"Republic City Can Wait" (Zuko, ATLA, Secret Santa for Sitruuna)

[Galaxy]

YES oh my god I know I'm late and I apologize deeply for this but you don't understand I was SO INVESTED

I rewrote this like three times because the first time I made it an allergy fic because I'm stupid and forgot Sitruuna likes colds and then the second time I rewrote it because in the story Zuko and Mai were married and then JUNIA told me that apparently they broke up so I was like "wait okay I gotta write that out" so I did write it out but then I was like hey wait this can be for some good ANGST. So yes this is after he and Mai break up, and a few years after the Gaang save the day.

EITHER WAY HERE'S THIS I am super invested in this and it shall be at least two parts, I'm hoping to have the second one up by Thursday or Friday. There isn't a hell of a lot of sneezing or suffering in this part and for that I apologize, but do not worry, Zuko's gonna SUFFER HARD.

------

Fire Lords did not take sick days, and this was something that didn’t surprise Zuko in the slightest. There was just absolutely no time for that. Not when he had meetings with officials from around the globe, overseeing the construction of Republic City along with Aang, and trying to juggle every other task that could be bestowed upon him...Firelord Zuko barely had time to finish dinner on most days, much less have time to catch anything. And whenever he did come down with something, he would still power through and complete his work. And at the end of the day, Mai would be right there to curl up with him and drink tea and run her fingers through his hair. And this made him forget all about being the Fire Lord and he managed to just relax and allow himself to be held and taken care of…

But now she was gone, and he could barely manage to get up in the morning, much less think about those times where he felt so unusually loved and needed. He hadn’t experienced that very much since his mother disappeared, and now with Mai gone, life was just aimlessly going about his duties as Fire Lord, and trying not to think about how alone he was again. And now he would be busy once again, going on this excursion with Aang.

A servant fixed his hair so it held the fire nation emblem, and Zuko went to get his luggage. Before he could touch it, a different servant picked it up for him and started out, and Zuko sighed. Finally being Fire Lord was good and all, but did they really think he was incapable of doing the simplest task?

The servant scurried to the dock, heading up the steps of the huge metal ship that would be taking Aang and Zuko to Republic City. Zuko was grateful for this project of his and Aang’s, because not only would it do the world good to have a nation-less city, but it would also give him quite the distraction for a few weeks while he and the Avatar oversaw some construction. Sitting on the ship’s bow was Aang, who grinned ear to ear and waved to Zuko. “Zuko, hey! About time you showed up!” he called, pouncing off the ship and creating a small whirlwind of air beneath him just before he touched the ground. “It’s been ages!”

“Only a month,” Zuko chuckled, hugging Aang when his closest friend came over.

“Well, a little over a month,” Aang chuckled, rubbing at the small stubble he had on his chin. Aang had just barely turned fifteen, and was pretty proud of the small bit of facial hair he managed to maintain. He and Katara were set to be married in the spring, and were already excitedly planning on having children, and in all honesty, Zuko definitely envied him. Aang seemed to have everything figured out just fine, while Zuko still felt like he was barely learning the ropes. And especially now that he didn’t have anyone who would always calm him and ease his stresses...

“I heard construction’s coming along really well! Sokka and Suki passed the island on their honeymoon and say it looks amazing so far,” Aang said to Zuko while they started up the ramp to the ship. “We’ll be in and out no problem!”

“No problem…” Zuko said a bit absently, peering back to the palace and knowing it would be empty aside from the servants. He always hated to travel, especially after spending three years doing nothing BUT travel.

Zuko and Aang sat on the ship’s deck, going over designs and ideas for Republic City. The two barely noticed the sky beginning to grow darker, the waves getting choppier. Aang chattered excitedly, pointing out his ideas for a design for a school and an idea for a monument, and Zuko mostly just sat and listened to what Aang thought. He really hadn’t had much time to think up any ideas of his own, so Aang steering the conversation was greatly appreciated.

“...And of course we don’t want it to seem like the architecture is inspired by any one specific nation, right? So maybe we can get some of the builders to have an entirely different style all together! I thought it’d be pretty neat if some of the buildings were thin and really tall, with dozens of floors! And when you’re at the bottom, it looks so tall, like it’s scraping the sky and…” Aang paused, brow furrowing as he looked up at the sky. As soon as he did, a rain drop plopped onto his forehead, and he huffed. “Dang!”

