;  ────── 🔥     @tofh​          /          *covers zuko’s eyes*

HE  CARES  LITTLE  FOR  THE  GOLDS  AND  JEWELS  WITHIN  THE  PALACE       /       cares  even  less  for  the  nobility  that  resides  close  to  him  here.     he  did  not  care  when  he  was  the  banished  prince,    and  he  cares  even  less  now  as  the  crowned  firelord.     SHE  HAS  RETURNED  TO  HIM      ;       a  welcome  presence  within  the  cold  stone  walls  now  that  the  war  has  settled  and  the  nations  have  started  to  rebuild  themselves  to  their  former  glory.       

she  has  not  changed  much  during  the  years  they  had  been  apart,      still  a  hurricane  trapped  in  the  body  of  a  female      /       still  a  storm  he  never  quite  learned  to  weather.      and  he,     the  ruler  of  the  nation,    still  finds himself  wrapped  around  her  fingers.      still  a    FOOL   for  the  earthbender.   the  firelord  had  taken  his  companion  out  for  a  walk  across  the  grounds,     the  pond  which  held  the  fondest  memories  of  his  childhood  before  them.     like  a  bridge  between  what  was  and  what  could  have  been.   

she  has  fought  giants      ｡      she’s  fought  the  boulder     ,      she’s  fought  ring  -  winners  in  the  earth  rumble      ,      she’s  fought  xin  fu      ,      she’s  fought  on  the  run      ,      she’s  fought  legions  of  men  at  the  front  of  the  earth  kingdom      ｡      she’s  fought  with  the  bottoms  of  her  feet  burnt and  she’s  fought  half  -  asleep      ｡      and  still      ,     nothing’s  prepared  her  to  stand  here     ,      separated  from  all  her  friends                              from  aang  and  sokka  and  katara                              and  standing face  -  to  -  face  against  the  daughter  of  the  fire  lord      ｡      fighting  the  air      ,      fighting  water      ,      that’s  always  been  easy      ｡      air  and  water  won’t  leave  her  with  burns  on  her  skin      ｡      but  right  now      ,      standing  with  one  arm  raised  in  front  of  her      ,     a  large  slab  of  earth  curved  up  from  the  ground  to  block  her  (  feet  )  from  azula’s  line  of  fire     ,      she  gets  the  feeling  things  are  a  lot  more  dire  than  they  first  were      ｡      as  far  as  she’s  aware      ,      all  the  destruction  around  them  has  been  caused  by  everyone  else      ｡      firebenders  make  her  nervous      ｡                          ❛          what  do  you  want     ?!     whatever  you  have  to  say  to  them      ,      you  can  say  to  me      !      i’ll  be  sure  to  tell  them  once  i  stop  you  once  and  for  all      ｡          ❜

there is no twitch in her expression ( although, there is no need to be so secretive about her gaze considering her opponent ) as she notices the protection the earthbender places around her feet to block any fire that she may shoot at the earthbender’s way( and azula makes a careful note of that -- as zu-zu could tell anyone, protecting weaknesses fiercely around her gets them noticed. ).

her lower lip juts out in a careful pout ( again, not necessary, but, well, it’s so easier to fake her tone when she fakes the expressions as well ) as she says, tone filled with what seems to be sincere sadness ( but is, of course, mock ),‘ you’re going to hurt my feelings -- you don’t want to have some girl talk just between the two of us ? ’ the earthbender is a master of her craft, and the only metalbender in the world, so it isn’t as if azula doesn’t think her opponent as capable, but... ( if the avatar and her together couldn’t stop her when azula had no firebending... ).

he doesn’t hesitate when jumping in after toph. doesn’t bother with peeling off his shoes or anything else because there isn’t time — not while toph’s just barely avoiding drowning &. there’s a gigantic sea serpent currently being distracted by aang &. katara. no, he dives in the water just seconds before suki has a chance, quickly reaching toph &. pulling her back towards the surface clutched tightly to his chest. she’s safe, but knowing that doesn’t make him grip her any less tighter.

it was never a question of if he’d save her, but when. he isn’t about to lose someone else that he cares about. certainly not to something as inane as drowning.

despite the fact that she’s the one who just nearly drowned, it’s his breathing that’s HEAVIER than hers is ( must be about time to up those chinups he’s been doing ), so he almost misses her words &. subsequent kiss of GRATITUDE in the pounding of his heart &. attempts to catch his breath.      ‘   oh sokka! you saved me!   ’      his cheeks heat up almost immediately, &. for once he remembers &. is grateful for the fact that she’s blind &. can’t see it. that’d be embarrassing.

                    ❛     uh...thanks?     ❜          NO his voice did not just crack &. YES his heart was absolutely still pounding from the swimming &. not for any other reason.

SHE  DRESSED  IN  SOFT  COLOURS     a  harsh  contrast  to  the  things  he  has  heard  her  father  say  about  her  behind  her  back.     the  daughter  of  the  host.     the  daughter  of  the  host  who  is  now  entertaining  his  own  parents       (       his    SISTER    a  porcelain  doll  set  next  to  them  with  her  smile  wicked  and  vile,     a  mirage  she  created  just   FOR  THE  OCCASION      )            ❝     BECAUSE   IM   ALREADY  BORED  OF  THIS.    ❞

@tofh​