ateez family in the avatar the last airbender universe
"Papa! San lit up the tree in our garden again!"
"And Yunho is teaching Jongho how to do the air scooter again!"
Seonghwa rushed outside putting out the fire his son had caused in last minute. "I'm so sorry I didn't mean to! Something tickled my nose and then I sneezed and- and boom" he tried to explain, guilt clearly dominating his voice.
"Ah... It's okay, baby, we got it handled and noone got hurt, it's okay" Seonghwa sighed and bent down to clean San's nose. "We will help you learn how to control it it's okay"
Inside the house, Hongjoong was chasing Yunho and Jongho, who were racing around the house on the air scooter - an air bending figure Hongjoong had taught his eldest son. "Yunho! Come back here! Don't make me come after you!"
"Catch us first!" he giggled instead, speeding up and taking Jongho in his lap to escape even faster. He flew out the window from the first floor, landing safely and continued 'flying' through their backyard and the jungle kind woods beginning right after.
They rushed by Wooyoung and Mingi, who were playing a game they came up with themselves. The one whose rock flys the farest wins. Needless to say that Mingi clearly was ahead of Wooyoung, so after five minutes of playing Wooyoung would turn to throwing rocks at Mingi instead.
"Let the kids play as much as they want, when we're back to the city they can't do that" Seonghwa commented as he came back in and sat Hongjoong down on the couch.
They were taking a few days off on the Ember Islands as Hongjoong was overworking himself too much again. He was the avatar, the world's weight was literally on his shoulders and sometimes he broke down under the heavy break. And then, it was Seonghwa's duty to bring him up to his best again.
"The island is a save zone, let them have their fun, Joongie~" he said and started to massage his husband's shoulders. "And you do that too. Your shoulders are literally rock-hard, let out a little tension"
"Oh that's not the only thing that's rock-ha-" Seonghwa clapped on his head rather roughly "Yah! That hurt..." Hongjoong pouted, rubbing his head while Seonghwa unbothered continued to massage his shoulders. At some point Hongjoong finally relaxed and layed back, enjoying the treatment he was getting. "Where are the kids?"
"Yunho is teaching Jongho how to use the air scooter, Wooyoung is throwing rocks with Mingi - as usual - and the twins are practicing. Yeosang made big progress on his bending! San is still struggling with controlling it, you have to help him there I don't think my techniques helped him much"
"Mhmm" Hongjoong hummed, melting into Seonghwa's hands. He indeed had a heavenly way with them and Hongjoong enjoyed every bit of it. It was a moment of silence and peace for both of them. No crying, no screaming, no chaos. Just them. Seonghwa's hands wandered from his shoulders to his jaw, loosening the knots one by one, Hongjoong's praising hums telling him he was doing it just right.
When he was about to remove his hands, it only took a firm grip from Hongjoong and a gust of wind to flip him over on his lap. Seonghwa squeaked. "yah, don't do this, you know it scares me!" he complained, not being able or hide his in-love-grin though.
"You sure? Your flustered face tells me otherwise, my prince" Hongjoong replied plastering Seonghwa's face with kisses and enjoying his embarrassed giggled. "Oh love, how about we just take this and go up-"
A loud shriek broke the peaceful atmosphere. "Ah!" San yelled. The parents got up from where they were sitting - more or less willingly - to see what happened. Into view came a drenched San and an on the edge of crying Yeosang.
"I really didn't mean to! I got scared by that bug and then it just- splashed" he explained, looking down in guilt. "I'm sorry"
"And I thought it was serious..." Hongjoong mumbled under his breath and lifted his hands to wring out the water in San's clothing. "Look, as if nothing happened"
San looked down on himself and confirmed his father's sentence with his dimpled smile. "Daddy, can I show you something? Please!" he begged Hongjoong, putting his hands together.
"Of course, big boy"
San took a deep breath and concentrated on the heat inside of him. He could do it, he had to because daddy was watching and he wanted to make him proud oh so bad. He was about to shoot his shot when again something tickled his sensitive nose and he sneezed, sending himself flying back a couple meters, as his light body couldn't stant the big impact of fire coming out of his nose.
San felt so embarrassed. He wanted to dig a hole and dissappear. His confidence was crushed and so was he after the collision with the ground.
