(This is something of a Lore Building Exercise. Its measure of canon…ness is currently questionable but whatever. This is super off the cuff, with no pre-planning during my login queue, so it may seem clunky or relatively unfilled. Bear with me, I write better when I have plans.)
A gibbous moon shone over the dimly lit backstreets of Ul’dah. A single Midlander, wandering the darkened alleyways of the lesser-traveled quarters of the city, clutched a satchel of Gil that he had, only minutes earlier, collected from a nearby underground brothel. Quite an illegal brothel at that; where one might chance to find men and women alike, held against their will by detention or debt. One might assume that such a place could not exist in a city as lavish and extravagant as the Jewel of the Desert, under the watchful eyes of the Syndicate. But one would be mistaken.
The Midlander quickly glanced over his shoulder as he approached an intersection, believing he had felt a presence. He let out a sigh of relief. Nothing there. He turned back to face the junction when a shadowy figure, cast against the near-full moon, captured his gaze. The crimson glow of two blades, coupled with the piercing gaze of a single xanthous eye glaring down upon him, told him the danger he was in was immediate and immense. He turned on his heel and ran, only to hear the sudden crashing roof tiles upon the ground.
His mind screamed at him to turn and look, but the Midlander knew the noise meant but one thing: he was no longer a man. He was now a mouse. His feet carrying him as quickly as they could, he swerved and serpentined his way through the dark streets and alleys of the Ul’Dah slums. Everywhere he turned, footsteps above followed. Periodically, more tiles would fall to the streets below. He resolved to pass through a nearby market tunnel, hoping to bring his pursuer to his level, maybe even into a trap. He found a dark place to hide himself and drew a short knife. He would ambush his assailant and take their life.
The tunnel was nowhere near the glamorous nature of the Ruby Road Exchange, but there were plenty of stalls and carts for selling odds and ends, baubles and boons. The hunter fell for it. The Midlander heard the plummeting footfalls of leather boots dropping onto stone from above. Anticipation and fear gripped his throat as his breathing became silent and restrained.
The ominous red glow of the stalker’s blades shone upon the blackened walls of the marketplace, his shadowy figure cast upon the walls of the tunnel. As he approached, the Midlander gripped his weapon and gil tightly and swallowed his apprehension. There was only one choice now. He leaped out from his hiding place, aiming his blade at the throat of his hunter.
However, he felt his weight leave him, the hunter’s palms grasping his arms. He could feel the shift of direction as the unmistakable grip of a Miqo’te male spun him around and threw him against the opposite wall. The Midlander let out all of his held breathe in one gasping exhale before he clambered back to his feet, he knew now who his hunter was. He was reminded of a young Miqo’te woman who had committed suicide at the Brothel months ago, unable to endure such a life any longer. Regret for past deeds washed over his conscious like a flood. He dropped his gil and his knife, thinking only of preserving his life now.
He set on a dead sprint, wanting nothing more than to get as far away from the Miqo’te as possible, his assailants eye glowing in the darkness as it chased after him. Air whistling past him told him that he had narrowly dodged a knife aimed at his back. The Midlander turned over stall after stall in an attempt to delay the pursuit, but when he turned back, he saw the amber gaze seem to phase through each obstacle. He cried out in fear as he exited the marketplace and back into the open. Suddenly everything went silent.
The Miqo’te appeared before him, as though he had been there all along, simply waiting for the Midlander’s guilt to guide him to his doom. The assailant stepped forward slowly, his mark desperately glancing around for some escape, some sort of salvation, but found nothing. He merely staggered backwards, fear for his life apparent in his eyes.
The crimson blades seemed starved of blood, the miqo’te standing before him morphed into a ravenous demon in his mind, and small arms seemed to grasp at him from the edges of his weapons. As the demon drew closer it reeled back an arm. The seconds that followed felt like an eternity to the Midlander, as the arm was driven square into his face, temporarily bringing him back to his senses.
The Miqo’te’s face was now perfectly clear to him, as a blade crept up to his throat. “Y… You…”
“Remember her name.” Spoke the pursuer.
And the blade’s bloodthirst was sated.
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Title: Azula Writes a Romance Novel - Book 1 - “The Doctor & the Dolt*
Summary: Under the premise that Azula writes trashy romance novels for fun that are totally not about her brother and her waterbender friend, I’ve randomly started writing various scenarios in which the trashy romance novels would happen.
Last Time on “The Doctor and the Dolt”….
While on vacation in the South Pole, Ozai breaks his leg attempting to snow board, prompting his son, Zuko, to fly down immediately to make sure he’s alright. Zuko completely forgot that his ex-fiancee is a doctor and when he arrives at the hospital, discovers that the attending physician is non-other than his ex-fiancee, Katara - the woman he still loves.
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“Once more, Azula, you make your father proud.” The man with a cast on his leg gave his daughter a nod of approval as she sat on the hospital chair beside him. “Cleverly setting them up together in close quarters will no doubt bring them back together.”
“Thank you, Father,” Azula replied smoothly. “It began sooner than expected.”
“What began sooner than expected?” Ursa appeared at the doorway to Ozai’s hospital room with two cups of pudding in her hands. She gave her daughter a quizzical look as she crossed the small room. “Something exciting?”
“Wonderful timing, my dear,” Ozai told her. “Give one of my pudding cups to Azula. She certainly deserves it after her hard work.” Ursa raised an eyebrow and reached across the bed to hand Azula the chocolate pudding cup. “Ah- the vanilla one!”
Ursa barely contained her exasperated sigh before giving their daughter the vanilla pudding cup - Ozai’s least favorite of the two. She knew that Azula was not much of a pudding fan, but was pleased Azula accepted it none-the-less, if only to appease her father.
Ursa took her seat on the other side of Ozai’s bed. “Now, will you tell me what is happening?”
“Last night,” Azula said as she peeled off the top of the cup. “I heard noises coming from the den, so I went to check and found Katara on top of Zuko.”
A sharp gasped escaped Ursa. She lifted her free hand to cover her mouth as her eyes widened. Her pale cheeks reddened. “Oh my...where they...?”
“Mother, no.” Azula made a disgusted face.
“Zuko is relatively good-looking,” Ozai told them as he waited for Ursa to spoon feed him. “But not so much that women would throw themselves at him.”
Ursa frowned and held the pudding cup and spoon away. “Zuko is very handsome,” she defended. “And he is very kind and sweet. Women climb over themselves to get to him!”
Ozai snorted. “If he’s so handsome, why did his engagement fall through?”
“My life decisions may have had something to do with it, Your Highness,” a low voice hissed from the doorway.
Ozai looked past his wife and saw his temporary doctor leaning against the door frame, holding a metal clipboard at her side. A dull look was on Katara’s face as her lips tightened into a line. Ozai drew his head back slightly and let out a cough.
“Well, of course there was that! A relationship takes two people. Obviously, if you felt marrying my son was no longer a viable option, you had every right to call off the engagement,” Ozai said as he sat up straight. “Never mind how much disappointment it caused....”
Katara sighed and rolled her eyes. “Zuko and I came to a mutual agreement. I’ve told you before.”
“Oh, he’s not talking about Zuko being disappointed, Katara,” Ursa said as she lifted the spoon back to Ozai’s lips. He took the pudding as he pouted. “He’s talking about himself. He was quite disappointed.”
“You were disappointed, too!” Ozai reminded her.
“We were all disappointed,” Azula said as she finished off her vanilla pudding. “I was looking forward to having a sister.”
“Hmmm...and speaking of sister, my sister-in-law is here to take you to the airport,” Katara said. “Suki tried to call to the room, but the phone...” She looked towards the wall and found the phone unplugged. She frowned. “You’re not supposed to do that.”
“If I didn’t, Ozai would be on the phone with your father, trying to create an escape plan,” Ursa said gently. Katara gave the middle-aged man a look of disbelief.
“Sire-”
Ozai corrected her. “Father.”
“Father,” she scowled. “You only have a few more days and then you can leave.”
Ozai didn’t seem to care and looked out towards the window with a resentful look on his face. “This place is a prison.”
“This is a hospital!” Katara exclaimed. Azula rose from her seat and tossed the empty pudding cup into the trash bin as she passed it.
She walked past Katara and patted her shoulder. “Oh, let him keep his dreams alive. He knows he can’t just walk out with you here,” Azula smirked. “That’s why I asked you to oversee his stay.”
“Ugh...” Katara threw her arms in the air. “Your Highness, I will be back later to check on you.” It sounded more like a threat than a reminder. “Come on, Azula. I’ll walk you to the lobby.”
“Father, Mother, I’ll be flying back now,” Azula bowed to her parents before walking over and allowing her mother to give her an embrace from her seat.
“Darling, call when you arrive safely,” Ursa said as she kissed the side of her daughter’s head. “Check in on your uncle for us and tell him your father fine.”
“I will, Mother.” Azula moved to her father and gave him a small bow of her head. “Father, please allow your leg time to heal. If you aggravate it, you’ll only be bedridden longer.”
“Don’t tell me what to do,” Ozai huffed. He craned his head towards her and Azula gave him a small peck on the cheek. While she was her father’s favorite, they weren’t very affectionate. Traditional cheek kisses were what worked best, it seemed. “Safe travels, Princess.”
She bowed her head again and headed out the door with Katara.
As they walked down the hall, the doctor passed the nurse’s station. “Make sure his lunch meal does not include pudding,” she instructed. “He’s already had more than alotted today.”
Azula smirked. “Oh, he’ll love that.”
“I’m sure,” Katara said. “Are you flying straight to the Caldera?”
