Fanning the Flames

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/48458911.

Rating: General Audiences

Archive Warning: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Category: M/M
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), Toph Beifong & Zuko, Katara & Sokka (Avatar),
Sokka & Suki (Avatar), Hakoda & Sokka (Avatar), Mai & Zuko (Avatar),
Minor or Background Relationship(s), Mai/Ty Lee (Avatar), Aang/Katara
(Avatar), Sokka/Yue (Avatar), AroAce Toph - Relationship, AroAce Suki
Characters: Zuko (Avatar), Sokka (Avatar), Suki (Avatar), Toph Beifong, Aang
(Avatar), The Gaang (Avatar), Hakoda (Avatar), Mai (Avatar), Ty Lee
(Avatar), Yue (Avatar), She's still dead btw but shes mentioned and
brought up every now and again
Additional Tags: Fluff, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Identity Reveal, Secret Identity, Zuko is an
Awkward Turtleduck, Hurt Zuko (Avatar), Emotional Hurt/Comfort,
Slow Burn, Let toph say the fuck word, Implied/Referenced Child
Abuse, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Eventual Smut, Eventual
Romance, Eventual Happy Ending, Angst with a Happy Ending, Post-
Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Child Soldiers, Identity Porn, Bad
Parent Ozai (Avatar), Mentioned Ozai (Avatar)
Language: English
Stats: Published: 2023-07-09 Updated: 2023-09-11 Words: 4,273 Chapters:
3/16
 Fanning the Flames
by Arson_Avian

Summary

It's been 5 years since the end of the war. Zuko has found himself in a lonely palace,
drowning in work and only seeing his loved ones a few times a year, the rest of his life is just
rebuilding an entire nation with almost no tools but his fancy words and his brain.

On top of all that, he has also been the subject of many attempted assassinations!

So naturally he calls up the Kyoshi Warriors and asks if any of them would be willing to keep
watch so he could get some quality sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So Sokka gets this invite to a Kyoshi Warrior meeting, right?

The girls are always fun to be around so he dons the uniform and make-up and goes.

What he wasn’t expecting was a preliminary test to be the bodyguards of the Firelord.
Neither was he expecting Zuko to not recognize him in uniform(Because of his bad eyesight)
and legitimately select him for the position. And because Sokka signed up under a fake name,
to prank Zuko, ZUKO DOESN'T KNOW IT'S HIM.

Cue identity porn, idiots that are so helplessly in love, and all of the women in the cast taking
bets on who will propose first.

Notes

Hi! Im Arson Avian!! this my first larger scale fic that I intend to see the end of. No real
update schedule yet but Im sure ill figure something out before chapter 4. Shout out to one of
my bestest buds for giving me my inspo for the title. luv u amberli, sorry i didn't use the
original title BUT YOUR IDEA GOT ME THERE!!

small tw blo0d and violence but its not too bad

HOPE YOU ENJOY :D

 Stop It! Get Some Help.
Chapter Summary

Burnt out Zuko almost fucking dies lol. Not really he's built different 😎

Zuko was tired.

Extremely exhausted if you will.

He barely manages to stumble up the stairs and into his personal quarters, where he can
finally lie down.

Still adorned in his firelord regalia, he collapses face-first into the mattress with an ooff.

Today was rough. Five years after the end of the war and sometimes his life was still nothing
but war in a different form. Council meetings are difficult when you are the only person in
the room that can look at things from an outsider's perspective. It took an hour of convincing
the council that maybe, just maybe, the citizens of the Earth Kingdom would be upset if the
Fire Nation tried to demand financial retributions, while they were trying to rebuild their
country. It was even more difficult when Iroh and other White Lotus members were traveling
around the world making apologies to other nations and making amends on behalf of the Fire
Nation.

The end of war was glorious but the years of recovery are still hard and when you have to
face most of it alone, you end up burnt out. In the beginning, everyone had stayed in the
palace for at least 3 months to help Zuko back into his old home, or to mooch off of the
generational wealth for a well-deserved vacation before they were required to go out to fix
the world again. Just because the war was over, didn’t mean a hundred years of damage could
be repaired overnight. Soon enough everyone dispersed out into the world again, only really
seeing each other during holidays or diplomatic trips.