Zuko quickly started grabbing their schematics and plan sheets so they wouldn’t get wet. “It’s fine, we can take this below deck.”

“It’s so cramped down there, though…”

“You were stuck inside a frozen block of ice for a century,” Zuko reminded him, rolling up their papers. “I think you can handle it.”

Aang huffed again but nodded, helping him get the papers together before scurrying downstairs. They went into the dining room, which easily looked like it would belong in the home of a noble, if the ship weren’t swaying on the sea. They set their plans on the table, but the two immediately stumbled at the ship jerking, all their papers sliding to the floor.

“Everything okay up there?” Zuko called up with a worried knit to his brow. He received no answer, and he and Aang exchanged a glance before the ship rocked again, sending the both of them stumbling until they could hang onto something. They wordlessly righted themselves and rushed up to the deck, instantly splashed in the face with water. Aang recovered quickly, swiftly bending the water from his face, but Zuko coughed and blinked in surprise, his regal hairstyle coming undone from where he tied it at the back of his head. He scrambled to grab the fire nation insignia that he wore in his hair before it could get swept away into the water, and tucked it in his pocket. It had been passed down since Sozin’s reign as Fire Lord, and he knew he’d be thought of as such a terrible ruler if he lost such an important heirloom to the fire nation.

“What’s going on?” Zuko called over the roar of the rain, making sure the emblem was tucked safe in his pocket.

“We might have to change course. Just slightly,” Aang told him, inching back from the edge of the deck. A cyclone was nearly a mile away, and looked like it was coming their way.

“Can’t you just airbend it away?” Zuko asked, and stumbled when the ship rocked again, grabbing onto a pole.

“Yeah, Zuko, let me just airbend a hurricane away!”

“Well, I don’t know what you can do!”

“Avatar Aang, it is too late to change course!” the captain called, scurrying down from the head of the ship. “We’re far too close to the storm!”

“Can’t you bend anything?” Zuko asked Aang, gasping and slipping on the wet deck, scrambling to right himself the best he could.

“Well…” Aang thought, studying the cyclone. “...I can create a shield of water over us when we pass through it.”

“Will that keep the ship from leaving the sea?”

“Uh...no.”

“Then what will?” Zuko snapped in a panic.

“Hey, don’t yell at me! I don’t see you trying to firebend us out of this!”

“I can’t even create fire now!” Zuko exclaimed, holding out a hand to show Aang. He managed to create an ember in his palm before it fizzled out from the rain. “And that wouldn’t help us anyway!”

“Well, I don’t know, give me a moment to think!”

“We don’t exactly have very few moments to sp--”

“Captain! Help!”

Zuko and Aang both paused, looking over and seeing a crew member, clutching the side of the ship after having slid off in an effort to secure the sails. “You figure out a plan,” Zuko said to Aang, and rushed over to the edge of the boat.

The crew member gasped and slipped, falling briefly before clinging to the edge of a porthole. “Help!”

“Calm down, just take my hand!” Zuko called over the roar of the waves, bending down and offering his hand out to the man. “You have to let go!”

The crew member swallowed but nodded, reaching up and taking Zuko’s hand. The Fire Lord started to pull him up, but gasped at losing his footing at the ship rocking hard. The crew member managed to reach other and cling onto the ladder of the ship, but Fire Lord Zuko was unable to grab anything so quickly.

All Zuko heard was Aang yelling out his name before he went overboard.

---------------------------------

All he could think about was how Mai would be scolding him.

“You’re never careful. I always tell you to be careful. But do you listen to me? No, of course not, Fire Lord Zuko knows everything,” Mai told him inside his head. Not naggingly, but just in the scolding way she had when she was really worried about him. Zuko didn’t know if the ache in his chest was from falling overboard or from the intense wishing she was back here...

“I’m fine…” Zuko mumbled, head swimming as he slowly gained consciousness. He shivered, soaking wet and aching all over. He was vaguely aware of people surrounding him, and a few blankets on top of his shivering form.