Azula nodded. “Yes, I’ve already informed Uncle. I have work to return to and have asked to have the bulk of Father’s work transferred to me while he is in recovery.”
“You’ll spoil him,” Katara said. They waited by the elevators and when it opened, they stepped in. “Also, don’t do so much. Hand over some stuff to Zuko.”
“Zuko already has his hands full,” Azula replied. “If there is one positive about your engagement ending, it was that Zuko tried to drown himself in work.”
“Azula,” Katara frowned with disapproval. “That’s not a good thing.”
“Oh, normally, I would agree,” the princess said understandingly. “However, the progress made on the Fire Nation’s health care and emergency services infrastructure is impressive. I can’t deny the results.” The elevator jerked as they began to go down. Azula kept a smirk on her lips as she looked back at Katara. “But if you feel that it is too much for him, do feel free to...help him relax.”
Katara raised a single brow. “Nice try, but it’s not going to work.” A small ding filled the elevator and the doors opened.
“What’s not going to work?” the other woman asked, innocently. Katara stepped outside of the elevator and Azula followed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Right,” Katara rolled her eyes. “Listen, I’m fine with letting Zuko stay with me while your father is recovering, but at best, he’s a house guest and nothing will happen between us.”
Azula looked thoughtful for a moment. “There you are!” they heard Suki’s voice from the lobby’s entrance. “Azula, let’s go. We’re cutting it close to your plane flight.”
“Oh, we’ll make it on time,” Azula assured her smoothly before turning back to Katara. “How long do you think it will be until my father is fit for travel?”
“I’d give him two weeks, though he may try to prolong it so he can hang out with my parents.” Describing Ozai as someone who would ‘hang out’ was odd, but that’s what he seemed to do. Azula’s red lips curled into a smirk.
“Two weeks,” she said.
Katara nodded. “Yes, about two weeks, then Zuko can escort them home.” Azula’s smirk grew wider.
“Very well then, I will believe your claims of a mutual friendship with my brother over a romantic one in two weeks,” Azula said. Katara let out a small gasped and frowned.
“Azula-”
“Good-bye, dear Katara,” Azula made a small show of leaning forward and kissing Katara on each cheek before heading towards Azula. “Try to prove me wrong, though I should remind you,” she said as she strutted to Suki’s car. She looked over her shoulder once more carrying an almost infuriating look of triumph. “I rarely am.”
“She’s crazy.” Katara chugged down a paper cup filled with water before nearly slamming the empty cup on the desk piled with stacks of folders in front of her.
Suki looked up from the piles of folders she was collecting and grinned. “She’s just hopeful.”
“It’s been years!” Katara protested as she sat up straight. She lifted her hand and rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Why can’t she accept that Zuko and I broke off the engagement because we thought it was for the best.”
Her brown-haired sister-in-law shrugged and fingered through one of the folders. “Maybe Azula didn’t think it was for the best.”
A heavy sigh escaped the doctor. “I think that Zuko and I can make our own decisions. We’re adults.”
“True.”
“We knew our responsibilities and what we had to do.”
“Also true.”
“So why doesn’t Azula get it?” Across from Katara, Suki gently closed the folder and looked back at the doctor.
“I admit: I don’t know Azula as well as you do, but her ability to read people has never ceased to amaze me,” Suki said. “I still remember the time you invited me and Sokka to Ember Island that summer because Azula had her family’s beach cottage.”
“Some cottage...that thing is a maze....” Katara muttered.
“And as big as it was,” Suki continued. “I noticed that you somehow always running into Zuko.” Katara’s face flushed and she shook her head. It wasn’t as if she had purposely sought him out back then. They sort of just ended up in the same place....
“We weren’t together then-”
“I know,” Suki cut her off. “I had pointed it out to Sokka and you know him. He wouldn’t stand for it.” Katara wrinkled her nose. Suki had a point. “He was about to march over and drag you to town with us, but Azula suddenly swept in and somehow, we ended up on a boat, far away from you and Prince Charming.”
Katara groaned and buried her face in her hands. “Please don’t call him that.”
Suki chuckled. “All I’m saying is that if anyone saw the chemistry between you and Zuko first, it was Azula.”
“And what are you suggesting?” Katara asked as she crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back, frowning. “That Azula still sees something there?”
“Azula double majored in political theory and chemistry,” Suki said. “The woman knows sparks when she sees them.”
Katara stared at her with disbelief. “Now you’re crazy, too.”
Suki shook her head and turned towards the door. “You’re an adult, you can make your own decisions,” she asserted. She paused by the door. “But as a reminder, he’s not a bad one.”
“Get back to work or I’ll tell my brother you’re trying to hook me up with my ex-fiance!” Katara grumbled. Suki chuckled and closed the door behind her. Katara let out a heavy sigh and sank back into her seat.
She closed her eyes for a moment before looking around her small office. Reference books, medical journals, patient charts, and various accolades filled it. Her desk supplies were kept in a drawer, since her desk was constantly piled with papers that the pens and such would be lost. Her eyes drifted to the monitor screen. She moved her mouse over the ‘send’ button of and sent an email reply to one of her patients before closing the program. The background photo was a lovely picture her mother had sent her using the new camera they had gotten her for her birthday.
It had been taken in the Fire Nation during one of her parents’ vacations with Prince Ozai and Princess Ursa, and it was of one of the palace gardens. It was a well-balanced photo, sharp, and with saturated colors, but it wasn’t just aesthetically pleasing.
It was the garden where Zuko asked if she would like to formally date him.
Katara found herself smiling slightly at the memory. It was Lu Ten’s birthday celebration and Azula dragged her to it. She had claimed it was going to be a ‘casual party’, but had immediately dressed Katara in gowns and brought her into a fancy dining hall with some of the Fire Nation’s oldest, wealthiest families.
“Oh, please, Katara. This is nothing,” Azula assured her. “His coming-of-age celebration was a week long.”
It may have been nothing to Azula, but Katara was quickly overwhelmed. Zuko, who had visited her a few times while at college and kept in contact with her after that summer on Ember Island, asked if she wanted to go into the garden for some air. She readily agreed and he escorted her out.
He apologized for his sister, but admitted that she was correct about the ‘simplicity’ of the party. He asked about Katara’s studies and they talked about the books they were reading. They talked about the cartoons they liked - both guilty pleasures and kept hidden from Azula, worried that she would not let them live it down.
It turned out, Azula was an even larger fan.
They liked the same thing and Katara had asked when he was going to visit again soon.
“I can use a break. We can go watch that superhero movie Sokka is freaking out about,” Katara chuckled. They were seated on a stone bench beside one of the ponds, the light of the party behind them. The sound of it wafted in the air faintly, Katara recalled.
“I’m almost done with part of my paper, so soon,” Zuko said. “Are you sure you don’t mind me coming to visit?”
She smiled at him and gave him a slight, teasing nudge of her shoulder. “I like it when you visit. Don’t get me wrong, Azula’s a great friend, actually, but being around you....”
She trailed off, unsure of how to explain it. She had fixed her eyes away from him, too embarrassed to check his expression.
“Yeah,” Zuko said softly. She felt him brush aside some of her bangs and she turned to look at him. “Same.”
Katara could still remember the way her heart slammed against her chest and the heat of her face as she met his gaze. Before she could stop herself, she spoke.
“I really like you, Zuko.” It sounded so childish, now that she thought about it. They were young, but surely she could’ve found another way to say it.
Not that it would’ve mattered. His face turned red and he suddenly seemed so shy. He drew his hand back. “I....” He was trying to speak, but all she was able to think about at the time was how surreal the situation was: she, a commoner from the South Pole, was sitting beside a Fire Nation prince. “I would like to see you more, no...not just that.”
Zuko looked uncertain and, now, she realized he was terrified. “Zuko?”
“Katara, I know the burden on you would be much and that you’re busy with school,” he told her. “But I would like to see you more, formally, as my girlfriend.”
Then, they had spent an unknown amount of time making out in the garden after she immediately agreed. It only came to an end when Zuko’s uncle, Fire Lord Iroh, stumbled upon them.
“Ah...young love.” He seemed pleased - not at all angry, like Katara expected, but he had caught them by surprise. As soon as he made himself known, Katara panicked and shoved Zuko away from her. Equally surprised, Zuko stumbled and fell backwards into the pond.
A snort left Katara as she turned away from the monitor screen. Shaking her head, still amused by the memory of a soaking Zuko sitting, stunned, in a pond, she began to clean up her desk and prepare the documents she would need to work on tomorrow.
The little clock on her monitor said she could’ve left an hour ago, but she spent more time than she thought answering emails. Once her work was in place, she gathered her things and headed to Ozai’s room.
As she passed the nurse’s station, she dropped off some more folders, and turned the corner, immediately stopping as she caught sight of the man in the vacant waiting room, scowling as he clenched a phone in one hand.
“It would’ve been nice for you to tell me,” Zuko hissed into his ear piece. He glared at the magazine rack and stopped pacing. “No, I’m not angry!”
Curiously, Katara approached the waiting room, wondering who he was clearly angry at. She kept close to the wall and peered in as he continued to pace.
“That is ridiculous, I do not have....” His face reddened. “Is that supposed to make me feel better? Ugh!”
“Sir, please!” a nurse said as she passed. Katara darted back around the corner, to avoid being seen. “Keep your voice down!”
“Sorry!” Zuko said, his voice lower. The nurse gave him a glare and then continued on. Katara carefully moved closer to the waiting room. “Great, now the nurses are angry at me. Thanks a lot, Jet.”
