A/N: the writing ensues, anyway sometimes I'm not too sure how I'd want it to go but I have a rough idea of how it'll play out and for the past few days before I go to sleep I imagine scenarios of them two and when I wake up I'd have forgotten almost half a dozen of them SOOO yeah
Chapter Summary: A/N: sooo zuko baby having a moment w Ty lee and stuff are escalating
The next morning, activity stirred with Zuko up early. Ty Lee woke to the crackling of flames on the edges of her sleep. Going outside, she found Zuko practicing without a shirt, his skin gleaming in the morning sun, and his dark hair reflecting the light. His eyes had a smoldering look, and his movements were fluid, like a dragon's rhythmic dance, surprisingly graceful.
There was something different about him, a shift from the usual fiery intensity of his firebending. Despite her feelings from the previous day, it seemed like a new energy fueled his bending, something beyond anger and frustration.
Ty Lee's usual cheerful demeanor was replaced by a knot in her stomach. Should she approach, like a moth to a flame, or stay back and silently watch, a shadow in the early light?
Ty Lee held back a yelp, the rush of adrenaline overshadowing the sting of her scraped knees. A rogue pebble, seemingly placed by mischief, sent her sprawling in the dusty courtyard, limbs tangled in an undignified mess. Timing couldn't have been worse as the brooding Prince Zuko arrived, spinning around with a startled cry, flames already dancing at his fingertips.
"Whoa! Easy there, Firelord," Ty Lee scrambled upright, hands raised in surrender. "It's just yours truly, the clumsiest acrobat in the Fire Nation. No need to get your firebending feathers all ruffled."
Zuko lowered his flames, although reluctantly, his amber eyes narrowing as he took in her disheveled appearance. An eyebrow quirked, a silent question hanging in the air.
"Seriously," Ty Lee chuckled, brushing dust off her tunic, "a pebble. I wouldn't be surprised if a gust of wind knocked me flat. talk about airbending"
A flicker of a smile, hesitant and unexpected, played on Zuko's lips. "Seems," he muttered, the fire completely extinguished now, "the Fire Nation could use a few more earthbenders to smooth out their paths." She poked
"What are you doing here? None of them are up yet" Zuko queried
She jumped a little, feeling embarrassed. She scratched her head as she confessed, "I might have woken up hearing you practicing..."."
Zuko's eyes softened. "Sorry," he said, his voice gruff but sincere. "I didn't mean to wake you. I guess I tend to get lost in it."
Ty Lee shrugged, a small smile playing on her lips. "No worries, It's not like I haven't heard you practicing before. You're like a human alarm clock, but with fire instead of bells."
He chuckled, a genuine sound that surprised her. "Maybe I should invest in some quieter flames."
"Nah," she said, her voice softer. "Your fire is beautiful, even at dawn. It's just... it reminds me of something."
Zuko's gaze turned serious "Of what?"
"...it reminds me of something. Of you, back when we were younger, feeding those silly turtleducks on the pond. You were so gentle, so... happy." she tells him slightly fidgeting with her fingers
Zuko fidgeted, a blush creeping up his neck. "Yeah," he muttered, dropping his hand from his nape and brushing at a speck of dust on his tunic. "Happier times, I guess."
He glanced at Ty Lee, her eyes sparkling with a warm memory, and a faint smile tugged at his lips. He recalled those afternoons by the pond, the sweet smell of lotus flowers mingling with the earthy scent of mud. He sat alongside his mother as they coaxed the clumsy turtleducks towards their offerings of seaweed and berries.
Then, as quickly as it came, the smile vanished. "Maybe too happy," he said, his voice low. "A reminder of everything I lost."
The air grew heavy again, the weight of his past settling between them. Ty Lee, however, wasn't deterred. She scooted closer, her eyes meeting his
"But Zuko," she said, her voice gentle, "don't you think those happy memories are worth holding onto? They may be part of your past, but they can also light the way to your future."
She touched his arm, her hand warm and comforting, and surprisingly, he didn't pull away.
