Not The Last Airbender Anymore (NTLAA)

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zuko’s POV

Telling my mother that her daughter had been taken, was one of the hardest things I had ever done. She cried out, clutched my robes tightly in an effort to remain standing. I caught her in my arms before her knees gave way. 

I tried to comfort her, swore to her we would find her, rescue her and bring her home safely. My promises felt painfully small against the enormity of her fear, my own fear. 

I couldn’t waste any time, so I had to leave her and Noren, her husband behind with their pain, worries and heartache. 

Outside, in the hallway, I had to stop for a moment. The walls seemed to close in around me. The world was spinning. I had to catch my breath, steady it. 

I closed my eyes for a heartbeat and pictured Kiyi’s face. Her smile. The sound of her laughter. How happy she was to see Y/N again. How carefree she looked at dinner yesterday as she talked about her day. Then I opened my eyes again. The pain was still there, the fear. But I shoved them aside; they wouldn’t help her. I had to focus. 

I was fueled with a new level of determination. I was going to find my sister. I was going to bring her home safely. The Kemurikage was going to regret taking her. Because when I found them, they would exactly learn how far I was willing to go for my family. 

The team had already gathered outside. The news of Kiyi’s abduction hit them hard too. Every other emotion or thought was pushed away. There was only room for one concern now: finding Kiyi. 

Appa was saddled and we were ready to go. As I approached the group, Y/N stepped toward me. Her hand found my arm, her fingers closing around it in a gentle and steady grip; a small squeeze. I looked at her. Her expression matched mine; a combination of sorrow and worry and beneath that something stronger; determination. The brief moment of comfort passed and Y/N slowly released my arm.

I looked at the others. Sokka stood with his jaw tightened, absentmindedly twirling his boomerang in one hand. The others didn’t move, but all looked serious, ready for what was coming. 

“They have an hour headstart.” I began, my voice steady despite the anger and worry simmering beneath it. Years of addressing the court under every imaginable circumstance had taught me how to remain composed and restrained when everything inside me was threatening to unravel. “According to the soldiers, the Kemurikage went east. The first place they will reach is Hunai Village.” Hunai was a modest Fire Nation town, primarily known for its large market. Making it a popular place for traders. “We don’t know their mode of transport.” I continued.  “If they are traveling on foot, there is no way they could have reached Hunai yet and we can catch up with them easily. More likely though, they are using ostrich horses or maybe even an airship.” Everyone looked at me. “We will start our search in Hunai Village. Someone there must have seen something. Let’s hope they can give us a lead and point us in the right direction.” One more look between us all. “Right. Let’s go.” 

Everyone hopped on Appa without another word. As I moved toward him, my eyes drifted across the palace grounds toward the royal stables. Druk, my dragon, stood within his massive enclosure. His crimson scales gleaming in the morning light. He lifted his head. We had only flown together twice. The flights had been short, clumsy at times and far from graceful. We were both still getting to know how to do this together. For now, Druk was still too young and inexperienced to carry out a possible lengthy mission.  

I climbed onto Appa and sat amongst the others. Aang gave Appa a pet on his head. “Yip yip.” With a powerful leap, Appa launched into the air. The ground and palace disappeared quickly underneath us. I looked at the sky. Somewhere ahead, Kiyi was counting on us. The Kemurikage better be ready for a fight. 

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aang’s POV

The sky was clear, which worked in our favor. We had a clear view of the ground, no clouds disrupting our view. No sign of the Kemurakige or Kiyi. 

We soon reached the village. Appa landed outside the town’s walls. Zuko had split up the group, that way we could cover more ground in a shorter time. He, Sokka, Suki and Y/N went to question the traders and merchants on the market. Katara, Toph and myself went into the village to question the locals. 

As Katara, Toph and I moved deeper into the village, I found myself scanning every street. A woman was sweeping her doorstep. An elderly man was sitting outside, enjoying the sun. Children were chasing one another between houses. It felt wrong. Kiyi and many more children were missing, and within the town’s walls life carried on as normal. We questioned everyone willing to spare a moment. Most had seen nothing. Some shared stories of merchants and traders moving through the village this morning. It was nothing useful. 

“Aang?” Katara walked beside me, her voice full of hesitation. “Can we talk?” I sighed. She had been trying to talk to me since that one night. 

“This is not the time.” I spoke quietly. “Or the place.”

“You have ignored me since it happened.” 

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Aang…”

“Katara, please.” The hurt that flashed across her face made my chest tighten. But whatever we were feeling, it wasn’t important. Finding Kiyi was.

“I just want to apologise.”

“An apology won’t change what happened.”

“I know.” She sighed. “I know you are hurting.” She continued. “And I know you feel guilty.” 

“Katara…” She cut me off. 

“I am just so sorry.” Her voice cracked slightly. “I am sorry for everything. For letting you go. For the position I put you in. For this rift I have caused between us.” She paused for a heartbeat. “For the rift I have caused between you and Y/N.”

“I don’t know what you want me to say.” 

“Nothing.” She swallowed. “I just needed you to know that I am sorry. I can’t bear you being angry with me.” I was quiet for a moment as we continued walking towards a new block of houses. 

“I am not angry with you.” The words surprised even me. “Not completely at least.” My hands clenched into fists. “I am angry at myself.” I said honestly. “I should have stopped arguing with you. I should have let it go, just as you let me go all those months ago. At the very least, I should have kept my voice low as we were discussing something that should have stayed between us.” I paused for a moment. “I have ruined this all by myself.”

“No.” She countered quickly. “What happened wasn’t your fault… It was mine.” Before she could continue, Toph groaned loudly.

“Spirits! Are we seriously doing this right now?!” Both of us looked at her. Toph shook her head. “Kidnapped kid. The Kemurikage. Possible life or death situation. We should be trying to find a lead.” She groaned again. Both me and Katara remained quiet. She was right of course. “Save your emotional disaster for later. We have got a job to do.”

In silence we continued walking, until Toph suddenly stopped. Her expression sharpened as she tilted her head slightly. We noticed immediately. 

“What is it?” Katara asked. Toph continued listening. Then she pointed toward a narrow street. 

“I heard someone mentioning masked figures.” My pulse quickened straight away. All three of us hurried down the street to the people talking amongst each other. It felt like we might finally be getting somewhere. 

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zuko’s POV

We had agreed we would each take one side of the market stalls. Suki and Sokka just stepped out of the last stall on their end. Y/N and I waited on them. By the looks on their faces I could see they got as much as us; nothing. 

“Zuko!” Aang approached from the air with his glider. 

“Do you have anything?” I spoke with high anticipation. 

“Yes, we spoke to a man who has seen them. They are headed towards the Ashen Woods on ostrich horses. He believes it was well over an hour ago since they were here.” Finally we had something. “Katara and Toph are already waiting for us at Appa.” 

We all ran toward the exit of the market square, toward where Appa was waiting on us. 

The Ashen Woods covered a large area. There were countless paths through the dense forest, each branching off in different directions. There was no way we could search the whole forest. So we had to make calculated assumptions. The most likely route was the path leading in the direction of Kagain Island. The other possibility was the coastal trail that eventually reached the sea. There, a ship might be waiting for them.

It would take at least a few hours to reach the forest. Appa moved fast, faster than an ostrich horse. But we definitely lost precious time in Hunsai Village by questioning the people. 

The man Aang had spoken to had said that the masked group had passed well over an hour ago. 

I still hoped we could intercept the Kemurikage and Kiyi before they reached the Ashen Woods, because if they would reach the forest first… We wouldn’t find them while being in the air. From the air, the forest would appear as an endless sea of treetops. The thick branches would conceal everything beneath them. Once they had entered the forest, we would lose our advantage. 

I joined Aang on Appa’s head. I stared ahead, scanning the land beneath me. Hoping to see them appearing on the horizon. 

“We will find them.” I turned toward Aang. His expression was unusually serious. He gave me a little nod as a sign of a silent promise. A promise that we wouldn’t stop searching until Kiyi was safe. I held his gaze for a moment, before nodding in return. 

“We have to.” My eyes drifted back to the horizon. “I am the reason she was taken in the first place.” I swallowed hard. “By taking her, the Kemurikage have made this personal. They knew exactly what they were doing.”

“Maybe… But that doesn’t mean it is your fault.” I let out a bitter laugh.

“Isn’t it?” My hands tightened against Appa’s fur. “I don’t know exactly what their plan is, but it is clear I am the real target. They want me. They want to disrupt my reign. If I wasn’t Fire Lord… Kiyi would be at home right now.”

“Zuko.” He spoke softly. “It is not your fault.” I felt my stomach twist as I let his words settle within me. I knew it wasn’t my fault, but why did it feel like I had failed her anyway?

We had seen traders, farmers and travelers moving across the land beneath us. At times we landed to ask the people if they had seen the masked group. Each stop cost us time. But we had to do it. Better to get confirmed we were still following the right trail, than to continuously move forward only to discover later we had lost them as they had gone into a different direction. 

Every person we spoke to told the same story. They had seen four masked riders and they were heading toward the Ashen Wood. At one point I had asked if they had seen a young girl traveling with them. The answer made my stomach sink. The man and woman we were talking to described the four masked riders and three of them had a child seated behind them on their ostrich horse. Three children. Not just Kiyi. The realisation settled heavily over all of us. That made seventeen abducted children in total.

As time passed I could see the treetops appear on the horizon. The distance between us and the Ashen Woods was shrinking with every passing minute. And still no sign of the ostrich horses, the four masked riders or the three children. 

“Someone should probably go ahead and scout the forest.” Sokka spoke and he automatically looked at Aang. Before Aang could respond, Y/N stood up. 

“I will go.” The determination in her voice left no room for argument. Before any of us could object, she moved. In one fluid motion, she tossed her glider in the air and jumped after it. The staff snapped open and she held on tight. A powerful gust erupted from her as she bent the wind to propel her forward. She surged ahead of Appa. I watched her disappear farther and farther ahead. She was now nothing more than a little black dot in the sky. I watched her until she dove toward the forest and she disappeared in the trees. 

I hated seeing her take off alone, with no back-up. She was desperate to find Kiyi, they had grown close when Y/N stayed at the palace. But I also think she was just happy to escape the group for a moment, getting away from whatever happened between her, Aang and Katara. 

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reader’s POV

I angled my glider downward and let the trees swallow me whole. As I landed at the edge of the forest, I took in my surroundings. Several trails cut through the trees.

My gaze dropped to the ground. There were fresh tracks, among them the unmistakable footprints of ostrich horses. I crouched down. Four sets. Eight feet. Most of the impressions were deep and pressed firmly into the ground. Three riders were carrying extra weight; the children.

Surely these footprints belonged to the group we were tracking. I followed their trail further into the woods. New paths branched off to my left and right. I tried to focus on the eight feet. 

The trail continued for several minutes before I suddenly slowed down. There, through a gap in the trees, in the middle of a small clearing stood four ostrich horses. My heart skipped a beat. I quickly dropped into a squad behind a fallen log. I saw the masked riders were discussing among themselves. Close to them, the children sat together on the ground. Kiyi was among them. Relief washed over me as I saw her. Their wrists and ankles were bound together with ropes. But other than that, the children looked unharmed. 

I crouched as close to the clearing as I could, allowing myself a better view to assess the situation and to have a better chance of hearing what they were saying. So I could return to the edge of the woods and share what I had seen and overheard with my friends. So that we could then use that information to corner and fight the group together. 

“My brother will come for you!” I heard Kiyi shouting. She lifted her chin defiantly. Despite everything, I smiled proudly. One of the masked riders turned toward her.

“Good.” The one Kemurikage replied calmly. His voice low and deep, clearly a man. “We want him to.” My smile vanished. The four riders continued their discussion.

“We can’t rest the ostrich horse for much longer.” One of them said; another man. “We don’t know how far behind us Zuko is.” I was trying so hard to hear everything they were saying.

“We don’t want to meet him here.” A woman spoke. “We want him to meet us at base camp.” A chill ran down my spine. “That is where we have the advantage.” 

“Do you think he called upon the Avatar?”

“Oh, yes.” The same woman spoke again, a terrified smile escaped her. “The Avatar will be with him. So will his other friends.” The woman paused. Then slowly she turned her masked face toward my side of the clearing. She looked directly toward me. My breath caught. I felt unsettled, I was hidden deep within the shadows. Surely she couldn’t see me. Or could she? “In fact,” she spoke again, she sounded dangerous, “one of them is already here.” 

With that the masked woman raised a hand, her index and middle fingers pointed in my direction. Lighting exploded from her fingertips. The blue bolt was shot towards my hiding place. Instinct took over. Years of training and fighting made my body respond automatically in the face of danger. I launched myself sideways, dodging the bolt. It hit the tree behind me, making it snap instantly. Wood exploded through the air. I rolled across the forest’s ground and quickly sprang to my feet. I was now standing in the clearing. The children gasped. 

“Y/N!” Kiyi cried out. I had no time to respond to her. Three of the masked figures spread out around me. They took in an offensive stance, ready to attack. The woman who just shot lightning at me, stood in front of me. 

I was surrounded. This wasn’t good. My grip tightened around my staff. Both figures on either side immediately attacked with firebending. I spun my staff and created a gust of air; making the flames lift upwards, high into the sky. I only hoped my friends would see the flames over the top of the trees and respond to it. I was well aware that I was a strong fighter, but it was four against one and the children were here. I needed help. And fast. 

The woman standing across from me, the one who just fired a lighting bolt, didn’t bend. Instead, she rushed toward me. I barely managed to bring my staff up in time. Her kick slammed onto the wood with enough force to send me stumbling backward. I ducked beneath a punch and swept my staff toward her legs. She effortlessly jumped over it. Behind me the other figure leaped forward. I swiftly moved right to avoid contact with a fist. 

Fire roared toward me from my left. I twisted quickly, able to dodge it again. I felt the heat of the flames around me. Another attack came from my right, then another from directly ahead. I was constantly moving. Blocking. Dodging. Redirecting. Fighting. I kept repositioning myself, careful not to draw the fight toward the children and risk them getting caught in the crossfire.

All four of my opponents were strong fighters. Every time I focused on one, the other three forced me to react to them. 

I landed a solid strike with my staff against one of the firebender’s ribs. The satisfying crack of impact echoed through the clearing. A second later though, a fist crashed into my stomach. The air left my lungs. I stumbled backward. Before I could recover, the woman from the lighting bolt threw her leg up and it clipped the side of my head. My vision blurry for a moment. 

I retaliated with a powerful burst of air that forced all opponents back several steps. It gave me a moment to breathe; but only a short one. They were already coming for me again. Flames rushed toward me, with the help of my staff I lifted it upward again. Sending another signal to my friends.

Suddenly a burst of fire scorched my side. Just a second later, I felt a fist in my ribs. Then, another flame hit my shoulder. Again, fists made contact with my ribs. Immediately after, a kick sent me crashing into the forest ground. Pain flared through my body. I rolled away just before a stream of fire struck the spot where I had landed. 

I didn’t understand why they didn’t run. They said they didn’t want to fight us here. They wanted us to come to their base camp; where they had the advantage. They must know reinforcements would arrive eventually. I was only hoping they would arrive quickly, because I wasn’t able to fight all four of them for much longer. 

Before I knew it, Aang dropped into the clearing between me and the Kemurikage. He landed with great force, making the earth tremble beneath us. A shockwave of stones rippled outward, heading in every direction apart from me and the children. That caused the opponents to stagger backwards. Aang was moving swiftly. Air swirled around him as he launched himself at the masked figures, driving them away from me and the children. He redirected their fire, made the earth beneath them rise and created powerful thrusts of air. 

I was on my hands and knees, struggling to catch my breath. Every muscle in my body screamed in protest. I was unable to stand up and help him. My ribs ached with every breath. Bruises and burns throbbed across my arms and sides where attacks had landed. My head still dizzy from the blow against my temple. My entire body felt battered and exhausted. 

When I looked up Aang was fighting three of the masked figures; the woman, one of the firebenders and the other nonbending figure. The other firebender was over at the children, lifting them one by one onto the ostrich horses. 

“Y/N.” Kiyi's voice cut through the clearing. Her frightened cry sent a rush of adrenaline through me. I got up, ignoring how everything hurt. I raised my arms and unleashed a series of powerful gusts in the figure’s direction. He was forced to step away from the children on the ostrich horses to brace himself for impact of another gust. The movements came at a cost. A sharp pain shot through my side. I doubled over, clutching my ribs. I gritted my teeth and forced myself upright again. Then I could see the man was no longer interested in the children. Or me. He was now looking at Aang, who had his back towards the firebender; still busy fighting and blocking the attacks from the other masked figures. 

The man raised his hand, palm open, ready to release flames. I launched myself, trying to get in between the man and Aang. Trying to protect Aang from impact. Because no matter what had happened between us, it all felt insignificant at this moment, I would always protect the Avatar. 

I was too late to be able to redirect all of the flames, so my body was hit again. 

“Y/N!” I heard Zuko’s agonising scream as fell to the floor. 

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zuko’s POV

“Katara.” I snapped my head in her direction. “Go help her. I will give you cover.” Katara rushed toward Y/N as she rolled on the ground, pain surging through her body. I quickly jumped in front of her, dealing with the firebender. Suki and Toph quickly went to help Aang. Sokka ran over to the ostrich horses. 

Rage burned through my chest. I drove forward with a stream of fire strikes, forcing the figure backwards. He blocked one, two, three attacks, but each defense cost him ground. I could hear Katara behind me working on Y/N’s wounds and that somehow only made me angrier; noticing how badly injured she actually was. 

The masked firebender launched flames directed at my face. I cut through it. The fire parted around my own bending and I slammed a kick into his chest. He crashed into a tree, hard enough to shake loose leaves from the branches. 

The bender recovered quickly. Whoever the Kemurikage were, they were well trained. Around me the battle continued. Toph had trapped one of the figures in a cage of earth that had erupted from the ground. Aang was fighting a woman, she moved gracefully with a frightening speed, slipping past several of his attacks before a blast of air finally forced her backward. Suki was in a fierce battle with the nonbending figure. Sokka had reached the children and he had carried them down. He was now working on freeing them from their ropes. 

I risked a glance over my shoulder. Katara was still kneeling beside Y/N. Bruises darkened her skin. Burn marks stretched across her side where fabric of her clothes had once been. She had gotten hurt because she was protecting the children. She got hurt because it was four against one. She had gotten hurt because she had thrown herself in front of Aang. She protected everyone without a care for her own welfare. Just like she always did.

Water-covered-hands moved over her body. She was whincing, but there was also relief visible, as the pain ebbed away. Burns vanishing. 

The firebender saw my distraction. A jet of flames shot toward me. I barely reacted in time. The attack caught my shoulder, spinning me sideways. I hissed in pain. 

“Always keep your focus on your opponent, my Lord.” The way he said his last words, it was filled with contempt, mockery even. Like the title itself was a joke. 

Then, a loud crack echoed through the clearing. Smoke exploded upward. It spread quickly around us. Visibility had vanished. I joined Katara and Y/N behind me. Y/N was able to stand up again. We heard footsteps around us, noises, children screaming. Then a gust of wind swayed away all the smoke. Aang had cleared the space. I quickly looked at where Kiyi and the other two children had been moments ago. All I could see was Sokka on the ground, rubbing his upper arm to soothe the pain. The children were gone. As were three of the masked figures and three of the ostrich horses. The only figure that was still here was the woman. 

“Go after them!” I shouted at Aang. He didn’t hesitate. He launched himself in the direction of the fleeing figures. Sokka and Suki sprinted after him. Y/N had moved too. I saw the moment pain shot through her ribs. Saw her jaw tighten. Saw her ignore it. Before any of us could protest, Y/N too launched herself, ready to hunt down the escaped figures. 

“Y/N!” Katara shouted.

“I am fine.” She called back. None of us believed that. Least of all me. “Help Zuko!” Then she disappeared within the forest.

I snapped my head. Silence had settled over the clearing. The masked figure stood alone. Completely still. She seemed like this was all amusing to her. As though being outnumbered didn’t bother or concern her. 

Katara was on my left, Toph on my right.

“That is weird.” Toph muttered under her breath. 

“What?” I shot a quick glance at her.

“She is not scared.” I looked back at the figure. “And… She feels familiar.” My brows shot up in surprise. 

The woman opposite us tilted her head slightly as though she was inviting us to release the first attack. Toph responded; stone erupted from the ground beneath her foot. The masked woman moved before the erupted stone reached her. One smooth step, an elegant turn. The earth had missed its mark entirely.

Katara followed immediately. Water whips escaped her hip flask and were lashed toward the masked figure. Again she moved. No counter attack. Just precise, effortless evasions. 

I joined in. Fire blasted from my fists. She spun between the flames without a single ember touching her. All of us attacked her again. None of our attacks landed. And the woman wasn’t fighting back.

Then, after a quiet moment, she moved. She planted both feet firmly on the ground. A faint crackling sound filled the air. The woman raised her arms and moved them around elegantly. Both her index fingers and middle fingers extended, the remaining fingers curled inward. Electricity sparked between her fingertips. Blue light illuminated the clearing; lightning. 

The bolt exploded toward me. Instinct took over. I shifted into the form Uncle taught me all these years ago. One arm guiding. The other redirecting. The lightning entered my body. It felt exhilarating. The heat, the energy, the power. Then I released it. The bolt shot back at the woman. To everyone’s surprise she didn’t dodge it; she caught it. My eyes widened. She mimicked my motions. The lightning moved through her body and launched it back toward me. 

Katara shoved herself and Toph aside. I threw myself sideways just in time. The bolt screamed past me. 

Silence followed. The three of us were on the ground. Nobody moved, nobody spoke. I stared at the woman. 

"Impossible." I breathed out.

She lowered her arms. She was completely composed. Only a few people know that technique. Uncle, Aang, me and the two people we had used this technique against. 

“No.” I whispered under my breath in disbelief. 

Memories crashed over me. Training sessions, her mockery laughter, her golden eyes, her blue flames, all the fights between us, releasing her to join the team to find our mother, her escaping from us afterwards. 

