|•|W I T 卄 E R||•| Zuko X Reader ⚠SLOWBURN⚠

♡ And Of That Love/The Kiss♡

You giggled in disbelief, "That expression on your face is what children see in their nightmares."

"It's the same expression you made when you first met me." Zuko said, sorrowful. "Imagine my horror as a little boy, seeing something so horrifying..."

You gave him a moue and got into forehead flicking position. Before you could launch your grand attack, he caught your wrist and dragged you as he continued his walk.

"I was not that ugly." You grumbled.
Zuko chuckled, "I'll admit, you are pretty cute."

...

...Huh?

Your eyes widened and you tried to hide your blush. Wait, why did he say "are" instead of "was!?" You were entering a state of confusion you had never experienced before. Lso!? Why did he do that!?

You could hear faint laughter in your head.

You glanced back up at Zuko, who had a small smile on his face. The second he noticed your gaze, you whipped your head downwards and stared at the ground.

You accidentally turned your head around to much, and nearly fell over to the weight of your humongous cranium.

Somehow, you managed to hold the weight of your entire body on just your feet.

Zuko stared at you, dumbfounded.

"We are not having that trope." Lso mumbled.

"Mama look! That girl must have really big feet!" Some stupid kid pointed at your boots.

You stood up straight, annoyed at Lso, yet somewhat relieved to have a good reason to look as red as a pepper-mato.

"Let's keep moving before I die from embarassment." You muttered.

√|•|§€=°--<<《---》>>--=€§|•|√

The two of you came across a wide bridge. You noticed that it led to a surprisingly forested area, and that it was marked with interesting carvings.
At first, you were amazed at how decipherable the rocky pictures were. However, your brain quickly reminded you of the fact you were in a city mainly composed of earthbenders.

Below the bridge was‐-obviously--water. The sun had started to set, and its reflection hovered above the waterbody, turning it into an elegant mixture of a deep blue, orange, and a pale pink.

Zuko spread a piece of paper along the bridge's wall and began to carefully fold and crease it.

"The lanterns we saw back then were made to honor a soldier named Chui Bao. Records say he was the lone survivor of the crimes committed by a man named Toz, and was taken in by the first ever Firelord." He explained,

"During the time of Avatar Szeto, the Kyodaina Wave-The largest tsunami in Fire Nation-came speeding towards the capital."

"Chui Bao lit up the sky with fire, evaporating the enormous wall of water. But when it had been completely vaporized, he vanished."

"To honor his loyalty and love for the nation, thousands of lanterns are sent up into the heavens, lighting up the sky like his flames did years ago."

Zuko held an finished, unlit lantern in his hands. "There... isn't really a designated day for it, so it's been used to remind skilled soldiers to serve the Firelord with all their being." He muttered.

"Oh..." You rested your elbows on the barrier of the bridge. You weren't really upset, but you felt a bit uncomfortable with the fact that such an impressive feat was potentially being used as reason for people to support Ozai.