Mai had broken up with him a few months after the end of the war. She said she wanted to
see the world with Ty Lee as a Kyoshi warrior and not be seen as the pretty decor at the
Firelord’s side. It had stung quite a bit when he heard that for the first time but he knew she
came from a place of honesty and foresight. They both knew they weren’t going to last long,
their kind of love just wasn’t as romantic as it had seemed. Did he love her any less because
of this? No, he just loved her as one of the truest friends he could ever ask for. And that was
enough.

Katara and Aang are off on their honeymoon and will be back to help regain peace after a
few weeks or so. It had taken so much egging on and pep talks from Toph and Sokka for
Aang to propose after the fourth year of dating that Katara just made the betrothal necklace
herself and asked Aang to put it on her. He immediately got flustered and started to cry and
Zuko swears he heard everyone in the room go ‘Thank the spirits, finally’, before going to
congratulate the new engagement. Zuko's sure he'll get a letter from Momo soon enough.
Something along the lines of "Hope you are burning *wink wink* bright like the star you are
;)" from Aang and an actual update about the world from Katara along with a small souvenir
attached to the parchment.

Toph had been reluctant to go back to the Earth Kingdom the first 2 years year. Her parents
somehow still had reservations about her bending and Zuko had had enough of their coddling
on their first visit. Zuko had no qualms with her staying in the palace for a bit longer, he even
had her officially employed as his advisor. It was incredibly useful when he was still sifting
through applicants for passable council members. Having a human lie detector was
invaluable to the process of snuffing out moles and sleazy bastards who only want power.
The only thing Toph didn’t like about being in the Fire Nation was the weather and the
amount of spicy food she accidentally stole from Zuko’s plate. Unfortunately, her presence
was personally requested by the Earth King himself and she had to go. Less than two days
later, he received a letter saying that she is now officially the best earthbender of all time and
is now teaching the art of metal-bending on the Earth Kingdom's dime.

… And then there was Sokka.

He had stayed in the Fire Nation for a year and a half, training under Master Piandao, who
had moved into the palace to aid Zuko in the early years of being Firelord. During that time
they had gotten close. They ate meals together, watched plays together, and stayed up late
together reminiscing on good and bad times during the war. Sokka would tell him stories
from his tribe, from when he was a kid, about his first hunt or about the time he had scared
his father half to death playing hide and seek with Katara because he hid far too well, for far
too long, but at least he won! In return, Zuko would read him his favorite books his mother
gave to him(Well, the ones he hid from his father, the others were burnt to a crisp). Sokka
would joke about Zuko reading him bedtime stories but he never told him to stop, only told
him to catch him up from where he dozed off last night. Toph frequently made fun of them
for having sleepovers and called them ‘lovey-dovey’ but they always ignored her complaints
in favor of letting her into the blanket fort they made.

Eventually, Sokka had to leave. His tribe needed him as much as the Fire Nation needed
Zuko. When Sokka left, Zuko had moped for days until he was able to get back on task, with
the help of a very aggressive earthbender. He didn’t know why he was so affected by Sokka’s
absence the most. He didn’t have time to dwell on it, he had a whole nation to run, which was
currently in shambles.

Rolling over onto his back with a sigh, he blankly stares up at an assassin, who was clinging
to the ceiling just above his bed, making panicked and awkward eye contact with the
Firelord.

Shit, again?

Immediately the assassin jumps to action, dropping down on Zuko, drawing a pair of small
blades. Zuko rolls to the right and off the bed, grabbing one of his daos off the wall and
getting into a stance.
They stand there in silence, for an amusing amount of time if it weren't for the fact he was
facing off against someone hired to kill him.

Suddenly, they spring to action, leaping from his bed to Zuko, trying to pin him down. They
struggle against each other, wrestling for their lives. Zuko just barely manages to dodge a
dagger to the eye before he finally kicks the intruder off of him and gets back to his feet.