Katara’s eyes widened and her mouth made a little ‘o’ shape. So he was talking to Jet - Zuko’s charismatic, daredevil of a friend from university. As much as their personalities seemed to clash, Zuko put up with Jet and Jet was loyal to Zuko.
She didn’t hear Zuko hang up, but turned heard his footsteps approaching. She snapped into attention and tried casually step out just as he was leaving the waiting room.
“Oh, Zuko! I didn’t know you were still here!” she smiled as he stopped before running into her. He blinked and nodded.
“I was trying to convince father to fly back sooner, but he insists that he can ‘recover’ at your parents’ house,” Zuko told her. He gave her an apologetic look. “Sorry about that.”
She shook her head as she continued walking. Zuko automatically fell into step beside her. “There is nothing for you to apologize for. Besides, my parents love having him and your mom over,” Katara replied.
“Still, you know how demanding my father is.” Zuko let out an exasperated sigh. “He can be so dramatic, too.”
“Your mom keeps him in check,” Katara said as they neared Ozai’s room. “Besides, I think it’s nice that they’ve gotten so close.”
“Because...you know....” He made some vague hand motions towards her and then to him. “They’re our parents and we used to....”
He trailed off, but Katara found that she could easily fill in the blank. Be engaged. Date. Kiss. Sleep together. Go on life-changing field trips.
Katara shoved the thoughts away and forced a smile on her face. “You get used to it.” They reached Ozai’s room and heard voices coming from within.
“You had one job,” Ozai sounded irritated. “One job!”
“Who should I listen to? The high maintenance prince of a foreign country or my daughter who is trying to keep him alive?” Katara perked up at her father’s voice. “I’m going to go with my daughter, who is your doctor.”
“Don’t betray me like this, Hakoda,” Ozai warned.
“Stop being so dramatic,” Kya sighed. “It isn’t as if you’re starving.”
“Kya, my dear, have you seen the food they serve here?” Ozai argued. “You bring food for my wife to feast on-”
“It is delicious as always, Kya,” Ursa sounded pleased. “You always add just the right amount of spices for me.”
“See!” Ozai yelled. “She gets to eat such delicious food and I am stuck with this...this...prison gruel!”
Katara tilted her head back and groaned inwardly. Zuko bit his lower lip to keep from laughing. “Alright, that’s it,” the doctor frowned she walked into the room. “How many times must I tell you, this is not a prison!”
“You denied me of my pudding cups!” Ozai accused, immediately.
“Honey,” Kya sighed from the seat beside Ozai. “Why would you do that?”
“He probably ate more than he was supposed to,” Hakoda assessed from where he was leaning against the wall. Ozai looked away, still irritated. “See? Bingo.”
Kya craned her neck to look past Katara. “And who is that I see with you?”
Zuko too it as his cue to appear. He stepped into the room and smiled, bowing his head at Katara’s parents respectfully. “Sir, Mam...good evening.”
“Oh, Zuko, it’s been so long!” Kya rose from her seat and opened her arms towards him. “How is work? I’ve heard many good things.”
“Stressful, but ultimately worth it,” Zuko said as he embraced her back. “How are you both?”
“We’re doing well, son,” Hakoda greeted as she approached to shake his hand. “Far better than your father, that’s for sure.” He grinned as Ozai shot him a glare.
“Have you lost weight?” Kya frowned as she stepped back. “You feel lighter? Do you want something to eat?”
“No, no, I’m fine,” Zuko assured them as he shook Hakoda’s hand. “I ate a sandwich at lunch.”
“Lunch?” Kya gasped as if he said something offensive. That had been hours ago.
“He’s been trying to convince Ozai to fly back as soon as he is discharged from here,” Ursa explained as she dabbed a napkin against her lips. “What about dinner, Zuko? At least tell me you are getting dinner.”
“I’ll...find something,” he said.
“That sounds suspicious,” Hakoda said. He put a fatherly hand on Zuko’s shoulder. “Why don’t Kya and I drop you off at your hotel and pick you up something on the way?”
At that, Ozai’s face seemed to look elated. “Actually, he’s not staying at any hotel.”
“What?” Kya looked at Zuko, concerned. “Zuko, only one person can stay with the patient over night-”
Zuko could see Ozai smirking over Kya’s shoulder. “Oh, he’s not staying here, either.”
Several pairs of eyes seemed to move to Katara. The doctor stiffened, tightening the hold on her bag at her side as the expectant gazes of four parents settled on her.
“He’s staying in the guest room since Azula left this morning,” she said quickly, as if to combat any other idea they may have had.
The room was quiet for a bit longer. “I see,” Hakoda finally said. His eyes flickered back to Zuko as he pulled his arm back. “Have Katara pick up dinner for you both on her way back.”
“When are you leaving, Katara?” Kya asked.
Katara shuffled her bag forward, as if to answer them. “I just got off. I was coming down to get Zuko so he wouldn’t have to take a taxi.” She looked back at him uncertainly. “Unless, you wanted to stay longer?”
Before he could answer, Ozai yelled. “No! I refuse to listen to his nonsense about leaving immediately after my discharge any longer!”
Zuko closed his eyes and tried to suppress his frustration. “I’ve given up trying to talk some sense into him,” he told Katara. “I’m ready to leave when you are.”
“Okay, well, let’s get going then. I know a good seafood soup place on the way home,” she agreed. Zuko began to collect his things and Katara bid their parents a good night.
As they walked towards the elevator, Zuko began to put his coat on. “He’s adamant on staying.”
“Let him,” Katara said. “He probably just wants to run out the rest of his vacation.”
“He still has to return to Fire Nation,” Zuko replied. The elevator doors opened and they stepped inside. “I don’t know how he gets any work done with the amount of time off he takes to go on adventures with your parents.”
Katara chuckled as she turned around and pressed the button for the ground floor. The elevator doors closed and they jerked as it began to go down. “It’s just for a few more days.”
Zuko ran his hand through his hair. “How much longer?”
Katara paused. The elevator dinged and she pursed her lips. “Two weeks.”
The doors opened and Zuko stepped out without a thought. “Two weeks, huh?” he said. “Is it okay for me to stay that long?”
“Huh?” Katara snapped out of her thoughts as she blinked and quickly followed after him before the elevator closed its doors once more. “What?”
Zuko raised an eyebrow. “Is it okay for me to stay at your place for two more weeks?”
Her heart was quickening in a familiar way. She could feel her skin warming despite her insistence that there was no need to.
Katara smiled and looked up at him. “Of course it is, Zuko,” she assured him before stepping around him and heading towards the parking lot. “You’ve lived with me before. I’m sure two weeks will be fine.”
Title: Azula Writes a Romance Novel - Book 1 - “The Doctor & the Dolt*
Summary: Under the premise that Azula writes trashy romance novels for fun that are totally not about her brother and her waterbender friend, I’ve randomly started writing various scenarios in which the trashy romance novels would happen.
Last Time on "The Doctor and the Dolt”….
While on vacation in the South Pole, Ozai breaks his leg attempting to snow board, prompting his son, Zuko, to fly down immediately to make sure he’s alright. Zuko completely forgot that his ex-fiancee is a doctor and when he arrives at the hospital, discovers that the attending physician is non-other than his ex-fiancee, Katara - the woman he still loves.
Tired after his red-eye flight to check on Ozai, he reluctantly joins Azula at Katara’s place, where Azula is spending the night, just to rest before finding a hotel.
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The noise was low, but consistent. It wasn’t too loud, but it was loud enough to pierce the sleep of the worn man laying across a sofa that was too short to contain him. His feet hung off one of the arms and the several of the pillows that usually rested on it were kicked to the ground.
Zuko took a deep breath and tiredly opened his eyes as he turned towards the door.
“Stupid...ugh....” The door opened, there was thud, but it didn’t open entirely. He could see light coming from the streetlight outside come in with each irritated thud that sounded. “Why did she put the chain on!?”
“Katara?” Zuko muttered. He slid his legs across the couch and pushed himself up. His body was still heavy, reminding him that he wasn’t ready to get up yet, and he wondered how long he was asleep.
Dutifully, Zuko rose to his feet as the woman stuck outside began to yell. “Azula!” she tried to call out as loudly as she could without waking her neighbors. “A-zu-la!”
“Hold on,” Zuko called. “I’ll get the chain.” He couldn’t tell if she was surprised or not to see him. Frankly, he wasn’t thinking about it. It was cold out and she needed to get inside; plus his mind was still heavy with sleep.
The lights were off in the small home and only the streetlight filtered by the curtains provided a source of light. It was enough for Zuko to navigate his way to the front door without hitting anything. He stumbled up a step from the sunken den and pushed the door closed just enough to undo the chain his sister had probably placed there to secure the door.
As soon as it was off, he held it open and a burst of cold air hit him. Attempting to hide behind the door didn’t help much. Katara squeezed in as quickly as she could and he slammed the door behind her. He fumbled with the door locks as he shivered.
“You okay?” she asked as she shook off the snow on her shoulders.
“It was just a second,” he assured her. “How long were you out there?”
“At least a minute,” Katara said. “She knew I was coming home late. Why did she lock the chain, too? How was I supposed to get in?”
Zuko yawned and walked past her, heading back to the sofa and a blanket that still remained folded on the floor. At the very least, Azula seemed to have tried to keep him warm...albeit spreading the blanket over him would’ve been much better.
“I don’t know,” he said. He bent down to pick it up. “What time is it?”
“Almost one in the morning,” Katara said as she shrugged off her heavy coat and began peeling through some of her layers. She didn’t bother turning on the hall light - she was used to coming home late to darkness. “What are you doing here?”
