rapidly as he pointed to you. Then at Aang. "You're...you...dewdrop, you're..joking, right?" he tilted his head, let out a chuckle out of disbelief, but actually, his mind was reeling, trying to see if that was even possible.

But you were completely serious, and Aang was silent for once, His face went slack, and he was for once. Bewildered.

"...Interconnected dreams.." Katara mumbled. Placing a hand on her chin. Her lips pressed together with the same expression you had before. "I think i heard that before, it's possible..and..that explains both your behaviors the last 3 weeks" she turned back to you two.

Sokka seeing that Katara had acted calmly. Immediately fixed his posture and face expression. He coughed and cleared his throat . Holding his fist close to his mouth. "Yeah, no, duh. That explains it...but a little heads up would've be nice. Ya know? So maybe I didn't have to get confused why my baby sister was hugging my best friend like long distanced lovers?"

Aang shoulders relaxed seeing that they didn't react that badly. He let out a breath that he didn't know he was holding. "..Well..that solves the problem" he grinned back to you. "So you're called Reader huh? It's a pretty name, a very pretty name. Reminds me of.." he hummed, trying to find a way to compliment you.

You shook your head. Placing a hand on his arm. "don't think too much on that, we're here as a group to see that new section they opened. Right?" Aang blinked. Before he grinned brightly, looking younger than he actually was. "yes! I mean, we do have to wait for the others don't we?"

"not for long!" a voice called out as suddenly your almost knocked down by Toph who pulled an arm around you shoulders. Her sightless gaze on you. Trying to feel the slightest tensions and your stiff body language when your heart had skipped straight to your throat."Hello snowflake. Seems like you had an moment huh I feel it through you."

You rolled your eyes, shivering at the nickname, "Please stop calling me that" you murmured as she let go. Placing her hands on her hips as if she was deciding whether she was going to do that, or not....obviously it was the latter. "Ehh...nah. Snowflake suits you." she elbowed your side.

You wheezed and rubbed your side. Looking back at Aang as you gave a him a look that practically pleaded. "please don't take that nickname."

He grinned. Shrugging playfully as he nudged his head slightly. "no promises" then he turned towards the group. Looking at each of them, including you. Before humming.

"We're missing someone, it seems." that made you perked up, noticing the empty space and a particular tall, long haired male missing.

Sokka pulled his phone, his cover being of a blue boomerang as he pulled his contacts, he blinked "yeah, Zuko, he just texted. Said he wasn't going to be here. Managing his father's business, unfortunately" he huffed, "What a party pooper, and here I thought it was going to be the full group today"

You sighed, that makes sense. Zuko had always been managing his father's business, since he was the heir to it..though you can't say his family was...something.

Toph raised a brow as she grabbed Appas leash, who went into calm service mode, "So? It doesn't stop us from going inside. Come on, I feel the cold getting to my feet" that comment made Katara sighed. Rubbed the bridge of her nose.

"And that's why I told you to wear better shoes Toph, it's cold, and it had been snowing"

Toph scoffed as she moved ahead. Ignoring the light scolding "Well I don't like shoes. Sugar queen, you know that. It covers my vision"

Sokka mouth gaped to speak "but you don't-" he immediately caught his words before he made an rude remark. Rubbing the back of his head. "right....just..right, let's get going! The day isn't getting younger anyways."

With that, it left you and Aang standing in front of the statue, finally a moment of quiet and peace.

He turned to you. Moving a hand for you to hold as he grinned. "well dream girl....why don't we go and see this new area, together?"

You reached for his hand, interlacing your gloves fingers together as you only smiled. "...yeah, let's go, dream boy" the nickname made Aang's face brightened with a boyish glow as he tugged you towards the group to spend the day together, reminding you that this man, the man that holds a boyish and bright heart, was here in real time this day. Not just in a dream.

Entering the museum was easy, with Katara always being prepared, tickets in hand and practically with everything.

But the walk there felt heavy with deja vu. With Aang at your side. As you passed through the hallways. Passing through eras, the golden age, before genocide. Then after genocide. Though your eyes always lingered on some relics.