I now recognised the movements I saw earlier. How her arms moved and how two of her fingers pointed outward when she shot the bolt toward me. 

“It can't be.” I spoke a bit louder now as I slowly got up. 

The woman tilted her head. I knew that infuriating tilt. My pulse was pounding. The woman reached her hand up. Slowly and deliberately. Her fingers hooked beneath the edge of the mask. I could see a smile. Not a kind one. It was a predator’s smile. She was enjoying this.

“Azula.” The name escaped me like a curse. Next to me, Katara froze. Toph stiffened. And Azula, who was just standing before us, smiled wider.

“Hello Zuzu.” Her greeting sent a shiver down my spine. 

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reader’s POV

I followed Aang, Sokka en Suki deeper into the forest. Pain was still rushing through me. Katara’s healing was brief, but it helped. It was enough to get me back on my feet. The worst pain had faded, but it still lingered beneath the surface. My ribs ached with every breath, so basically they hurt continuously. A sharp pinch shot through my side whilst I ran. 

Ahead of me, Aang weaved effortlessly through the trees. Sokka and Suki weren’t far behind him. I questioned if they knew I was also following them, that I was part of this chase. 

I had trouble catching up. I had to bite through the pain, ignore it. We couldn’t let Kiyi down. We were so close to being able to set her and the other children free. 

“We are gaining on them!” Sokka shouted from ahead to no one in particular. 

Through the gaps between the trees, I caught glimpses of movement. I saw two masked figures on the ostrich horses. One of the children turned their head. Kiyi. Even from this distance I could see the fear on her face. 

But where was the third masked figure? Had only two fled with the children? Did the third one never leave the clearing? Were Zuko, Toph and Katara fighting two opponents instead of just the one I saw? I wasn’t sure anymore. 

One of the masked figures grabbed the reins and urged forward. Trying to create a bigger gap between us. I pushed harder, ignoring how my whole body was aching. The forest blurred around me. Branches whipped against my arms. Roots threatened to catch my feet, making me slip. 

I could see how Aang accelerated. Air swirled around him, propelling him forward in a burst of speed. Within seconds he had closed half the distance. The firebender had noticed. He twisted around in his saddle and launched a stream of flames toward Aang. Aang jumped over the attacks effortlessly. 

Aang was at a disadvantage. If he were to attack or if he were to make the ostrich horse fall over by bending the earth underneath it, the children would get hurt too. So he did the only thing he could do. He sped up again, making sure he was slightly ahead of the first ostrich horses and then he sharply dove sideways. He jumped towards the child at the back and wrapped his arms around it. Protecting it with his own body as he tumbled over the ground. The movement startled the second ostrich horse enough for it to stop. Aang propelled himself from the ground and he grabbed the other two children, one being Kiyi. 

Then, one of the two riders threw a small dark object in the direction of Aang, the children, and Sokka and Suki, who had already caught up to them. The object struck the ground and exploded. Smoke erupted across the path.

“Stay with the children!” Aang shouted to our two friends. He then burst through the smoke, disappearing from my sight.  

It was all happening so far ahead of me. My body wanted me to stop, to breathe, to rest. Every step felt heavier than the last. But I continued moving. 

I wanted to go to Kiyi. Wrap her safely in my arms and tell her everything was going to be okay. 

Instead, two strong arms suddenly locked around me from behind. They pulled me back with great force. A hand covered my mouth before I could shout. His other arm wrapped tightly around my waist. Panic surged through me.

I was fighting with all the energy I had left. Kicking my feet off the ground, twisting in his embrace. My elbows drove backward, trying to make a painful enough impact so that his grip would loosen. I tried everything to break free. But his grip remained tight. Pain shot through my ribs as I struggled. My body was losing the strength to fight. In the distance, through the fading smoke, I could see Sokka, Suki and the children. I tried shouting their names, but the sounds died beneath the hand still covering my mouth. 

The figure dragged me with him, deeper into the shadows of the forest and away from my friends. 

He had to be careful not to stumble over any roots exposed on the ground, which means that he moved slowly and carefully. I took my chance. I drove my heel down onto his foot. He grunted and loosened his grip for the briefest moment. I immediately twisted, trying to free myself. For a heartbeat I thought I was going to succeed. But he responded quickly. His grip firmer now than before. He crushed my ribs, which made me cry out against his hand. 

“Easy.” His voice was low, controlled. “I am trying not to hurt you.” He almost sounded amused. Trying not to hurt me? This was the same man who had bended fire at me. I had cracked ribs and bruises that proved the complete opposite of what he just said. I felt him moving his head closer to me, lips right next to my ear. “If we were going to lose the Fire Lord's sister…” he paused for a moment. “You were our secondary target.”

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aang’s POV

I returned to Sokka and Suki empty handed. I was unable to catch the fleeing masked figures. They had thrown more explosives as they retreated. Each time smoke swallowed the path. I let air escape from my hands, either creating a tunnel through the smoke or wiping the smoke away entirely. But after the fourth or fifth explosion, they seemed to have vanished. Empty woods in front of me.

At least the children were safe. They had been freed from the ropes. They had left their mark;  redness and irritation visible at the children’s wrist. 

Sokka looked at me with great anticipation. I simply shook my head. He nodded in return.

“We will get them next time.”

“Yeah.” I gave a firm nod. “Let’s head back.” I had hoped my friends had more luck and were able to capture the fighters left behind. I had hoped their fight was a short lived one. I had hoped they were all alright. I had hoped Katara was able to heal Y/N more in the meantime. 

Kiyi was safely tucked under my arm. Suki had the other two children by her side; a boy and a girl. They couldn’t be much older than eleven. We walked back slowly, matching the pace of the children. Kiyi stayed close to me. Every few minutes she glanced nervously into the surrounding trees. I couldn’t blame her. I found myself doing the same. Scanning the forest. Anticipating a possible next attack. But none came. The forest remained quiet. 

We reached the clearing after about a 20 minute walk. The fighting had long since ended. I couldn’t see any Kemurikage there. 

“Zuko!” Kiyi left me as soon as she saw her brother. She launched herself into his arms. He picked her up and held her closely. Relief washed over his face.

“You are safe.” He whispered. “You are safe.” He kept repeating it, whilst he held her. It was as though he needed to hear the words as much as she did. 

He looked at me. He mouthed a thank you. I nodded once. He placed Kiyi back on the ground and rested a hand on her shoulder. His gaze shifted. First to Sokka, then Suki and the other children. He continued to search for something beyond them. His eyes were darting from left to right. The relief disappeared. 

“What is it?” I asked as I turned around to look in the same direction where he was searching for something.

“Where is Y/N?” He sounded concerned. The words hit me like a punch.

“What do you mean?” My chest tightened. My eyes immediately scanned the clearing. Katara. Toph. Zuko. Kiyi. Sokka. Suki. The children. But no Y/N. “Isn’t she here?” My breathing was faltering. “Isn’t she with you?”

“No.” His answer came instantly. His face paled. “She followed you.”

We looked around one another. The realisation settled over all of us; she wasn’t here.

I turned around again, ready to head back into the forest, until Toph stomped her foot into the ground. Everyone looked at her. For a moment, that felt like an eternity, she remained completely still; concentrating. 

“I can’t see her.” My stomach dropped. “I can’t see any of the Kemurikage or their ostrich horses anymore either.” She exhaled slowly. “They are gone.” A moment of silence passed, until Katara spoke.

“Maybe she stopped somewhere on the trail.” There wasn’t much conviction in her voice. We all knew Y/N wouldn’t do that. No matter how injured she was, she would continue. Her stubbornness wouldn’t allow her to stop. Unless something had prevented her from continuing. 

The thought sent a chill down my spine.

We all came to the same realization. Only Sokka dared to say it. 

“You don’t think…” His usual confidence had vanished. “You don’t think she was taken…” Nobody answered him. Nobody needed to. I stood in front of the tree line and Zuko approached next to me. I looked at him. His expression had become dangerous. He wasn’t panicking. Not outwardly, at least. But I could see the tension in his shoulders. The way his jaw was clenched. The way his hands had curled into fists at his side. He was scared.

“How could you not notice she followed you?” It wasn’t really a question. It was more an accusation. He sounded angry. Fear washed over me. ‘How could I have not noticed it?’ I just shook my head. 

“I was too focused on the children.” I said apologetically. “I thought she would have stayed here.” I pointed at the clearing. “I didn’t think she was healed enough to follow us.” My shoulders dropped. A sick feeling settled in my stomach. 

Zuko lowered his head. Just for a moment. His fists tightened until his knuckles turned white. And then, without warming, fire exploded upward from his hands. A furious scream accompanied his movements, it was raw and unrestrained. He let all his fears, frustration, anger and self control go; letting it erupt in a massive column of flames. It shot high above the treetops. Vivid colors illuminated the sky. Heat washed over the clearing. The fire slowly faded. Glowing embers drifted back toward the earth. We stared at him. We all understood. We were all feeling it. I was screaming too, crying out to her. But all on the inside. 

He straightened slowly, forcing his breathing to be more controlled. His hands brushed over the front of his robes. He cleared his throat. When he spoke again, his voice was steady. Gone were all the emotions he had just slipped out. 

“We go back.” I stared at him with confusion. I wanted to protest. “We have to bring the children home.” I followed his gaze toward his sister and the other two youngsters. “Y/N will have to wait.” He struggled to speak the words out loud. “The other missing children will have to wait.” A deep exhale. “But we will come back for them.”

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Next chapter: How to Breathe When There Is No Air... coming soon

A/N: I love, love this storyline with Azula from the comics. So I really wanted to included it. We have been building up to it for some chapters, so I am really excited it is finally here. We will get to read more of Azula as she has taken our reader.

If you want to be tagged, please let me know!

Taglist: @eridanuswave;  @clairealeehelsing; @kwomikailea; @krys0210; @yeahperfect; @iheartraii; @mitsukichiis: @clandestineloveee; @noctredamn; @stxrrielle; @ladypickles; @starfireduptoday

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reader’s POV

Suki stepped in the room with a black-ribbon-letter. I recognized the seal immediately; Zuko’s. Both Sokka and I were instantly awake. 

“What does it say?” I asked, already moving toward her.

“I don’t know.” Suki said. “I haven’t opened it. But the ribbon is a clear indication to know it is not going to be good.”

The room suddenly felt heavier. All the emotions from last night; the hurt, the betrayal, the argument, it all ebbed to the background. Sokka took the letter from her hands and broke the seal. His expression darkened as he read. 

“What is it?” I asked, worry slipping through my voice. Sokka continued reading it in silence.

“Sokka.” My voice sharper now. “What does it say?”

“He is calling the team together. Zuko is getting personally involved.”

“I thought Constable Sung was handling the investigation?” Suki chimed in.

“Not anymore. His son was taken too.” Sokka handed the letter to me. I began reading it out loud.

My friends,

The situation has worsened. Three additional children have been taken, including Constable Sung’s son. That makes 14 missing children.

With the exception of Constable Sung, the fathers of the missing children were all once loyal to my father and they all remain openly critical of my reign. I fear these abductions are being used to unite my adversaries against me or at the very least weaken my position as Fire Lord. 

We believe a group called the Kemurikage is behind the abductions. Constable Sung’s investigation has traced sightings of them to Kagain Island, east of the Fire Nation mainland. 

I will continue the search personally. Please join me at the palace within four days of receiving this letter. A message has also been sent to the Eastern Air Temple. On the fifth day we will leave as a team to rescue these children and catch the Kemurikage. 

I need your help. I will be waiting.

Zuko

Suki’s jaw tightened. Sokka slowly shook his head. My mind was racing, thinking of Zuko. These children were being used as pawns in a much larger game.

“So these Kemurikage is targeting Ozai’s supporters.” Suki said grimly.

“And trying to turn them against Zuko.” I replied quietly.  

“Start packing.” Sokka spoke without hesitation. “We leave within the hour.” A short pause. “I will let Aang, Katara and Toph know.”

The words struck deeper than they should have. For a moment, an awkward silence settled between us. Suki’s expression softened as she looked at me as Sokka had spoken their names. Neither of them mentioned what happened the night before. Neither of them mentioned the reason I had cried myself to sleep. 

Sokka gave me a small nod. I returned it. Then he and Suki left the room and closed the door behind them. We all needed to get ready for whatever we were going to face. This is what we did. When one of us needed help, the others came. Simple as that. No questions asked. 

My gaze returned to the letter. On Zuko’s signature. The slight shake in the handwriting near the end. He was worried. More worried than he wanted anyone to know. 

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aang’s POV

Sokka had woken me after what felt like only a few minutes of sleep. Truthfully, I hardly slept at all last night. My mind had spent the entire night replaying everything that had happened. Every word, every look, her hand on my cheek. It wasn’t hard. It didn’t hurt in a physical way. No. It struck much deeper than that. 

When Sokka appeared at my door, I first assumed he had come to check on me, or maybe even scold me for the pain I had caused Y/N. The scolding would have been justified, I deserved every angry word he would throw at me. But instead he looked focused and concerned all at once, afraid even. 

His news hit me hard. Despite everything that had happened, we had made the right decision to return to Cranefish Town. If we had remained at the Eastern Air Temple, I fear we would have never made it to the Palace in time. Zuko’s hawk likely would have reached us within three days, leaving not enough time to get to the palace. We would have been too late. Too late to help Zuko, too late to help the missing children. 

I got dressed and grabbed my glider. I stepped into the hallway and made my way downstairs. I passed Suki who could barely look at me. 

“I wouldn’t go there if I were you.” Her tone blank. I paused. “She is in the courtyard with Sokka. Getting Appa ready.” I nodded once, even though she wasn’t really asking anything of me. I slowly took a step forward and another, each step felt heavier than the last. I reached the open door leading out into the courtyard and I stopped there. 

I could see her from where I was standing. She was standing near Appa, her hands moving automatically as she checked the straps of the saddle. Her hair was pulled back into a neat, tight bun. Her clothes were perfectly in place, no creases or signs of disarray. But she looked worn down. I knew her too well to not see she was breaking apart underneath. 

I ignored Suki’s words and stepped outside, getting closer to them. 

“Can I help?” My words cut through the silence. My gaze fixed on Y/N. She had her back to me, but I could see her freeze for a heartbeat when she heard my voice. 

“No. We are done.” I couldn’t tell if she was referring to saddling Appa or if she was referring to us. Both would be accurate I guess. 

I looked at Sokka. As he passed me to go back inside and gather the supplies, he shook his head as a warning, signalling to me to not approach her further. I ignored him too. I took a careful step in her direction.

“Y/N.” My voice broke around her name. She stopped moving all together now. Still not facing me as her hand rested in Appa’s fur. “Y/N.” I called out to her again. I was closer to her this time. She was now within reach of me. I moved my arm, wanting to place my hand on her shoulder. But just before we made contact, she spoke sharply.

“Don’t.” I retracted my hand immediately. 

“Please Y/N.” A short pause. “Please, can we talk?” I could see she swallowed deeply. 

“There is nothing to say.” She said flatly. No anger in her voice, no softness either. Just distance. Even though she was standing right in front of me, she never felt further away. “We have a mission to focus on.” 

She abruptly turned around. Even though she kept her gaze on the ground I could see fresh tears on her cheeks. She passed me and hit my shoulder with hers, making me unsteady for a moment. I watched her as she walked back inside. 

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zuko’s POV

We were standing in the War Room. A map of the Fire Nation lay spread across on the massive table in front of me, its edges held down by stone weights shaped like dragons. Dozens of tiny markers dotted the parchment. Red for confirmed sightings of the Kemurikage, black for dead ends, gold for the places the children were taken from.  

Around the table stood some of the Fire Nation’s most experienced military officers. Generals, naval commanders, and members of Constable Sung’s team. Men and women who had spent years of planning campaigns and strategies and suppressing rebellions.

We all looked frustrated. Every eye in the room was fixed on a single location on the map. The place where most of the red markers were: Kagain Island. 

Kagain Island once served as a Fire Nation military outpost. During the 100 year war, a small fortress and watchtower were built atop the island’s volcanic ridge to monitor shipping routes. When the war ended, the outpost was abandoned and gradually forgotten. 

The island’s real danger was hidden underground. A network of natural lava tunnels ran through the volcanic rock. During the war, soldiers expanded many of these passages into storage chambers, barracks and emergency shelters. It was supposedly a maze for anyone who didn’t know the way. Most records of the tunnels’ existence were either lost or intentionally destroyed after the war. 

The surface of the island was split in half. One side had been completely destroyed by a volcanic eruption when Sozin’s comet first arrived. The land there was barren and covered in old lava rock. The other side of the island was covered by a dense forest. Tall cedar and pine trees covered the hills; their branches so thick that sunlight rarely reached the forest ground. 

In the middle of the island stood the volcano. It had been dormant for over a century, but it still looked threatening, towering over everything around it. 

The Kemurikage chose the perfect hideout. They could use the small fortress or watchtower as their base of operations. They could keep the missing children in the rooms created all these years ago in the hidden volcanic tunnels. Protected by miles of wilderness above and a maze of underground passages below, they could move unseen across the island while the outside world could not reach them without being spotted. And that was our biggest problem. 

“Our scouts have again confirmed the Kemurikage’s presence.” General Ren tapped the island with a wooden pointer. “As far as we can tell there are lookouts on the cliffs.” He moved his pointer. “Here.” One tap. “Here.” Another tap. “Here… Here… Here… Here… And here.” The tiny island seemed covered with observation posts. “And let's not forget the watchtower and fortress. Here and here.” A final tap. 

“How many?” I asked.

“If you include the fortress and watchtower… At least nine visible.”

“Visible?” 

“Meaning there are likely more.” The general’s expression darkened. Silence settled over the room. Everyone understood the implication. Any ship approaching would be seen. Appa would be easily spotted before we would reach land. 

“We could send a fleet.” A naval commander stepped forward. “Ten warships. Fifteen even.” He suggested. “We can overwhelm their defenses.”

“And what happens then?” I looked at him and shook my head. “The children will become hostages.” I answered my own question. “We can’t risk the lives of these innocent children. No fleet.”

“A night insertion?” Someone in the back offered.

“Moonlight reflects off the water. The lookouts would see us.” A female commander countered the proposal. 

“What about fog?”

“The eastern current rarely produces enough fog cover.”

Every solution seemed to create another problem. General Ren folded his arms. 

“What about the Avatar?” Several heads turned in his direction. “If Avatar Aang approaches from altitude…”

“He will be seen.” I cut him off. “And he is not going in alone.” I stated firmly. I wasn’t going to send my friend in without backup. 

“Sir, if I may.” The Chamberlain finally spoke. His voice was calm, measured. “The Kemurikage expects an attack.” The old man slowly approached the map. “They have chosen the perfect hideout.” His finger rested on Kagain Island. “They know we know where they are. Therefore every obvious approach is already part of their plan.” 

“Go on.” I watched him carefully.

“They expect the Avatar to come. They expect the Fire Lord to accompany him.” That earned a few uncomfortable looks around the room. He was right of course. The Kemurikage seemed to know everything about us, whilst we knew very little of them. “Your only chance is a surprise attack.”

“I know.” I stated agitated. “But how do we do that?” My fingers rubbed my temples.

“By going under water.” I looked up at him. That could work.

“Do we have dive boats near there?”

“No, sir, we don’t.” The naval commander spoke again.

“But your friends, they can waterbend.” My Chamberlain spoke again. “It is a long way from the coastline, but your team could hide you all under water.” We wouldn’t be able to use Appa to expedite that crossing, because we couldn’t possibly hide him when we reached the island. But we could walk the way from the coastline and resurface on the island. It was dangerous. Insane perhaps. Without Appa we wouldn’t be able to flee easily. Aang and Katara would have to use a lot of their energy to get us all across safely, but we would have the element of surprise. Due to the long distance, it might just be the only approach the Kemurikage wouldn’t expect. 

“We enter the island from underwater.” 

A loud knock rattled the chamber door. Everyone turned at the sound. 

“Enter.” A young guard stumbled inside, breathless. 

“Fire Lord.” A polite bow. “Forgive the intrusion. But a Sky Bison has been spotted near the Palace.” 

“Are you sure?” I questioned.

“Yes, sir.”

‘Appa. My friends. They came. They are already here. How could Aang and Y/N already be here so soon?’

I quickly followed the young guard through the palace corridors. My stride was fast but controlled. The Fire Lord didn’t run. 

The guard pushed open the courtyard doors and air rushed against my face. Outside, Appa had just landed. Relief immediately rose in my chest. 

“You are here!” My voice carried farther than I intended, some of my usual restraint slipped away. “I can’t believe how fast all of you have gotten here. I didn’t expect you for another few days.” For a moment, nobody answered. The words died in the space between us. My smile faded. Something was wrong.

I looked around the group, everyone was there. Sokka was climbing down from the saddle and helping Toph to come down too. Aang sat atop Appa’s head. Katara jumped off gracefully from her place on the saddle. And Y/N… My gaze found her. She was sitting on the far rear of the saddle. Suki stood next to her, ready to descend from Appa. Y/N didn’t look up at me, didn’t smile, didn’t wave, she didn’t say a word. Something felt off. A strange knot formed in my stomach. Her whole demeanor was different from how I had gotten to know her. She was always light, bright and alive. Now she looked… dimmed.

Toph passed me. Even she seemed unusually quiet. No sarcastic greeting, no joke, not even a complaint about the landing. She bumped my arm as a greeting, but other than that; silence.

Then I looked at Aang, he jumped off Appa. As he stood straight, I could see how much he had grown since the last time I saw him. Not in height, but his body had filled out, muscles more expressed. His body looked impressive, but he just looked exhausted. The usual brightness that seemed to follow him everywhere, had been replaced by something heavy. He looked as though something cut him open. Dark circles under his eyes, like he hadn’t slept in days.  

My smile disappeared entirely. The courtyard had grown unnaturally quiet. Aang came toward me. We greeted each other like always, a small bow to one another, but the familiar, joyful handshake or hug that used to follow was omitted. He looked up. Then I saw it; guilt written all over his face. 