“I had take-out with Azula and was going to call around for rooms, but I fell asleep.” He turned around and bowed his head in her direction. “I’m sorry for the intrusion,” he added. “I didn’t mean to inconvenience you.”
He didn’t catch the brief flash of sadness on her face at the word ‘inconvenience’. Did he think he was to her? Katara forced a welcoming smile on her face. “It’s fine. Your mom told me you took a red eye to get here. Just get some rest.”
“Thanks, Katara.” A creak was heard as he fell back on to the couch. Katara looked over her shoulder as she tugged off her boots her and chuckled to herself. She couldn’t remember Zuko ever sleeping on a couch. He was a royal! Was he forgetting?
Then again, his sister was sleeping in the guest bedroom of a friend, so she supposed formalities were damned at that point. She walked through the kitchen and found some food in the fridge marked for her.
The note was more a threat, actually: “We need you alive to take care of Father. Eat or perish.” Ah, Katara missed those Azula-notes.
“Sleep first, then eat....” She cut past the den once more and paused as she looked at Zuko and the blanket across him. Katara shook her head and disappeared into the hall, only to return with a thicker blanket and an actual pillow for sleeping. “Zuko, here. Use these.”
“I’m fine....” Zuko mumbled, not bothering to open his eyes.
“Do you want a neck ache in the morning?” Katara scolded. “Here...it’s memory foam. I know how much you love memory foam.”
He turned his head away. “No...sleep.” What was he, a child? Katara narrowed her eyes and proceeded to slam the pillow on his head. “Hey!”
“It’s two seconds! Just lift your head and use this!” she ordered as she hit him two more times.
“Alright! Alright!” Zuko sat up, his hair completely ruffled and his face red. He shot her a glare and grabbed a pillow he had been sleeping on. Katara bent down and placed the memory foam pillow where it had been. She looked pleased and Zuko rolled his eyes. “Happy?”
“Yes.” He hit her with the throw pillow he had been using earlier. A sharp, indignant gasp escaped her as Zuko chuckled and fell back on the sofa.
“You little....”
“You’re right...the memory foam is great.” He smiled, satisfied as he seemed to snuggle into his make-shift bed.
Katara’s hands tightened around the thicker blanket before she threw it down on him, just above his groin. He let out a gruff grunt just before she reached down and grabbed the pillow she had forced upon him. “You know what, a throw pillow is good enough.”
“No!” Zuko scrambled to reach out and grab his precious memory foam. “You said I could use it!”
“Too late!”
“Katara!” Zuko reached upwards and didn’t grab the pillow; he grabbed Katara. One hand pulled down the pillow and with it, the doctor. His other arm rose, swept around her, and pulled her into him. It was a familiar movement and she fell into him instinctively. Several years had passed, but their bodies still remembered.
“Zuko!” she gasped.
“I save you from the cold, waking up from my first sleep in over a day, and you hit me with a blanket?” he growled as her thick, brown hair slid past her shoulder. The weight of her body pressed down on top of him One leg was bent between both of his as the other hung off the side of the couch. Her head hovered just above his and he could feel her breath against his face.
The proximity of their bodies was suddenly very, very clear to Katara and she couldn’t find the strength to move.
“You started it...” she attempted to argue, though her voice lacked any conviction. Her eyes kept his as her shallow breathing evened. She wondered if he realized how close they were or if he was even awake enough to. Was she the only one aware of the situation?
His hands upon her and the firm body beneath hers brought back memories from years ago, when such physically close distance between them was an everyday occurrence. He always strived to be calm and composed in public, but was actually quite affectionate in private; often embracing her and nuzzling his head against hers.
She knew him as well as he knew her and he was always gentle with her. Even now, the hand that had pulled him down had loosened and was stroking her wrist comfortingly.
His eyes softened as his warm voice whispered to her. “I missed you, Katara.”
Her body relaxed against his and for a moment, she wanted to rest her head against the crook under his chin. She wanted to remain there, filled with a calm feeling, listening to his heart beat as he would undoubtedly raise his hand and stroke the back of her head. Zuko would whisper that she worked hard that day and that she needed to rest. Then he’d lull her to a safe and comfortable sleep beside him.
Her chest began to ache as she wished they were in the position to allow such a scenario to come true. They had been apart for several years, both lost in their own busy lives with scarcely a moment to dwell on a broken engagement during that time. On her end, at least, she tried not to think about it.
But she couldn’t deny that she missed him, too.
Slowly, she could feel her head lowering and closing the gap between them. Her eyes moved down to his lips as a small voice in the back of her mind tried to remind her that the man beneath her was no longer her fiance; he was just a friend, at best.
Her name slipped from his lips once more. “Katara....”
She closed her eyes. That small voice be damned.
Neither heard the irritated, rapidly approaching footsteps or noticed the light turn on further down the hall.
“I am trying to sleep!” a shrill voice cut through the dim room and Katara’s eyes shot open as she was suddenly pushed back. Zuko had tensed beneath her and he released Katara immediately.
“Ah!” She yelped as she tumbled to the side, off Zuko and the sofa, as he scrambled to put distance between them.
He gasped as he reached after her, upon realizing what had happened. “Katara!” A thud sounded as she landed on the floor and discarded throw pillows.
“Azula!” Katara half groaned and half reprimanded.
At the entrance to the den, the black-haired woman in her thickest black and red matching pajamas, raised an eyebrow. Her earlier irritation quickly faded into mild curiosity. Her arms crossed over her chest as she eyed the former couple. Katara was on her back, on the ground, and Zuko was sitting on the edge of the sofa, trying to help her up.
Azula didn’t think they would react to each other so soon. She would have to report to her parents about the turn of events.
“My apologies,” she said in a droll voice as she turned around. “Please continue.”
“What?” Zuko looked confused.
“Wait!” Katara shouted as she tried to bat Zuko’s hands away. “It’s not like that! I was only giving him a pillow!”
“I don’t care what you call it,” Azula said smoothly as she disappeared back down the hall. The light turned off. “Just keep it down.”
A few seconds later, the sound of her door closed and Zuko looked back at Katara. “I told you this is what happens when you let her stay.”
Katara rolled her eyes and pushed herself up. She brushed off her pants. “I’ve known Azula longer than I’ve known you,” she reminded him as she straightened up. “I know her well enough.”
Zuko sighed and fell back against the sofa. His arms rose and rested atop the backrest as he tilted his head back and closed his eyes. His legs were spread in front of him as he tried to clear his head.
He wasn’t sure if he was disappointed that Azula arrived or relieved. What would’ve happened if his sister hadn’t interrupted them. Would anything have happened?
Katara fidgeted as she rose to her feet. She tried to distract herself by gathering the discarded pillows, but allowed her eyes to move down the man’s body when he wasn’t paying attention. His buttoned up shirt was missing a tie and the top two buttons were undone. It was untucked and his belt was unbuckled, but still on. His pants were wrinkled and he looked every bit the man who thought he was going to take a quick nap and then ended up falling asleep.
Yet, she still licked her lips and entertained the fantasy of crawling on top of him and straddling his hips. He’d no doubt look surprised and his pale face would flush. He wouldn’t know what to do, and that clueless, shy Zuko always did make the butterflies in her stomach flutter.
“Katara?” Her head snapped upwards and she blinked. Zuko cocked his head to the side and gave her questioning look. “Can I keep the the pillow?”
Slowly, she could feel her face heating up as she pulled herself out of her fantasy. She hoped that Zuko didn’t notice and she took a step back before hurling the memory foam pillow at his face.
“Sure.” The pillow slid down into his hands and she smirked, satisfied she had gotten one last hit in. “Get some rest.” She turned around and headed to the hall.
He gave her a curious look, but shrugged and slid down on the sofa, moving the pillow behind his head. “You, too. You worked hard today and need some sleep.”
Katara stopped in midstep and turned around. Zuko didn’t seem to think anything of his comment as he spread his blanket over him. She rested her hand on the doorway and bit her lower lip.
“Azula is leaving in the morning,” she said, surprised she was actually going to offer. Her grip on the doorway tightened as she gathered her courage. “You can have her room tomorrow.”
Zuko stopped straightening the blanket around him and lifted his head. He furrowed his brows and gave her an uncertain look. “I...That’s alright,” he forced himself to say. “I was going to find a hotel tomorrow so I wouldn’t bother you.”
“You’re not a bother.” She said quickly. Her lips tugged into a frown as she tried to measure her words. “You know you’re welcomed to stay here.”
“I know that and I’m grateful, but....” He trailed off and looked away, trying to figure out how to tell her it would be strange without saying those exact words.
“Does staying with me make you uncomfortable?” He inwardly winced as Katara asked. Of course she’d know what was bothering him immediately.
“No, of course not,” he lied. She gave him a disbelieving look as he tried to avoid her eyes. “I mean, it is a bit...weird, don’t you think? Your ex-fiancee spending a few nights at your place?”
“I thought we were going to at least try to stay friends,” Katara pointed out. Zuko clenched his jaw. That was true. The break-up had been amicable and mutual, and they did agree to try to remain friends. After all, Katara was still close friends with Zuko’s sister and their parents constantly went on vacations with each other.
“So...as friends?” he asked tentatively.
“As friends,” Katara assured him. “It’ll be convenient since there is a kitchen and you can reheat food or cook. And your parents will know where to reach you if they can’t find you. Or if your dad tries to escape, the hospital will call me first, so....”
He smiled at her point and nodded. “Alright, you make a good argument.”
“I win?”
“You win,” he chuckled. He leaned back and let out a content sigh. “Good night, Katara.”
She was a grown woman, her heart shouldn’t have skipped a beat, but it did. A soft smile lingered on her face as she headed down the hall. “Goodnight, Zuko.”