Why...did they look familiar?

You stopped nearby an old garment of orange and Vermillion. Tilting your head at it. Many times you passed this hall. Focusing on the old scrolls. But never this. Not until Aang came along. He wore that in the dream.

Aang also came to a stop when he noticed you weren't moving, raising an dark brow of his. His big Grey eyes landing on the clothing. An small "ah" escaping his lips. "Those are early versions of what the monks used to wear...though I believe back in those days, it was for most of the air nomads"

You hummed, tilting your head. "Yeah, it is history....but...there's just something that I can't quite-"

You went still. A flicker of something you don't remember filling in your mind.

A pair of warm hands pulled the clothing well on you. His hands landing on your shoulders as he looked into the small mirror set in an strange old temple.

You moved a hand to your chest. Feeling the cloth before you looked up at him. "well...how do I look?" your eyes crinkled at the edges as you gave him a loving smile. "this is the clothing of your people afterall"

The man only smiled. Kissing your forehead with a love that felt like it wrapped around your body. "you look beautiful, with air nomad clothing, or with southern water tribe clothing."

You blinked, startling out of the memory that you swore you were once in. You looked up at Aang, who had spaced out for a while. Then you tugged on his hand. "Come on, maybe we should head towards another section of the place?"

You wanted to leave, focus on something else. The voices of your siblings and Toph had narrowed down only here, and you didn't like that.

Aang squeezed your hand back, nodding. "Yeah, maybe let's go to another place, maybe over here?" he pointed towards where there was a glide, and you nodded back.

...but Nothing really worked to pull back agaisnt the deja vu.

each single section of this new hall was just filled with memories, memories that didn't feel like your own, yet at the same time it was.

One, "Bumi get back here! Put your sister Kanna down!" you yelled towards the messy brown hair boy that laughed. Carrying a crying toddler.

The second, You stopped a young bald hair boy, your voice sounding younger, "stop, don't touch that, it's not to eat"

The third, you were pampered by kisses telling the man to stop, the grey eyed man laughed as he pulled you closer to him. Snuggling his bald head to your neck as he gave one long kiss there. "never! How could I when you're mine?"

The fourth, you leaned agaisnt the shoulder of a man. Your voice old, rough with age as you held his hand. "promise me that we will find each other in another other life?" the man hummed. Wrapping his arm around you. "...I promise"

And it continued it never stopped, even if the voice of the others had drifted away to explore an new area. Leaving you and Aang alone. This mess of memories just had been wrapped around your head. Circling you, never ending.

Then came the final blow.

In the final part of the new section. Laid an old photo that clearly had been meticulously recovered, and so gently cared for. It was worn down. Clearly in the hands of someone that loved the photo.

It was a picture of a man that looked exactly like Aang, and you, with three children. A boy with messy hair, a girl that looked exactly like you, and a baby swaddle in cloth.

That's when you had the realization, and the last memory of a promise that had come to be.

You woke up, the mornings lights softly landing on your face as you stretched your aching old limbs, Your eyes soft as you looked towards what you expected was your sleeping, calm and beautiful husband.

You found the opposite. An peaceful, non breathing man, a man that had exhaled his last breath.

You reached a wrinkled hand placing it on his shoulder, and shook it.

"Aang? Aang! AANG!"

You called out, your heart thudding hard as your mind was denying the plain truth in front of you. Right there. "no...no no no!" you shook your head.

"Aang! Please! No. You promised!...you.."

You embraced him, feeling his cold, dead body, the body of a man that spend his lifetime in ice, that took his extra years. The man that had eyes on you ever since he left that iceberg. That gave you a new life, children. And a legacy. Gone.

"...you...promised you never leave me this early."

The memory shocked through your heart like thunder as you startled awake back in the museum, your breathing was hard, with tears streaming down your cheeks.

This...was your past life. A life you didn't know you lived a long time ago, a long. Long time ago, and with the same man. The same guy that was in your dreams.