“What happened?” My voice low as I looked at my broken friend. His hands clenched into fists. And suddenly the urgency that had brought them here, the missing children, the Kemurikage, it all felt secondary. Because whatever had happened on their journey here, it had broken Aang; it seemed to have broken the whole group. “Aang?” I questioned. He looked at me and shook his head. He didn’t want to talk. He walked past me. My eyes darted to Y/N, who by now, was standing next to Appa. 

“Hi Zuko.”

“Suki.” I smiled faintly at her, she gave me a quick hug. Katara walked past me, giving me a little nod and a polite smile. Both girls were carrying some supplies inside. It was now just me, Sokka and Y/N. 

“Hi friend.” Sokka said as he too gave me a quick hug. I looked at him. He always knew how to lift everybody’s spirit. He could always let a laugh escape from somebody. But even he looked defeated. As he wanted to walk away from me, I grabbed his wrist lightly to stop him. I held it. I looked next to me, to see his face.

“What happened?” I asked with great concern.

“It is not my story to tell.” He shook his head as he looked at me, before he looked over his shoulder to Y/N. I let his wrist go and he continued to head inside. 

‘It was her story to tell.’

“Hi Y/N.” I tried to hide my concern. Despite everything, I was so happy to see her again. It had been over six months since I saw her last. She too had changed physically. Her body looked stronger, her muscles more toned. The months of hard work at the Temples and the training had left their mark. 

But that was not what caught my attention. It was her eyes. They looked tired and sad; defeated. For a moment neither of us spoke. We just looked at each other. Suddenly I became aware of how long six months really was. Six months apart; six months of letters, six months of me wondering about her. A small smile appeared on her lips. It didn’t reach her eyes.

“Hi Zuko.” The familiar sound of her voice brought a strange sense of relief. I almost smiled. Almost. However, the heaviness hanging over the group wouldn’t allow it. My gaze searched her face. Waiting; hoping she would explain. Instead her eyes drifted away. Towards the palace, towards Aang and Katara who were waiting on the steps. The knot in my stomach tightened further. 

“Y/N…” I spoke softly and reached out for her hand. She immediately stiffened. Just slightly. Most people wouldn’t have noticed. I did. Something had happened, something bad. 

My eyes flickered toward Katara. Then Aang. Neither of them looked at me. My gaze returned to Y/N. Something had happened between them. The realization made my chest feel heavy. 

“Are you okay?” I lowered my voice. The question seemed to hit something inside her. She didn’t speak. Her jaw tightened. There was pain in her eyes; it was raw and fresh. Then she moved, no warning, no words spoken. She stepped forward and buried herself against me. The movement was so sudden that instinct took over before my mind could catch up. My arms wrapped around her automatically, pulling her close without hesitation. 

For a second, I just stood there frozen. Y/N wasn’t someone who sought comfort easily. She faced problems head-on. She argued, fought, laughed them away or, as so very often, carried them herself. I felt her hands clutch my robes tightly as though she was trying to hold herself together. All I could focus on was the fact that she was shaking. Only slightly, but enough for me to feel it. My grip tightened protectively around her. 

Over her shoulder I looked toward Aang. He met my gaze, but his expression made my stomach drop. It was a combination of guilt and jealousy, maybe even anger.

Y/N buried her face deeper against my chest. I rested my chin lightly against the top of her head. A gesture that felt surprisingly natural. 

“I have got you.” Then suddenly she stepped away. Expression blank. She restrained herself. She straightened her shirt, before looking at me again. She cleared her throat.

“It is good to see you.” Every sign of emotion had disappeared. She made it seem as though none of this just happened. I didn’t know what to do. I just looked at her. “Let’s go. We have a mission to prepare for.” With that she walked away. In the direction of the palace, toward the steps where Aang and Katara and the rest of the group were still standing. 

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reader’s POV

That same afternoon we went over the strategy Zuko and his advisors had prepared. We all agreed it was the best and only way to reach the island without being discovered. 

We discussed every detail. Where to safely hide Appa on the mainland, from where we would leave the coastline and what the best location was to enter the island. All was planned. All was agreed. Nothing more was said. 

Dinner that evening was rather quiet and awkward. I was happy to see Kiyi, Ursa and her husband again. The reunion was heartfelt and it even brought me a moment of joy. 

I was placed at the same seat I had sat at when I stayed at the palace before; the seat to Zuko’s right side. He sat at one head of the table, while Aang occupied the seat at the opposite end.

After dinner we all returned to our rooms. Years ago, when we had first become regular visitors to the Fire Nation, Zuko had assigned rooms to each of us. He had insisted they would always remain ours whenever we returned to the palace.

It was still early, the sun was barely setting. I had hoped that once I was alone, I was able to fall asleep. My body and mind were exhausted, my eyelids heavy. I needed some real rest. We were leaving the day after tomorrow. I needed to be ready for it. 

Even from my bed, I could hear that the palace was still very much alive. Servants, guards and officials hurried through the corridors, making final preparations for the upcoming journey. Uncle Iroh was due to arrive tomorrow morning from Ba Sing Se. He would take over as Fire Lord in Zuko’s absence. Once the temporary transfer of power was made official, Zuko would be free to leave for the mission.

I spent the next half an hour tossing and turning in my bed, before I gave up. My mind was still too distraught to be able to fall asleep. Every time I closed my eyes, the last 24 hours kept replaying. The joy I had felt when we landed in Cranefish Town, seeing my friends again. The pain and betrayal I had felt after hearing Aang’s and Katara’s conversation. Sokka’s gentle touch and his sweet words as he stayed with me. Aang’s plea in the courtyard for me to talk to him. Suki’s steady presence next to me for the whole flight. Zuko’s arms wrapped protectively around me while I buried my face in his chest as I got overwhelmed by emotions. 

With a frustrated sign, I pushed back the sheets and sat up. Sleep wasn’t coming anytime soon. I slipped out of my bed, found a robe hanging in the wardrobe and pulled it over my loose shirt and trousers. Quietly I left my room and walked downstairs. I was heading toward the palace gardens. 

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zuko’s POV

“I was already hoping I would find you here.” I spoke softly, trying and failing to sound cheerful. She turned around, slightly startled by my presence. Clearly lost in thoughts. The surprise quickly faded, leaving only sadness behind. Not just in her expression, but also in her whole body. I offered her a kind smile. She returned it, but only barely. It was the faintest of smiles, forced and fragile. One that never reached her eyes. A smile only given to be polite, to return the gesture. 

She was sitting on the bench beside the pond. The old cherry blossom tree rising behind her. It was still in full bloom. It had become her favorite place when she last stayed at the palace. It was the place where we nearly kissed.

The sky above us was painted with the last traces of sunset; streaks of orange, red and gold were fading into the approaching night. Watching the sunset had become our thing. We often did it together on our travels. We would sit together, often in a comfortable silence, watching the sun disappear beyond the horizon. Whenever I now watched the sunset alone, I often found myself thinking of her. And sometimes, I wondered if she ever thought of me too when she watched the sunset from wherever she was. 

“Y/N?” I spoke her name carefully. She didn’t look at me. She kept her gaze on the pond. The water lapped quietly, as I could see the colors of the sky in its reflection. “What happened?” No response. A breeze stirred the leaves of the tree behind her. Strands of her loose hair moved along with the wind too. “Do you want to talk about it?” 

“No.” It came out shaken, broken. She shook her head faintly as she kept staring at the water before her.

“Can I sit with you?” I asked softly. “Or would you rather be alone?”

“I don’t really know what I want.” She swallowed hard. “It just feels like…” Her words faltered. “It feels like I am surrounded by darkness.” Her words came out barely above a whisper, but they hit me hard. 

“Then I will sit with you until the light returns.” My voice was quiet, but steady. I lowered myself onto the bench beside her. A respectable distance between us. However, every instinct inside me screamed to be nearer to her. I wanted to hold her. Comfort her. Shield her from whatever was hurting her. But I couldn’t tell if she was open to my touch, or anyone's touch for that matter. So I stayed where I was. 

“That might take a long time.” I looked at her side profile, it was illuminated by the fading twilight. 

“I will be here.” The words left my mouth before I could second guess them. “With you.” I paused. “As long as it takes.” 

I moved a little closer, just to test the waters, see if she would move away or if her body would stiffen. But neither happened. I let a few more moments pass before moving my hand. My fingers brushed against hers. Then I carefully turned my hand and gently placed my palm in hers. I intertwined our fingers and just let my hand rest in her lap. In response she laid her head on my shoulder. And we just sat in silence for some time, watching the stars appear in the reflection of the water. 

“Is there anything I can do for you?” I quietly asked. “Can I do anything to lift this sadness that you are carrying?” 

“I am sorry.” A deep exhale through her nose. “It is too painful to talk about.” 

“You have nothing to apologise for.” I gently squeezed her hand. “We can just sit here in silence until you are ready to return to your room.”

And we did just that. We sat in silence, until I felt her body relax more and more against mine. Her shoulders gradually lost their tension. Her hand beneath mine was loosening its grip. I turned my head slightly, just enough for me to be able to see part of her face. Her eyelids fluttered close for a few seconds before she forced them to open again. She was fighting sleep. Fighting it with the same stubbornness she showed so often in her actions. 

The palace gardens and the palace itself had grown quiet around us. Every preparation was ready. The documents to transfer power were already signed by me, all supplies were stored at the stables close to Appa. The sky had darkened. The moon and the stars above us shining bright. 

“Y/N.” I whispered her name. She hummed softly in response, barely awake. I couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at my lips. “You need sleep.”

“Mhmm.” It wasn’t an answer. It was more an acknowledgement of the fact. I looked down at her again. Moonlight was lighting her face. For the first time since she arrived, she looked somewhat peaceful. 

Carefully, I was moving so I could stand up. She stirred immediately. 

“We are going inside.” I murmured. “I am bringing you to your room.” Her eyes opened, she looked slightly confused and unfocused. Then she closed them again briefly. 

“Okay.” The word was barely audible. Reluctantly I let go of her hand and stood up. I wrapped my arm around her and helped her to her feet. She swayed the moment she stood. Instinctively, she grabbed hold onto something nearest to her; my robes. Instinctively I placed my hands on either side of her waist, steadying her.

“Easy. I have got you.” I carefully wrapped one arm around her waist and I gently guided her through the garden, through the palace corridors, up the stairs. The halls were mostly empty now. We encountered the occasional guard. Each one quickly looked away as the Fire Lord was escorting a woman in her night attire and robes to her bedroom. 

“We are here.” I gently pushed the door open. The room was dark and quiet. I quickly let a flame escape my fingertips and it landed on the candle on her night stand. It illuminated the room slightly. “Y/N.” A soft mumble. I was unable to suppress a quiet smile. 

Carefully I guided her inside and over to her bed. I gently loosened the knot of her robe. I let it slide down her shoulders and let it fall on the floor. I pulled the sheets away and I sat her down on the mattress. Within seconds she had curled onto her side, already drifting away into a, hopefully, sweet slumber. I tucked the sheets around her. 

And for a moment, I just simply stood there. Watching her face, listening to her breathing. I brushed a loose strand of hair away from her face. I couldn’t stop myself from giving her a gentle kiss on top of her head. “Goodnight Y/N.” She was already asleep. Again a small smile found its way onto my face. Then I picked up the robe, placing it on a nearby chair. I blew out the candle and quietly slipped away from the room. Leaving her to get some much needed rest. 

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aang’s POV

I had seen it all. First when we arrived. I stood on the steps, I waited at the door and watched them. How after a long moment of silence she gave in to her emotions. How he was allowed to wrap her carefully and protectively in his arms. His look at me, filled with confusion but also something harder. 

Later, when sleep refused to come, I stepped out onto my balcony. The palace garden stretched out below me, it bathed in the fading sunlight. And there she was. Y/N sat alone beneath the old tree. Her gaze fixed onto the pond. The evening breeze stirred her hair, lifting loose strands around her face. A robe tied loosely around her, the fabric softly fluttering in the wind. My chest tightened at the side of her. She looked so small.

And then I saw Zuko approaching. He waited for a long while until he slowly sat down next to her. I couldn’t hear what was spoken from this distance. Part of me desperately wished I could. 

The two of them sat together. After a while, I watched Zuko look at her and then I noticed he moved closer. I saw how he placed his hand in hers, holding onto it while it rested in her lap. I witnessed her body relax slightly by his touch, enough for her to rest her head on his shoulder. My stomach twisted painfully. I clenched my fists at my sides. The muscles in my jaw tightened. Yet, I continued to watch. Unable to look away.

I should be relieved that she was able to find some form of comfort after all the pain I caused her. But the sight of her allowing him to be this close, allowing him to be the one holding her, hurt more than I wanted to admit. Because not too long ago, that had been me. 

They sat like that for a long time. The sky darkened. They seemed to not even notice that guards had lit the lanterns in the garden. They just sat together. And I watched every second of it. 

After what felt like hours, Zuko moved and carefully stood up. He said something I couldn’t hear. Y/N barely reacted. It took me a second to realise why; she was half asleep. Zuko gently helped her to her feet, steadying her as the tiredness clearly overcame her. He held her up, an arm securely wrapped around her. Together they slowly walked up the palace steps towards the door. He matched his pace to hers. He didn’t rush, he never let her go. And then, they were out of sight. 

I remained on the balcony long after they were gone. Alone with my thoughts. Sadness washed over me. I wanted to be angry with Zuko. But I couldn’t. He hadn’t done anything wrong. If anything, he was showing kindness. Kindness to her. But to me, it felt like a knife twisting in between my ribs. I rested my hands against the balcony railing and stared into the darkness. More than anything, I wished I could have traded places with him. So I could be the one who she allowed to comfort her. 

I returned to my room. I laid on my bed. Hoping sleep would take me soon. 

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zuko’s POV

The following morning I was up early. I had found my way back to the War Room. Not much later Sokka had joined me. We had already spent an hour going over every detail of the mission. Making sure it was imprinted into our brain. 

A rapid knock disturbed our conversation. Before I could answer, the door swung open. An anxious looking soldier stumbled inside, breathless and pale. Irritation immediately flared within me. Few people were foolish enough to enter without permission.  

“Fire Lord. I.. I…”

“What is it, Private.” Irritation laced my voice. The soldier swallowed hard.

“It is your sister, sir.” My head jerked up to look at him. Sheer terror was visible in his eyes. Worry overtook any sign of frustration and irritation. 

“What is wrong?” A tight knot formed in my stomach.

“She has been taken.”

“No…” The word barely escaped me. “Kiyi.” My breath caught in my throat. I gripped the edge of the large table to steady myself as dread crashed over me. “When?” I managed to say.

“On the way to the academy, sir. We were ambushed. The group moved with great precision, as if they knew our whole routine…”  I wasn’t listening anymore. I forced myself to think past the panic clawing at my chest.

“Any leads?” I asked.

“It was the Kemurikage. I saw them with my own eyes.” He dropped his gaze to the floor. 

“Does my mother know?” 

“No, sir.” I closed my eyes briefly, heart pounding hard. I drew a slow breath.

“I will tell her myself.” Then I turned to Sokka. “Gather the team. We are leaving.”

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Next chapter: The Turning Tide

A/N: I am genuinely so excited about the upcoming mission. Like we have been building up to that ever since chapter six when the threats were first mentioned. So yeah... really looking forward to it!!

If you want to be added to the taglist, just let me know.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reader’s POV

It was a four day journey on Appa from the Eastern Air Temple to Cranefish Town. We were almost there, just a few more hours. The whole trip had been rather quiet. Our thoughts were occupied by the same thing: whatever awaited us at the end of this journey. 

I was worried. Worried about the abductions, worried about the threats mentioned in the letters. Worried about Zuko. 

At some point I started to wish for, dream of a future with him. At first, I had thought it was nothing more than a teenage crush. Just a fleeting infatuation that would fade with time. 

It never had. The flutter in my stomach had survived every year that passed. It was there whenever I thought about him. Whenever I saw him. Whenever our eyes met. Whenever he stood close to me. Even when his hawks arrived carrying his messages, I felt it.

I spent the last few weeks worrying about him, reading each new letter with the hope that the situation had improved, that everything was resolved and he was finally again out of harm's way. But instead, each update seemed grimmer than the one before. With every message, it became harder to ignore the feeling that something big was about to happen. 

Even now, when we were almost in Cranefish Town, I could still feel that familiar flutter in my chest when I thought of him. I was wondering whether he was safe; I was hoping he was. 

Even now, when Aang and I had settled into something much closer to what friendship should be, my heart still betrayed me. Whenever my eyes had drifted toward the Fire Nation, whenever I had watched a sunset alone, or whenever one of Zuko’s letters rested in my hands, my pulse quickened just a little. No matter how much time had passed, no matter how much I tried to convince myself that I had to move on, some part of me still carried him with me. That same part knew, I always would.

I had waited so long for him to make up his mind. There had been many moments where he or I let the distance between us disappear. There were moments when we sought each other out, lingered a little longer than necessary. Moments when he looked at me like he wanted to say something he couldn’t quite bring himself to say. 

Every time, I had been ready. Ready to meet him halfway. But those moments, the closeness, never lasted. Something or someone would interrupt them, or he would retreat into himself, and afterward he would act as though nothing had happened. 

If he had given me even the slightest indication of how he truly felt, I probably would have spent a lifetime waiting for him. But he never did. 

And then there was Aang. Patient, open and honest. He never pulled away from me. He never left me guessing. Instead he was actively choosing to reach out to me, to open up and express his feelings. 

And after waiting so long for someone who never seemed able to decide whether he wanted me close or far away, it was refreshing that someone didn’t make me guess and put in so much effort to hold me close. 

I looked at Aang as I tried to bury my feelings for our friend somewhere deep within me. I tried to push my concerns for his wellbeing away. 

“We should tell Katara.” I was sitting next to him on Appa’s head. We sat close together. 

“About?” He asked plainly. 

“About us.” I looked at him. “We should tell her instead of her sensing it or seeing something.”

“Yeah, you are right.” He kept his eyes forward, scanning the sky. 

“So, I think we should keep our distance a bit, when we land. Then we can tell her together.”

“No.” He stated quickly, snapping his head toward me. “No. You don’t have to do that. I will tell her.” 

“Don’t you think it is better that we tell her together?” I hesitantly asked him. 

“No, I think it is fine if I just tell her by myself. It should come from me.” He said it with much conviction. 

I didn’t argue. He sounded so convinced that he should be the one to break the news. More than that, I wasn’t particularly eager to be the person who had to tell my friend I was now involved with her ex boyfriend.

The thought alone made my stomach twist with guilt. No matter how things had ended between them, no matter how complicated the situation was, I felt weighed down by the fear of hurting someone I cared about. 

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aang’s POV

“What are you guys doing here?!” We were greeted by a loud Sokka. He and Suki were in the courtyard sparring. Toph sat outside on a stone bench, one foot on the ground so she could watch Sokka and Suki. 

It was already evening when we landed. The sun slowly set lower. Everything looked exactly the same as we left it, the flowers at the edges of the courtyard had started blooming, the tiles worn from all the sparring sessions we had over the years, the heavy oak door to the house closed just like when we set off on our journey. 

Appa landed in the middle of the courtyard. Y/N no longer at my side, but back on the saddle. After our conversation, she chose a place as far away from me as possible and Momo had joined her. We both jumped off of Appa gracefully, Sokka already enveloping me in a hug the second my feet touched the ground. Suki did the same to Y/N. Toph approached us slowly. 

“I am so happy to see you!” I heard Suki say. Sokka had his hands now on my upper arms as he looked at me with great joy. 

“What are you guys doing here?” He asked again, words softer spoken this time. From the corner of my eye I saw Toph standing next to Y/N, giving her a firm nudge against her shoulder. I returned my gaze back to Sokka. 

“We have been getting letters from Zuko, keeping us updated on what is happening in the Fire Nation. It feels like something big is coming. We wanted the team together and ready in case he needs us.”

“Ah.” Sokka looked serious and then he grinned slightly. “Is Zuko now your scroll buddy too?”

“Sokka.” I exhaled. “This is serious.” I sounded a bit stern. “Surely you guys know what is happening over there.”

“We do.” Suki spoke as she, Toph and Y/N joined us. “We have been monitoring it. We even reached out to Zuko to ask if he needed our help.” She said seriously. “He declined. He mentioned that a Constable Sung and his team were on it.”  

“We know about Constable Sung, but things are clearly not improving. If anything, it is getting grimmer. We agreed that we should go back.”

“Of course Y/N would want to come back to help her boyfriend.” I snapped my head in Toph’s direction. 

“Toph!” Y/N exclaimed. I could see she grew flustered, her ears burning. 

“What?!” Toph countered, feigning innocence. “Spirits. You two are always dancing around each other.” She continued. “I can’t be the only one that noticed?” 

“There is nothing between me and Zuko. He is my friend.” Y/N stated clearly.

“Sure. If you say so.” She let out a deep breath as she moved her hands up in surrender.

My gaze turned from Y/N to the heavy oak door as it opened. Katara appeared in the doorway. I noticed her immediately across the courtyard. 

“Aang.” I read my name on her lips as she spoke breathlessly. My mind stopped for a heartbeat. I couldn’t think, the air felt thinner. She looked different, and yet completely unchanged in the ways that mattered. The same kind eyes. The same presence that stirred something in me that I thought I had buried months ago. The same look that made me feel both relief and ache in the same breath. I shook my head, dismissing whatever her presence had awakened in me. 

She walked in our direction, I instinctively moved closer to Y/N. I know we decided to keep our distance from each other, but she kept me anchored when all the pain Katara made me feel and all the love we had shared, washed over me. Y/N looked at me moving closer, a small kind smile on her face. 

“Hi Katara.” Y/N mentioned as she stepped forward to greet her old friend. The whole thing looked a bit awkward. The hug not as tight as it once was, the smile not as genuine. I had never told Y/N the real reason we broke up. Of course, I hadn’t. How could I? All Y/N knew was that Katara had broken my heart. 