What he didn't know was that Hongjoong was still impressed. Because for his age, San shouldn't be able to gather enough energy at one point to send himself flying. "Holy flameo" he said, rushing to the boy and taking him in his arms. "When did you learn how to gather so much concentration?" he asked, totally impressed. San was first confused as his actual plan miserably failed and it took him a minute to understand that he did something unconsciously. When he realized a bright expression decorated his face again, lighting up the mood of everyone around him.
Father and son where too busy with playing with fire now, so Yeosang went on showing Seonghwa his trained skills. Yeosang proudly showed how easy it was for him to let water just flow in the direction he wanted. And every now and then he was able to catch a little bubble Seonghwa threw at him without breaking it. He still had a lot to learn, and he wanted to learn everything about waterbending. His own father was the best in it, and Seonghwa had promised him to teach him everything when the time was right.
~
"I don't know how he does it, but he turns on his head!" Yunho told, pointing at Jongho, who was peacefully eating. "I want to do that too..." he pouted, a little jealous that a two year old could do something he couldn't.
Hongjoong chuckled hearing that. "At least he learned that in what? Two weeks? It took Daddy a whole month to do anything with air"
"What did i say about throwing rocks and aiming at each other, huh?" Seonghwa scolded as he brought Wooyoung and Mingi into the dining room. He had then on their ears. Earlier today they came back with bruises all over their bodies and Seonghwa was just done healing them. "If I catch you two bruising anyone again-"
"It's okay, Hwa, look, they are alright now, aren't they?" Hongjoong interrupted.
"We are so sorry! We got carried away! We won't do it again!" they said in union. And just before Seonghwa could say anything else, Hongjoong gestured him not to. He just wanted to eat his dinner in peace.
"Oh! I saw a sign earlier that said something about a theater tonight" Yunho said, swallowing his bite. "Can we please go see the play?"
Hongjoong stifled a laugh. The famous Ember Island Theater. It was a rather funny play to watch. The group was a bunch of random people, recreating the stories of the previous avatars in a over dramatically funny way. To this day the story about avatar Kyoshi was his favorite. Just something about that woman was so... Badass. "Of course, why not? What do you think?" he turned his head to Seonghwa earning an agreeing hum. "then it's settled, we're visiting the theater tonight"
~
Hectic was all over the preparation rooms. One was missing his wig, the other had unfinished make up. The big room was a loud mess. It only came to silence when the young actress slammed open the door. "Stop whatever you're doing! The director has changed the plan!" she yelled just to be sure everyone hear her bright voice.
"What you mean changed the Plan? We can't! We're supposed to be on stages in a hour!"
"Don't come at me, I'm just the delivery guy!" she defended herself.
"Why even?"
"I got told the avatar and his family are attending tonight's play! The director wants us to follow this script instead!" she gave everyone a new script.
"She wants us to play their story?"
"In front of them?"
"Without practice?"
"I don't know man" she sighed and sat down to get her new make up done. "We don't have time, let's just try our best I guess..."
~
"Okay boys, here are our seats!" Hongjoong guided his family to their seats and sat them down. Their area was mostly empty, he could let Yunho, Mingi and Yeosang sit a row in front of him freely. Jongho was seated on Seonghwa's lap, San to his right and Wooyoung to Hongjoong's left.
"I'm so excited!" San squealed and clapped his hands.
"I really want to know what they are going to play" Yunho asked as he turned around to face his parents.
"I don't know either, baby. It's going to be a surprise for all of us" Seonghwa replied, shifting Jongho so they could sit comfortably. The youngest was getting bigger, and hereby heavier.
"Oh- Oh- Look! It's starting!" Wooyoung interrupted and excitedly pointed at the stage. The lights dimmed down, were now focused on the red curtain that was about to fall.
And then, the show began.
The red curtain fell and revealed a small girl with very short hair in casual fire nation clothes. Her face graced a wide smile, and with that and the make up she had on, it somehow reminded Seonghwa of Hongjoong when he was younger. The water bender turned to his husband, shock written all over his face.
Hongjoong shared a look with him, his mouth open in a o shape. Oh, this play would take him on the good old memory lane.
~
"You are the avatar, Hongjoong"
"no♡"
"You can't deny your destiny"
"Watch me!"
