#gondolaride

Gliding along a canal so quiet you can hear the sound of your own happiness. A gondola ride in Venice is certainly a romantic experience. This, along with a stroll, mostly off the beaten path, is what my photoshoot is about. Not just (beautiful) photos, but also discovering and enjoying Venice.

#venicephotoshoot #venicevacation #couplesphotoshoot #couplegoals #travelingcouple #romanticvacation #photographervenice #venice #gondola #gondolaride

Summary: You and Zuko are reunited in a cell together on Boiling Rock.

Zuko x reader

Word count: 1687

Loud sounds coming from the corridor woke you up. Hearing shouting from outside your cell door was normal, but you couldn’t shake the thought that one of the voices sounded... familiar. Shaking the ridiculous thought from your mind, you turned over and shut your eyes again, hoping against hope for a good night’s sleep.

Suddenly the cell door was thrown open and someone was thrown inside. You startled up and stared at the guard, mouth agape.

“All outta room with the war prisoners coming tomorrow, so this one’s all yours,” she sneered at you.

Before you could come up with a response, the door was slammed shut and locked again. You heard a frustrated noise come from the man sprawled out in front of you. Glancing down at him, you furrowed your brow. Upon closer inspection, he looked familiar, too.

It wasn’t until he looked up that you put it all together.

“Zuko,” you breathed, shocked.

His eyes widened. “Y/n? What are you doing here?” He scrambled to his feet.

“What are you doing here?” You shot back.

He mumbled something, staring at his feet.

You huffed, “Zuko, you’re doing it again.”

He looked confused. “Doing what?”

“The mumbling!”

“Oh.”

There was a pause.

“So, you’re not gonna tell my why the prince of the fire nation is in a cell with his lowly childhood friend the traitor?”

He looked up at this. “Traitor? What-“

“Why. Are. You. Here.”

“I.... I’m helping the Avatar.”

For the first time in years, tendrils of hope bloomed in your chest. “What?”

“Well, I’m helping his friend, Sokka, rescue his father.”

“Wow. I definitely did not see that one coming.”

“Now you have to answer my question: why are you here?”

Now it was your turn to look at your feet. “I helped a group of earth benders try to recapture a group of villages conquered by the fire nation,” you said, “But we got caught.”

Zuko opened his mouth to speak, but the door swung open, again.

It was the warden. Your stomach twisted in fear at the sight of his ugly, unforgiving face.

His mouth turned upwards in what was probably meant to be a smile. “Prince Zuko.”

“How did you know who I am?”

“How could I not? You broke my niece’s heart.” You snapped your head towards him. What?

“You’re Mai’s uncle?” He asked in disbelief.

Mai, of course, he’d always had a crush in her ever since you were little.

“I never meant to hurt her.” Zuko sounded almost regretful.

What about me? You thought bitterly. Did you meant to hurt me?

“Quiet!” The warden snapped, “You’re my special prisoner now. And you’d best behave. If these criminals found out who you are the traitor prince who let his nation down, well they’d tear you to shreds.”

The two kept talking, but you had stopped listening, your mind too busy over thinking and over analyzing the new information you just heard.

When the warden finally left, Zuko’s shoulders slumped and he lowered himself onto the bench. He looked so pitiful that you almost wanted to give him a hug. Almost.

Instead, you settled on asking if he was okay.

“No.”

Yeahhhh in hindsight maybe that wasn’t the best question.

Not willing to give up on conversation just yet, you said, “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”

He still didn’t look up at you. “Me neither.”

“It’s crazy how much everything has changed.”

“Yeah.”

“Oh come on, Zuko! Would you stop being Mister Monosyllabic and wallowing I’m self- misery for one minute to have a conversation with me?!”

This made him stare up at you in shock. “S-sorry?”

“Yeah, well, you should be.” You say down next to him and let out a long sigh. “I’m sorry for snapping at you. It’s been a busy day”

“Tell me about it,” he muttered.

“The warden, he said you broke his niece’s heart. Mai’s heart.”

Zuko didn’t say anything. So you continued, “Why did you never tell me you loved her?”

He stared at you. “I don’t love her.”

You crossed your arms. “Well she clearly loved you.”

“I don’t know, I mean, I think she did. I thought she did. But she definitely doesn’t now.”

“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry. Love can be hard.”

“Have you ever been in love?”

You tilted your head, weighing your options. You decided on saying, “Yeah, yeah I think so.”

He looked almost disappointed. “What happened?”

You gave him a sad smile. “He loved someone else.”