“Hi Y/N.” She let go of Y/N and then she looked at me. A faint smile touched her lips, though it never reached her eyes. “Hello Aang.” She barely looked me in my eyes. 

“Hi Katara.” I tried to hide all emotions in my voice. 

A heavy tension hung in the air between all of us standing there. 

“How about we help you guys with your supplies?” Sokka tried to cut through the silence with a forced smile. 

“I will help.” Suki added quickly, happy to be able to go anywhere else but here. Y/N gave me a short look, an encouraging smile and she turned away from us too and followed our friends. Toph disappeared to the back of the courtyard, not helping the group unpack but clearly trying to get away from the tension between Katara and me. 

“How have you been?” The question was innocent enough, but it landed heavier than it should have.

“I have been fine.”

“Good.” She said quietly, almost a whisper. “How has your time been at the Air Temples? I heard from Sokka that you were now at the Eastern Air Temple.” I shook my head, not really interested in small talk.

“We should talk.” I said quietly but firmly. Without waiting for a response, I turned and led the way back to the house. 

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reader’s POV

I was carrying a bag with my clothes to the back of the hall. I was bringing my items to my old room. Aang and Katara were alone in the room they had once shared. He was supposed to be telling her that the two of us were getting together; that things had happened between us. Their voices were raised, I could clearly hear anger in their words. 

As I passed I overheard a little snippet of their conversation and it was enough for me to invade their private talk and keep on listening.

‘Is she in love with you?’ Those words had stopped me in my tracks as I made my way down the hallway toward my old bedroom. Since hearing that one question, I haven’t moved. I stood frozen outside the door, staring at nothing in particular, but I was intensely listening. Slowly, I lowered my bag to the floor beside me.

I didn’t even know what I felt for Aang. Was it love? I didn’t think so. I knew what it was like to be hopelessly in love with someone. I knew what it felt like to have your thoughts consumed by a person, to wait for them even when common sense told you not to. What I felt for Aang wasn’t that. Not yet at least. 

But when I thought of him, about the way he made me smile without trying, about how safe I felt around him, I couldn’t deny that my feelings were growing into something deeper than friendship, sheer lust and pure desire. Given enough time, I had no doubt that I would fall in love with him.

“I don’t think she is in love with me. Not yet at least.” Aang now sounded sad, frustrated and confused all at once. “But things are developing and with some more time I think she will be.”

“So our plan is working?” Katara spoke slowly, anger beneath the words spoken.

‘What plan is working?’ I thought to myself.

“Don’t you dare say this is our plan. It was yours!” His tone suddenly harsh and sharp. He was truly mad. He hardly ever raised his voice, only when pure anger took over. 

“You agreed to it.” Katara countered fiercely.

“I did not! You decided to break up with me. I tried to reason with you, but you didn’t give me much of a choice.” I could hear his voice breaking. I could hear his pain. But I just stood there, confused, unable to make sense of what I was hearing. 

“Hi ther…” Sokka approached me, carrying another bag.

“Shhh.” I hissed, signaling with my hands he had to quiet down. 

“What are you doing?” He spoke in the softest whisper I had ever heard from him. I pointed first at my ear and then at the door. He just nodded but looked displeased. I know eavesdropping doesn’t deserve any praise, but I needed to understand what this plan was they kept arguing about and why they were getting so mad at each other and what it all had to do with me. Despite his clear displeasure, he also didn’t move. Instead, he tilted his head, listening intently to the angry words being exchanged.

“You didn’t have to go through with it.” She said, placing strong emphasis on the word have. Her voice was sharp, controlled anger barely holding its shape. She paused for a moment before continuing, her tone softer now, heavy with sadness. “You could have chosen to fight for us. To fight for me.” 

“You made it very clear there was nothing left to fight for!” Aang shot back, his anger still burning. There was no trace of sorrow in his voice. “You told me to do it. You pushed me in Y/N's arms!” His voice rose further, his breath hitched. “Now you don’t get to be mad that I actually found my way to them.” 

Sokka stared at me, disbelief in his eyes. His mouth dropped as he pointed first at me, then toward Aang behind the closed door. I just placed my index finger to my lips, silently urging him to stay quiet. Because whatever was happening beyond the door, Aang still had more to say.

“You suggested I should try to make her fall in love with me.” Aang said, his voice still sharp. “You told me we should use this time together, to grow closer and we should become a couple, so that we…” He stopped. The silence that followed felt endless. I didn’t breathe. I couldn’t. My entire body went still as I waited for the rest of the sentence. I hung on every word he said. My heart hammered against my ribs. I placed my hand on my chest, hoping that would somehow slow it down. ‘So that we… What?!’ The question screamed inside my head. 

It became more and more evident that whatever was growing between me and Aang had been orchestrated since the start of our trip. Something planned; something that had taken shape long before I ever realised I was part of it. Each word felt like a stab to my heart, because every moment we shared now felt staged, it felt like a lie. A big fat lie. Every moment I had thought was real began to fracture. I just didn’t realise that the final twist of that knife in my heart was yet to come. “So that in time,” Aang continued, voice now dangerously low, “Y/N and I could start a family of airbenders.” The last bit of the sentence he stated mockingly. 

I looked at Sokka. We were both frozen, eyes wide, breath caught in our throats. He shook his head in disbelief, as if he tried to reject what he had just heard. Inside me, something shifted; it was not just shock anymore. I just felt anger rising inside me, but I was also paralyzed for a moment. 

“You told me to open my heart to her and try to fall in love with Y/N!” Aang’s voice cut through again, sharp with frustration.

“And have you?” Katara asked softly, as if the answer would break her. Before he could answer, my hand slammed against the door; it bursted open with a violent crack. Silence hit instantly. I stood in the doorway, breath uneven, eyes locked on Aang.

“Y/N?” Aang’s voice cracked the second he saw me. Shock, confusion and something close to fear written all over his face.

“You did what?!” My voice cut through the room. My eyes wide, my expression sharp, jaw locked as my gaze drilled into Aang.

“Y/N, I… I…” He was too stunned and overwhelmed to speak, completely caught off guard. His shoulders dropped, but the tension in his body didn’t leave him; it became tighter. He couldn’t meet my eyes. His gaze kept slipping away, like looking at me directly would make it real. But it was already real, real to me.  

“All these months together… It was just a lie!”

"No!" He blurted out immediately. “It wa…” I cut him off.

“All that lingering around me, being closer to me than you had to be.” I went on, my voice rising; shaking now with something between anger and hurt. “Whispering in my ear. All these innocent touches, your hands on my arms, shoulders, waist, wherever! The tight hugs that were held just a heartbeat too long. Your eyes scanning my body, holding my gaze.” I had to stop for air. My chest was tight, my heart pounding and racing fast as though it could escape my chest at any moment now. “You were doing all of it to build up to us being together! All the kindness and patience you showed me.” My voice was breaking, my hands trembled at my sides. “All of it… You just wanted to get me into your bed!”

“No, really, it…” He tried again, but I wasn’t done yet.

“I gave you everything, every part of me.” I said, quieter now. The anger now collapsing into something far more fragile. “I have been my most vulnerable with you. I let you see parts of me I have never shown anyone… I trusted you with them.” My voice wavered. My breathing was ragged. “I trusted you with all of me.” I felt tears pricking in the corner of my eyes. I didn’t want them to fall, but I couldn’t hold them in any longer. “But it was all part of a plan.” The words barely made it out. And then I truly broke. A sob escaped me before I could stop it; it was raw and sharp. I looked at him with so much sadness, until even the look of him broke me and I looked away. 

He stepped forward. Two strides before I even registered his movement, gaze blurred by my tears and mind clouded with everything I had just heard. He stopped moving when he saw my expression. Anger rose in me again, my hands curled into fists at my side, gaze hardening, pushing the sadness away. 

“Don’t you dare comfort me!” I shouted at him. I felt a storm growing inside me and before I really knew it, the palm of my hand found his cheek. A surprised gasp came from Katara, who until now, had been extremely quiet. I shot her a look and she quickly looked away as if she was afraid to become a part of this moment. I looked back at Aang, he just stood there; an empty shell of the man I knew. The contact of my hand on his cheek hadn’t been hard, no redness appeared, but it had made an impact nonetheless. “Why?” My voice broke on the word, anger being taken over by hurt. “How could you?” I was sobbing now, fully undone. 

He looked as broken as I felt. I was angry, mad, sad, hurt, all at the same time. Tears were now flooding down. All that remained was a void where happiness and joy had once been. 

Then, I felt the tender hands of Sokka coming from behind me as he placed them on my arms. I turned around instantly to face him. I buried my face in his chest and sobbed more, the sound muffled against his shirt as he pulled me in without hesitation. His arms wrapped around me tightly as I fell apart, my tears were caught by his shirt. I felt that he shook his head toward his sister and his friend. 

“Come with me.” He spoke softly. He guided me away from the room, away from them. 

“Y/N.” I heard Aang cry out to me, but I ignored it. I passed Suki and Toph on the way out. I had no idea how long they had been standing there. 

I heard Aang’s footsteps following us into the hallway. 

“Don’t.” Sokka’s voice cut through the hallway. It was sharp, clear and final. It made Aang freeze where he stood. Without loosening his hold on me, Sokka kept his grip steady and gentle as he led me down the hall to my room.

Sokka sat me down on my bed and he joined me. “I am so sorry, Y/N.” He said quietly, his voice low and apologetic, even though he had nothing to be sorry for. “I didn’t know.” His gaze dropped to the floor as he spoke. Then, carefully, he placed a gentle hand on my knees. His way of letting me know he was there for me. 

That was all it took. Before I could stop it, everything came crashing out of me. I buried my face in my hands and sobbed. My whole body was shaking as the pain poured through me without restraint. My breathing was uneven, broken. Getting air got more and more difficult. Something good, something innocent had been ripped out of me. 

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aang’s POV

I heard her crying in her room. The sounds coming from beyond the door shattered my heart far more than any of the words she had spoken to me. 

I stood at her door for a long moment, my hand hovering over the door handle. Part of me wanted to walk in and tell her everything. I wanted to apologize, to beg for her forgiveness, to pull her in my arms and never let her go. But more than anything, I wanted her to know the truth. Yes, there had once been a plan orchestrated by Katara. A plan neither me or Y/N should have been a part of. But somewhere along the way, everything had changed. 

My feelings for her were real. Every smile she had drawn from me, every conversation that had kept us awake long after midnight, every moment I had spent with her at either temple, in the courtyard training, in the kitchen cooking together, intimate moments in bed; they had all been genuine. What I felt for her had long since grown into something far beyond any plan. 

But no matter how desperately I wanted to tell her that, I wasn’t sure she would believe me anymore. So instead, I slowly slid down until I was sitting on the floor, my knees drawn to my chest, my back resting against her door. I let my own tears fall, silently letting them slip down my cheeks.

On the other side of the door, I could still hear her sobs; broken, uneven, and full of hurt. Each one felt like a knife twisting deeper into my chest. Knowing I was the reason for them made it almost unbearable. I heard Sokka trying to comfort her. Sweet words were spoken to her. I was glad she wasn’t alone, that she had a true friend with her. 

“I am sorry. I am so sorry.” I whispered through my own sobs, though I knew she wouldn’t be able to hear me. 

I sat there for what felt like hours, listening to how over time her sobs grew quieter. Whether she had cried herself to sleep or simply ran out of tears, I didn’t know. I wiped my face and stared down the empty hallway. 

Katara hadn’t left her room, probably seeking refuge from the mess she had helped create. Suki and Toph had heard Y/N shouting at me from the courtyard. After they had entered the house, they had been outside the room listening to every painful word. Neither of them had made a noise. 

When Y/N was unable to say more, Sokka had guided her away from us. I shouted out to her, followed them into the hallway. Suki and Toph kept their distance. Toph had muttered something under her breath before retreating to her room. Suki had lingered for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then she too disappeared into her room, leaving me alone in the hallway. 

Slowly I rose, unsteady on my feet. My joints protested after sitting on the cold floor for so long and took one more look at the door. There was nothing left to say. Not tonight. Maybe not ever. My hand brushed against the wood one last time.

“I never meant to hurt you.” I whispered and then I turned away. I walked through the empty hallway, putting more distance between myself and her as I headed toward Zuko’s room. I never had a bedroom of my own in this house. Before, Katara and I had shared a room. And from tonight onward I would have shared Y/N’s room. The thought hit me like a punch to the chest. If none of this had happened, I would have been falling asleep beside her instead of walking away from her. 

But right now, that future was gone, slipping through my fingers before it had even really begun. 

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reader’s POV

The next morning I woke up early. The sun was only just beginning to peek through the window, its light thin and pale against the room. I wasn’t sure when I had finally fallen asleep. My eyes still heavy, not from sleep but from everything I had cried about the night before. 

A blanket was draped over me, tucked carefully around my shoulders. I blinked slowly, trying to get rid of the heaviness, before my gaze drifted to the side. Sokka was still here. He had fallen asleep in the chair beside the bed, slouched slightly forward, his arms resting loosely in his lap. His head had tipped to one side, like he had only meant to close his eyes for a moment. However he never quite managed to open them again. His neck would surely bother and hurt him when he woke up. 

For a second, I just watched him. The anger from last night still lingered somewhere beneath me. It was dull and distant now, buried under exhaustion, pain and the feelings of betrayal. 

Carefully, I shifted under the blanket. The movement must have been enough. Sokka stirred almost immediately. His eyes fluttered open, unfocused at first, before snapping to me. 

“You are awake.” He said quietly, straightening a little in the chair; moving his head from left to right and placing a hand at the back of his neck. A little grunt escaped him as his neck cracked loud enough for me to hear it. 

I didn’t answer him right away. My throat felt tight. I was… empty.  Outside, the morning light crept a little further into the room, birds were singing; as if nothing had changed at all. 

We were both startled when we heard a knock at the door. 

“It’s Suki.” She spoke as she opened it, peaking through the opening. She looked distraught; her expression was tight and unsettled. She showed us a rolled up letter. “The hawk just arrived.” I recognized the seal straight away; Zuko's. My eyes caught the black ribbon that was carefully wrapped around the parchment. A black ribbon meant trouble. Both Sokka and I were immediately fully awake.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Next chapter: Beneath the Shattered Earth

A/N: As stated before... I dreaded this chapter. This confrontation had been part of my outline for the story from the very first chapter. But writing it was tough. I have grown to love their relationship. So honestly this chapter was quite painful. We also don't really get a break, because a mission is awaiting the team.

If you want to be added to the taglist, just let me know!

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aang’s POV

Ever since that one night when she had completely opened up to me, our known rhythm had changed. Yes, we still did our chores together, trained together, meditated together, rebuilt the Eastern Air Temple together, laughed together and talked for hours about hopes and dreams. Although the talking now mostly took place when we were much closer to each other than before; our legs would be intertwined or her head would be resting on my chest or mine would be resting in her lap, or she would be wrapped safely in my bare arms as we spoke of the past, present or future. 

Where in the past I always saw my future with Katara, how we would grow old together, how we would get married and start a family at some point, I could now only see Y/N. And it wasn’t because Katara had basically pushed me into her arms, but because over the course of time something far more genuine had grown within me for her. She became the light of my day. I have met a lot of people in my life so far, but she had always stood out from the rest. Not because she was the other last airbender, but in the way she cares, in the way she gives kindness freely, being around her makes life worth it. The longer I knew her and the more time I had spent with her, the more reasons I found to love her. Because that was exactly what was happening here; I was truly falling in love with her. On the day I met her, I had no idea she would become everything to me at some point. 

But here she was. Laying safely in my arms, her back flush against my chest. Her breathing remained steady, while her mind still wandered in some distant dream. Her lashes rested lightly against her cheeks, her lips curved in the faintest suggestion of a smile, as though she was dreaming of something wonderful. Her face looked impossibly peaceful in the dim light. A loose strand of hair framed her forehead. I wanted to move that strand away, but I didn’t want to wake her up from her sweet slumber. So instead I just found myself watching the gentle rise and fall of her breathing. I couldn’t keep my eyes off of her. I memorised every detail.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reader’s POV

A lot has changed in the last two weeks. The long, cold days began to shorten and sunlight lingered a little longer during the day. The sun wasn’t just a part of the sky anymore, it was felt too. The rays hitting my skin actually felt warm again. 

The gardens surrounding the temples had started showing signs of life again. Birds had returned and started to sing again. The bare trees were developing tiny buds and the first flowers pushed through the soil. The flowers were tiny and white. One morning I had woken up and a whole field was covered in them. They had sprouted in the middle of the night. 

At first I thought I had woken up to another wintersday, since it seemed like the white flowers created a blanket of snow across the field. But I had realised my mistake as they gently swayed in a breeze. 

Each flower was small and simple, yet together they formed a breathtaking scene. In the early morning dew clung to the petals, making them sparkle. At sunset the white blossoms reflected the golden light, turning the field into a colorful spectacle. The flowers quickly became my favorite thing at the Eastern Air Temple. 

Also the relationship between me and Aang had changed. Sure, most of it was still the same, but the nights were shared. What had once been quiet good nights spoken as we both closed our own doors, had turned into whispered conversations beneath blankets, stolen smiles in the dark room and the comfort of knowing he was only an arm’s length away. 

There was a new kind of understanding between us, one built on trust and affection. Sometimes we talked until sleep claimed us, other times we simply laid in each other’s arms or on some nights we had our hands all over the other’s body.

The space between us had disappeared; replaced by something warm, steady and excitingly new. 

Since we first lay together, not one night was spent apart anymore. I had become much more comfortable with Aang doing things to my body I had first thought not possible. I also had become much more confident in the things I could do. 

I watched him closely as he placed a trail of kisses onto my skin. He kept going further and further down. On that first night, he had shared that he could also satisfy me with his lips, his tongue. But he had not done it yet. I knew he was holding back. I and my comfort was first on his mind; he never overstepped, he took things slowly, not introducing something new until I was completely comfortable with the last thing he had shown me. But now he was testing the waters; I could see it in his eyes. Darker, hungrier and constantly darting back to me to check if what he was doing was not too much. How could it be too much? I wanted more. More of his touch, more of his breath on my skin, more kisses on every part of my body. 

He skipped my warmth, the place I wanted to feel his kisses the most. He propped up a bit and put my right leg over his shoulder, kissing the inside of my thigh. As he placed his wet lips on my skin he looked at me again. He looked as though he was begging for approval, a confirmation that he wasn’t doing something I wasn’t ready for. Without thinking I gave him a small, reassuring nod. I wanted him to continue, I needed him to continue. A heartbeat later his kisses continued and his mouth made his way up my thigh, closer and closer to my heath. 

One more look from him and one more nod from me and his lips made contact with my clit. His tongue quickly swiped over it and I gasped loudly. It was a sensation I hadn’t experienced before. Yes, his hands and fingers had been magical, but this was almost unreal. He continued with licking up and down my walls, slow strokes of his tongue against me. 

“Ahhhh.” A sharp hum of satisfaction escaped me. “Mmmh, Aang. That feels so good.” I felt his lips curl into a smile as he continued licking me. 

Next, he entered me with his tongue, and my hips involuntarily moved up. In a response his hands gripped my hips firmly to hold me down. His fingers dug deeper and deeper into my skin as the pleasure was harder and harder to resist, making me want to buck my hips at every touch of his tongue. He was a man on a mission; he put my left leg over his shoulder too, so he was able to come impossibly closer, burrowing his nose in me; touching my clit and creating tension with every movement of his head as he worked his tongue against me more and more ferociously. My breathing was sharp, quick and labored. My body tense, my knuckles white as they held onto the sheets. At this point I was begging for my release. And as it washed over me, I screamed his name. 

“You did so good.” He said as he raised back up to reach me. He had a satisfied twinkle in his eyes as he licked his lips. “You taste so good.” He basically purred in delight. His face was sweaty, he too was breathing heavier, but he looked blissful. He kissed me, long, deep and hungry. I could taste myself on his tongue. He always made sure I was pleasured first, as though it was the most important thing to do. But now he was grinding his hips against my body as he kissed me. I could feel his hard length. 

Up until now he only had his release happen by either his own or my hands. Now that he had satisfied me with his lips and tongue, I wanted to do the same to him; eager to see how he and his body would react. I gently pushed him away from me and onto his back and I moved my fingers to his erection. He was hard, and it was throbbing in my hand. I placed my lips on his chest. I could feel his muscles respond to my kiss. Like him before, I made a trail of wet kisses, while my hands kept moving up and down his length. I had done this before, but my face was closer than ever to his erection. I felt his hand in my hair. He was slightly pulling me away from him.

“What are you doing?” He said breathlessly. His gaze a combination of confusion and desire.

“I am trying something new.” I said with a sly smile. My eyes darted from his eyes to his painfully looking erection, pre-cum leaking heavily, back to his face. “Will you let me?” In response he let go of my hair he was still holding, so I could lower my face again. 

My tongue had barely grazed his tip before a moan had already left his lips. A clear sign of how badly he wanted to be taken care of like this. It spurred a new level of confidence in me and I placed my tongue at the bottom of his length and slowly dragged it up. I felt every vein pulsing as I licked the dripping pre-cum away. 

“Mmmhhh.” It sounded more like a deep groan, almost a growl. “Y/N.” My name had never sounded so charged, like it was cutting through the air. 

When my tongue reached the tip of his erection again, I placed my lips around it and moved my head down, taking him in as far as I could. I hollowed my cheeks, took half of his length into my mouth and I slowly moved my head. I heard him whine. I hummed around his erection in satisfaction. The vibrations resulted in him groaning, I heard his head fall back in his pillow. I wrapped my tongue around him and sucked on several occasions which only made him moan louder and hiss sharper. 

I kept bobbing my head, until his hips started moving. The first push came as a surprise, the tip of his length touched the back of my throat, making me gag. He continued pushing his hips forward. I kept my head still, lips secured around him. He placed his hand in my hair again, not pulling me away but to keep me in place as he thrusted in me again. From my position, I looked up, his eyes were on me. His normally friendly, playful grey eyes were now dark, completely taken over by hunger, desire and lust. With every thrust his long erection slid down my throat making me gag again and again, I was choking on his thick length, tears pricking in my eyes. Yet at the same time I was enjoying it so much. The look of him was so different from how I had gotten to know him. He was genuinely losing his cool, losing his control. And I loved it; the thought I was doing that to him. 