You felt a hand tightening on yours. Making you turn towards Aang who was still as ever, unusually still for the guy that was playful as ever in your dreams. That dragged you towards places. That was just...himself.

But he was not just the dream boy. He was...everything in your past life. A life that you only now have knowledge of. A life. That had been spent with him.

You reached a hand towards him. Your free hand to his face. Just as his eyes brimmed with tears, with knowledge that explains why he felt such a pull to you the moment he met you.

He looked at you, at your tears, at that face that he had spent not weeks. But years watching, and he leaned to your touch.

There was no words to say.

The air had been filled,

And it had been filled with a promise that had been accomplished.

You both found each other.

And that.

That was enough.

To the sweeties that wanted to be mentioned ❤️: @bibimysoul @lenapurpleanime.

Authors note: I hope everyone liked this one shot, it was my first, and I hope that I continue making others! Thank you for reading it! Comments are appreciated!

Yet he did, the moment he met you, with those kind eyes and gentle look, you, the princess of the northern fire nation lands. He couldn't help but grow flustered around you, becoming awkward with his heart racing. While you just watched and smiled sweetly at him asking him about the southern fire nation lands, and how it is.

Zuko who didn't expect for you to be the one to approach him, to want to learn more about him on the second day after the royal banquet of your birthday. When he was going to go to you.

Zuko who started to smile and warm up to you as you talked to one another, you, with your unique hair that stood out, talking of things that were sweet and just...so normal in the midst of war.

Zuko who's heart broke when you refused to get closer and revealed that you were engaged to another man with such a sad look, feeling fury at himself for not realizing sooner. Wishing that he could've taken your hand sooner if he only knew that you existed.

Zuko who led you away for a few moments to fly on appa, and almost kissed you you during the ride because even through your engagement. You liked him, and he loved you.

Zuko who noticed the fleet of water tribe ships and feared that the moments of peace were finally over.

Zuko who fought your betrothed and almost drew his dual swords on him due to the guys arrogant boastful personality, and who lacked affection unlike the deep affection and connection he built with you.

Zuko who still held your affections to his heart and beat himself up in his mind when his bodyguard duties were withdrawn for a short while.

Zuko who let you go with him and Azula to find Aang from the grasp's of Prince Sokka's and return to the heart of the Dragon cove in the northern lands, until you were met with Admiral Bato.

Zuko who heart fell to his stomach when Dragon Ran was strucked fatally by Bato's greed, with the sun fell dark for the first time.

Zuko who heart's completely shattered when you sacrificed your life for the sun and the dragon. And pleaded. Deeply pleaded for you to not go. To not leave him alone here while he cradled your lifeless body on his arms until it vanished.

Zuko who became awestruck at your beautiful ethereal spiritual form and cried heavily when you gave him his first and final kiss until you parted to live on the sun, promising that you will always watch him.

Zuko who went completely silent for days on end while Azula and Aang tried everything to cheer him up during their progress to the earth kingdom.

Zuko who defended you wholeheartedly when Toph even suggested that the Sun's spirit was harming people. Called you an empathetic loving goddess who protected and adored her people.

Zuko who couldn't even look mai in the eyes or date her early on due to the way he loved you and couldn't bear himself to go of you as easily as others may had done.

Zuko who cried silently when yours and his scene were played out in the ember island play, the only scene he ever really liked and disliked so deeply.

Zuko who broke up with Mai due to the way he lived with a heavy feeling in his heart that he could never even look at another without being reminded of you.

Zuko who once the war with the water tribes was over, lived without marrying anyone and representing the southern lands of the fire nation and named the bay of the republic city after you.

Zuko who broke out of the reincarnation cycle once he died protecting the next avatar after Aang. To be with you forever and eternally after years of loneliness in the spirit realm.

But it happened, again, the next night and every night, Same place. Same little air temple. Same weird strange clothes, and the same man.

Sometimes, you see him with an big strange creature he had called appa, or with a lemur with unusually big ears that he had said was Momo. It felt...right, for the most weirdest reasons. It felt...like an memory of a life you don't remember around them.