“You don’t look fine, Zuko….” He was expecting Mai’s voice again, but this time it was Aang’s. Zuko slowly opened his eyes, seeing the young Avatar sitting the closest to him on a chair beside his bed. “You almost drowned!” Aang told him excitedly, as if he were recounting an epic story (and as if Zuko didn’t connect those dots himself). “You saved one of the crew members and fell overboard, and I was trying to figure out how to protect the ship, and the Captain yelled ‘Avatar Aang! The Fire Lord!’” Aang said, straightening up and putting on a deeper voice to mimic the captain. He used dramatic, quick hand motions that gave seemed to make Zuko’s headache worse. “And I spun around and said ‘What!’ because it was really windy and loud, and so this time he yelled ‘AVATAR AANG! THE FIRE---”

“Aang!” Zuko seethed, teeth clenched as he winced at his loud voice. His whole head spun, and he was briefly aware of an aching cut on his temple. “Can you stand to save the theatrics?”

“Oh, sorry…” Aang nodded, sitting back in his seat and lowering his voice significantly. “But, yeah, you fell overboard, so I jumped in after you, and you hit your head on a rock, and I couldn’t find you but then I waterbent the water to bring you to me!”

“Okay…” Zuko nodded blearily, trying to pretend like he was listening while he rubbed under his nose, which felt congested and madly running at the same time. He shivered still, and Aang noticed, putting another blanket on top of Zuko.

“And so I got you and took you up to the surface, and I had one of the guys bring you down here while I dealt with the storm. The ship rocked a lot, though, I think you fell off the bed like six times...”

That explained the feeling of a bruise on his cheek.

“And I might have dropped you, but that’s only because the deck was slippery.”

That explained his aching back.

“And you kind of--”

“Aang,” Zuko said hoarsely, “I hurt all over and I’ll survive without knowing exactly why…”

“Oh, okay…” Aang nodded, knee bouncing a bit anxiously. “So, how do you feel? Okay? The ship’s doctor said you’ll be okay. Once your cut heals. And your cheek. And he said you might come down with something since you were in that freezing water…”

Zuko shook his head, eyes closing as the room spun around him. “No, I’m fine...I’m fine. I just need to rest, alright?” He looked a bit pointedly to the captain and crew when they didn’t budge. “Alone.”

They all nodded and cleared their throats, politely scurrying out of the Fire Lord's quarters. Aang was about to leave as well before Zuko sighed and took him by the sleeve, pulling him back. “Not you, Aang. We still have to finish discussing our…” He paused, lashes fluttering a moment before he brought a crooked knuckle to his nose and scrubbed hard. “Sorry...Discussing our plans…”

Aang’s brow knit. “You sure? You still seem kind of out of it. I don't mind waiting til tomorrow.”

“I’m fine, Aang,” Zuko told him, clearing his throat and trying to push himself up from his position of laying down. He ached all over and couldn’t manage it, sighing shakily as he went to lay back down again. “Or...you know, this is fine, too.”

“Zuko….”

“Aang, let me see your plans.”

Aang frowned but didn’t argue. He scurried out the door and returned with a few rolled up schematics. “Okay, so I don’t know if I showed you the ideas for statues I had, but…” The Avatar paused and cocked his head at Zuko. “You okay?”

“Fine….” Zuko murmured, a far-off look to the eye. He curled a knuckle again and rubbed fiercely under his nose in a steady back-and-forth motion, dark brow knitting.

“...Zu--”

“HeEEHSHHiiuHHH!!” he buckled into a pair of hands folded over his nose, and Zuko’s good eye instantly widened. “Aang-- Aang, in my drawer, there’s---”

“A hanky?” Aang guessed, opening the bedside table drawer to search for a handkerchief. He found it immediately and handed it to Zuko. “Here! Gesundheit!”

The firelord grumbled irritable, turning away so Aang couldn’t see him cleaning himself up. “Excuse me…” he murmured gruffly, giving his nose a firm blow. Zuko turned back around to face Aang, scowling at the Avatar hiding a grin behind his hand. “Shut up.”

“Sorry, you just sneeze funny.”

“Shut up!” Zuko snapped again, face going a bit red.

Aang quickly nodded and straightened up like a child being scolded. “Okay, sorry. Um, so, I thought it’d be a neat idea to have statues along the shore, maybe? Like there could be one of you and me and Sokka and Toph and Katara and Suki-- you know, the whole Gaang! Or does that sound conceited? Erecting statues of ourselves in…” he paused, lowering his paper at seeing Zuko’s face. The Fire Lord had the same far-off look in his eye, a crooked index finger held cautiously before his nose.