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Notes from MiaV: I was totally going to try to do Zutara Week with DamageCtrl/KissTheseWalls, but we both lacked the time. :( Please instead accept the offering of my random quick writing exercises.
Quick Writing Exercise - The Ozai & Hakoda In a (Possibly Magic) Boarding School Buddy Fic You Never Knew You Wanted.
Title: Have you met my friend, Ozai?
Summary: AU - Seventeen year old Ozai has one last chance (according to him) to ask Ursa to the Solstice ball and asks a generally uninterested Hakoda to be his wingman.
I swear, I just keep writing weirder and weirder crap. I’m so sorry...T_T
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“So, I told him if he wanted it, he’d have to pluck it from my cold dead hands,” the black-haired man smirked as he leaned back against his seat at the only good tea house in the small town near his school. The trio of underclassman who had run into him laughed at his story while Ozai ran his hand through his thick black hair.
It was a bit longer than it had been in the summer, when he had cut it for the first time in years. His father protested cutting his hair so short - it was not tradition for men of their family to do so, he had insisted, but Ozai did so anyway. Besides, he thought it brought out his strong, chiseled jawline.
It had grown out a bit, but it still wasn’t as long as Hakoda’s. The Water Tribe student had started wearing his hair longer and tied back, occasionally into what Bato called a “man-bun”, and as such, Ozai had started hearing female students complimenting Hakoda on his hair.
Not to be outdone, Ozai decided he should try the man-bun thing. Soon, he figured, he’d have the perfect length for one. He needed to tell Hakoda that when the top student arrived at the tea house.
At best, there was a block of shops where the students could wander on weekends. He could’ve certainly gone to the dessert parlor or a fancy cafe or that arcade where his friends had told him he had developed a slightly concerning obsession with that dancing game - they were just jealous - but instead, he had opted to meet his friend from another dorm at the tea shop.
“Yes, and I’m sure you would’ve rather died than to have me swoop in and take it from you while you’re still alive,” another voice cut in through the chuckling of the classmates that had come by to greet him. Ozai looked up from his seat and gave a nod to the brown-haired man removing his jacket.
“I thought your academics dorm would have more punctual people,” Ozai snorted as he gave the small crowd a dismissing nod. They shuffled away to leave the heir to a vast fortune to chat with the best student of their year. “Am I wrong?”
“Well, it wouldn’t be the first time, would it?” Hakoda grinned as he took a seat. He lifted his hand to wave down a server.
“Hold on, hold on,” Ozai said as he sat up straight and leaned across the table with an outstretched arm. “Not so fast!” As the server arrived, he shook his head. “We need another minute, miss.”
Hakoda furrowed his brows. “What are you talking about? I know exactly-”
Gold eyes darkened across the table and shot the other young man a hard glare. “Another minute.” he stressed.
Hakoda paused and raised a brow, but conceded. “Alright....” His hands slowly wandered to the menu on the edge of the table as he turned to the server and gave her a solemn nod. “Another minute please.”
“I’ll come by again in a bit,” the server assured them before turning around to leave.
As soon as she was out of hearing range, Hakoda turned back to Ozai. “What are you scheming?”
Ozai let out a mildly offended scoff. “Scheming...?” He tried to look insulted. “Honestly, Hakoda, I don’t know-”
“You always get jasmine tea and two fruit tarts, which you tell the server are for both of us, even though you eat them both,” Hakoda said knowingly. “And if you do get here first, you’ll also order me green tea and two smoked salmon biscuits; one of which you eat. You know exactly what we order whenever we come here, therefore, for you to have gone out of your wait to avoid ordering anything means that your little mind-”
“Little!?”
“-has a plan,” Hakoda concluded as Ozai scowled. The brown-haired man pushed his chair back. “I want no part of it.”
“What!?” Ozai’s eyes widened . “How dare you? I invite you out-”
“Do you, or do you not have an ulterior motive?” Hakoda asked, deadpan. Ozai’s look simmered down as he slowly looked away. Hakoda rolled his eyes. “You’re an idiot.”
He shook his head and began to stand up.
“No, wait!” Ozai reached across the table. “I need support!”
That stopped Hakoda. He turned back to the black-haired man giving him a look of near utter desperation, that it was almost comical. He had half a mind to take a photo and send it to Ozai’s older brother, Iroh. Intrigued, Hakoda slowly returned to his seat.
“Explain and I’ll decide if I want to take part in it or not,” Hakoda replied.
Briefly, a look of relief flashed across Ozai’s face before his usual expression of extreme confidence replaced it. “I heard through the halls that they’ll be here today.”
Hakoda’s eyes slowly crinkled up. “Who-”
“And I thought to myself, who could I rely on during this important moment? That’s when I decided on you. You, my friend,” Ozai grinned, utterly proud of himself. “Are the perfect wingman.”
The alarms went off in Hakoda’s head. He didn’t know who “they” were, but he knew that one of them had to be Ursa Hiraa, a popular young woman from a different dorm who studied theater arts. Due to their different schools of study, they hardly had any contact, but after Ozai had that mandatory art history class where he met her in third year, the idiot heir had been struck.
It was unfortunate for Ozai that the art history class was the last he had shared with Ursa, but it was more unfortunate for Hakoda, who volunteered to assist the theater department with stage effects and often crossed paths with her. It had been Hakoda’s mistake to tell Ozai that Ursa had broken up with her long-time boyfriend.
“Well, it was nice seeing you today, Ozai,” Hakoda said as his chair scraped across the floor once more. “Let’s do this again when you haven’t lost your mind.”
“Hakoda!” Ozai shot up from his seat. “Don’t abandon me! What kind of friend are you!?”
“The one that sees a train wreck when it’s coming,” Hakoda replied smoothly.
“You can’t leave me to the wolves!” Ozai hissed.
“For the love of....,” Hakoda nearly threw his arms in the air in frustration. “Where did all that bravado go? Just yesterday, you were telling the fifth years in the library how all you had to do was smile and the girls would just line up. Now, you’re afraid to do something as simple as asking out Ursa? I told you, she’s a nice girl and when she ultimately rejects you, she'll be gracious about it.”
Ozai choose not to listen to the last part. “But she’s not here alone!”
Hakoda looked confused. “Did she get back with Ikem?”
“No, worse!” Ozai insisted. “She’s here with-”
“Hello, we have reservations for today,” a kind voice said from the front of the shop. Ozai paled and Hakoda felt his chest tightened. The two of them slowly turned towards the entryway. “For two under Kya.”
Hakoda’s eyes widened. “Oh, no....”
Ozai stared at Hakoda as the other man understood.. “I can’t do this alone.”
“She hates you,” Hakoda stated dumbly.
“Kya doesn’t hate me. She can’t hate anyone; she’s the Head Girl. They’re not allowed to,” Ozai insisted.
“Well, you’re the exception after your ridiculous prank knocked her down a rank second year,” Hakoda reminded him, earning him a grimace from Ozai. Hakoda would’ve been second to the top had Ozai’s attempt to impress Kya second year not literally blow up their faces. While she didn’t fail, it was still enough to lower her rank.
Kya hadn’t forgiven Ozai and Hakoda suspected there was some bitterness with him for 1 - taking her spot and 2 - being friends with Ozai, the fool who caused her to lose it.
“Just sit down!” Ozai hissed. He grabbed Hakoda’s arm and pulled him back into the seat. “You can’t leave now - they just got here!”
Hakoda frowned and turned to him sharply. “So you want us to stay here and do what? Stare at them until they become uncomfortable?”
“I’m going to ask Ursa to the solstice ball,” Ozai told him firmly.
“You don’t need me to do that,” Hakoda reminded him.
“But I will need you to distract Kya while I do,” Ozai replied. “I’ll never make a good impression if Kya is there. I can see her now; telling Ursa that I’m an idiot and not worth her time. I’ll never get another chance.”
Hakoda stare at Ozai blankly. “You’re seventeen; this is not the end of your life.”
“Hakoda,” Ozai gave him a serious look. “I am asking you as a friend to please support me. If I don’t ask now, I may never had another chance.”
Blue eyes continued to stare back at him. The silence between them was tense as Ozai began to grow anxious. Was Hakoda really going to abandon him? He’d never seen Hakoda abandon anyone and even Bato had assured him that if he asked Hakoda, Hakoda would agree.
“Fine.”
Ozai sat up straight. “I knew I could count on you,” he replied with confidence. Hakoda rolled his eyes. “Now,” he turned back towards a table by one of the windows across the room, where the two young women were reviewing the menu. “How do we approach them?”
Hakoda narrowed his eyes. “Did you plan any of this out?”
“You’re the planner, I’m the executor,” Ozai dismissed easily. “I leave the strategy up to you.” He lifted his hand to get the server’s attention.
Hakoda let out a heavy sigh. “Why are we friends?”
“Hakoda, please, take this seriously.” The server reached them and Ozai recited the exact order Hakoda had said moments earlier. “Do you think I should buy them a drink?”
“We’re in a tea house,” Hakoda hissed. “I knew I should’ve gone with Bato to the bookshop, but no....”
“Then, what do you suggest, Mr. Top of the Class?” Ozai hissed.
“Why don’t you invite them to join us?” Hakoda suggested. Ozai’s eyes widened.
“Brilliant! How?”
“I’m just the planner, you’re the executor,” Hakoda grinned as he leaned back against his chair and crossed his arms.
“Well, I would at least like a better plan of action,” Ozai scoffed. “I hardly call your idea a definitive ‘plan’.”
“Excuse me for being caught off guard,” Hakoda retorted.. “I didn’t plan on being forced to help you find a date for the Solstice Ball today.”