Guards rowed in front the tall douple doors, denying his exit. Scoffing, the young avatar turned back around, facing the elders. In front of him the current fire lady, the chief of the water tribes, some rich woman of the earth kingdom and a pretty desinterrested monk. Hongjoong's stomach turned looking at the view in front of him. He wouldn't do that for nothing, no. And who knew, maybe they were wrong too. Hongjoong didn't want to be the avatar. He just wanted to get some cabbages and now he was here, accused of being the next avatar, master of all four elements.
"What is this now? Are you going to keep me hostage until I cooperate?" Hongjoong asked unbothered, giving the elders a untouched expression. His eyes catched a short glance at the large window. Two fingers barely holding onto the frame. And there was his ticked out.
"If we have to, yes"
"I think the fuck not. You see... As far as I know is the avatar it not supposed to fight for your ideologies but true freedom, so... I guess I will head out now" he said flashing a grin and in the next moment he was out the window, landing on the back of his young dragon. The majestic animal turned its direction, flying as fast as he she could, trying to disappear behind the tall mountain. "I didn't think you would make it" Hongjoong said, turning to his friend "you came just in time"
"I got you" he replied, finally relieved when they could land deep in the woods. Chan and Hongjoong came down from the dragons back, catching a breath. "So... Is it true? The avatar thing?" he asked unsure.
"I don't really know, they say so..." Hongjoong mumbled, forming a little dancing flame on his palm. "you can't know until you try, do you?" Hongjoong replied, trying his best in moving anything around him, the ground underneath him, the air around him but nothing happened. "Oh... Seems like I am indeed not-"
"That's not how it works, stupid kid" someone said, they themselves coming into view a second later. When the monk from earlier came into view, Hongjoong and Chan changed into a defending pose, ready to attack. But the monk don't move at all, his face stayed expressionless. "I'm not here to bring you back to these old asses, if that's what you thought" he said instead. "I'm here to do my duty and teach the avatar airbending"
"I am not the avatar, I'm sorry... Monk" Hongjoong replied, still not leaving his pose. But when the monk with the half shaved head didn't go away already, he let down his guard. "Look, man, I am not the avatar. I just wanted some cabbages and then they kidnapped me-" The airbender master found his moment and took his chance by attacking the young boy with a strong blast of air you couldn't stop if you weren't an airbender yourself. But Hongjoong did, and when he realized he didn't know what to say. He looked over to Chan, who had one thing left to say.
"Not the avatar my ass, Hongjoong"
~
"Why can't we just fly, c'mon!"
"No! She's tired too! We have been traveling on her for weeks" Hongjoong replied and kept on walking through the thick jungle they found themselves in.
Simce he had made his dramatic exit out of the palace, he, Chan and the Monk - also known as Monk Eden - were on the run. After a long explanation from Eden they got to know that they could only finde safety with the air nomads and the people of the water tribes. As Hongjoong had guessed, his fire lady had other ideas of peace, and these were to be defeated. Now, many influential people of the earth kingdom had a deal with the fire nation, the situation seemed like a world war was about to break out.
"How are we supposed to find someone to teach you earthbending when we can't show ourselves?" Eden asked while stumbling through the jungle.
"Why don't we just throw rocks at him and see what happens? I mean, it worked the first time" Chan suggested, lifting a rather big rock from the ground.
"Are you serious? Put that rock away!" Hongjoong protested but his best friend just shrugged his shoulders, throwing it anyway. You couldn't know before trying, could you? But now they knew for sure that throwing rocks at Hongjoong wouldn't magically unlock the earthbender inside him.
"Oh, your ass is so done, Bang Chan!" Hongjoong was about to chase after him when something indescribably heavy fell on him from one of the trees. It wasn't a branch, a piece of wood can't scream.
"Look what you have done"
"I'm sorry I didn't know it would break..."
When Hongjoong came back to himself, two men were laying on top of him, the one getting hit by the other. "What the actual..." he shoved them from him, standing up quickly.
"Oh uhm... Hi"
~
"So you're telling me, you two run away to get married because his mom didn't let you marry him because he is poor?"
"Yup"
"And your mom is the richest woman of the kingdom, so everyone is after you?"
"Indeed"
Hongjoong pressed his lips together. At least one of them could teach him eathbending, so he couldn't let taht chance pass, could he. "Welcome to the committee of the wanted Namjoon and Jin"
"You mean the Hongang"
"..."