“...You o--”

“Keep talking…” Zuko ordered him, eyes slowly shutting as his voice wavered.

“O-Okay...so I thought after the ones of us, there could be ones of---”

“Hihh…” Zuko hitched, his breath snagging as he tried desperately to listen to Aang.

“--other heroes of the revolution, like your Uncle Iroh and--”

“Hihhh…”

---Fallen friends like Princess Yue---”

“Ah-hihhh…”

“And of course those who changed sides to be on ours, like Ty Li and Mai--”

“HeiIHHHSH’hxxtt!!’ Zuko sneezed hard into his fist, shaking the bed slightly with the force. He groaned at his hand being damp with the sudden spray, and he quickly cleaned himself up with the handkerchief.

“Uh, Zuko…”

“Aang, I told you, I’m fine!’ Zuko snapped, sniffling hard in hopes of getting his nose to stop running.

“”No, no, um, the headboard..?”

Zuko glanced behind him and gasped, seeing part of the bed post on fire. He quickly put it out and sighed shakily. “Sorry. Sorry, that, um...that happens sometimes,” he said quietly, but honestly didn’t remember ever losing control of his bending with a sneeze since he was...well, since around the time he was banished. He swallowed and looked back to Aang. “...What?”

“Nothing, nothing, just...I’m actually really tired,” Aang said with a sheepish smile. “Maybe we should call it a night?”

Zuko knew right off the bat that Aang was only saying this so Zuko himself would rest. He sighed softly in thought but nodded. “Fine. If you’re really so tired, we’ll pick this back up over breakfast.”

“Great. Zuko, you...you get some rest, huh?” Aand said, quickly giving his friend a hug. “The ship’s doctor said he’ll give you medicine if you need any--”

“I said I’m fine, Aang!’ Zuko told him firmly, nearly pushing Aang off of him. “I don’t need medicine and I don’t need rest!”

Aang’s expression softened a bit with hurt, but he nodded. “Okay...Okay, Zuko, sorry. I-I’ll see you tomorrow…” With that, the Avatar swiftly left his friend’s bedroom, and Zuko was alone.

The Fire Lord exhaled slowly, steam curling angrily from his nostrils while he tried to calm himself. He started to feel guilty, honestly not liking to get angry with his friends, but Aang was really managing to push some buttons. Zuko sighed and rolled over, turning off the oil lamp next to his bed. He lay in silence, no noise but the sound of the waves outside and his congested nose whistling a bit with each breath. He closed his eyes, desperate for some sort of calm. Soon enough, the steam ceased, and so did the sound of the waves as he faded into sleep.

[beatlelover22]

Oh my god, I loved how Aang was like, "Um, the headboard?" Golden! Thanks for writing, I loved reading it!

[Sitruuna]

Fire Lords did not take sick days

I got this far and had to take a break because I was too excited. xD

I'm sorry,I'm terrible at commenting stuff but I really, really like this. It's awesome. I feel spoiled to get a story into which you've put so much effort. It's all right that is has taken some time - I'm patient and this is definitely worth the wait. (:

I'm also very pleased to see it's not (well at least it hasn't been so far) too heavy on the sneezing. I'm sorry I made such a big deal out of my preferences in the promt thing (? if I remember correctly what I wrote). This is great.

“HeEEHSHHiiuHHH!!” he buckled into a pair of hands folded over his nose, and Zuko’s good eye instantly widened. “Aang-- Aang, in my drawer, there’s---”

Mmmmm yes please 8)

Uh, Zuko…”

“Aang, I told you, I’m fine!’ Zuko snapped, sniffling hard in hopes of getting his nose to stop running.

“”No, no, um, the headboard..?”

Zuko glanced behind him and gasped, seeing part of the bed post on fire.

Oh my gods yes this is perfect. xD

Edited January 21, 2015 by Sitruuna

[Arty]

Aang!!!!! And Zuko!!!! With sick, crabby, in denial Zuko!!!!! Love it!

[Pyrus_Fangmon]

Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes! Aangy! And Zuzu!!!!!!!

My babes!

