#(zuko.)

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After years of travelling on your own, there isnt much that bothers you anymore. You'd been beaten, strangled, kidnapped, poisoned by foreign plants...yet you were still walking.

Your boots crunched on the gravel roads as you walked with your head high to the sky, not paying attention in the slightest. Republic city was a lot more modest than Aang had described it. He mentioned grand spires and lavish castles.

You now saw clearly that it was his ploy to get you here.

The sun beams down on the vast green landscape and as you enter the city, you suddenly feel your heart slow to a relaxed pace. The city is busy, bustling with vendors, children, warriors and elderly. A group of young water benders play together by the blacksmith, and ahead of you is a teen fire bender trying to melt a rock with deep focus.

He reminded you of Zuko.

You suddenly wondered if he was here. And if he was, would he even recognize you? Your hair was longer now, when he knew you it was short. Shorter than his even. And you were heavily scarred from years of fighting.

What if he found you ugly?

All your thoughts fell away as you realised sokka was sprinting your way. You barely had time to react before the tanned male lifted you into a rib snapping hug.

"HECK YEAH!" he exclaimed.

You choke out a laugh. "G-good, to see you t-too"

You stuttered as sokka hugged you inhumanly tighter before putting you down. "Damn, it is so good to see you, princess"

You smile wide. Sokka is unbelievably handsome now. He was back then, but now...you had to admit you were going to be deeply shocked if you found out he was single.

"How have you been?" You ask him as the two of you begin to walk.

"Been in with the Southern water tribes mostly. Doing mentoring and teaching" he says in a tone that definitely indicates hes showing off.

Same old sokka.

"That sounds wonderful sokka" you reply genuinely.

The air grows thick as you encroach the front steps of Aang and Katara's home. Its cozy and much what you'd expected from them.

"Say...is zuko here?" You ask as you turn to face sokka.

He scratches the back of his neck. "Yeah. But he's asleep for now so"

You nod and run a hand down your face.

"Spirits help me" an exasperated groan leaves your lips.

And is short-lived as a crushing pair of arms attacks you into a hug. Based on the lack of hair in your face, you dont find it hard to know your currently being crushed to death by the avatar himself.

"Hi aang" you croak.

Aang sets you down and beams an excited smile. Beside him, katara appears and the two of you share a giggly hug before pulling off each other.

"Were so glad you could make it"

So are you.

Because what the hell have they been feeding to the people here? First sokka, now aang and katara? Your friends had always been rather good looking, but heavens on earth you were struggling to listen to anything anyone said.

"Come inside, dinners almost ready" katara smiles.

---☆

After washing up everyone's plates and telling stories about your travels, Aang and you head upstairs so he can show you your room, where you'll be sleeping for a few days while he needs you. Its a small but comfortable room with a pattered blanket and a nice set of wooden drawers and a few minor decorations here and there that were shades of bright blue and a burnt orange.

"Its lovely" you say as you put your bag on the bed.

"You wanna see him dont you?" Aang asks, jumping straight to the point.

He leans on the doorway with folded arms over his muscular chest. His arrow tattoos curved with his strong forearms. His face is soft with the expression of someone who knows exactly when hes right.

And hes absolutely right.

You nod and aang gestures with two fingers for you to follow him. He leads you back downstairs and into a narrow hallway down to a slightly ajar door. Inside, as peek in, you see him. He's fast asleep. Tired beyond all doubt. He bares a loose tunic of Aang's and a pair of dark trousers. His feet left bare.

He looks so beautiful and so mature. So different with long hair. But hell did it suit him. His lips are slightly parted, enough that you could hear his shallow breaths.

"Oh zuko"

You can see aang grinning like a proud father in the corner of your eyes. You make a silly face at him. "Don't make fun of me mister avatar, remember your not immune to tickling"

Aang immediately straightens up and clears his throat. "You want me to wake him up?"

"He looks so peaceful, I would hate for anything to-"

"WAKE UP FIRE BRO!"

Then, with a long red ribbon flying through his hands, barges in sokka. The water tribe man dances and flounces around the room like a madman before he ultimately trips...

On zuko's outstretched leg.

The fire lord wakes up an irritated groan. "Sokka, it is 9am, for the love of-"

Zuko's burnished gold eyes click onto yours. Instantly the whole world fades and its like the entire planet fades from existence and its just your and him. On an entirely different plane of existence where everything is peaceful and its the two of you under a weeping tree watching the autumn sunset on the walls of the fire nation.

Except your both thirteen years old and would burn the world down for one another.

"Zuko..."

"Ember!"

You still get chills after so many years, hearing his husky voice say your nickname.

"Sokka, out, now" Aang calls out.

"Aww but-"

"Now, or I'll put you on bin duty"

Sokka is like a moth to a flame as he almost teleports out the door and to aang, who winks at you and zuko before closing the door behind him.

"Come sit" zuko says as he scoots over.

You obey his command, firstly sitting but then the two of you just fall onto your backs, lying on the soft blanketed mattress. Zuko's fingers find yours in a pathetic amount of time.

"How uh...how are you?" He mutters.

"I've, ive uh-"

Zuko laughs and you cant help but be embarrassed. "I guess were both a little nervous huh?"

It gave you whiplash being around Zuko, because he looked the way he did, but acted completely different. Like a demon with the personality of a small mouse. Zuko rolled onto his side and leant on his arm.

"How's ruling the fire nation going?"

Zuko smiles. "Its, definitely hard. But I wouldn't give it up for anything"

"Not even me?" You feign a pout and then immediately start laughing.

But zuko isn't laughing.

"Except for you" he says blankly.

The laughs fade. "O-oh"

Hes being so dead serious, you almost feel like he's playing a trick on you. But when his large calloused hand finds your cheek, all thoughts blow away within a second. His hazy eyes glance down at your parted lips, they're slightly cracked from the months on being in different harsh environments but zuko looks at your mouth like its cherry pie.

"Zuko...I know i just got here but-"

He cuts you off with a kiss. A passionate, heart wrenching kiss that invites you to instinctively shift into his lap as he sits himself up. His rough hands are on your hips gripping within an inch of his life. Like he might fade from existence if he let's go of you even a little bit.

Your hands are tangled in his messy brown hair, the soft strands tickle you but something about it feels comforting.

"Ember..." he mumbles against your mouth. "Did you find sanctuary with someone else on your travels?"

You freeze and pull away to look at him. "You are my sanctuary, zuko. My home and my source of happiness. Gods, I wish I never left you all those years ago"

Zuko pants down your neck as he peppers you with kisses. "After tonight, I'll be pretty certain you won't be going anywhere again"

You let out a shudder, then a squeak as zuko flips the two of you over so hes hovering above you, his arms are so big that they almost trap you.

"And what makes you so certain about that, Fire lord?" You grin.

Zuko hums as he presses his body down.

"Oh I've never been so certain of anything in my life ember"