"You can choose to carry those memories with you, like embers that keep you warm. Embers that can help you build a new kind of happiness, one that's stronger because it's built on something real," she said.
Zuko stared at her, his heart pounding. He saw a flicker of hope in her eyes, a belief in him that he hadn't entertained in so long. Maybe, just maybe, she was right.
He took a deep breath, a shaky smile returning to his lips. "You know what, Ty Lee? You're probably right. Those turtleducks were pretty annoying, but I wouldn't mind seeing them again."
A giggle escaped Ty Lee's lips, as bright as the morning sun. "I think they'd be happy to see you too, Zuko. Maybe we can even visit them tomorrow morning, just like old times."
"Visit what?" Mai suddenly appeared in the corner, her arms crossed.
Mai's sudden appearance was like a splash of cold water on their warm moment. Ty Lee's smile faltered, and Zuko's hand instinctively moved away from Ty Lee's touch. The air crackled with tension, under the watchful eyes of Zuko's girlfriend.
"Nothing much," Ty Lee said, her voice a bit strained. "Just talking about the good old days, before things got... complicated."
Mai's gaze flickered between them, her expression unreadable. "Complicated?" she echoed, her voice a low, dangerous hum. "Care to elaborate, Zuko?"
Zuko sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Just some childhood memories," he mumbled, avoiding her eyes. "It's not really important."
Mai raised an eyebrow, a challenge in her eyes. "Not important? You were always one for nostalgia, Zuko. Especially when it comes to... distractions."
Her words stung, and Zuko clenched his fists. "This isn't about that," he growled. "Ty Lee and I were just-"
"Just what?" Mai interrupted, her voice sharp. "Sharing secrets under the moonlight? Talking about the days you used to feed those pathetic turtleducks?"
Ty Lee felt a pang of irritation. "Actually," she said, meeting Mai's gaze head-on, "we were talking about how even the darkest memories can hold the embers of a brighter future. And how sometimes, all it takes is a little kindness to rekindle them."
The courtyard fell silent, the tension thick enough to cut. Mai's eyes narrowed, her hand hovering near the hilt of her dagger. Zuko stood between them, his face a mask of frustration and regret.
Mai's eyes narrowed, a storm brewing behind them. The remark about turtleducks, seemingly harmless, carried an unspoken challenge, a test of Zuko's loyalty. As Ty Lee talked about rekindling embers, Mai heard it as a subtle claim to Zuko's heart, stirring up the ashes of their old relationship.
Without hesitation, Mai sheathed her dagger, the sound cutting through the tense silence like a gunshot. "Fine," she spat, her voice icy. "Enjoy your little turtleduck reunion. I won't interfere."
She turned on her heel, her dark cloak swirling like a vengeful shadow. Her steps were brisk, each one like a beat of a silent war drum. Zuko watched her go, his heart heavy with guilt.
"Mai, wait!" His voice cracked, reverberating off the courtyard walls. Shame mixed with a desperate need to explain and apologize, to somehow mend the tear she had caused in their already fragile relationship.
She didn't stop or turn back. The sun had fully risen, casting sharp shadows in the courtyard, but for Zuko, everything was blurred by the fog of his own indecision. He took a hesitant step, then another, pulled by an invisible force, a phantom tug of something they once shared.
Ty Lee observed him leaving, a bittersweet knot twisting in her stomach. Her words, meant to bring comfort, had instead sparked a fire she hadn't intended. But was she wrong? Didn't everyone deserve a chance to rekindle their warmth, even if it meant burning others in the process?
The courtyard seemed strangely empty, echoes of unspoken words and forgotten memories lingering in the air. Ty Lee picked up a stray pebble, turning it in her hand. Its rough surface mirrored the jagged edges of Zuko's heart, scars from Mai's anger and his self-inflicted pain.
As Zuko disappeared through the archway, Ty Lee closed her eyes. She could almost sense the heat of his pursuit, the faint echo of his name on the wind. But this wasn't her tale, not her flame to rekindle. Alone, a solitary acrobat on a stage suddenly dimmed, she waited for the curtain to fall on a drama not her own. (heroine shikkaku vibes tbh, but nah)