“This is an honor,” Ozai insisted as he leaned forward. “When we get married, you will have the chance to give your best man speech and inform the world that you were the one who helped us find each other. You should be grateful for this opportunity.”
Hakoda took a deep breath. “Did you know that when I went to visit your house back in second year, your brother asked me to watch over you because he had graduated and could no longer do so?” he asked. Ozai blinked, surprised.
“He did?”
Hakoda nodded and then narrowed his eyes. “I can clearly see why he had reason for concern.”
“You little-!”
“Hakoda!” A light, airy voice reached them and Ozai’s irritated look immediately dissipated as a figure reached their table. Ursa smiled as she stopped beside them and looked from one man to the other. “I thought it was you. What are you doing here? I didn’t catch you as the tea type of person.”
“Good day, Ursa,” Hakoda smiled amiably as he gave her a nod. From the corner of his eye, he could’ve sworn that Ozai shot him a glare, as if asking how he was familiar with Ursa. “I’m usually not, truth be told, but sometimes, Ozai and I come here to relax. He says it has the best Fire Nation style tea...which, by the way, have you met my friend, Ozai?”
Ozai’s contempt quickly shifted to a pleased look. He put on his best, winning smile and rose from his seat. “Hello.” Good, his voice didn’t crack. “I’m Ozai, son of Azulon of the Fire Corporation.” Hakoda had to hand it to his friend. When the occasion called for it, Ozai could put on a show. “Maybe you’ve heard of me?”
Hakoda cringed.
“We had class together once, didn’t we?” Ursa tilted her head to the side. “Fourth year...? No, was it the second?”
Ozai barely suppressed his pained expression, much to Hakoda’s amusement. “Third.”
“Pardon?”
“Nothing.” Ozai smiled. “What brings you here today?”
“Oh, I’m having tea with my friend,” Ursa said, stepping to the side and motioning to the table. “She went to wash her hands.”
Hakoda was looking past her, towards the empty table where the two young women would be sitting. “I didn’t know you knew Kya.”
Ursa’s smile faltered just a bit. “You know Kya, too?” she asked, her voice quieter.
Hakoda looked back at her. “She’s right below me in class rankings, not to mention the Head Girl,” he said. “How can I not?”
Ursa continued to smile. “That’s true. She’s really popular. I bet everyone knows her.”
“Is there an occasion?” Hakoda prodded, silently hoping that Ozai was paying attention.
Ursa brightened up and nodded. “Kya’s birthday is the solstice, but since she’s helping plan the ball, she won’t have time to celebrate, so I had her make reservations at her favorite place in town - my treat.”
Hakoda smiled thoughtfully and gave her a small nod. “That’s very kind of you, Ursa. She’s very lucky to have such a good friend.”
The other student blushed and glanced away. Before Ursa could reply, the other female student turned the corner, heading back to the table. She noticed Ursa was missing and immediately scanned the room for her. If she were surprised to see Ursa at their table with them, she didn’t show it.
“Ursa,” she called calmly as she stood by her seat.
“Coming!” The black-haired woman turned back to the two men and bowed her head quickly. “Nice seeing you, Hakoda. It was nice meeting you, too, Ozo.” She quickly scurried away and Ozai let out a content sigh.
“Nice meeting you....” Ozai muttered as he slowly returned to his seat. Hakoda furrowed his brows once more.
“A bit late,” he said. “She’s already back at her table, but very impressive, Ozo You didn’t stutter and your voice didn’t crack.” He grinned as they were brought their tea. “And best yet, nothing exploded in front of Kya.”
Ozai narrowed his eyes and shot him another glare. He reached down to the tray of pastries and picked up his fruit tart. “Shut up! And that was an accident!” he hissed. “And I’m sure she’s over it by now.”
“If she’s over it, why don’t you go over there and ask Ursa out in front of her,” Hakoda replied.
Ozai took in a sharp breath. “What? No...I can’t....I can’t do that!”
“Why not?” Hakoda asked. He lifted his tea cup to his lips.
“Well...they....” He looked over his shoulder. Ursa was saying something and Kya was shaking her head slightly. “They’re here to celebrate Kya’s birthday. I can’t intrude....” His eyes widened. “I’ve got it. I’ll pay for their meal.”
“Don’t.”
“What? Why not?”
“Ursa obviously wants to treat her friend. Don’t take that away from her,” Hakoda told him coolly.
He had a point and Ozai sank back in his seat. “Then what do you suggest?”
“Nothing. Your flawed plan failed, as expected,” Hakoda replied. “Just try to ask her out some other time.”
If the girl he had his eyes on for the last several years wasn’t across the room, Ozai would’ve allowed himself to melodramatically groan and fall into a defeated slump. However, Ursa was there and there was no way he would risk ruining his image in front of her.
With nothing else to do, Ozai quickly finished three of the ordered pastries and lifted his hand to pay the bill. “I need to pick up one more thing from the bookshop,” Hakoda said. “Did you want to meet me there?”
“Sure,” Ozai sighed as he took out his wallet. For a moment, he was tempted to pay for Ursa and Kya’s meal as well, but could hear Hakoda’s voice telling him not to. He had to respect Ursa’s decision and as he rose to his feet, the door opened once more and a kid walked through.
Ozai raised a brow as he saw the arm load of flowers in the child’s arm. He couldn’t have been more than a first year.
“Is there a Miss Kya and a Miss Ursa here?” he asked. Ozai nearly tripped as he passed the boy. He looked back as a server met the child and helped him with the flowers.
“I’m Kya,” the brown-haried young woman said as she rose from her seat. “And she’s Ursa.”
“Someone asked me to bring these flowers to you. He said to say ‘Happy Birthday’ to you,” the first year said as he handed over the larger bouquet.
Flowers! Ozai barely restrained his glare. Curse the genius who thought to give them flowers! He should’ve done that! Gods, why didn’t Hakoda suggest that!? Frowning, Ozai stalked out of the tea house to find Hakoda and berate him for being a terrible wingman.
At their corner table, the two young women were presented with the flowers.
“Oh....Thank you....” Ursa looked genuinely surprised as she accepted the larger of the two bouquets. She leaned forward and examined them. “Snow blossoms...and...blue ice poppies....” She took a deep breath and inhaled the scent of the flowers. “These grow all around the tundra back home,” she said as she smiled at Ursa. “I wonder who they’re from.”
Ursa hesitantly took the smaller bouquet. “Who else knows it’s your birthday?”
“Well, Nini does, but I told her not to tell anyone.” Kya furrowed her brows as she wracked her head for who else might now.
“No one else?” Ursa sat up straight. Kya shook her head.
“Just you and Nini....”
“And....Hakoda and his friend!” Ursa gasped and she whirled around to see if the two other students were still at their table. A disappointed look filled her face when she realized they were gone.
Kya looked affronted. “Those two?”
“Yes, I just told them!”
Kya shook her head. “Ursa, Hakoda and Ozai wouldn’t buy me flowers.”
“Why not?” Ursa looked disappointed.
Kya narrowed her eyes. “They know why.” Ursa lowered her eyes and looked back at her bright red flowers. Kya sighed slightly. “But, they may have bought you flowers.”
This time, Ursa looked confused. “Why me?”
Kya bit her lower lip to keep from laughing. “I think one of them likes you,” she grinned. Ursa’s pale face suddenly filled with a blush.
“Really?” she asked. She glanced back at the vacant table. A small thoughtful smile lingered on her face. “I hope it’s Hakoda.”
Title: Azula Writes a Romance Novel - Book 1 - "The Doctor & the Dolt*
Summary: Under the premise that Azula writes trashy romance novels for fun that are totally not about her brother and her waterbender friend, I've randomly started writing various scenarios in which the trashy romance novels would happen.
Last Time on "The Doctor and the Dolt"....
While on vacation in the South Pole, Ozai breaks his leg attempting to snow board, prompting his son, Zuko, to fly down immediately to make sure he's alright. Zuko completely forgot that his ex-fiancee is a doctor and when he arrives at the hospital, discovers that the attending physician is non-other than his ex-fiancee, Katara - the woman he still loves.
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He silently cursed himself for overlooking such a large part of Katara’s life. In his rush to fly down and make sure his father was alright, he had forgotten that the best hospital in the city was founded by Katara’s step-grandfather. He had forgotten that the old man had retired and that Katara herself was a doctor. In that very hospital.
That was one of the reasons that they had decided to call off their engagement: she wanted to return to the South Pole to practice in the hospital that her step-grandfather wanted her to take over, and he was bound to the Fire Nation, where he was part of the royal family and third in line to the throne.
It had been five years since then...she had turned thirty the previous month. At thirty-two, he had not seen anyone seriously since they parted and while he claimed he was too busy, the truth of the matter was that he had felt for her then was just as strong now.
Zuko remained standing in front of her, staring dumbly at her large, wide blue eyes, barely recognizing her shocked expression. Her thick, brown hair was kept in a tight, out of the way bun at her nape. She had on a pair of thin glasses - he wondered if her eyesight had deteriorated and she needed to wear them more often than just for driving. However, five years had clearly been good to her.
Ozai narrowed his eyes as they went from Zuko to Katara and down to the pudding cups she held in her hands.
“Good, you’ve brought me vanilla and chocolate,” Ozai said suddenly, cutting through the tense silence between the former couple as he made his need known. “Maybe they’ll wash down the taste of that rancid meal.”
Katara shook herself out of her stupor first. She blinked and turned towards the middle-aged man on the bed and frowned. “It is not rancid,” she stated firmly as she stepped around Zuko and placed the pudding cups on the little table folded before her demanding patient. “If you’d eat it when it was served, it would’ve been better.”