[SpookyScarySkeleton]

Yesyes,grumpy sick in denial very hot Zuko all the way cx I like how Aang tries to take care of him but Zuko denies any help. I love your writting style "uhm the headboard Zuko" "sorry you sneeze funny". This is so cute awh. I've always loved Zuko! <3

[VividBubbles!]

Eeep! Sick!Zuko is my fav! And you write him so well too! His adorable awkwardness and his quick temper when he's embarrassed is just too cute! I can't wait to read the continuation!

[Galaxy]

YOU GUYS ARE SO SWEET OMG

Oh my god, I loved how Aang was like, "Um, the headboard?" Golden! Thanks for writing, I loved reading it!

I'm so glad you like it! thanks so much<3

Fire Lords did not take sick days

I got this far and had to take a break because I was too excited. xD

I'm sorry,I'm terrible at commenting stuff but I really, really like this. It's awesome. I feel spoiled to get a story into which you've put so much effort. It's all right that is has taken some time - I'm patient and this is definitely worth the wait. (:

I'm also very pleased to see it's not (well at least it hasn't been so far) too heavy on the sneezing. I'm sorry I made such a big deal out of my preferences in the promt thing (? if I remember correctly what I wrote). This is great.

"HeEEHSHHiiuHHH!!" he buckled into a pair of hands folded over his nose, and Zuko's good eye instantly widened. "Aang-- Aang, in my drawer, there's---"

Mmmmm yes please 8)

Uh, Zuko…"

"Aang, I told you, I'm fine!' Zuko snapped, sniffling hard in hopes of getting his nose to stop running.

""No, no, um, the headboard..?"

Zuko glanced behind him and gasped, seeing part of the bed post on fire.

Oh my gods yes this is perfect. xD

I AM SO GLAD YOU LIKE IT omg I was like "i am going to sob if Sitruuna isn't super hella into this" BUT YOU ARE SO YAY

Aang!!!!! And Zuko!!!! With sick, crabby, in denial Zuko!!!!! Love it!

Sick, crabby, in denial Zuko is the BEST Zuko!! haha thanks for reading<3

Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes! Aangy! And Zuzu!!!!!!!

My babes!

I know the feeling, they are supremely my babes too even years after this stupid show ended thanks for reading!!

Yesyes,grumpy sick in denial very hot Zuko all the way cx I like how Aang tries to take care of him but Zuko denies any help. I love your writting style "uhm the headboard Zuko" "sorry you sneeze funny". This is so cute awh. I've always loved Zuko! <3

Thank you so much!! Omg I tried so hard for characterization so I'm really glad you like it ;u; thanks so much for reading dear!!

Eeep! Sick!Zuko is my fav! And you write him so well too! His adorable awkwardness and his quick temper when he's embarrassed is just too cute! I can't wait to read the continuation!

YOU are so sweet omg, yesssss his quick temper is like my favorite part about him (which is probably extremely unhealthy but UGH it's just lovely omg)

SO I know I said Thursday or Friday--- sorry, school and work has been kicking my butt. x.x I'm also making this 3 parts so here's part two!! I've tried to focus more on Zuko's general fatigue and feeling lousy rather than a lot of sneezing so I hope that's coolio with everyone involved<3

----------------------------------------

Zuko felt like he could have slept for decades, but couldn’t manage to get back to sleep once he heard Aang scampering around on the deck of the ship above. He assumed it was Aang. anyway; He couldn’t imagine any of the crew members or captain scurrying around so excitedly.

He swallowed hard, nestling into the pillow that he held close in sleep. His throat felt raw, and swallowing only hurt it worse. Though it was nothing compared to how his head ached, and this was the precise reason why Zuko didn’t get up to get a cup of tea to soothe it. The Fire Lord blearily opened his eyes and sniffled, his nose feeling congested and wet. He reached to rub the underside of it before groaning at feeling it was far runnier than he thought. “Really…” he sighed in exasperation, glancing around to try and find his handkerchief. He’d fallen asleep holding it in his hand, but now it had clearly been lost in the sea of blankets on top of him. Zuko squirmed under the tangled covers until he managed to sit up, on hand searching through the blankets to locate the handkerchief, and the other pressing his wrist to keep his irritatingly runny nose under control.