After a few more pushes I felt his release spurting into the back of my throat. The taste new to me, bitter. He was making all sorts of sounds: whines, moans, hisses, groans. It sounded like a symphony to me. He was out of breath, but he continued to hold me in place as he rode out his high. When he released his grip, I propped up slightly. Sucking on his length once more and shallowing every drop of him. Sucking on him earned me a final sharp hiss as his head again fell back. 

I moved back up, my face hovering over his and I placed a gentle kiss on his lips. I cupped his cheek whilst his eyes were still closed. 

“I am sorry.” He stated as he slowly opened his eyes to look at me. He in return also placed his large hand on my cheek; caressing it gently. 

“What for?” I asked genuinely surprised.

“I didn’t want to be this rough with you.” He looked deeply in my eyes; I could see guilt. “All this time, I have been able to remain controlled, to never overstep and to put you first, but now I just lost myself.” His thumb moved to the corner of my eye, the small drop of an escaped tear resting there before he swiped it away. “I am so sorry.” He tried to look away, but with my hand that was still resting on his cheek I guided his head back in my direction. 

“Don’t be.” I gave him a small kiss on the corner of his lips. “I loved seeing you like this.” A kiss on his lips. “I want to see you more like that.” I murmured against his lips. 

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aang’s POV

It was late at night. Tonight we slept in my room. I was laying on my bed. She was sitting on top of me. Both her legs on either side of my waist as I scanned her naked body, her curves. I looked at where our bodies connected, her cunt flush against my abdomen. I felt my erection twitch. I wanted to be inside her so badly. I wanted to feel her clench around me. But until now, she had not shown any interest in that. I knew I shouldn’t ask too much too soon. It had only been two days since we took another step. She had allowed me to eat her out. She tasted amazing, the way her body twisted under the movement of my tongue, the desperate sounds she cried out; it was a heavenly experience. And then to my surprise she took me in her mouth. It was a moment of pure ecstasy. 

“Sit on me.” I stated clearly.

“I am already sitting on you.” She looked puzzled. I sat up, my chest now against her chest. I caressed her skin, just above her breast. A clear mark growing of me sucking hard on her skin earlier. I moved her hair over her shoulder, so her ear was exposed. I nibbled first at her earlobe, which, as usual, earned me a quiet moan. 

“I want you to sit somewhere else.” I breathed in her ear. I was already smiling at the thought of what I wanted to do to her. “I am going to throw my pillow to the side and I am going to lie down.” I reached behind me to grab the pillow and I threw it to the other side of the room. She still looked confused at me, but also with a lot of interest and desire. “As I lie down, I want you to place your knees on either side of my head and I want you to lower your body onto me.” I placed a sweet kiss on the top of her jawline, close to her ear. 

“You mean…” She paused for a second. “You mean you want me to sit on your… face?” Her brows furrowed in confusion. 

“Yes.” I purred in her ear and I nestled my face in the crook of her neck, placing more wet pecks. 

“But I would hurt you.” She still sounded hesitant. 

“If you were to hurt me, I promise I will push you away.” I started. “But you will not hurt me. You will make me enjoy it and I will make you enjoy it too.” I slowly created more and more space between our bodies, softly laying down on the mattress. “Trust me.” I grabbed her hand and pulled her closer to me, her body slowly following me. “If you don’t like it, I won’t ever ask you to do this again.”

“Okay.” She was flushed as she tried to shake off her embarrassment. It was the same embarrassment I had seen all these weeks ago, when she wouldn’t let me touch her, but now she didn’t let it stop her anymore.

She moved up. Her knees now on either side of my head. I adjusted her slightly, pushing her a bit more upward. I now had a clear vision of her. Spirits, it was a beautiful sight. Her lips plump, slightly swollen and she was already dripping from my earlier touches. She hesitantly lowered her body inch by inch.

“Are you sure about this?” She carefully asked me. 

“Let me show you how sure I am.” I wrapped my arms around her thighs and pulled her down. A sharp gasp escaped her as I lowered her. Now my mouth could finally come into contact with her folds. I licked them, my tongue going up and down her walls. I felt her whole body respond to my motions, as she moaned. I grinned and then hummed contentedly beneath her, the vibrations of my sounds moving through her. I kissed her clit first and then I rested my lips around it; sucking it.

“Ah!” She squealed. Her sounds only spurred me on more. I licked her folds one more time, before I pushed my tongue in as deep as I could. “Aang!” She cried out my name. I continued to move my tongue around. My fingers still dug deep into the flesh of her thighs, keeping her as close to me as I possibly could. 

Breathing was getting harder, so I stopped for a second; exhaling my hot breath onto her. I lifted her slightly, just enough to take in some cool air, before I pulled her back down again. Before long, my tongue was again swirling around and she was crying out again. Although I kept her grounded to me, I was unable to predict the roll of her hips. With smooth movements, she continued to grind down on me. Probably without her realising it, she was fucking my face. And I loved it. I didn’t care it made breathing even more difficult. One hand moved to my own throbbing erection, it was aching to be touched, pleading for a release. So whilst I was thoroughly enjoying myself as I ate her out, I also touched myself. By now Y/N had grabbed the headboard for stability as she continued to move.

“Ahhh! Aang. F-Fuck… I can’t anymore.” She was close, I could sense it, feel it; I knew it. With my nose against her clit, to create even more friction, I sped up my movements. My hand was also moving faster up and down my own length. As she came on my tongue, on my lips, on my nose, I felt the cum spurting out of my erection. I moaned into her folds from the sensation on both ends. She kept slowly grinding against me, riding out her high and I placed kisses on her walls and clit, teasing her a bit more. Then she moved up. Fresh air available to me again. I took in a couple of deep breaths, trying to control my labored breathing. She plopped down next to me. Her chest rising and falling in rapid motions, mimicking my own. She turned her head to face me, pure bliss written all over her face. My lips lifted into a quiet, proud smile. I raised both my brows in a swift, smug gesture.

“You liked that?” I murmured playfully. 

“Yes. Yes, I did.” She said as she was nodding her head slowly. She gave me a quick peck on my cheek, then she got up and disappeared into the bathroom. 

Moments later she came back with a warm, damp cloth. She gently wiped the cloth over my face, swiping off the sweat on my forehead and temples and cleaning all the traces of her around my lips, chin and nose. Then she folded it carefully and moved to the rest of my body, clearing my stomach of any evidence of my own cum. She tossed the cloth next to the bed and went to grab my pillow, which I had thrown away earlier. She leaned over me, slipping a hand gently beneath my neck. Carefully, she lifted my head and slid my pillow underneath, before she tenderly guided me to rest on it. 

I raised my arm, so she could slip in next to me. She placed one sweet kiss near my heart and then she rested her face on my chest. 

“You may definitely do that again.” She softly spoke. 

“I intend to.” I cradled her and watched her from the corner of my eye until she fell asleep. 

The next morning we got woken up by a shriek from a messenger hawk. 

‘Zuko…’ I thought with a growl. 

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reader’s POV

The hawk arrived very early in the morning, earlier than it usually did. Two letters neatly rolled up into its capsule.

Months ago Zuko had opened up more than usual in his letter, he actually had addressed his feelings. Certain feelings he had about me. I had written back sharing my own feelings; telling him I missed him, that I wished we were somewhere together watching the sunset like we had done during our travels. The next letters were more shallow again, more informative, no feelings expressed, no emotions laid bare. 

I didn’t know if he was sorry about the things he wrote to me, if he didn’t like what I shared with him or if it was something else completely. Back then I had hoped it was the start of something more, even while there were oceans between us. More pure emotions shared between two people who had been so close for all these years, two people who almost kissed, two people who clearly liked each other. I never had the courage to ask what made him stop writing to me like that. I was afraid of rejection. So I too, never shared more deep true feelings with him. 

Zuko’s latest letters all contained updates on a growing threat against him. I had written to him that he had to include these updates in its truest form in every letter he wrote. He shared how anxious his advisors were. How the whispers surrounding the threat were getting louder. How his subjects were getting more afraid. How children had been taken from their homes. Even though he shared it all, he always choose his words carefully, downplaying it if he felt he could get away with it.

With this letter however, I could read his worries through the deliberately chosen words. The threats were getting even more serious. More children had been abducted, since his last update of two weeks ago. Children from noble families. Families that weren’t necessary in Zuko’s corner. 

We never talked about the content of the letters amongst each other. Aang had once asked me about it, but I had remained quite vague on purpose. Whatever was written between me and Zuko, stayed between me and Zuko. Aang had never asked again, and I never asked him what he and Zuko wrote about. But this was an exception. 

“Have you read Zuko’s letter?” I said as I walked back into Aang’s bedroom. He was still sitting behind his desk. The parchment laid still on the table.

“I have. It doesn’t sit well with me.”

“Me neither. He is usually really good at downplaying it. But in this letter I could truly read his concerns.” And I was concerned in return. “The threat is getting more and more serious.”

“Yes. And now even more abductions… it feels as though something big is about to happen.”

“I agree.”

“Do you think we should go back?” Aang suggested.

“Go back…?” I questioned. “Back to the Fire Nation?”

“I was thinking more about Cranefish Town.” He explained. “Join the others. That way the team is already complete, assuming Suki is not somewhere else in the world. We would be closer if Zuko were to need us.”

“Much closer than we are now at least.”  

“On Appa we can reach Cranefish Town in three days and then it is a day to travel to the palace.” Aang said before he paused. “So do you think we should go back?” He asked me again.

“I think we should.”

“Then we go back. We will leave tomorrow at first light.” He said adamantly. “I will write to Zuko that we are going there, and that the team is on standby should he need us.”

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zuko’s POV

I walked around, pacing, mind racing. Only eight days ago I sent my hawk to the Eastern Air Temple, she would have reached them by now and she should have started her flight home. As instructed by Y/N, I had included another update on the current situation. But since then, things had gotten worse again.

Earlier today I had been informed that three more children were taken. One child from my most outspoken politician, one from his right hand man and one from Constable Sung. 

The first child being taken was Tom-Tom, Mai’s younger brother. Her father was a well known adversary of mine. 

Mai had come to see me. At first I had thought it was a friendly visit. Even though we weren’t together anymore, in fact we went our separate ways years ago, we remained on friendly terms with each other. When I saw her expression I knew it was far more serious. I immediately assigned Constable Sung and his team to start an investigation into Tom-Tom disappearance and to find him. During the course of their search more and more children were being taken. And now, even his own four year old son, Guri, was amongst the taken. 

What the parents from these children had in common, with the expectation of Constable Sung, was that they were not enthusiastic about my reign. They were my father’s men. The abductions felt targeted, not necessarily because these children came from noble families, but because if the parents of all the 14 children that had been taken by now were to assemble, they could orchestrate a coup against me. And I fear they would be successful. 

I didn’t really know what to do anymore. The only real lead we had was that the group called themselves the Kemurikage. From folklore the Kemurikage were demons used to terrorize the Fire Nation population. And terrorize they did. 

Up until now I had let Constable Sung and his team have free reign to solve these disappearances and find out more about the Kemurikage. But since it was now his own son that had been taken, I felt I had to step in and take charge. I needed to reach out to my friends and assemble the team. 

“Do I have the right to take her away from her dream?” I questioned myself out loud. “She always said that she would be right there if I ever needed help.” I answered myself. “She would also probably kill me if I didn't ask for her help.” 

Within 30 minutes three letters left the palace. One for my friends in Cranefish town. One for Y/N and Aang in the Eastern Air Temple. And one to Ba Sing Se, asking Uncle to return to the palace. Each bore the seal of the Fire Lord. Each bound with a black ribbon; a symbol for only the most dire of circumstances. 

Unbeknownst to me, Y/N and Aang had already almost reached Cranefish Town. 

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Next chapter: When Everything Burned Down

A/N: I loved this chapter. I love how Aang and Reader took another step and I love that the real threat against Zuko is exposed (more of that storyline to come!).

I am dreading the next chapter though. I am afraid you are going to hate me for doing what I am about to do. But next chapter is going to be heartbreak...

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aang’s POV

I was confused. It had been three days since Y/N and I had laid in bed together, since we had kissed for the first time, since we had explored each other's body. I had felt the pleasure rushing through her, heard the moans that were escaping her. But she had stopped me. Even though it was agonizing for me, I had respected it. Of course, I had respected it. But I had expected that there would be something more between us; not in the way of taking a next step, because I would wait as long as needed for her to be ready. But I had at least expected for us to grow closer together. 

Maybe she was just shy, not a side I really knew of her. But to be fair that morning I had gotten to know her in an entirely different way. After she had stopped me, I had excused myself and went to my bathroom. After I had gotten back she already had her shirt back on and she was sitting at the edge of the bed. She looked a bit lost in her thoughts. I walked over to her and sat next to her. She avoided my gaze and she apologised. ‘What for?’ I had asked her. ‘I don’t really know. I am just sorry.’ She confessed. ‘Don’t be.’ I bumped her arm with my own, trying to lift the tension a bit. ‘Truly, don’t be. I liked it.’ I said more seriously now. ‘Did you like it?’ I was anxious for her response, afraid it might be a rejection. A shy smile appeared on her face and she nodded faintly but firmly. A quiet smile escaped from my lips. 

Once we were down again together, prepping some breakfast - given the time of day I could better say lunch - I had kissed her. She had reciprocated the kiss, but not with the same enthusiasm as before. Every kiss and every touch since then has felt like that. I gave her some room, I gave her time to process whatever she was feeling, process what had happened between us. 

But at dinner on the third day I felt like we had to talk. Everything was well between us. We were still laughing, training, working, meditating, cooking, and living together like before. But maybe that was the problem. It seemed like nothing had changed, even though, for me at least, everything had changed. 

I was playing with the food in my bowl. She sat on a cushion on the opposite side of the table, telling me something Momo had done today.

“Y/N.” I interrupted her, my voice low and sad. I looked at her and I couldn’t hide my heartache. “We need to talk.” She put her bowl down. The words I needed to say weighted me down; afraid of her reaction. But we had to talk, the words had to be spoken out loud and despite what her reaction would be, I deserved to know. “Do you regret it?”

“What?” She questioned, not fully sure of what I meant.

“Do you regret it?” I simply repeated it. “Do you regret what we did?” I wanted to look at her, but I was afraid of what I might see.

“Why do you say that?” Her voice soft.

“Because I feel as though you do.” And there it was. The thing I feared most right now. I was afraid she didn’t feel the same way. That she had always just wanted to remain friends, that I had crossed a line I couldn’t come back from, that the feelings I had developed for her over time needed to be tucked away again. 

“Aang.” The sound of my name so sweet as it left her lips. “Aang, look at me.” I slowly looked up to see she was now sitting next to me. I had been so lost in my own thoughts that I hadn’t even noticed she got up, moved around the table and was now by my side. Her eyes kind, her expression almost endearing. She reached out to me, cupped the side of my face. She moved closer. Her lips touched mine, she kissed me slowly at first. Then she leaned in more, the hand on my cheek moved to the back of my neck and she pulled me closer to her. She nudged her tongue against my lower lip; asking for permission to enter. Our tongues were dancing again. Both her arms now around my neck, her chest was pressed against my side. Her hand roaming my shoulder blades. It transported me back to that morning. She broke the kiss, moved away from me ever so slightly. “Does that answer your question?” A coy smile tugged at her lips. I returned it with a small smile of my own, but in truth, it wasn’t enough. 

“No, it actually doesn’t.” I shook my head slightly. ”It doesn’t explain your behavior since it happened. I felt like you weren’t really there. It felt as if you were moving away from me more than that you grew closer to me. It felt as though you pretended nothing had happened. And a kiss, even as nice as this one, doesn’t explain any of it.”

“Aang, I was confused. You have been my friend, just my friend, for so long. And now I have been having all these feelings I can’t really describe. I laid in your arms, we kissed. You have seen my bare chest, you have touched me in a way I didn’t know was possible.” She paused, her eyes quickly darting all around the room, but not meeting my eyes. “You asked me that morning if I had ever been touched.” A deep breath. “I hadn’t even been kissed.” My eyes widened in disbelief.

“You haven’t?”

“No Aang. When did I have the time to do that?” She sounded a bit frustrated and the frustration became more and more feelable as she continued. “I was still a kid when I joined you on your journey, I have followed you around everywhere, I have been with you and the group ever since. Apart from the few times I went back home to see my parents and that one time that I spent several weeks with Zuko at the palace.” She was still agitated. 

“I am sorry.” I raised my hands in surrender. “No need to get all defensive. I just figured that something had happened when you weren’t with the group. Or when you were, but just none of us knew.” 

“Oh… Yeah, because I am the best secret keeper of the group.” She huffed.

“No. No, you are not.” A breathless chuckle escaped me. She stopped for a second to control her breathing.

“When did I have time to find someone that mattered enough to me and I mattered enough to them, to let them kiss me.” She spoke softer now. 

“I didn’t know. I just assumed. You are a pretty girl… I have seen guys turn their head when you walk by.” I confessed. 

“None of those guys mattered.” 

“And I do matter?”

“Yes. Yes, of course you do.” I smiled, fully this time. 

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reader’s POV

I had told Aang that no one had mattered to me enough that I wanted to be kissed by them. Truth is, I had found someone that mattered a long time ago. Someone that mattered more than anyone. I just didn’t matter to him; not like that anyway. Sure we had shared our shallow feelings to each other, I had even written things to him that were deeper than just shallow.

I had once thought, when I stayed with him at the palace, that I had mattered to him like that. But that was probably just more wishful thinking on my part and a vivid imagination. 

‘It is a beautiful night.’ He spoke as he joined me on a bench in the garden. The sky was clear and dark. The stars were shining bright. The moon hung low above the trees, its light shining through the leaves and onto the pond in front of me. The waters gently lapped against the stones on the edge. For a moment neither of us spoke, we just enjoyed the quiet. 

There was no one in the garden but us. Only a handful of servants and guards were still in the palace behind us; everyone else had either gone home, or had returned to their quarters. 

‘I am really proud of you.’ 

‘What? Why is that?” The words hit me unexpectedly. 

‘You were amazing today when you presented your proposal to the court.’

‘It was our proposal.’

‘Yes, but the way you spoke… You made them listen to you. Trust me, that is not always easy. Especially for an outsider.’

‘I am an outsider now, am I?’

‘Not to me, of course. You are more ‘in’ than anyone.’ He scratched the back of his neck as he smiled timidly. ‘I meant you are an outsider to the court.’ I looked at him, he was slightly flustered. 

‘Well, we made a good proposal. They would be foolish not to listen.’ I chuckled contentedly. 

‘I am also sorry I missed dinner.’ His tone apologetic. 

‘Don’t be. I understand that you are busy.’ My tone gentle, but the truth was that I did miss him at dinner whenever he couldn’t join. It had become a sort of tradition. We would sit down, joined by his mother Ursa, her husband Noren and Zuko’s sister Kiyi. During all these weeks, I had truly felt like I became part of his family. But tonight, it had been just the four of us. It was still a pleasant meal, accompanied by lots of laughter and lively conversation - mostly from Kiyi - but I couldn’t stop glancing at the empty seat at the top of the table, the seat next to me. 

‘I still am sorry. I promised you when you arrived that I would make as much time as I could to spend time with you. And this is the second dinner this week I have missed.’

‘You are here now.’ I moved closer to him and in that moment it felt right to give his hand nearest to mine a gentle squeeze. 

He responded instantly. My touch only lasted a heartbeat, afraid that more would make feelings rise inside me. But before my hand had returned to me, he had turned his around, palm now facing up and he closed his fingers around my wrist. Then he let them slide down and intertwined his fingers with mine. He moved closer, so our shoulders were nearly brushing against one another, our hands resting in his lap.  

A warm rush spread through me so suddenly that it stole the air from my lungs. My heart fluttered wildly and furiously; impossible to calm down. I had imagined what it might feel like to hold his hand. I had wondered about it during quiet moments together; when both of our hands were close to each other while leaning on balcony railings or tables. I had always figured his hands would be rougher, given that they could hold, create and eliminate flames. But his hands were far gentler and softer than I could have imagined. 

Having our fingers intertwined, resting on his lap had felt so natural. As though we had done this a million times before, that it was something our hands already knew without needing experience. 

The warmth of his touch was intoxicating, it seeped deeply into my skin and it made my heart burn as well. 

I kept my eyes fixed ahead, afraid that if I looked at him, he would see every feeling written openly across my face. Excitement rushed through me like how fire should live within a firebender; bright and alive. But beneath it, there was something softer growing, something deeper than the fleeting thrill of just being near him and holding his hand. 

I have liked him so much, for so long. And he doesn’t even know. The thought made my heart beat faster; it was still small enough to deny, still fragile enough I could hide it away. But when his thumb brushed absentmindedly across the back of my hand, warmth spreading where he touched me, those feelings swelled quietly; growing harder and harder to ignore. 

I had been able to hold my gaze forward all this time, but when his thumb started making those circular motions, I looked at him with surprise. He was already looking at me and my breath caught when I finally met his eyes. For a moment, everything faded away; the busyness of the day, the missed dinners, the meetings we had to prepare for our proposal, the palace, the garden, the pond. It was just us.

He was closer now than before. He was close enough that I could see the hesitation in his eyes, like there was a quiet conflict growing inside of him or like he was standing on the edge of something he wasn’t sure he was allowed to step into. 

I stayed absolutely still. I even held my breath. Afraid that anything would break this moment. 

He leaned in first. Slowly and carefully, the shift in his body barely even visible. We were so close that I could feel his warmth, more than ever before. I could almost imagine what it would be like if the distance disappeared entirely.

But then he stopped. He pulled back completely, his fingers let go of mine. The distance between us was respectable again. He didn’t look at me, he turned around and looked at the guard who was approaching us. I was so lost in the moment I hadn’t heard his footsteps. But Zuko did and as a result, there was again an empty space between us. 