More specifically him. You just can't quite place it. Neither can he. No matter how many times you tried to remember his name after you wake up. You couldn't, and it ached at you. Hard, that you couldn't remember the name of him.

Of the man that laughs were like the wind chimes on your balcony.

Of the man that grey eyes always seemed to light up each time he sees you back in the dream realm.

Of the man that held your hands and promised to find you one day.

Of the man that was just a boy when he fell in love you back at the-

Wait. When did the last part happened?..when did it-

"....Reader...."

"hey....earth to..."

"Reader!!"

You snapped out of your daze, Head shooting upward and looking around. You swore your heart was racing as fast as an hummingbird. Until your gaze finally landed right back at Sokka.

Oh.

Right.

You're here, with your family, with dinner on your plates. Gran Gran's special, an special broth she makes from her garden ingredients, in the middle of the table.....with Sokka snapping his fingers close to your face. your older brother pale blue eyes squinted with exasperation and suspicion at the same time. If that was even possible

But undeniably, he was relieved beyond comprehension seeing you finally snapping into awareness. "oh thanks the spirits! You been out looking off into the sunset for a while. I thought you lost your mind" he chuckled, though you, on the other side, felt your cheeks and ears warming due to the fact you were lost for a long time.

Though he raised an eyebrow at you, tilting his head, he was watching your expression. He raised one of his arms to the back of your chair. He could tell something was up. Especially with the way you drifted.

"but really, you been out for a while. You okay? Nothing...bad going on...or" his face shifted into an knowing, smug grin seeing your face shift into that flustered expression you had since you were a kid. "you're not thinking of a special guy are you, eh?"

Immediately, You placed a hand behind your head. Rubbing the back of your neck as stared to the side when he had mentioned an "special guy" you wanted to give him an glare or shoot a look at him to shut up "It's...it's not that- it's just-"

Thankfully, Katara was there to save your day as she placed placed the bowl of broth in front of you. "Oh leave her alone Sokka, finals week is coming up soon, she's probably more concerned with that than an "special boy" She placed an bowl on his side of the table too, which made him just shut up for a while to focus on the food.

She turned back at you with an warm yet concerned smile, placing a hand on your shoulder "but he has a point you know? You've been drifting off into your head these past few weeks..you're not overworking too hard on the finals. Are you?"

You sighed, reaching for the bowl and the spoon now given at your side. She was right, it had become noticeable that you were off more in your mind.

"I just...have a lot in mind really." you didn't specify what you meant as you turned your eyes to look at the wall. You can't help but feel that you have a lot in mind. With...him. With the finals, but also, with the strange echoes, and the heavy deja vu that you felt.

Sokka just hummed to your response. Currently dipping his bread in the broth and eating it. He pointed the bread to you as he looked at you with an knowing look.

"That's what Aang been saying too you know?" he spoke muffled, eating while speaking. "saying he had an lot in mind, but looks up at the sky with longing eyes like a-" Katara firmly slapped his arm slightly trying to not let him ramble too much

Aang, you didn't know much of him, Sokka and Katara just met him about 3 months ago, but from what you could tell. He was pretty close with the two of them. Enough to make a group with other people you know, Like Toph.

Sokka rubbed his arm and pouted back at Katara. "ow what was that for!" Katara only huffed, moving to look back at you as she placed a hand on yours.

"Well...whatever you have in mind, I hope you can ease it down...I'm here in case you need anything, okay? Sokka's here too...though he won't do anything but add to your mess" Sokka gasped dramatically, giving a pointed stare at Katara.

You didn't say anything, but smiled warmly at Katara's words. She always with you, and Sokka too, it reminded you that you weren't alone. Even if you don't want to say anything else about the topic.

"Well...enough of this talk, I was thinking. Maybe we could go together to the museum to that new section they opened, all of us. With Aang and Toph. And I guess Zuko can come too. It would be fun" Sokka's voice ease through the heavy air as he looked towards you.