“Fire Lords don’t get runny noses…” he grumbled to himself, steadily getting frustrated as he looked for the handkerchief. “Oh, come on!”

“Zuko!” came a call from Aang outside the door. “Hey, you up yet? Breakfast is ready!”

“J-Just a second!” Zuko called, and took in a shuddering breath, feeling an irritated tickle stir in the back of his nose.

“Can I come in? I wanna show you this neat idea I came up with last night!”

“One m-...” Zuko tried to get the word out, but was terribly distracted with trying to control the ever growing itch in his sinuses. Without a handkerchief, his nose was definitely not in a good state to be sneezing right now. “J-Just a--- j-juhhhh….”

Aang took the lack of response as a “come on in”, and opened the door to peek in. “Guess what the chef ma--”

“IhhHHXH’xhiuhh!!” Zuko managed to stifle against his wrist, but that did little good in keeping his wrist clean or his pride unscathed. He felt himself go red (though that might have just been his steadily rising fever) as he swiftly turned away from Aang, scrambling around with his free hand for that handkerchief. “Um, I-I’ll be out in a second, Aang!”

“Oh, sorry!’ the Avatar said sheepishly. “I didn’t know you were--”

“Aang!”

“Sorry!” he peeped, turning and scurrying out, closing the door behind him.

Zuko exhaled shakily, trying not to get angry as he continued searching for his missing handkerchief. He finally found it on the floor, completely hidden by blankets, and folded the cloth over his nose to give it a fierce, well deserved blow. He sniffled softly and placed his palm against the tip of his nose to rub the irritated appendage in a gentle circular motion. This managed to chase off another rising tickle, and he swiftly cleaned his wrist up. Finally managing to rise, Zuko went to dress himself, ignoring the headache that remained behind his eyes. It steadily grew, seeming to make his whole head ache miserably. He politely told the servants to leave when they came asking if he needed help getting ready, trying to avoid snapping at them. “As if I’m an idiot…” he seethed quietly to himself, fixing his hair into the Fire Nation insignia. Zuko had managed to get a handle on his anger in the past years, and his temper had been extinguished quite a bit. But with his headache building and fever rising and sinuses congested, it was getting extremely hard to keep from losing it.

“Hey, Zuko! All better?” Aang asked after swallowing a mouth full of rice upon seeing Zuko emerge from his room. Without waiting for answer, he unrolled a design he’d doodled up. “Check it out! I thought of this last night. It’s a building, and all the walls are glass!”

“What’s the point of that?” Zuko asked him hoarsely, sitting across from Aang and putting a few scoops of berries onto his place, not in the mood for anything else. He reached for the tea pot to pour himself some, and visibly scowled when a servant swiftly picked it up to pour it for him. “Did you not see me reach for it?”” he asked pointedly, and the servant quickly put the pot down and apologized profusely. Zuko sighed shakily, the servant’s whiny apologies only annoying him further. “It’s fine, it’s fine, just leave the Avatar and I alone, will you?”

The servant nodded, and was followed out by three others as they left the Fire Lord and Avatar alone in the dining room.

Zuko poured himself that cup of tea and swiftly drank it. The tea was cold, but it felt far better on his throat than hot tea would have. He sighed softly in relief at his aching throat feeling a bit better, and popped a few berries in his mouth before seeing Aang’s nervous look. “What?”

“Nothing, just...you’re kind of grumpy today.”

“I’m not grumpy,” Zuko growled quietly, keeping his eyes on his plate as he silently told himself to calm down.

“You’re kiiiiind of grumpy. Are you feeling okay?”

“I’m feeling annoyed, that’s for sure,” Zuko said briskly, giving Aang a pointed scowl. “Now tell me about your stupid glass building--- Won’t it break easy?”

Aang pouted at Zuko calling his building stupid, but instantly cleared his throat and straightened up once he saw Zuko’s eyebrow twitch in irritation. “Um, well, that’s the thing, it would have really thick glass that would be hard to break.”

“And what’s the point of it being glass?”

“Well, um...It would just look cool.”

“it would look cool.”

“What I’m trying to do is figure out some kind of style that’s not directly inspired by the Fire Nation, Air No---”

“Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom, yeah,” Zuko nodded, finishing off his second cup of tea. He sniffed, feeling his nose start to run again as he swiftly took a curled knuckle to the underside of it, giving it a quick rub while Aang was focused on his plate of food. “But I mean, having a building that could be so breakable--”

“Well, I don’t seem you coming up with anything,” Aang told him with a shrug, just stating a fact.