He had wished me goodnight as he left with the guard who seemed to have something important to discuss. The next morning Zuko acted as though nothing had happened. Just several days later I was supposed to leave again, having finished the final tasks of my stay. During that time he kept a respectable distance between us. He was never cold, always friendly and amicable, but more from afar. We never spoke of that night again. 

Since my feelings for Zuko arose all these years ago, we were still teenagers, he was the only one that mattered. I had kept my distance from everyone else, because I didn’t want anyone else. 

But ever since it was just me and Aang, ever since that training session, ever since all those innocent touches started, ever since he came just a little closer to me than necessary, the desire of wanting to be touched, kissed, aroused had clouded my mind. Aang was willing to give me all of that and I didn’t want to keep waiting on the small chance that anything might ever happen between me and Zuko. 

So when I told him he mattered to me, I kissed him again. I was glued to his side. He uncrossed his legs, so his legs were now straight as he still sat on the cushion. He wrapped an arm around my waist and he was trying to move me. But I couldn’t get any closer. He broke away from me, our foreheads still touching. I looked at him a bit confused.

“Come sit on me.” He whispered breathlessly. I eased my body and let him guide me. One leg swung over him, knees at both of his sides and I let my body weight rest on his lap. He kissed me hungrily, more so than he had ever done before. Our tongues weren’t dancing anymore, it felt more that there was a fight going on. His hands roamed my body, never staying in the same place for long. But with every embrace or touch he pulled me impossibly closer to him. 

I didn’t give my body permission to react, but it did anyway. Sounds escaped me, a throbbing feeling burned between my legs and before I could even register it, my hips moved against his abdomen. He responded with a deep groan. Whilst my hips had moved I felt something hard on him; something that twitched at the contact.

He moved his hands underneath my shirt, one hand resting between my shoulder blades, the other cupped and squeezed my breast. He started nibbling on my earlobe, I had never known that it was so sensitive. I hissed at the sensation. He hummed contentedly whilst he was now trailing kisses on my neck, sucking at the skin ever so slightly; not enough to leave marks. 

Both his hands now moved to my thighs that straddled his lap. One hand was moving up and down on my leg and touching my butt cheek, slightly squeezing it. The other came closer and closer to where I felt the throbbing sensation between my legs. He put a little bit of pressure on my trousers. Enough for me to feel his touch. I felt things stir inside me, tension building, something burning from within, sounds wanting to escape my lips. It was the same sensation I had felt before, when Aang had touched me in his bed. I felt a flush of embarrassment wash over me. I broke away from him. “Stop, please.” 

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aang’s POV

I tried not to groan at her words or look discontent or express any form of disappointment. I let my arms fall down my sides and I watched as she stood up. Her face all flustered. She looked embarrassed for some reason. 

“Sorry.” And she walked away in the direction of the garden. My own erection painfully throbbing beneath my trousers. I swallowed deeply before I got up. I left the bowls on the table, not bothering to clean up and I went upstairs to my room. There on the edge of the bed, with my trousers down, I moved up and down my pulsing and aching erection. My movements rapid and deliberate. Soon I felt my release wash over me, cum escaping from my length. I shuddered as I tried to control my heavy breathing. 

I went to find her after all that build up tension had left my body. She was still in the garden. Arms wrapped around herself as she took in the chill air.

“Please don’t get sick again.” I chuckled as I moved to close the distance.

“I am sorry.” She said when I was near her. I was now behind her and bowed down slightly. I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her flush against me and I placed my head on her shoulder. I shared my warmth with her.

“Don’t be sorry.”

“Well, I am. I know you want more.” I tilted my head slightly, so I could look at her face.

“We will get there, when we get there.” I placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. “There is no rush.” Another kiss. “You set the pace.” One more peck. “And I will follow.” She turned her head so that she was looking at me; a small curve tugged at the corners of her mouth, which in return made me smile. This time I placed a tender kiss on her lips. We both gazed up, looking at the clear sky. Some clouds covered the dark canvas that was lit with stars. I pointed out a few constellations as we scanned the beautiful night sky. We talked about the normal things again, every sense of possible tension had left our bodies. We were just ourselves again.

“May I ask something?” My tone a bit more serious than during our light conversations about the stars.

“Of course.” She tilted her head so she could look at my expression, which was probably displaying some hesitation.

“You can say no.” I paused, she kept her gaze fixated on me. When I didn’t continue, she spoke.

“Okay, noted. What is your question?” She sounded curious.

“I was wondering… If you might stay with me… tonight?” She looked surprised by my request, even a little caught off guard. I moved around her, so I could properly look at her and show her my intentions were pure. “Nothing needs to happen. That is not why I am asking it.” I was stumbling over my own words. “I don’t want anything from you. I just would like you to be there.” I explained. “I would like to wake up next to you. So you are the first thing I see when I open my eyes.” A shy smile appeared on her face.

“Okay.” It was a simple reply, but it meant so much to me. She reached up, slightly standing on her tiptoes, as she placed a playful, but innocent peck on my lips. 

That night we slept in my room. I kept my word. I hadn’t touched her, other than having my arm wrapped around her as she laid with her head on my torso again.

The following night was similar to the previous night. I had placed some kisses on her face, the last one on her nose, before we laid still and drifted into a sweet slumber. 

On the third night we slept in her room. She had instigated a deep kiss that led to her touching my bare chest and my hands roaming her body. For a moment it had felt like she was ready for more. It felt as though there was arousal growing between us. So my touches became bolder as she had pressed her body flush on mine and her hands were moving so much more naturally on my chest, shoulders, arms, back. I had instinctively moved my hand back to the space between her legs. And just when I thought she was going to let me tug at the waistband of her trousers, she stopped me again. I apologised for overstepping, gave her a reassuring kiss and I excused myself; telling her I had to use the bathroom and letting her know I would be right back. I returned to my own room to once again get my own release, before I returned to her. I picked up the sheets and jumped in her bed. I kissed her once more, before I pulled her close to me, listening to her steady breathing as I fell asleep. 

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reader’s POV

Light peaked through the window of my room as I woke up. I was laying on my side, knees slightly angled. I felt a strong arm around me and his body pressed behind me, exactly following my posture. There was no space between us. Aang was often the one awake first. But this time it seemed that he was still asleep. The way he was holding me, I couldn’t really turn around enough to look at his face. His breathing was steady, but still, I couldn’t quite tell.

To see if he was awake, I moved my body a little. The only movement I could really do, while pressed together, was to dip down slightly. Meaning my lower body would dip slightly and touch his lower abdomen and upper legs. No sound escaped from him, but I did feel something twitch beneath me as I dipped. So I did it a second time. And there it was again, he was responding to my touch. This time he did make a noise. Although, it was more of a groan. 

“Good morning.” His voice heavy with sleep, deeper than I had ever heard it before. He pressed a little kiss on my shoulder.

“Aang. What is that?” 

“What?”

“That.” I said as I made the same movement for the third time. He moved away from me, his body no longer pressed flush against mine.

“That… that is me.” He said a bit shaky and almost apologetic, like he had been caught doing something he wasn’t supposed to do. “That is my body’s involuntary reaction to you being so close to me.”

“That’s because of me?” I asked in disbelief. 

“Ohhh, yes.” He laughed breathlessly.  “You have that power over me.”

“And that just happens when I am near?” I asked curiously.

“Well, I have some control over it. But not when I am asleep.” I turned around to face him, he was still on his side, his somewhat embarrassed gaze met my eyes.

“May I touch it?” The question left me before I really knew what I had asked for.

“Y-y… yes.” He stuttered. “Y-you may.” He was clearly taken by surprise. 

I moved my hand down until I came across a big bulge that I could easily feel underneath the fabric of his trousers. He winced.

“Did I hurt you?” I quickly retracted my hand.

“No, no.” He started. “Well, yes and no.” He paused again. “I have wanted this for so long, feeling your touch there. Trust me, it feels pleasant, thrilling even. But it is also very sensitive.” I moved my hand back towards the place it had just rested on. I was touching him carefully. My hand traced the bulge up and down. He exhaled slowly, a sound of pleasure escaping him.

“Can I be touched down there as well?” I curiously asked him, moving my gaze from his lower body to mine.

“Yes. Yes you can.” He sounded as though there was excitement rushing through him. “And to be fair, I have tried several times. But you always stop me.” He followed my gaze before he looked at me again. “Why do you stop me?” He asked bluntly, before he quickly reframed it. “I don’t mean to rush you. Because if you are not ready, I will wait. I will wait as long as you need me to.” He let his words hang in the room for a moment. “But do you know why you stop me?” I felt awkward, embarrassed, heat moved to the back of my neck and my cheeks.

“I… I…” Not really knowing how to say it, explain to him what the reason was. I fidgeted with the hem of my shirt, trying to find the courage to speak the words. I exhaled deeply. Aang’s gaze on me, not pushing or prying, just waiting. “Every time your hand lands there,” my eyes darted down again, “I feel this sensation in my body that I don't quite have the words for to explain. Everything gets warm and tense. I feel like I am about to lose control. I feel like I am about to… about to scream.” I let the words escape me as the heat at my neck and cheeks rose even more. I looked at him. He was grinning; a proud smile on display. “Why are you looking so smug? Are you happy about how embarrassed I feel?”

“No, no! Absolutely not.” He quickly stated, but not being able to subdue the proud smile. “But I am quite proud of the fact that you feel like you want to scream.”

“This is not funny Aang.” I buried my face in my hands. He was quick to remove them again and hold them tightly in his.

“No it is not.” He said softly. “But you can’t blame me for enjoying hearing the effect I apparently have on you.” He moved our hands to his lip and he placed a gentle kiss on both my hands before he looked at me again. “So, if I understand correctly, you feel embarrassed in that moment?”

“Yes.” I looked away.

“Vulnerable even?” His voice so soft, it was more of a whisper now.

“Yes.” I quietly and faintly nodded.

“But does it also not feel good?”

“Good?” I looked at him with surprise. “What? No… I-I don’t know.” I stumbled over my own words and emotions. “I have only ever really felt embarrassed.” I confessed. 

“There is absolutely no need for that. I understand, but truly there is no need.” Another kiss on my hand.

“Did Katara scream when you touched her?” He grimaced at her name.

“What… I… I… Uhm…” His jaw tightened and his whole body stiffened and then he sighed. “How about we leave her out of this conversation.”

“I just want to know, Aang. I don’t know any of this and I feel like an idiot not knowing anything.”

“I would like to focus on you and your feelings. I like to focus on us. What our reaction is to each other. You already felt how my body reacts to you.” He tilted his head to his lower body. “And I would like to know what your reaction is to me.” His focus back on me. “What you were describing, the sensation you feel when I touch you, that you don’t have the words for. The feeling of losing control, the fact that you want to scream, it is your body being close to its… release.”

“Release?” 

“Yes, the arousal you are feeling within your core, it needs to go somewhere.” He explained. “That is your release. And if that feeling makes you want to scream, you should scream.” He paused for a second, choosing the words he wanted to use. “I understand that it might feel embarrassing at first, but it is supposed to feel good. It is supposed to bring you pleasure.” He moved so he was closer to me. “So next time you feel the urge to stop me… Well, no. You should still stop me when you feel I go too far… But please don’t stop me just because you feel embarrassed of how your body reacts. Because I would like to make you feel good about it.”

“How?” It was a simple question, but it was layered with so much more. 

“What?”  

“How?” I repeated. “Tell me what you would do to me.”

“I can just show you.” He moved closer, his arms already moving.

“No. Tell me first.” He stopped immediately. 

“Okay.” He sat up next to me as he cleared his throat. “Well, if you were to let me, I would take off your clothes. Discard you of your trousers and panties. So that you would be fully exposed to me.” He let the words linger for a moment. I already felt heat rising in me. “Have you ever touched yourself down there?” He asked curiously, but with a lot of sincerity. I averted my gaze again, feeling another rush of embarrassment coming over me.

“No, I haven't.” I sighed. “Like I said, I don't know anything. I wouldn't know what to do.”

“That’s okay. I will guide you through it.” He stated kindly and patiently, before he continued where he had left off. “When you are exposed to me, my hands will slowly make their way down there.” He looked down to the area he was referring to. “There is a little nob.”

“A nob?” I frowned faintly. 

“Yes, a little nob between your walls. It is sensitive. Touching it would make you feel things, such as arousal building up.” A short pause, giving me space to question him, but I just looked at him intently wanting him to continue. “I could brush over it, roll it between my fingers. I could even put my mouth on it and suck on it or lick it.” 

“Your face down there?” My eyes squinted, my brows furrowed. 

“Yes, I could… If you would want me to.” He gave me a cheeky smile, and he continued again. “After touching that little nob, my fingers would go down to your entrance.”

“My entrance?” I again required more information.

“Yes, a… hole… a place for me to enter your body.”

“With your fingers?”

“Yes… Well…, yes. In the current situation I am describing, with my fingers.” It seemed like he wanted to say more, so I gave him a little curious nod for him to proceed. “Well, it could also be with my tongue or just… me.” He looked a bit awkward, thus he quickly resumed his story. “But we will get to that at another time. Let’s just for now focus on my fingers.” I watched his hands and fingers closely as he was moving them and making gestures. “I would first put one finger in. And after some time, a second and maybe even a third.”

“How big is this entrance?” I asked quite shockingly. 

“It will gradually move with me, if you let it.” He clarified. “I will push my finger or fingers in and out of you. It will create tension. It should, hopefully, arouse you. I will move deeper inside you, looking for the spot that brings you the most pleasure.” He kept his gaze on me, it seemed that his eyes had gotten darker by only thinking of what he would do to me. And to be fair, I had trouble controlling the desire that brewed inside me, the throbbing feeling I experienced as he explained the things he could do to me. “And then when you let yourself and I am doing it right, you might feel your muscle tense up, or your body move involuntarily. You might feel something tightening in your core, something that, as you said it, makes you want to scream. And when it does, you should let it. I understand that it could make you feel vulnerable, but please, you shouldn’t feel embarrassed or awkward, because it is natural.” He emphasized his last word. “It is something I hope you will like. That the sensation pleasures you, that it feels good.” 

“You asked if I ever touched myself?”

“Yes.”

“That implies that I could do this to myself. By myself?”

“Well, yes. You could use your own fingers to do all of that. Is that what you want? To feel yourself first…alone?”

“No. I want you to show me.” 

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aang’s POV

I had eased her into it. I started by slowly kissing her. Touching her in all the places I had already touched her before. She had lifted her arms, as I took off her shirt. I kissed, wettened  and caressed her skin. But now my fingers were grazing the waistband of her trousers. I looked down at her, whilst I was on my knees by her feet.

“Do you trust me?” 

“I do.” 

I gently slipped my finger underneath the fabric and slowly pulled it down. I looked up and I received a small affirmative nod. She lifted her hips slightly so they weren’t laying on the mattress anymore, giving me room to move her trousers down further. My hand brushed over her panties. I still wanted to give her the time and space to change her mind as I stopped for a second. But instead she lifted her hips again, a clear signal I could continue. Once I discarded them, threw them next to her trousers on the floor, I looked at her from where I was perched on my knees. 

I started at the top; taking in the way her tousled hair framed around her face, before my gaze settled on her eyes, I could see uncertainty and vulnerability seep through them, but it was softened by the quiet determination beneath. Then my eyes lowered to her neck, her chest and her breast. She was taking in deep, rapid breaths. I looked down to her belly button, her toned abdomen before my eyes finally rested on the place between her legs. 

“You look beautiful.” I whispered breathlessly. She got flustered. I lowered my body to her, my chest bare, but my trousers still on. I placed my arms at either side of her face and one knee between her legs, hovering over her. I kissed her deeply before I made any other move. My kiss earned me a moan against my lips. Then slowly, when her body was more relaxed, I moved my right arm away from the side of her face where it had been resting. I placed it on her knee and there it trailed upwards patiently. My fingers barely grazed her skin. When I reached between her legs, her breath hitched, a sharp gasp escaped her and a deep flush crept across her face. I didn’t move, I just felt her heat, the dampness. I never broke eye contact. Scanning her face constantly to see if there was any sign of hesitation, any hint that she wanted me to stop. There was none. 

So I did as I explained to her early. I first brushed her clit. At the first touch a sound escaped from her, one I hadn’t heard before. But it was intoxicating. I continued to move my fingers on it and rolled it between them. She moaned and I dived in to kiss her. Smothering the moans against my lips.

“Are you okay?” I could see she was enjoying it, but I still found it important to check in with her; getting reassurance that she was actually okay with what I was doing. 

“Yes.” It was barely a whisper. My own erection was pulsing, I felt pre-cum leak from it. It felt as though one touch from her would be enough to set that burning feeling free. But I knew I had to restrain myself. This wasn’t about me. This was all about her and making her feel good. Letting Y/N experience the pleasure of being touched could bring. 

I slid my hand down, moving up and down the length of her folds; feeling how wet she was. Panting groans tumbled out of her, she breathed quickly through her nose. She tilted her head back into the pillow as she shut her eyes. Her teeth sank into her lower lip, biting it hard as she fought to stay composed.

I gently moved inside her with one finger. Her eyes shot open, her head snapped forward and a loud gasp followed. She was tight, but so wet. My finger was quickly coated with a layer of her slickness. I moved in and out of her with ease. The sensation of feeling my finger in her walls, was better than I could have ever imagined. I moved in deeper and I found the right spot. Her hips involuntarily jerked upward and when I pulled out completely a long, broken moan filled the silence in the room. 

“Did that feel good?” I asked her quietly, catching my own breath and trying to control the tightening I felt in my own body. I kept my hand close to her heat. She simply nodded, eyes closed. “May I continue with more fingers?”

“Yes… Please.” She pleaded, sounding almost desperate now for my touch.

In my earlier explanation I had told her I could also use my mouth and tongue, but for now I thought it better to continue with just my hand before taking it a step further. But, Spirits, I wanted to taste her. 

I placed two fingers at her entrance and moved them gradually inside of her. She moved with me. Her back arching as I stretched her walls to fit them among my fingers, more broken whimpers leaving her. I started moving again, going deeper with each thrust of my fingers. Making sure that I hit the most sensitive spot over and over again, when her folds had completely accepted the presence of my fingers. As I kept touching the right spot, she dipped her fingers deep in the flesh of my shoulder blades. I felt her nails digging in my skin. A painful, ragged hiss seeped out of me. I ignored it. Her sounds, her moving along with me, how good she felt, how completely undone she looked had clouded anything and everything. 

I felt her clamping around me. I sat up, fingers still inside her, my eyes on her whole body. One of her hands was holding onto the sheets tightly, her knuckles white. Her chest rising and falling quickly with how uncontrollable her breathing had gotten. Her gaze fixated on me, darting back and forward between my face, chest and lower body. Her eyes were dark and filled with lust and desperation. Her lips slightly parted, whimpered sounds stumbling out of her. By sitting up, I no longer had to balance on my other arm. With my now free hand I reached for her face. Letting my thumb brush over her parted lips, before I dipped the tip of it in her mouth.

“Lick it.” I told her. My voice had dropped, darker and lower than before, as desire overpowered my restraint. Her tongue swiped round the tip of my thumb, wettening my skin. As I pulled it out, I moved my hand to her clit and I made circular motion with my thumb. 

Her walls tightened intensely around my fingers. She was close.

“Let go. I got you.” My words and the added sensation of my thumb on her clit, sent her over the edge. Her legs went stiff, her eyes rolled back in her head, and a loud moan escaped her lungs as a wave of pleasure rolled through her, as her release washed over her. Her whole body trembled and I slowly let her ride it out, before I pulled my fingers out of her. They were thickly coated with her cum. Without really thinking about it, I brought my fingers to my lips, licking them clean. I still got to taste her. And then I bowed down and kissed her, tongue deep in her throat. I wanted her to taste herself too. When our breathing was a bit more controlled, I looked deeply in her eyes.

“Are you alright?” A contented and satisfied smile tugged at the corners of her lips, which in return made me smile proudly.

“Yes. I am.” She paused for a moment. “I didn’t know it could feel like that.”

“Like what?”

“That good.” Another proud smile on my face as she happily looked at me. She cupped my cheek, put her other arm around my neck, propped her tired body up a little as she pulled me down towards her at the same time and planted a kiss on my lips. 

“You did so well.” I murmured at her lips. A light giggle escaped her. We laid quietly for a moment, both catching our breaths and calming our heartbeat.

“What about you?” She asked quietly. 

“I liked it too.”

“That is nice to hear, but not what I meant, actually.” I followed her gaze down to the visible bulge in my trousers, to the painful erection that was begging for its own release. 

“How do I take care of you?” Her voice genuine and sincere. 

“Would you like to do that?” I questioned her, a bit startled and caught off guard by her question. 

“Yes.” She kissed me again. “I think you really deserve it. You have shown me nothing but patience, gentleness, kindness and tenderness.” She cooed. One more kiss. “So tell me.”

“You could place your hand on it, wrap your fingers around it.” My breath hitched by the thought alone. “And then move up and down its length.” My cheeks got a bit flushed. “I don’t think it will take long.” I confessed. “Because it is aching for a release.” She moved up, I moved along backwards with her. She gently guided me down to lay on the mattress. My feet now resting next to our pillows and my head on the back of the bed. She pulled the waistband of my trousers and my underpants down at the same time. Now it was my turn to lift my hips, so she could discard me of my clothes. She looked at my pulsing erection for a moment, having never seen one before. Pre cum was sliding down the tip. She slowly moved her hand towards it and carefully wrapped her fingers around it. That sensation alone made me tilt my head backwards, close my eyes as I let out a breathless groan. 

Like I had told her, she moved her hand up and down. Instinctively she tightened her hold, not in a squeezing way, but her touch was less hesitant. She kept moving and noticed by the change in my breathing and the sounds I was making, that the faster she moved the closer it brought me to the edge. Like I had already thought, it didn’t take long for my aching erection to release all the pressure that had been building up. White strands of cum were erupting out of me with force, landing on my abdomen and chest and dripping down my length. I moaned loudly as it happened, heavy breathing. I looked at her as she looked at the cum covering me. Her hand still on me and every slight movement of her fingers sent a shiver of sensitivity rushing through me. I placed my hand over her and gently guided her fingers away from it. 