You hummed slightly. The museum, of course. You know that place as well as you knew your major. Since you were studying the great Era of harmony to be an historian. That place was the only area that gave you deja vu each time you visited. Especially with those statues.

"that...would not be too bad" you smiled slightly, he always incorporated you into his plans, mostly since you never really came out of the room unless Toph dragged you out, or Katara did. "I guess I could meet this Aang too"

Aang, his name always felt too weird for you in your tongue, it felt...warm, but heavy with deja vu. You wondered why...but you didn't focus on it too much.

Katara clasped her hands together. Smiling brightly. "Oh wonderful! I already got the tickets too for tomorrow! Trust me. He's a very nice guy once you meet him. And I already have so much plans for after it..."

..................................

You didn't know when exactly did you went to sleep after dinner.

Maybe it was due to the plans for tomorrow clouding your mind. And the tug of your heart each time the museum was getting mentioned. The deja vu clouded your mind enough for time to blur out.

Those memories....there were always those memories that didn't feel like yours. About war. About an boy that laughed similarly to the dream guy in your dreams. About happy moments. Intimate moments.

But you didn't focus on that as you entered the dream place.

And once again. It was the same place. The same old temple that you always admired. The wind blowing softly, and there? There he was.

The same dream guy with those beautiful grey eyes that always brightened when he saw you. He was standing nearby appa. Patting his fur before he turned to you.

And just like that they bloomed with happiness as you stood there for a while. Before you moved and rushed towards him. Every burden. Every duty. Always melts away when you saw him, time meant nothing here, and so did both your loves.

"woah hey there!" he laughed as he wrapped his arms around you. Twirling you around for a bit before settling you down. Still holding you close as he looked into your eyes. "Miss me that much?" he tilted his head, his crooked grin appearing just as every time he's with you.

You giggled lightly, tilting your head to the side as you looked at his face. Your heart thudded happily. Despite these three weeks, you two had bonded instantly, it was a connection that felt as old as time itself. "Well, who can blame me when this day been long?"

He just chuckled back as he let go, though his hands lingered, hovering in the air for a second too long as he moved it to appa. He didn't add to your words, or respond. Because it was true.

The air shifted into comfortable silence as you moved to rest on appas side, the big air bison responded with a low rumble shifting slightly. His wide tail tapping the ground before he moved to rest

He just shift the topic instead. Settling beside you. His hand near you, pinkie touching pinkie. "If the day been long...mind telling me about it? I love to hear what happened on your side" He gave a warm smile, the type that made his dimples shine and eye crinkle at the edges.

That always had captivated you, yet reminded you of an memory you couldn't place, of a man that had the exact same smile, only that it was covered with a love that transcends time. You raised your shoulders slightly.

"Well, nothing really, just focusing on class, working, coming back home to study for the finals. And hanging around my siblings" you moved to touch your hair slightly. An habit of yours. Before your hand settles on your knee.

The grey eye man absorbed every word, his eyes never leaving yours, or the way your hand shifted, instead. He raised an knee. Putting his arm on it. "Yeah, I get that...Finals. I have them too, next week, luckily I'm studying for it with a couple of friends." he rubbed the back of his head. His eyes closing as he gave a sheepish grin.

You felt an weight move off your shoulders. There it was. The fact that you both could relate to an situation so easily. "That's...not that bad actually. I study alone. Since my friend. #&/#, is blind, and her tutoring..is something"

When you try to mention toph, the name just..blurs. That was one strange thing. You can't mention any name here. Neither your own. Or his. It was the one thing. The one thing that keeps you two from finding each other.

His eyes didn't widened at the blurred name. He got used to it after a couple of dreams shared together, and he just sighs, his smile softening. "I get that, I have a blind friend too in my group, but that doesn't stop her from being herself, she's great. Oh! actually, we were talking about going to the museum tomorrow-"

You stopped, your eyes widened at what he had mentioned. Museum? Talking? A group of friends? That...reminds you of the talk Sokka and Katara were having "....My siblings were talking about going to the museum too...tomorrow, during the morning."