Ozai scoffed as Ursa picked up the vanilla pudding cup. “I highly doubt - Ursa, the chocolate one first - that would be the case,” the man retorted.
Katara sighed and turned back to Zuko. “Your father is under my care, as per Azula’s request, until he’s well enough. We’ll hold him for another day or two and if he’s doing well, we’ll release him.”
It bothered him that she sounded so calm when they were meeting for the first time since they parted ways at the palace. Zuko could only stand up straight and try to appear unbothered by her response. “Excellent. Does that mean he’ll be fit to travel within that time?”
Katara furrowed her brow and turned back towards Ozai. He was sitting with his mouth opened as Ursa fed him. Gods, Zuko’s mother had the patience of a saint.
“I’d let him recuperate a few more days before you put him on a plane.” Katara turned back to Zuko. “I want to make sure he’s comfortable on crutches or, at the very least, a wheelchair.”
“Should I contact Father’s doctor and put him in touch with you?” Zuko asked coolly.
“Your mother has already given me Dr. Fong’s number. I’ve left him a message and am expecting him to call back to further discuss the matter,” the doctor replied.
“Then after his release from here, I’ll make sure that the hotel has the correct accommodations to handle him.”
Katara tilted her head to the side and furrowed her brows slightly. “Hotel?”
“Zuzu, Father and Mother aren’t staying at a hotel,” Azula informed him. Her brother turned around and gave the woman, who was taking her coffee from Sokka, a questioning look. “They’re staying with the Umiaks.”
Zuko snapped his head back to Katara. “He’s staying with you?”
“He’s staying with my parents’ at their house,” Katara corrected him. “They were all at the lodge skiing until the accident, but they’re staying at my parent’s house.”
Zuko turned back to his father with disbelief. The second prince of the Fire Nation claimed to have high standards and expected such from his environment. It was difficult to believe that instead of staying at a five star hotel in town, he’d stay at a friend’s house, like some visiting relative.
Ozai narrowed his eyes. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Why are you staying with Katara’s parents?” Zuko frowned.
“Kya is an excellent cook and since we were going to the lodge, I didn’t see a point to get a hotel, as well. Most of our things are at Hakoda’s,” Ozai said.
“It’s rare that we get to spend time with them,” Ursa added as she began to open the second pudding cup. “We’re all so busy and it’s been so long.”
Zuko crinkled his eyes. “You four went yachting in Ember Island not six months ago!” he exclaimed. Since when was that ‘so long’ ago?
“Zuko!” Ozai barked. “I don’t criticize you for spending time with your friends, do I?”
“That’s because he doesn’t have any,” Azula smirked. Sokka let out a barely contained snort as Zuko turned around and shot them both irritated looks.
“I have friends!”
“Who? Jet?” Azula smirked as she held up a scone. “When was the last time you talked to that loser?” With Zuko looking at Azula, he didn’t see Katara’s silencing glare also looking in her direction.
“Last week,” Zuko said.
“So you talk with him often?”
“Of course I do.”
Azula’s red lips curled into a sadistic little smile. “Then he must’ve told you about when he dated Katara.”
“Azula!” The doctor let out a horrified gasp as her brother straightened up against the wall and a small, surprised gasp left Ursa. Even Ozai had stopped eating his pudding to watch any drama unfold.
“You dated Jet?” Sokka spat out as he made a disgusted face. “Seriously? Did all that studying fry your head?”
“It was just a few dates!” Katara exclaimed. Instead of directing her words to Sokka, she was looking at Zuko. “It wasn’t serious.”
His mind was telling him to answer. To say something casual and assure her it was no big deal - it was only natural, after all, for her to see other men after they had broken up. It was completely normal and it’s good that she did. Even he had dated some women in the last five years...except that none of them were Katara’s friends.
“It’s fine.” Zuko surprised himself with how normal it came out. He forced a smile on his face and gave her a small nod. “Katara, it’s completely natural that you’d see other people.” Except why did it have to be Jet? “Really, it’s nothing.” He was lying. It was something.
The concern in her face lightened a bit. “I...thanks, Zuko.”
“Don’t mention it.” He’d simply kill Jet. That would make him feel better. Zuko cleared his throat and and looked back at his father. “Does this mean that after you’re released from the hospital, you’re going to say with the Umiaks again?”
“Hakoda will pick me up and we’ll spend a few days there before we leave,” Ozai said in between spoonfuls of pudding. “You don’t need to worry about me; we’ve already arranged it.”
Zuko rolled his eyes. “Fine, I’ll stay until you fly back.”
“I’m not a child,” Ozai snapped. “You need not baby sit your own father. Your mother will help me on the flight back. Return to the Earth Kingdom and finish the visa requirements talks.”
“We’ve got the preliminary drafts down and I brought them with me to review while I’m here,” Zuko replied. “I can spare some time.”
“Oh, so your father is just spare time to you know, am I?” Ozai scoffed. He turned to Ursa. “Do you hear him? Do you hear your son?”
Katara let out a heavy sigh. “I need to finish my rounds and then wait for Dr. Fong’s call,” she said and she moved around Zuko and headed for the door. “Azula, if you’re going to go back tonight, go ahead and grab dinner without me. I’ll be home late.”
“Hey, Mom sent food for you, too,” Sokka said as he lifted up another bag. Katara smiled a tired smile.
“Thanks, Sokka. Tell Mom I said thank you,” she said. Sokka nodded.
“I have to head back to the office. I have some blueprints I want to check out before the weekend.” He turned back into the room and bowed. “Have a good evening, Your Highnesses.”
“Have a good evening, Sokka,” Ursa smiled warmly.
“Give your parents our regards,” Ozai added, almost regally. The Water Tribe siblings left the room and Ozai shifted his attention back to Azula. “Princess, when are you flying back?”
“In the morning,” Azula replied. “I’ll make sure to stop by before I leave. And please do not trouble Katara any further, Father.”
“I am doing no such thing.”
“I’ll make sure he behaves, my dearest,” Ursa said as she walked around the bed and towards her daughter. “You’ve been up all night, you need to get some rest.”
“Suki is getting off in a fifteen minutes. I was going to meet her at the second floor nurse’s station,” Azula assured her mother as Ursa swept back some of her daughter’s bangs. “She said she’ll drive me back to Katara’s since it’s on the way to her and Sokka’s place.”
“Good,” Ursa was pleased she wasn’t going to try to drive there herself after such a long night. She turned to Zuko. “And where will you be staying? The Imperial Penguin Hotel? Aurora Australis Hotel?”
“I didn’t have a chance to properly make reservations. I still need to call and check for room availabilities,” Zuko admitted.
“Why don’t you just stay with me at Katara’s?” Azula asked. “There’s a third bedroom, although I think she uses it a study. At any rate, there is a large couch in the living room.” She smirked. “I’m sure you can make due.”
Zuko stared at Azula as if she’d lost her mind. “You want me to stay at my ex-fiancee’s house without telling her that I’m doing so?” he stated slowly. His eyes narrowed into a glare. “Are you insane?”
“Zuko, just go with Azula and check the hotels from there,” Ursa urged. “It is peak season here and there is a chance the hotels are booked. Your father and Hakoda booked the lodge right after our Ember Island trip to secure a room, so I wouldn’t be surprised.”
“Katara will understand if you have no where else to go,” Ozai added from the bed. “She’s a good girl.”
“And since I’m leaving tomorrow,” Azula reminded him. “You can always have my room.”
Zuko rolled his eyes. “I’m sure I’ll find a room in town,” he assured all of them. “But, I’ll go with you. Ask Suki if she’ll swing by Bato’s so we can at least pick up a meal. I’ll buy her and Sokka dinner while we’re at it as thanks.”
“I’ll call ahead and see if he can prepare some spicy dishes for us,” Azula said as she stepped out into the hall. “Water Tribe food is always so bland.”
“Zuko,” their mother said. “You should get some rest as well.”
“I will as soon as I get a room,” he assured her.
“At least get some rest at Katara’s before you start calling,” Ursa told him, exasperated. “Darling, your eyes are red.”
Zuko gently batted her hands away as he nodded. “Mother, I’m fine. I’ll come by in the morning with Azula, before she leaves.”
Ursa smiled. “Alright.”
“Zuko,” his father called from the bed. Zuko looked past his mother and Ozai narrowed his eyes at him expectantly. “She’s still single and isn’t seeing anyone,” the second prince stated firmly. “Don’t mess this up.”
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Is This The First Time That You've Ever Seen Aurora Borealis Crush Mankind?
Inspired by the song Aurora Borealis by Lemon Demon
Snow fell among the empty buildings, settling on streets where it wouldn't be disturbed. All the people were... Not there. Not a soul moved among the once busy downtown streets. In a neighborhood on the edge of the city, though, two ran fast through the fog that clung to the ground like it was fighting some force pulling it to the sky. The street lights were on (as they were every night), casting an eerie glow upon the couple as they left the last footprints in the powdery snowfall down between the lanes.
He was intriguing. She'd only met him two days prior, but they'd become fast friends. She had a lot of free time because her college courses were on break and she couldn't afford to head home for the holiday season. He kept her mind off how this would be the first time she ever spent Christmas away from her family. How her mother probably hadn't wrapped her presents, just put them in boxes in the back of the closet for her next visit. How the few friends she did have had gone home, flown to all corners of the country to be with their loved ones.