The two of you sat in a mildly comfortable silence until it was time to do daily chores. You met up with a girl named Suki. You instantly clicked with each other when you met, and stick together as best you could. She was standing oddly close to a guard whose name you later learned to be Sokka. You, Suki, Sokka, and Zuko formulated an escape plan. It was risky and foolish but you were willing to do anything to get out of that place.

You and Zuko were both surprised at how easily you slid back into your old routine of banter and conversation. You hadn’t realized how much you’d missed your best friend, and it was good to have him back- even if his heart belonged to another.

Unfortunately, your plain failed. The four of you didn’t end up even following through with it, and the other guys who did, got caught.

On the bright side, Sokka found his father, Hakoda.

When the insane gondola plan was hatched, you all handled it seriously, knowing it was likely your last shot at freedom. By some miracle you all made it into the gondola. But Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee were not making it easy on you guys. Zuko looked like he was almost winning until Azula managed to hit your right shoulder with her fire bending, causing you to cry out and nearly fall off the roof of the gondola.

“No!” Zuko shouted and rushed over to you.

You groaned and clutched at your burning shoulder, “Ow.”

He made eye contact with Sokka and called, “Get her below!” Sokka nodded and tried to escape Ty Lee’s deadly acrobatics.

Azula smirked. “Well, well, brother. It seems you do have a weak spot other than our fat uncle.”

He glared at her, standing protectively over you, trying to shield you from his mad sister. “Don’t touch her,” he growled.

Suddenly the world shook. Everyone looked in horror at the prison guards cutting the line holding the gondola above the boiling water.

Ty Lee hopped to the second gondola for safety, allowing Sokka to grab you and get you off the roof. Zuko joined you moments later.

“They’re cutting the line!” He yelled, “This gondola is about to go.”

“I hope this thing floats.” Hakoda deadpanned.

You groaned again, feeling weaker by the second.

Zuko kneeled beside you and gripped your uninjured shoulder, “You’ll be fine, y/n, I’ve got you. Don’t worry.”

That was a lie and you both knew it. But you let it go. It was nice to believe in something sometimes.

All of a sudden, the sawing noise stopped and the gondola began to move again. Everyone but you rushed to the window

“Who’s that?” Sokka asked in disbelief.

“It’s Mai.” Zuko said in awe.

Once in the other side, Zuko slung your good arm over his shoulder and wrapped an arm around your waist to help you walk. You all stopped in a ridge and the boys said something, but your ears were ringing too loudly for you to hear.

“Zuko....”

“Y/n? What’s wrong?”

You immediately collapsed.

“Y/n!” Zuko lowered you to the ground and tried waking you. You stirred, but didn’t wake,

“We don’t have time for this, just carry y/n. Come on!” Suki said, staring nervously at the prison.

He scooped you up like one would a bride and raced after them.

You didn’t wake until Zuko had brought you to team Avatar. When you woke, he was sleeping beside you. You smiled and brushed a piece of hair out of his face. He stirred and opened his eyes.

“Y/n!” Quickly sitting up he brought his hand to your forehead, checking for a fever. “How do you feel?”

“Like I’ve been hit with a ball of Fire.”

He laughed. “Good to see you haven’t lost your sense of humor.”

“Ha, you wish.” You tried laughing but ended up wincing instead.

“Hey, hey, take it easy.”

“Thanks for, yaknow, saving me.”

”Well I couldn’t just leave you there, I-“ his face went bright red.

“You what, Zuko?”

“Nothing. It’s not important.”

“Oh I think it is.” You pressed.

He ducked his head.

He was muttering. “Zuko, you’re doing it again,”

“I love you.”

Your heart stopped. “No you don’t.”

“Huh?”

“You- you love Mai.”

“No I don’t!”

“But... I thought you...”

“I never loved her, it’s always been you. But now you love someone else and I’m too late.”

“It’s you.” You confessed, grabbing his hand. He met your eyes with hope shining in them.

“You love... me?”

You nodded and gave him a lopsided smile. “Always have.”

He let out a sound of relief and joy and pulled you into a passionate but gentle embrace. Instead of pulling away slowly, he tilted his head so his lips brushed your cheek softly, silently asking permission. You turned your head fully so your lips could connect and sparks flew behind your eyelids that thankfully weren’t a side effect from your blistered shoulder.

He whispered. “I’ve wanted to do that since-“

“Forever.” You finished.

“Yeah.” He closed his eyes and pulled you in for another kiss. You smirked and pulled him down on top of you.

That night you slept nestled into his chest and for the first time in years, you both slept peacefully.