“Was that alright?” She asked me sincerely. 

“That was amazing.” I spoke honestly. She laid down next to me, both our heads at the back of the bed, only inches away from each other.

“Did that hurt you?”

“Your touch?” I furrowed my brows. “No, absolutely not.”  

“Good.” A gentle smile. “But I was referring to what came out of you.”

“No.” I offered her a soft smile in response. “Same as with your release, it is pleasurable. It felt good.”

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Next chapter: No Time to Breathe

A/N: I first stopped this chapter at "No. I want you to show me." With the intent of not writing their 'first time' together, but I really couldn't resist to write more. And I didn't want to leave you guys hanging, after the cliffhanger of chapter 7. Hope you like it. More of this in the next chapter.

If you want to be added to the taglist, just let me know.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reader’s POV

The cold had gotten so much worse. My airways were blocked and therefore breathing had gotten more difficult, my nose was constantly running, making me sniff every few minutes. My throat and ribs hurt from all the coughing. 

I knew I didn’t have the right to be frustrated with Aang. He was being sweet to me. But he had also told me off, like I was a little child. He scolded me about staying out in the rain. I knew he only did that because he was concerned about my wellbeing. Yet, I answered his concern with stubbornness and frustration. 

I had to reset and change my whole mindset to be a successful airbender. Still, I was born and raised in the Earth Kingdom. We were known to be rigid, head strong and proud. Those principles and beliefs are not easily forgotten and are nested deep within my core. And the attitude, mindset and actions formed by those principles and beliefs would slip out when things didn’t go my way. Or… when I was being lectured about my own actions. No matter how righteous and justified the lecturing was. 

I might be an airbender, but I will also always be an Earth Kingdom Citizen.

Every week we would go to the market nearest to the Eastern Air Temple, gathering supplies, food and anything else we might need. The whole trip would take several hours. Aang had insisted on going by himself this time.

“If you refuse to listen to me, then please, listen to your body.” He pleaded with me. “You clearly don’t feel well.”

“I am fine Aang, it is just a cold. I won’t die from a runny nose.” I countered. 

“You have been coughing all night. You think I didn’t hear you? I know you hardly slept. I can see you wince whenever you inhale too deeply. Please stay here.” I crossed my arms in response, frustration growing inside me.

“Stop treating me like I am fragile.” Hand pressed to my chest as another cough threatened to break through. “I am coming with you.” I added, voice quieter, but firm.

He realised I had set my mind on joining him, helping him gather all the provisions. He knew that he wouldn’t be able to talk me out of it; he accepted his defeat reluctantly. 

The flight over on Appa was quiet. I knew I was behaving irrational, but I didn’t want him to treat me like I could break at any moment. We split up upon arrival. Aang would collect tools and other equipment we needed for the repairs of the temple, I would gather the food for the upcoming week. 

I always loved ‘market-day’. Finding myself among other people again. The market was busy, loud and alive. I spoke to a few people, saw some small children running around and playing an unknown game. The sun was pleasantly shining even though its warmth was still lacking. It was a nice day. Despite the vibrant energy that swirled around the market, I felt my own body getting more and more tired the more groceries I had gathered as I carried it back to Appa.

“Here, let me help you.” Aang was done faster than me. He was more efficient, still kind to everyone around him, but efficient nonetheless. I, on the other hand, always had lengthy conversations with strangers about anything and nothing. So it was no surprise he was done before me and that he came to find me. Without waiting for permission, he took a few bags filled with food away from me. “Don’t get mad.” He started. “I know you are strong enough to carry it by yourself, but there is nothing wrong with sharing the load from time to time.” That earned him a quiet smile. He looked satisfied, we both knew peace had been restored. 

On the way back, I felt my body was still not recovering from the tiredness, eyelids getting heavier, a shiver down my spine. In the distance, the air temple emerged between the snow-covered mountains. ‘Aang was right. I should really listen to my body. I should probably lay down for a little when we are back.’

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aang’s POV

“Are you alright?” I looked at her, trying to hide any concern this time. I didn’t want a repeat of earlier. “You look a bit flushed.” I carried most of the supplies inside. She didn’t only look flushed, she also looked exhausted. Though she was probably too stubborn to admit that.

“Yeah.” She looked around, her eyes anything but focused. “Yes, I am alright. I just think I am going to lie down for a little while if that is okay with you.”

“Yes, of course. Go.” I watched her walk away, stumbling a bit as her feet were not really cooperating. ‘Do you need any help?’ I wanted to do more than just ask her that. I wanted to support her body up the stairs. Hell, I would carry her up myself. But her sharp words from this morning returned to me. ‘Stop treating me as if I am fragile.’ So I did what I thought was the next best thing. “Let me know if you need anything.” She raised her hand in response and walked up the steps.

After I had stored away all the groceries, tools and equipment, I started on preparing dinner. Normally this would be the time she came down from her room to help me prepare or set the table and put cushions down for us to sit on. But there was no movement coming from the floor above me, no steps coming down the stairs; just quiet. 

I ate alone, Momo kept me company. I saved her plenty of food. I made a bowl for her, placed it on a platter together with a cup of tea. Carefully I walked up the stairs, trying to remember all the steps that creaked. I softly knocked on her door; loud enough for her to hear it, but quietly enough not to disturb anyone. I opened it and peeked my head through it. She was fast asleep, tugged away under her blanket. Her chest was steadily but sharply rising and falling. I walked in and placed the platter on her desk. Her face still flushed. I gently placed a hand on her forehead, trying not to wake her. She didn’t feel extremely warm. Maybe her cheeks were just rosy from sleep. I turned around and moved to the door.

“Aang?” An incredibly soft, hoarse voice called out my name. 

“I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you up.” The apology not just spoken, but also heard in my tone of voice. “I brought you some food. Do you want to eat something?”

“No, just some water please.”

“I brought tea.” I immediately turned to get it and I quickly handed her the clay cup. 

“Thank you.” I saw she was shaking slightly as she brought the cup to her lips, taking a few sips of the perfectly tempered tea. 

“Are you cold?” 

“No, not really.”

“But you are shaking.”

“I am just tired.”

“Then, rest.” I accepted the cup she handed back to me and placed it on the small table next to her bed. I squatted down beside her. “Let me know if you need anything.” I repeated my words from earlier, my voice low and soft. She nodded faintly. I got up and placed a tender kiss on her forehead, my lips barely grazing her skin and I walked away, letting her rest. 

Before I went to bed myself later that night, I had again peeked inside her room. This time staying by the door, because I didn’t want to wake her up again. The sight of her sleeping and laying still had comforted me enough to head across the hall to my own room, I kept my own door open just in case.

I couldn’t have been asleep for very long, maybe two hours or so, when I roughly woke up from my slumber. I heard noise coming from across the hallway, coming from Y/N’s room. It sounded as though she was stumbling and falling over. I threw my covers away from me, jumped out of bed, no time to put my shirt on and quickly moved to her room. As I opened the door, I saw her bed was empty, the noises came from the adjacent bathroom; gagging noises. I walked in and saw her on her knees, head hanging over a bucket. I slid next to her, removing her hair from her face, brushing it back and I held it in place. Circling my hand over her back. 

“I got you. I am here.” I cooed softly. After another wave of nausea hit her, she got quiet, her whole body trembling and shaking. For a moment she leaned completely into me. I never stopped making those circular motions. Unlike before, her skin was radiating, sweatbeats visible at her temple and forehead. There were damp patches on the back of her shirt. She was clearly experiencing a very bad fever. When she caught her breath again, I slowly helped her on her feet, supporting her on her walk back to her bed. 

I gently laid her down. She curled up in her bed, her hands shaking as she pulled her sheets closer to her face. 

“We need to bring your fever down, Y/N.” I went to the bathroom and wetted a cloth. I delicately placed it on her forehead. She looked at me, her expression unfocused, her eyes glossy and cheeks flushed. She was burning up. I stayed with, sitting beside her. 

She was ailing. I moved the covers away from her slightly, exposing her upper body, so that her body heat could escape.

After some time, I touched the damp cloth, it was warm already and therefore no longer serving its purpose. 

“What can I do?” My voice cut through the room, a question more directed towards myself than her. She squirmed in her bed, clearly in great discomfort. 

I hadn’t thought of Katara for weeks now, maybe even months, but at this very moment I wished she was here. She could easily help Y/N. A fever was nothing compared to all the wounds and aches Katara had healed over the years. I, on the other hand, was not gifted with healing powers. “But I can bend water.” I said out loud as an idea formed in my mind. “I will be right back.” I placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and then I quickly left to set my plan in motion. 

I sprinted to the pantry downstairs and grabbed a bucket. I went outside to the pond, dipped the bucket into it to collect water. The night’s air was cold and so was the water. I was still only wearing my trousers, but I had no trouble keeping my body warm. Once my bucket was full with the ice cold water, I returned inside, back to Y/N.

I hurried up the stairs, to her room and there she laid painfully twisting and turning on her mattress. I placed the bucket next to her bed. 

“Y/N.” I gently said her name. No response other than ragged breaths escaping from her. “I am going to move you slightly, just so I can lay behind you.” Still no response. She just moved along, no fighting it. I carefully laid down and adjusted her so she laid over my chest. The heat she radiated onto me was almost unbearingly warm. I called the water to me and I quickly moved my hands and started circling them at either side of her body. The cold water formed a layer over us, wetting our clothes. I stayed focused on my movements making sure the water would continuously move over her, cooling her down.

I hurried up the stairs, to her room and there she laid painfully twisting and turning on her mattress. I placed the bucket next to her bed and I turned the snow into cold water. 

“Y/N.” I gently said her name. No response other than ragged breaths escaping from her. “I am going to move you slightly, just so I can lay behind you.” Still no response. She just moved along, no fighting it. I carefully laid down and adjusted her so she laid over my chest. The heat she radiated onto me was almost unbearingly warm. I called the water to me and I quickly moved my hands and started circling them around her body. The cold water formed a layer over us, wetting our clothes. I stayed focused on my movements making sure the water would continuously move, cooling her down. 

After about an hour, I felt her ease slightly, she was a little less tense. Because she partly laid on top of my chest I could feel her body relax, her breathing was less laboured and uneven. The inhales were still deep, but more steady than before. 

“I’ll take care of you. You just rest.” 

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reader’s POV

I woke up early the next morning. I felt drenched, fabric of my sleep attire heavy. My head wasn’t laying on my pillow, I was laying on something more vast and it moved up and down ever so comfortingly. My eyes fluttered open, giving them time to adjust. Faint light was starting to break through the window, so that shapes could become visible. I tried to process what was happening. I saw clearly defined muscles, arms moving above me, my head was moving along to a steady rhythm of breathing. I inhaled sharply when I realised I was laying on Aang's chest.

 “Good morning.” His voice sounded gentle but tired. I heard a splash of water hitting something. I realised I didn’t just feel drenched, I was drenched.

“What happened?” I placed my hand on his broad, steady chest to be able to lift myself slightly so I could look at him. He had circles under his eyes, his eyelids heavy as he blinked slowly. He looked completely drained, like he hadn’t slept all night. Despite all that, a sweet, kind smile on his face and a grateful expression in his eyes.

“You were very ill. You were so hot, it was like you were burning from the inside out. Like you were caught in a fire.” His voice low, barely able to speak due to exhaustion. “I had to cool you down.” He paused to inhale deeply through his nose. I moved up along with this breath filling his lungs. “I bended a halo of cold water around you.”

“You waterbended all night?” He nodded, whilst closing his eyes for a moment.

“I stopped from time to time to check if you were still hot. And every time I did, you were. It took some time for your body to finally relax and for you to quietly fall asleep. So I didn’t dare to stop.” 

“I don’t know what to say, Aang.” I paused for a moment. “Thank you.”

“No problem. The most important thing is that you are alright.” He paused, exhaustion taken over. “You are alright, right?” He questioned.

“Yes, I am. I feel fine.” He gave me a faint smile. 

I moved away from him, leaving his chest, his eyes were falling shut, but opened abruptly when he felt me leaving. He wanted to protest.

“Shh. Let’s go.” I grabbed his hand. He involuntarily got up from the bed and followed me. Every muscle, every joint, every limb was tired. I guided him to his room, to a bed that wasn’t soaked by cold water. I looked at his trousers. “Don’t move.” I walked around him as I bended air from my palms to dry them. His bedsheets were on the floor, clearly he had discarded them in a hurry. I gently eased him down until he sat on the edge of his bed. 

“Thank you for last night. Truly. But now you rest.” I spoke softly as I guided him to lay on his mattress. I grabbed the sheets and gently laid them over him. I gave him a sweet kiss on his forehead, just like he had done to me yesterday and wanted to walk away.

“Stay.” It was barely audible. Every fiber in me knew I had to turn him down, because through this all, my head and hand on his chest and just now supporting his naked upper body, I had felt my stomach turning and my pulse skipping unevenly. “Please stay.” A little louder this time. 

“I am still soaked.”

“Then either dry it off, change into something else or just take it off.” I don’t know if he actually knew what he just implied, but with his last words; I felt a hunger rise in me again. 

“I will be right back.” I left to change out of my wet clothes and I put on a similar outfit; a simple sleeveless shirt and long trousers. For a heartbeat I seriously doubted whether I should return to him at all. I pushed the thought away and walked back to his room.

To my surprise he still had his eyes open, although barely. He had his gaze fixed on the open door. A small smile tugged at his lips the moment I entered the room.

“You came back.” He almost sounded surprised, but mostly pleased as he hummed slightly as I moved closer. He opened his frame, extending his arm. The motion slow as though the tiredness restricted him from moving faster. I pulled the sheet down and I gently slipped in the bed next to him. His arm wrapped around me, pulling me back into the position I had woken up from not too long ago. I carefully lowered my head onto his chest. Hearing his heart beating; a strong, steady pulse. I placed my hand on his torso. 

“Get some rest.” He hummed in response.

“You too. You need more rest too.” He said and he sounded drowsy. I felt he was right, my fever might be gone and I felt a lot better than I did the evening before, but my strength hadn’t returned to me yet. And rather quickly I felt myself drifting away into a deep slumber.

Hours later I woke up again, bright light coming in through the window. My awareness returned slowly and with it came a burning heaviness in my chest. I became aware of every detail; the warmth beneath me, the rise and fall of his torso. My first instinct was to pull away. But my second was to stay exactly where I was. And so I stayed perfectly still on Aang’s chest, afraid that any movement or sound would break the moment. I didn’t look up at his face, but his breathing clearly indicated that he was still asleep. 

Without my permission, my hand moved slightly over his chest. I couldn’t tell myself if it was just an adjustment of my hand or whether it was more. Aang didn’t respond. My whole body was aching to touch him more. So I decided to move my hand again, slower and more deliberate this time. I had been wanting to do this, touch him, graze his skin, since that one day in the courtyard in the Southern Air Temple. I was trailing the lines of his chest. The sensation completely new to me, unfamiliar yet impossible to ignore. I had never touched anyone else before, but I craved to feel what it was like.

I moved my hands to his collarbone which stood out beneath his skin. My fingers followed the clear outline of it. Then I moved up to his shoulders, broader than ever before and well-defined. My fingers trailed down to his upper arm, which was firm and solid; biceps and triceps clearly toned. Before, I had only known how his arms moved around so gracefully during sparring sessions. Now I was feeling the bespoke muscles underneath his skin, solid like rocks.

The muscles in his shoulder and arm spoke of strength without effort. He could easily lift me with one arm. My fingers kept grazing his skin back from his upper arm, to his shoulder, to his collarbone and to his chest. With my index finger I was drawing shapes, whilst I barely touched him, my touch ever so light. 

A slight, faint shift beneath me drew me back to the room and away from my thoughts. I felt it before I saw it. There was a subtle change in his breathing. No longer slow and steady, but much deeper. I suddenly noticed everything, the warmth coming from Aang’s body, the spike in his heartbeat, the closeness between us, the fact he hadn’t moved. I froze, my finger still hovering over his torso.

“Don’t stop on my behalf.” His voice low, deeper than I had ever heard it before. 

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aang’s POV

The soft movement across my body had woken me up. My eyes slowly opened, as I tried to place the sensation I felt along my skin. Her finger was barely grazing me, but the trail she was creating was burning. I watched as her index finger gracefully went back from my upper arm to my chest. I followed the movements she drew with her finger over my torso, not knowing if they actually meant anything.

Her own eyes never followed her fingers, head laying absolutely still, maybe afraid to wake me. She was just feeling me. And I let her. Until she suddenly stopped, finger not moving anymore, remaining in its position. She was aware I was awake. Maybe she felt caught doing something she wasn’t supposed to do or maybe she was just scared about my reaction. If only she knew how badly I wanted her to continue. I decided to make the first move, breaking the silence.

“Don’t stop on my behalf.” I heard a slight gasp, she placed her hand down back on my chest and she looked up slowly. Her expression apologetic. She did feel caught doing something she thought she wasn’t allowed to do. “I don’t want you to stop.” My words settled heavily in the quiet room. Her eyes widened in disbelief. My lips curved faintly, not quite a smile, but enough to get a reaction from her; her eyes changed. No longer disbelief or freight, but something darker settled in. “I really don’t want you to stop.” My voice dropped an octave, as I spoke the words slowly; making sure she heard every one of them. 

Her hand began to move, again trailing over my bare torso. She adjusted herself slightly upward, making that she could watch her own movements this time. My gaze flickered between her eyes and her hand, closely following everything she did. She was moving antagonizingly slow. Every inch of skin she touched was on fire. Instead of going up, she went down this time. First the palm of her hand went over my abdomen. Then her fingertips brushed lightly over the firm lines of the muscles of my stomach. A shiver ran through me. The longer her hand and fingertips were grazing my bare body, the more hitched my own breath became. She slowly moved her hand and thus her gaze up. Her fingers lingered near my neck and I swallowed deeply. ‘Does she actually realise what she is doing to me?’

She kept avoiding my gaze because her focus was solely on her fingers. The tip of her fingers now ghosted over my jawline, then it was just the tip of her thumb brushing against my lips; its movement slowly and slightly parted my lower lip from my upper lip.

I was getting nervous, heart fluttering. The tension in my whole body almost unbearable and uncontrollable, my skin unbelievably sensitive due to her touch. My pulse was racing, breath catching more and more, a warmth spreading through every joint, tendon and muscle of my body. A throbbing feeling between my legs. I wanted to join in on the action, I too wanted to trace every inch of her skin, every curve of her body. I wanted to still my own hunger, I needed more than this. 

Finally our eyes locked as she cupped my face and caressed my cheek. I wanted to move, but I had taken things too far once before. I didn’t want to do anything that she wasn’t ready for. But, Spirits, I so desperately hoped that she was. 

I had stayed still all this time, but now I very carefully propped myself up slightly. Her upper body remained on my chest as her hand left my cheek to rest again on my torso. I slowly moved my arm, bringing my hand closer to her face, she stayed still. She didn’t move forward, but she also wasn’t moving away from me. I took it as a sign to continue. I placed my hand on her cheek, fingers resting underneath her earlobe. My big hand could almost reach the back of her neck. My thumb stayed on her cheekbone, slowly swiping from left to right. 

Her breathing sharp, her chest was moving up and down in rapid motions. There was an expression in her eyes that was new to me, something terribly close to desire. She could probably read the same expression from my face. Her eyes darted away from my eyes to my lips, it was only for a heartbeat, but it happened. I moved closer to her, still holding on to her cheek and fingers still grazing the side of her neck. I gave her all the room and time she needed to move away from me. But instead she leant in slightly closer. I looked deep into her eyes.

“May I?” I whispered, voice deep, drenched with a burning desire. She gave a little but firm nod. Despite the permission, I still moved as slowly as I could, every ounce of restraint I could muster was being used. Our faces were now so close, I could feel her warm breath against my skin, noses almost rubbing, as I ghosted over her lips with my own. I gave her more time to change her mind. But she didn’t, she leaned forward. Her lips touched mine. More than anything, I wanted her to enjoy our first kiss, I wanted her to feel safe under my touch. My hand on her cheek didn’t grip or move; it simply stayed there, caressing her skin. I could feel my own heartbeat in my chest, loud and uneven. I kissed her slow, gentle and tender. It wasn’t rushed, it was careful, it was soft, it was loving; it was a moment shared. A moment where everything else seemed to disappear. 

I pulled back only slightly, close enough to still feel her near, not wanting to break whatever fragile new trust had just formed between us.

“Was that okay?” I asked quietly, my voice almost uncertain and desperate to get her approval.

“It was.” Words spoken softly, but without hesitation. A shy, small smile formed at her lips. I watched her face for a second longer, searching for any sign of doubt, any flicker of discomfort. But there wasn’t any. Then she spoke again. “Can you show me more?” 

I paused for a heartbeat. Her words landed a little heavier than I had expected, it ignited something in my stomach. Her words not just laced with curiosity. It was also laced with trust, offered a little more openly this time. I swallowed deeply.

“Yeah…Yeah, I can” I said quietly. “I would like that.”

I still didn’t rush, I didn’t let myself get carried away by the feeling in my chest. I was very aware of how easily this could tip from careful to careless if I wasn’t able to restrain myself. I moved a little closer, slowly and carefully. My hand shifted slightly, placing my fingers more at the back of her neck as I gently pulled her in. I started the kiss slowly, then gently swiping my tongue against her lower lip. She parted her lips slightly, giving me enough room to slip my tongue in her mouth. Our tongues started moving in sync, not a battle for dominance, but more like a dance. I deepened the kiss more and placed my arm around her waist. As I pulled away from the kiss, I propped myself up even more and turned us around, so that she was laying on the bed. 