There was something about him, though, that was less intriguing than it was eerie. She had shrugged it off. They'd met on the edge of campus, in some trees by the old science building. He'd just been sitting there, in the cold, watch his breathe rise up and disappear. She was caught off guard; she didn't know anyone else knew about this bench hidden away in low hanging branches. Certainly when it was stone and probably cold.
"Did... You want to sit here?" He asked, moving over to the other side of the bench and shivering. He breathed heavily on his fingers (who doesn't wear gloves when it's so cold?), but his intense eyes never left hers.
"Thanks," she replied, sitting down in the warm spot he'd left for her. Smoothing her skirt and adjusting her thick woolen tights she set the books she'd checked out from the library on her lap.
He stared at them like they were a puzzle to be unlocked for a moment before readjusting his gaze on her eyes. "You're not going home?"
"Uh, I... Live in town." She said, keeping her eyes locked on his. Just who was this guy? Asking about about personal stuff from a stranger.
He smiled, and suddenly everything about him seemed much more safe. For a second she wondered if she'd seem him before, the way his eyes smiled too was incredibly familiar. And lonely. "I'm Nathan. I've got no where to go for the holidays, too," he said cheerfully, holding out a hand.
Shaking it, she replied with a friendly "Sandra. But never Sandy."
They'd become fast friends after that, mostly walking around and talking about family. Well, her talking about her family while he listened. Nathan was a good listener, he didn't just hear the words but it seemed he almost felt them, holding them close while he searched for the true meaning in what Sandra was saying.
He helped her with her Christmas shopping; she'd been too busy with midterms earlier to do it and still wanted to mail out gifts for her brothers and mother. At first he'd resisted, said something about the world ending. Sandra just gave him a look. "Don't tell me you believe it's ending too? With the northern lights and all? Do you know how many doomsday predictions there have ever been?"
He smiled apologetically, though it didn't reach his eyes. She learned that Nathan's smiles never reached his eyes like they did that first time. "Sorry, it's just hard not to get swept up in all this," he said as he turned his attentions to navigating through the mall crowds, frowning.
She let it go and they walked in silence through the clamor of all the procrastinators looking for last minute gifts. A few minutes later they'd returned to their usual selves, debating over which gift to give to whom as Sandra checked her wallet and mentally budgeted it all.
At her apartment complex that night, he'd asked her if she wouldn't mind coming to his place to watch the aurora borealis destroy life. Giggling, she'd said yes. It was settled then, he would come by at eight, and she had a good coat and everything to stay warm right? Neither of them had a car and there was no transportation to be found on Christmas Eve.
At noon she took a shower, and watched a couple of movies and sent reassuring e-mails to her family. Yes, she was still alive, yes she had enough money to get through the holidays, yes she was fine. No, it wasn't bothering her too much that she was away from home, yes she missed everyone, no she wasn't alone (that one wasn't completely a lie, she had Nathan, though Sandra would never say she was spending the night alone with a boy to her family).
At seven she got dressed in her most comfortable clothes, digging through her closet to find her scarf. She put on two socks, woolen knee highs and a pair of tube socks. Jeans, a t-shirt, a sweater, and a thick winter coat. By then it was eight and she sat by the door and watched the window for Nathan.
Nobody was outside, but it was Christmas Eve. Some of the lights were on but she didn't see any shadows through all of the closed curtains. She wasn't bothered. They were probably all watching It's A Wonderful Life. Or something else. She didn't care, she was just waiting for her friend.
Eight thirty, and she'd shed her coat and winter boots to curl up on the couch and read a book. Where was he? He was probably laughing with his friends right now (can you believe I got the bookworm to believe that I wanted to hang with her on the last day of earth?).
Sandra jumped at a knock on her door. She folded the corner of her page and set the book down to answer it. There stood Nathan, slightly out of breath. "Sorry, I lost track of time and didn't leave soon enough. We're gonna have to run if we want to get to my place though!" He said quickly, grabbing her hand pulling her out the door. Powdery flakes fell down from above as she pulled away. "I have to put on my stuff!"
She roughly shoved on her boots and thrust her hands through the sleeves of her coat, grabbing her hat and scarf as they ran out the door.
They ran through a neighborhood, nice houses with cars parked in most of the driveways. The only lights on were the streetlights (everyone was just waiting for Santa or out wanting to see the stars on their last night on earth). She slowed a little, out of breath and stopped at an intersection. Nathan stumbled a little on the powder that was steadily building up. "You okay?"
"How far do you live?" She asked with a wheezy chuckle.
"Just a little ways away," He replied with a smile that almost reached his eyes. "You know it is our last night on earth, we could go do something else if you want. The world ending isn't actually all that spectacular. We could just walk, it's a pretty winter night. Or get some catharsis or visit the graveyard under cover of darkness."
"You say that like you've done this before," She replied, stepping closer to him with a wry smile. "Is this the first time you've seen aurora borealis crush mankind?"
"I do this all the time," he said as he turned so she couldn't see his smile fade. "Well, maybe once a year since I was very young. We'll be fine, okay, I've done this tons of time. Nothing could go wrong." He turned to her, a mischevious grin on his face. "Unless that's what you want."
"Let's just keep going," She said with a laugh as they started running again.
It was only three blocks father when they finally reached their destination, an old abandoned warehouse. "This is the empty building I call home," Nathan said half jokingly and turned, his arms out from his sides. "I've made it cozy."
Sandra looked up, noticing how most of the windows were boarded up.
Sensing her hesitation, he opened the door and gestured for her to go in. "Baby, it's cold inside; don't leave me here alone," He said in his best baritone voice.
She couldn't help but smile, that was a terrible pick up line. She walked in and looked around. The place was littered with items; mostly food wrappers and other trash but there were also some pillows that were all in tatters and newspapers in slightly better condition. In a corner of the room there was a cot piled with blankets, and piece of sheet metal nearby upon which a pile of mostly melted candles sat on fire, giving off a pleasant smelling smoke that dissipated between the boards on the windows.
"There aren't really any good movies," Nathan chuckled nervously as they passed by an old t.v. set with a shattered screen on the way to a set of stairs. He paused for a moment at the base before turned to her. "I'll go up, there's a nice balcony at the top, if you want to stay in here and warm up first," He mumbled before continuing up the steps.
Sandra stood for a second then walked over to the scented candles on fire to warm up for a moment. Taking in her surroundings once more, she felt pathetically ashamed of herself. Here he was, practically homeless, when she'd dragged him around Christmas shopping with her.
At the sound of windchimes, she looked up from the fire and towards the stairs. Well, all he wanted right now was for her to be with him for the aurora borealis, so she would do that. As she mounted the stair she felt excitement bubble up. She'd never seen the northern lights before, normally they didn't show this far down south but tonight was a special case where the astronomical conditions were perfect for it to be seen from as far south as northern Mexico.
That was the big reason why most people thought that it would be the end of the world And there was some rumor about it being foretold by some ancient person or persons or another. She knew, logically, that there was no reason for the end of the world to be tonight. That was silly and superstitious. But there was a nagging voice in the back of her head that kept saying, what if?
Sandra reached the top of the building, and through an empty doorway saw Nathan's silhouette against the moon on a balcony, his hands on the railings. A breeze that had just picked up made the windchimes hanging from the doorframe play a small melody, and pulled the fog up around them. She moved forward and hit a worn chime with her head, Nathan jumping and turning to her.
"You surprised me," He said, giggling a little. "Ah, here, it's a good view."
She smiled and stood next to him, leaning on the rails. After a moment he relaxed and replaced his hands on the rails, then gently touched hers. Without looking away from the sky she grasped his hand and smiled. The stars were so bright, and the moon so beautiful. What a pretty winter night, how could anybody think tonight everything would end (as if anything could happen on Christmas Eve)?
"I hope you're having fun," Nathan started in a whisper, "I just had to share with someone..."
Sandra turned away from the sky, a content smile on her face. "What? I couldn't hear you," she added apologetically, pushing her scarf out of her face.
He cleared his throat and said louder so as to be heard over the chimes, "You know, I'm glad you're here so I can show you this before I disappear."
Sandra's smile faded. "What do you mean?"
"Is this the first time that you've ever seen aurora borealis crush mankind?" He asked with a rueful smile.
She let her hand slip from his with a frown as the lights flooded the sky and dread overwhelmed her. Turning away from her, Nathan continued.
"I get it if you run. I just had to share with someone." She could barely see him through the fog as she turned and flew down the stairs. The sounds of screams filled her ears and mixed with the windchimes, then were drowned out by the screaming wind as the world was set ablaze.
On the rooftop of his abandoned building Nathan smiled sadly. "I always mess it up," he whispered to himself as everything ended.
Eyes open. Blue sky. Clouds drift past in the morning air. Sunlight through leaves. Gathered branches, a safe haven. Apples in the corner. No doors, no windows. Sun sets, rocks and dirt barricade the safe haven. Growls from outside, creaking bones. A hiss, silence. Repeat. Eyes open all night. Sunrise, morning again. Safety as groans and creaks disappear among crackling flame. A hiss. Running in terror. Explosions. Eyes closed, darkness. Eyes open. Blue sky. No clouds. Broken body. Sun setting.
The moon peeks through the tree tops. It is so large and bright I can make out more details than I ever have before. The warm orange glow of a dim light deeper inside the house has snuck past its closed door and fades over us on the porch. It's just cold enough for a thin small blanket to be over each of our shoulders. A woman's laugh faintly reaches us from inside where all the other people are. We don't exchange any words ourselves, the one next to me sitting on the edge of the home. My home. We listen to the forest. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of crickets sing to the tune of the temperature. We smell change in air, as we do each summer. A faint breeze caresses my skin.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath and wish for this moment to never end so I can hold this feeling deep inside me forever.