~
"Yah! Wake up, we're here" Hongjoong called out, aiming at the big icy gates. "The northern water tribe"
When they landed they were greeted by the tribes elders, the chief and the citizens. "Young avatar, I'm honored to have you seek a stay here" the chief greeted him.
"It's an honor for us to be here, chief" Hongjoong replied, bowing in respect. "I can't put in words how grateful I am to be taught waterbending from a master like yourself. Thank-"
"Oh you got me wrong, young avatar" the chief interrupted and let out a little chuckle. The citizens started to whisper around. "I am not the master you will be learning from. The best will teach you your last element, young avatar" the tall man turned around and stepped to the side, revealing the view on the tall building in front of them. On a balcony stood a boy, he had his thick blue hood over his head, framing his face. His hair was just as icy white as the snow around him, his skin pale. His facial futures were sharp, his eyes were shooting bullets through Hongjoong's chest. "My son, Seonghwa, will be teaching you everything about waterbending, young avatar"
Hongjoong stood still as if he was frozen on his spot. He didn't even Hwa the comment Eden did behind him.
"Looks like water won't be the only thing he'll be bending, huh?"
~
Seonghwa opened a hidden door closed it just behind Hongjoong. They entered the most sacred place, the cave of the moon and water gods. "Here is a lot of spiritual energy, it should help you to meditate" he said.
Hongjoong looked around. It was a ice cave, everywhere ice but there was one spot with fresh, green grass and it was surrounding a pond. He bent over it, got a glance inside the pond. "Don't disturb them, back away" Seonghwa sharply comaned "They don't like to be disturbed"
Hongjoong nodded understanding. His eyes found Seonghwa again, oh how much he liked that view better. The other was sitting a couple meters behind him, had his eyes closed and seemed to see without them. "How did you..?"
Seonghwa chuckled, opening his eyes "perks of seeing through her eyes" he said closing them again. "Didn't you say you wanted to meditate to get a connection with the element?"
"Ah, right" Hongjoong sat next to his tutor with crossed legs and closed his eyes, pretended to meditate. Oh he had a connection to water. He had mastered it two weeks ago, he was pretending that he still couldn't connect to it. And that was just another excuse to be alone with Seonghwa.
"So you're going to keep lying?"
"W-What?" Hongjoong chocked on his spit and snapped out.
"Stop wasting my time and tell me why you're pretending that you can't waterbend" he hissed, rising his eyebrow.
"Ahaha... So you figured out already? Well, that's embarrassing now" Hongjoong mumbled, scratching the back of his head. There was no use to keep on with the play was is? And while he was blowing the play, he could blow the reason too. "How do I put it in words... Uhm..." Hongjoong stuttered, cursing himself out for it. "If I'm honest I don't know how but in the very first moment I knew it like... Deep down. So I'm just going to say it so. Seonghwa, prince of the northern water tribe, I would like you to join my journey because I do like you"
Seonghwa's eyes widened at Hongjoong's direct confession. But he had to compose himself fast, he was still a prince. He cleared his throat, composed his facial expressions before answering him. "If- if it's your wish for me to join you I shall fulfill my duty, young ava-"
"Cut the crap and call me Hongjoong already"
~
The red curtain closed, loud applause and cheering filled the big salle. The play was over.
As he family was walking back to their home, the kids skipped in front of their parents, recalling the fun scenes of the play, while tehir fathers were recalling dear memories.
"How did you actually notice I was pretending?"
"How? No student ever needed more than a week, I beg of you, I taught you. I knew it from the beginning. I just wanted to see how long you planed on pretending"
"How humble of you"
"Did I lie tho?"
-
Hey! How are you guys doing? I hope you're doing well!
So y'all, this was the special! I really hope you enjoyed it, because I just wrote through the night like it's literally 5 am right now and I am starving. I don't even know if I ate today holy shit.
Please don't be me and forget to eat y'all, eat healthy y'all.
I'm impressed by my self, I've never written so much, this chapter is about 3,4k words long y'all, ask me to write a homework that long and I couldn't :')
I really hope this doesn't flop or something like that for real
Anyways,
Please stay healthy and safe!
-gulkurusubb