“If anything feels too fast,” I started softly, meeting her eyes, “you tell me. Okay?” After a little nod, I leaned in again, my body hovering over hers, one knee resting between her legs. I didn’t move all at once, but just enough to close the distance gradually, making sure she had every time to meet me halfway or to turn me away. I kissed her again, this time a bit hungrier. I moved my hand, which had remained on the small of her back after I had turned her around, to her hips. Over the fabric of her shirt, I slowly moved up, not breaking the kiss. Then my big hands gently cupped one of her breasts. She gasped a little in my mouth. I broke away from her, giving her some room.

“Have you ever been touched before?” I asked respectfully. She shook her head slightly, her eyes averting mine as though she was embarrassed. 

“I will go slow. Okay?” A nod. “May I continue?” Another nod. I cupped her breast again, gently moving my hand over it, squeezing it ever so delicately. Her body responded to my touch, another little gasp escaped her, her back arched slightly bringing her body closer to mine. I leaned down more and kissed her again. So far every kiss remained gentle to some extant, but they grew hungrier each time our lips came together. My hand still cheerising her breast through the fabric. My hand traced from her chest to her bare arm, to her hand. I guided her hand to the back of my neck.

“You may touch me too.” I lowered my head and I spoke softly in her ear; it wasn’t a command, it was an invitation. A hitched breath escaped from her as my lips were on her neck; leaving a trail of tender kisses. Her hand started moving over my shoulder blade, tracing its muscles. She followed the tattoo on my spine to my lower back; flinching as she touched my scar. 

“It’s okay.” I assured her as I planted another kiss, this time on her collarbone. “It doesn’t hurt.” I murmured against her skin. I moved my hand from her breast to her hips and I grabbed them lightly. I repositioned myself a little lower. My head now hovering over her chest. I looked at the curves of her breast, longing to hold them bare in my hands, having my lips touch them. The hand on her hips, tugged at the hem of her shirt, touching the bare soft skin of her toned belly; she let me. I propped up, and guided her along with me. She sat up, I was on my knees; still one knee between her legs. Both my hands grabbed the fabric of her shirt and moved it upward; exposing more and more skin. She responded by lifting her arms and in one smooth movement I discarded her shirt from her and threw it next to the bed.

She laid back down, looking unsure. She covered her whole chest with her arms. The whole scene of it; her face flushed, the trail of my wet kisses on her neck, her plump lips, her arms safely wrapped around her bare upper body, it was endearing and arousing at the same time. 

“Was this too fast?” I asked softly, whilst holding her gaze. Uncertainty still lingered in her expression as she looked back at me. 

“No…no. I…I just feel so exposed.”

“I understand.” I said quietly. “Being this exposed for the first time can make you feel vulnerable.” I paused before I continued to reassure her. “But you don’t have to hide yourself from me.” I let the silence settle for a moment. “I just want to cherish you.” She let out a deep breath as though she had been holding it for too long. The tension in her whole upper body lessened, not gone completely, but that new fragile trust we were forming between us took over.

I held her gaze as she lowered her arms. I didn’t look down straight away, I gave her a moment to let it all sink in. Then, slowly my gaze traced down. I was looking at her bare upper body for the first time. I didn’t want to pry, not look at it too long and make her feel uncomfortable again. But, Spirits, it was hard to look away from it. So instead of looking I moved.

"You are beautiful." I bent down and kissed her again. I cupped the side of her face, before that hand slowly, but deliberately trailed down. First to her neck, her collarbone and then it moved along the curves of her breast. 

The sensation of feeling her bare, delicate skin, hyphed my own senses. My heart felt like it could escape my chest and as I lightly brushed over her hardened nipple, I felt my stomach turn and my own erection throb and twitch involuntarily. I didn’t know how much more restrain I had left in my body, especially when she moaned like that for the first time. The sound was heaven to me. I wanted to hear more of it. I lowered my head and placed kisses on her exposed curves. A quick swipe of my tongue over her nipple. Arousal and desire were growing inside every part of my body. 

More boldly I placed my lips over her nipple and I started sucking at the skin, letting my tongue go over the hardened nipple again and again, kissing her curves. Instinctively, my arm moved down and I laid my hand to rest on her knee. The sounds she was making became louder. And every time a moan escaped from her, I responded with a satisfied hum. I let that hum vibrate through her skin. Her hands were freely roaming my shoulder blades and ever so often she slightly dipped her fingers in my skin, in response to my actions. My hand glided up from her knee to her thigh. I let it rest there for a second. My face moved away from her breast, and back to her lips. I wanted to feel her moans against my lips. Slowly I moved my hand to her inner thigh, inching closer to the warmth between her legs. With each move upward I felt her body twitch more and more. My fingers ghosted over her warmth, putting just enough pressure on the fabric that she could feel the sensation rush through her. I kept kissing her deeply, tongues dancing again as I traced my fingers to the hem of her trousers. I tugged at them, lowering just a small bit of the fabric ever so slightly. 

That is when I felt it. Her hand moved quickly from the back of my neck to my chest. It gave me the smallest push, but more than enough for me to notice and feel it. She broke the kiss and looked at me. No more desire in her eyes. 

“Aang. Stop.” My whole body aching in arousal, desperation, in need of and longing for a release.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Next chapter: Still Waters Run Deep

A/N: OMG, it was really dificult to cut this off. Nonetheless, I hope you have enjoyed reading it. But trust me, we will get much more of this between Aang and reader.

If you want to be added to the taglist, let me know.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reader’s POV

After waiting for so long, so many years have gone by since the promise was first made, and now I could see the Eastern Air Temple appearing through the clouds. 

At first it looked unreal. I thought I was still dreaming. Unlike the other air temples, the Eastern Air Temple was housed on three separate mountains, connected by bridges. I couldn't quite tell if the bridges were just hidden by lingering clouds or if they were destroyed and had crumbled over the years. The temple had three pagodas, one on each mountain. Pale stone and green curved rooftops were standing cracked, but proud. From up in the air, I could see a large waterfall supplied by the runoff from the snowmelt. The stables of the sky bisons looked really badly damaged, I could even see that from up here. Only a couple of pillars were still supporting the rooftop. 

Appa beneath us gave a deep rumbling grunt as he glided closer to the temple. 

“I know boy, we are home.” I stroked his fur as my chest tightened with anticipation. Aang’s promise had never felt so real until now. ‘I am home.’

Just like at the Southern Air Temple, the closer you got the better you could see all the damages done. It was as though Aang could read my mind. 

“The female airbenders that lived here put up a very strong fight against the Fire Nation troops. That is why the Eastern Air Temple is the temple that suffered the worst damage during the war. A lot was destroyed by massive fires.” He sounded sad.

“Don’t worry. We will fix it, restore it.” He smiled kindly at my encouraging words.

“Yes we will.” But he and I both knew a lot of work had to be done, before the temple resembled anything close to what it had looked like over a hundred years ago. 

The moment Appa had landed and my feet first touched the ground, it truly felt like a missing piece had returned to me. Maybe for the first time in my life, I felt whole, I felt like myself. I drew in a deep breath. The fresh, cold air spread through my chest without resistance, reaching places that had felt clenched shut before. Being here, after all these years, after all the stories I got told, a tension drained from me. 

“I wish my grandmother could have been here to see this place.”

“I know.” He placed a gentle, warm hand on my shoulder. 

In silence we grabbed our bags and supplies from Appa’s saddle. We had stopped somewhere along the way to buy enough food to last us several days. Inside the temple we found rooms that once served as a pantry, kitchen, dining room, sitting area and meditation room. Layers of dust, ash and little creatures occupied the space. The rooms were freezing as the cold wind rushed through them. 

“Right, I think we should start cleaning this area first.”

After a couple of hours of hard work, the kitchen and sitting area were cleaned up. We decided that we would sleep here tonight. Neither of us had the energy to vigorously clean two more bedrooms. There was a fireplace in the sitting area. Aang had checked whether the chimney was safe to use and after some sweeping it was. He placed some wood he collected from outside in the hearth, and let some fire escape from his palm. It lit up the place in a warm glow. Momo gravitated to it immediately. 

Outside it was still winter, the new year had just begun but the same familiar cold had remained. Even during the day it would sometimes still freeze. The air in the temple had felt like ice; sharp and cold. As usual Aang didn’t mind the cold. If it was not the airbending that would keep him warm, the firebending would. I, on the other hand, still hadn’t been able to control the air around me; I didn’t have the patience. I felt chills down my spine and I moved closer to the fire. I was cold to the core, my fingers numb from working tirelessly in the icy breeze. I extracted my arms out, so my hands were close to the flames. I was shivering and even the heat of the fire wasn’t able to stop that.

“Are you cold?” He sounded concerned and moved closer. 

“A little.” I nodded, although the words felt far too small for the lingering chill that had settled in my bones. Aang looked at me, I felt him scanning my shivering body and a quiet smile appeared on his face. Without saying anything else, his hand reached out to the fire; fingers toward the flames, palm open toward the sky and he raised his hand. As he did the fire responded to him. The flames stretched a little higher as he moved his hand upward, the warmth intensifying. 

“It is really about time you learn the technique to keep yourself warm.”

“I’ve got you.” I looked at him with a smirk, whilst trembling from the cold. 

“That’s right.” He laughed softly. “But still…I am not always there to bend fire for you.” Despite the increment in temperature, it wasn’t enough. Aang watched me rub my hands together and shift closer to the fire. 

“You are still freezing.” He murmured. Before I could answer, he wrapped his arm carefulling around my shoulder, and he gently pulled me closer to him. His warmth spread through me almost instantly. His warmth was different from Zuko’s. Zuko’s warmth had always felt natural, as though it was always a part of him; it came from within. Aang’s warmth on the other hand, had to be ignited, it had to be created. 

Nonetheless, any form of warmth would work for me right now. As Aang shared his created heat with me,  I felt myself relax into his touch, leaning into his body; maybe more than I had meant to. Ever since the sparring session a few weeks ago, I had kept my distance a bit more from him. Trying to avoid situations that could bring back that feeling: pure desire. Because that feeling of my stomach dropping, heartbeat quickening, the ache of wanting him closer, the need to touch him, was never too far away. But right now, I didn't care. I needed to soak up all his warmth. I heard him hum contentedly beneath his breath, the gentle vibrations passing from him into me. 

We sat like that for a minute. The warmth running through my body, my shoulders felt looser, my shivering stopped. My hands, however, were still cold; fingers still numb. Beneath his arm I was still rubbing them together. With his free arm he moved to my hands and reached for them. 

“They are like ice.” Aang whispered. He pulled his arm away from my shoulder, releasing his grip from me and I immediately felt his warmth fading. As a response to the lost connection, I dropped my whole body against his. He chuckled slightly as he moved to cover my hands with his larger ones. His fingers carefully wrapped around mine. From the heat of his palms, he rubbed warmth back into my frozen fingertips. 

Aang leaned his head down slightly, whilst moving our hands closer to his face. He opened his palms a little, exposing a part of my hands so his lips could touch it. He breathed warm air against my skin.  The touch of his lips so soft, so gentle. The air he breathed through my palm was sharp at first. The heat was painful as feeling returned to my fingers, but then it turned into something dangerously comforting. The kind of warmth that made it hard to remember why I felt the need to stay away from him.

“There.” He breathed. “Better?” I nodded faintly, unable to stop the small smile pulling at my face. A warm sensation was burning within me that didn’t came from any fire or body temperature. His eyes kind, longing even as the firelight danced across his face. A sweet smile tugged at his lips. He opened his frame again and lifted his arm, extending an open invitation for me to tug my body back into his side. I gratefully accepted it straight away. We sat like that for a long while, his arm around my shoulder while his other hand covered mine to keep them warm beneath his palm. 

After all the cold had melted away by Aang’s touch and after we ate something, it was time for some much needed rest. I placed my sleeping bag right next to his. Any distance I had carefully created between us over the last weeks, completely gone. He placed some more wood in the fire, so it would last a few more hours. When we were both tucked in, laying side by side, I moved to face him.

“Thank you.” I simply stated.

“For you… anytime.” He purred smug, I heard a smile forming through his words. He moved to his side as well, facing me, eyes locking. His eyes ever so gentle and kind. 

“Good night.” 

“Good night.” He whispered back. He turned again, so he was lying on his stomach. His gaze stayed on me. In one swift move he set one arm free from his sleeping bag and he carefully placed it on my body. He grabbed my side so he could pull me a bit more toward him. His arm splayed out over me as it covered as much of me as it could. The immediate warmth it gave, reached my limbs through my sleeping bag. Without permission a quiet, satisfied hum escaped my lips, prompting his mouth to curve upward in a proud smile.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zuko’s POV

It had been four weeks since I had received the last letters from Aang and Y/N. Both of them had mentioned that they would leave for the Eastern Air Temple within a few days. I had waited longer this time to write my letter to them, instead of the every-other-week-pattern we had gotten used to. That gave them time to settle in, instead of making them feel obliged to answer my letter without them being able to find their feet at the temple first. 

But today the messenger hawk had returned, again carrying two letters. I first opened the letter that belonged to Y//N, obviously. 

Dear Zuko,

During our last conversation all those months ago, you had told me that you thought the Eastern Air Temple was absolutely beautiful. You called it incredibly impressive. And I can only agree with you. Even cracked and damaged, I can imagine what it once looked liked and more importantly what it will look like again. 

I paused for a minute and I thought back on the last day we had seen each other. I can still remember it so clearly. ‘I will miss you.’ The light nudge at my arm, her turning her face from me whilst her cheeks were slightly flushed. She clearly didn’t want me to see it, so I pretended I hadn’t. But the contact sent a shiver down my spine, the touch felt electric. I confessed to her that I was going to miss her too. And I do miss her; her endless energy, her positive look on the world, her kind eyes that always seemed to smile, the way her hair danced around her face when she walked. I smiled at the memory of her and then my gaze returned to the pages.

Ever since we arrived here, I have felt a sense of home; as though I belong here. I cannot explain how quickly I have become attached to this place. I wish I can show it to you some day. After all the restorations are done of course. We have now restored and cleaned one of the main buildings that we have claimed as our home. Also the Sky Bison stables have been restructured, so that Appa has a comfortable place to stay. 

As I already said in my previous letter, things had been tense for some time between Aang and myself. But I guess that is to be expected when it is just the two of us for so long. Thankfully, things are now more and more returning to normal again. He has returned to his playful self and the air between us feels lighter again. We have fun together again.

When reading her words, I first felt joy that she wanted me to visit the temple one day with her, but only a few sentences later I felt my stomach tightening, my jaw clenching. ‘Our home…Things have been tense…We have fun together again.’ My grip on the paper grew stronger, making it crease a bit. I didn’t want to admit it, but I was jealous. Jealous of Aang, my best friend, who got to spend so much time alone with her, living with her, having fun with her, working together with her. She had been quite vague about the tension between her and Aang, but I could only assume that Aang apparently wasn’t able to fully appreciate what he had. He had everything I could only dream of; having Y/N all to himself. 

I restrained myself and smoothed the paper and continued reading.

I must admit, you had me worried for a moment. I had expected your hawk days if not weeks ago. I was scared that maybe something had happened to the hawk during her flight, or worse, that something had happened to you which made you unable to write to us. But thankfully neither of that was the case.

But based on your last letter, I do have good reason to be concerned. During our trip to the temple, we have also heard some stories about a growing threat against you. And to be fair Zuko, if those stories are true, then you have really downplayed it in your letter. I do hope you will always be honest with me. If you need us, please reach out. Know that we will always be there to help and protect you; I will always be there. From now on, please give me an update in every letter you send. An honest one!

Stay safe.

Yours,

Y/N

I might have slightly downplayed the lingering threats surrounding me, but in truth, a new threat was never too far away. It came with the territory. It came with transitioning everything the Fire Nation once stood for, into what I wanted it to stand for. Some threats came from noble men who feared losing their standing in my new world order, some came from military men who believed we were showing weakness instead of compassion, some came from within the palace walls of advisors who were afraid of change. Nonetheless, the whispers surrounding this threat made even my coolest advisor anxious.  

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aang’s POV

I had noticed. Of course I had noticed. Ever since that day a few weeks ago, she distanced herself from me more and more. I realised I had taken things too far in that training session. She never scooched closer to me again by the fire, our conversations in the evening were shorter; things spoken about were more on the surface instead of the deep emotions and feelings we had shared before. No longer were the conversations held whilst lying on the other’s bed, but always in the living area of the Southern Air Temple. When there was silence between us, it felt heavier than it ever had. Training sessions were more professional than playful. I had revelled in the moment, seeing how her whole body had responded to me. But now I knew I had taken it too far and I had to respect the distance she was creating between us. No more cheeky, but meaningful touches. No more invading her space. No more waiting just a fraction longer than necessary before responding. 

Now it was stolen glazes when she wasn’t watching. Now it was admiration from afar. Now it was burning for her near me from a distance. Now it was respecting boundaries. 

But that had changed on the first day of our arrival at the Eastern Air Temple. At first I kept my distance, not hovering over her and I simply intensified the fire. But when she kept shivering, I just couldn’t stop myself. I wanted to take care of her, wanted to share my warmth with her. The moment I felt her weight against me, with my arm safely around her, I thanked the Spirits for the harsh winter. 

Since that first night the dynamic between us had returned more to normal. Nonetheless there was still a respectful distance, still some form of restraint and still a lingering tension.

The first thing we tackled at the Eastern Air Temple was the main building; the building we would be living in during our stay here. It took us more than a week to clean all the rooms, to restructure the walls and stairs and to reinforce the general foundation, before the temple finally felt less like a forgotten ruin and more like a place someone might actually live in again. 

Our bedrooms were on the opposite side of the hallway. Mine was facing east, so the first rays of sun would peak through my window first. Y/N had a room facing west, so she could enjoy the sunset from her bed when she was resting after a long day of work. The days were still short, spring and therefore longer days not yet close. 

Three days ago we received a letter from villagers, asking for help. A mountain pass had become unreachable due to the large amount of snow that had fallen in that part of the Earth Kingdom over the past few days. The mountain pass was the main trade route from and to the village. The earth benders of the settlement had tried to move the snow with big rocks, but I had created an avalanche which had damaged a part of the town. The villagers wrote to the Avatar and asked if I could help them. I had left the same day the letter arrived. The settlement was less than a day's flight away. I had helped the villagers clear the roads and restore the damage. And on the morning of the third day I was flying back to the Eastern Air Temple on Appa with Momo by my side. 

Y/N wanted to come with me to help, but she started coughing on the morning the letter arrived, so I urged her to stay at the temple. She hadn’t looked sick, but she looked just slightly off in a way that is easy to miss at first glance. Her eyes were a little heavier than usual, her gaze was less sharp, less present. She was slower to respond, and her mind wasn’t as present. All of this could simply be explained by her being exhausted from all the hard work of the last several months. But every so often she would sniff, cough or sneeze; indicating her body was feeling more than just tired. So she had promised me to stay here and take it easy whilst I was gone. 

The closer I had gotten to the air temple, the more dangerous the clouds had looked surrounding it. A storm was moving in from the east. Heavy rain had caught us during our flight back when we were almost at the temple. From Appa's head, still high up in the sky, I could see her. There she was, not resting as she had promised, not sheltered from the storm, but training by herself outside in the courtyard. As soon as Appa landed, I ran over to where she was.

She moved through the sparring forms like she was trying to outrun the weather itself. Big drops of rain were falling down. The stone tiles beneath her were slippery from the combination of moss and water. Each step she took was light, yet the wet ground tried to betray her with each landing. She didn’t let it, she didn’t let the slippery surface make her lose balance. She didn’t fight the storm that had formed around the temple, she flowed through it. 

She exhaled sharply and a gust of wind escaped from her and it spiraled outward, scattering the rain drops into a fleeting halo above her before they fell back down. It was a beautiful sight. She was twisting and turning, it almost looked as though she was dancing. Moving ever so gracefully as if she was trying to avoid each rain drop. 

However, her next movements were less precise, her control and rhythm began to waver as the cold sank deeper into her muscles and as the rain began to slow her down. 

The rain poured down relentlessly, clinging to her skin and hair. Her training attire was soaked, the fabric weighed down by the water that clung to it. Despite that, the fabric still moved along with the strong, cold wind. Behind me I could hear some faint rumbling; thunder was coming. 

“Y/N!” I shouted at her. She immediately stopped, interrupted by the sound of my loud voice and she turned to face me. Her heavy and sharp breaths turned to mist in the cold air. “What are you doing out here in this weather! Come inside.” I knew I sounded stern and harsh, but I was concerned for her wellbeing. I could see how she rolled her eyes, which infuriated me. Yet she listened anyway as she hurried to me and together we ran to find shelter in the main building that we now called our home.

Once inside I could see a faint sight of pink at her nose. A strand of wet hair stuck to her cheek. I mindlessly brushed it away. We were both dripping water on the tiles beneath us. I looked at her seriously. 

“Why, in the name of the Spirits, were you outside in this weather?” My voice came out sharper than I had meant to, the words echoing through the quiet room. “You are soaked and shivering.” I added, as I took in the sight of her. “In what world did you think it was a good idea to remain outside in the rain?” It wasn’t really a question, it unintendedly came across as more of an accusation. 

“I told you to rest. You needed to rest.” My voice quiet now and laced with concern. I stepped closer without really thinking about it, it was more instinct than a decision I made. I cupped her face with both my hands and made her look up at me. My gaze softened the second her eyes met mine, even though frustration still lingered in my chest. “You promised me you would rest.” Her expression was caught somewhere between the stubbornness I had grown to love and hate at the same time and something softer. But as so very often, stubbornness won. She moved my hands away from her face.

“I am fine, Aang.” She sounded almost annoyed. She turned away from me, but before she was out of reach I gently grabbed her wrist, stopping her mid-step. 

“I am just worried about you. I don’t want you to get sick.” I said in all honesty. “Please go take a warm bath and get out of these wet clothes.” I pleaded. 

“If you let me go, I can do just that.” And with that, I let go of her and she walked away; a wet trail following her. I felt defeated as I watched her walk away.

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

Next chapter: Rock Solid

A/N: We are really building up to something here. Just wait for the next chapter!! It will come this weekend!

If you want to be added to the taglist, just let me know!