“I’ve come up with plenty! Like, the…”

“Theeeeeee?” Aang prompted with a cocked eyebrow.

“Well, I’m busy!” Zuko protested, steam beginning to unfurl from his nostrils again in the way they only did when he was steadily losing control of his temper. “I’m the Fire Lord! You know, running a whole nation here? You just zoom around on your air scooter and kiss Katara all day!”

Aang frowned and set down his bowl of rice, indicating that he meant business. “Oh, okay, so being the Avatar is easy breezy, right? I don’t do anything at all! I don’t worry about all FOUR nations AND Republic City, and I’m not constantly trying to teach Airbending to students in hopes of me and my children not being the only remaining Airbenders--- And children! I’m going to be having CHILDREN soon! Do you think I want kids so quick? I’m terrified!”

“I’d switch you places anyday! I was so ready to have children and be married and have a family before…” He trailed off and swallowed, looking away from Aang to take a long drink of his tea.

Aang’s expression fell and he sighed, rubbing at the back of his neck. “...I heard about you and Mai. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“Do I look like I want to talk about it?”

Aang shrugged and looked down, finishing up his breakfast. “Alright. Um, I guess we’re almost to Republic CIty, so...I wanted to ask. You don’t have to go if you don’t want to. You want to just stay on ship and rest? I figure you need it…”

Zuko didn’t even honor the question with an answer, standing and starting back for his room. “Just call me when we’re there, Aang,” he growled, refusing to play the part of the sick, sniveling Fire Lord that Aang seemed to think he was. He wasn't a sick, sniveling anything. Not when he was under the weather, and not when he was missing Mai.

[Arty]

Awwwww and angsty sick zuko. Awww poor guy. Well this is why we have people like Aang there.

[Pyrus_Fangmon]

Grumpy Zuzu is just pure giggle matter. I love him so so so so so so much!

And the fight! The tension, you could just feel it!

Can't wait to see how this will go

[VividBubbles!]

Awwwww, poor, sick Zuko! It's adorable how he's missing Mai and is all grumpy and sniffly. He's just too cute! Great job, Galaxy! Can't wait to read the next part!

Edited January 27, 2015 by VividBubbles!

[Sitruuna]

I don't know why but I really like the steam-unfurling-from-his-nostrils thing. Poor sick, grumpy Zuko.

refusing to play the part of the sick, sniveling Fire Lord that Aang seemed to think he was.

[Subtly Clashing Wishes]

I loved The Last Airbender and I haven't thought about these characters in so long. What a great story. I'm looking forward to more.

[shingetsu]

Yes YES!!! This is just what I needed. I'm excited for this to continue, wonder how many more inanimate objects Zuko will set on fire. And the friendship between Aang and Zuko is perfectly portrayed~

[SpookyBoi]

I need more of this please. I love Zuko he's so cool!!!! But great story!!!

[Juniebee]

Ugh i love this! Sick and cranky Zuko,being all flustered and blowing his nose and Aang being concenred for Zuko. I also love the time skip-this is during building Republic city and The thought of 15 y/o Aang with stubble amuses me to no end. I love Zuko's weird sneezes and Aang being like " you sneeze weird ".LOVE.

And speaking of Legend of korra

If you guys wouldn't mind checking out "The. Legend of Korra Fanfic thread" ,I wrote some work there, and so did a few other people,and if you like the legend of iorra you really ahould check it out!! It qould mean a lot to me I'm new to this websight!

[Juniebee]

* Korra **just ***website

That was uploaded feok monile sorry for the typos

[v a n i l l a]

This is kinda old, but I would love a continuation, if you still want to, per chance. 

[Sawyer]

Have I ever read your writing before? I'm floored! You're VERY good!!!! The way you write dialogue is so fluid and it translates so well in my head, which is especially impressive considering it's fanfiction. All of the fetishy stuff really hit the spot for me too, and so did the uh... I don't know how to describe it, but like, the way you move things along, the pacing, the way you construct situations and show how the characters deal with them both during and after... it's very good! I'm off to binge on the rest of your stuff now!!