The moment you had mentioned it. He went still. His whole body went still and he didn't breath for a while. You know it felt like a coincidence, to both you, and him. Maybe it's not the same museum. Maybe it's not even the same place.

But the fact that you both had some of the same groups made you two realized.

"wait. That means-" he tried to speak. But as suddenly as the realization came.

---------------------------

You woke up in your bed. Heart racing, eyes widened. Gasping. Sweat sticking to you.

No.

No. No!

You were finally getting somewhere, you were finally getting a grasp of his location, and if it was possible that maybe. Maybe you both can meet.

The door to your room opened. Katara peeking in to check on you. She was already dressed. Holding her bag with her. Her blue eyes gently looking at your figure as you immediately straightened. "Good morning dewdrop, You woke up a little late than usual, but that's okay. Just get dressed so we could head out" she spoke warmly as she then closed the door. Leaving you to your own devices.

Later than usual? You swore you felt that the dream was more shorter than usual. Way more shorter. It felt...like you were just kicked off the moment you were grasping at strings that appeared.

But you didn't waste too much time on thinking. Your heart raced at the thought of him. If he was there, if he's going to the exact same museum...

Then you won't wait to see if he's real.

--------------

Sokka and Katara were inside the car, With Sokka warming the car due to the snow that had been starting to fall due to December, and early winter weather. He hummed an light tune until he yelped when he heard the sounds of the car door closing shut, with you there. Dressed up in your best winter outfit.

"Oh for the love of spirits dewdrop! You scared the life out of me for a second and..." he side eye you from the rear view mirror. Seeing you were more..dressed up that usual. "..Are you seriously wearing that scarf? You never-" Katara cut him off before he makes any rude comments. Looking back at you from the passanger seat. "Don't listen to him. You look beautiful...and excited. I guess the museum really brought your spirits up?"

You just nodded, a lot in response. Staying quiet. Though your leg were bouncing up and down in response to her question. Katara took that as an yes as she turned back to look at your older brother. "well, if we're all here. Then let's get moving Sokka"

"right. Yes. Of course." Sokka started to move the car away from the driveway. Settling into the road to start moving to the museum. It was 11 minutes from your home. Which was not too far. "Museum time it is baby!"

The drive there felt long. Too long for you in fact as you bounced your leg continously through the ride. Your heart thumping at an speed that felt like it would rip through your ribs and run out the road.

What if he's not there? What if it was a lie? What if your dreams were just...dreams? You hoped. Badly. That it wasn't those options. You hoped dearly, because...he felt real. His touch felt real. His words, his laugh....

You just hoped it was not something just an dream.

By the time you arrived. You spend at least 5 minutes outside while Katara was calling the group. Or the "Gaang" as Sokka likes to call it. You fidgeted with your fingers. Staring up at the round iceberg statue that lingered outside the museum.

Then, there was a voice, a familiar voice, and you turned.

Right there, a few feet away. Was him. The same man, with his arrow tattoos. Wearing mutes brown yellows and Vermillions. While holding an leash to a very fluffy big dog with cream fur and But those eyes..you couldn't help but think-.

"Aang! You're early come over, meet my sister, reader" Katara called out, and right then. You didn't move. He didn't move. Your eyes watered with the memories of the dreams swarming right back at you. All the memories. All the things you shared with one another. You couldn't help but let out a shaky breath and say just one single thing.

"...Aang...?"

"....." he was silent. Still, with grey eyes widened as the snow fell between the both of you. His dog, Appa, only let out a light ruff. Nudging him to move. There was no reaction until...a bright, glowing smile broke through his face as he let out a breathless laugh, he let appa move ahead towards Katara and Sokka. But his gaze was duly on you as he started to run towards you.

And he didn't just wave. Or hug you. He embraced you. Lifting you up and twirling you around, Aang eyes were almost teary as he held you tightly and close to him.

"my dream girl!...my dream girl"

Finally. You both found each other. Again.

Just like every other lifetime.

To the ones that wanted to be tagged ❤️ : @ninrixs