Zuko calls his firebending to his dao as the assassin draws back into a battle stance. The dark
room is illuminated by the crackling fire as Zuko glides across the floorboards and into melee
range. They swing wildly for his head, creating an opening. He ducks and brings the blade
down on his opponent’s leg, impaling their thigh. He twists, then pulls out his weapon with
precision.

Blood runs down his sword and onto the ground, forming a small puddle as the assassin
drops to the ground in a silent cry of agony, a garbled sound of surrender, shrinking in on
themselves.

"GUARDS!" Zuko shouts as he grabs a cloth from his vanity. Immediately, his guards rush in
and apprehend the masked intruder. Right on time…

As he wipes the blood from his weapon his mind starts to wander to the integrity of his
nightly watch. Isn't it a bodyguard's job to make sure he, the Firelord, isn't in the way of
danger? They should have heard the scuffle from outside right? Spirits, he was going to have
to add "get better bodyguards" to his ever-growing pile of things to do.

Zuko has been dealing with attempted coups for the past five years, and although the
frequency of them has been lowering it was still astonishing how much security is needed,
even now. It turns out running a nation is incredibly difficult when all of the previous council
members want you cold enough to bury. On top of having to investigate another attempted
assassination, he still has to rehire new bodyguards, make a formal invitation to the other
nations to a meeting, sort out a way to decrease the stressful political climate, relocate
refugees, start preparations for the summer solstice and find time to eat, sleep and shower and
train and-

Angi save him, just thinking about his to-do list gives him a headache.

Discarding the bloody rag, he finally changes into his nightwear. He lets his hair down, the
topknot leaving his hair feeling like jelly that was taken out of the mold too quickly. He sits
down at his vanity and starts to brush out his hair before he fully collapses.

'Who do I know that I can trust with my life that isn't already traveling the world and would
do a consistently good job?' Zuko wondered.

'WAIT A MINUTE.'
 We Just Got a Letter, We Got a Letter!
Chapter Summary

Sokka's life back at the Southern Water Tribe is peaceful, so why does he feel like he's
back on the battlefield? Also, he gets a letter.

Chapter Notes

Hi! I'm back at it again(at krispy kream) and wrote another 1500 words of expository
meloncholy angst! but it aint that bad.

Also washed up Sokka is my blorbo you can't stop me from writing him with such a low
sense of identity and if you try you will have to pry this sad little man from my cold
dead stress grip<3

ANYWAYS ENJOYS THE CHAPTER!!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Sokka panted hard against the fur collar of his coat, clouds of breath whizzing past him as he
ran. His grip on his club doesn’t loosen, even as the thundering stampede gets louder behind
him.

The plan Hakoda had drawn up was easy. All Sokka had to do was go down to the river and
taunt the herd of arctic hippos inland where the rest of the huntsmen would strike. The
hunting mission was really quite simple, ON PARCHMENT.

In reality what the plan meant Sokka had to sprint for their life while his father gets to laugh
at him with half the tribe from behind a snow pile.

Great.

Whoops and hollers greet him as he rounds the corner to the makeshift snow fort. He grits his
teeth in slight irritation and embarrassment and runs faster, just wanting the mission to be
over by now.

As he reaches the snow piles, he skids to a stop, making snow fly everywhere(read: the lucky
bastards that didn’t have to run). He dusts himself off and throws a bit of snow at his dad for
good measure.
Hakoda chuckles before regripping his spear and rushing into the fight, Sokka following
after.

A few hours later, they are carrying their winnings home to the village, proud as can be. They
sit around the campfire, mostly making fun of how panicked Sokka looked when he got the
beasts to actually chase him. When the young man receives his portion, he notices that his
portion is larger than the other being handed out.

“What’s this?” Sokka raises his eyebrows with a smirk, “Is Chief Hakoda showing favoritism
towards his kid?”

“Nope,” Hakoda chuckled, loading up his bowl, “Just rewarding a job well done” He nudges
Sokka with his elbow with a cheesy grin. Sokka rolls his eyes while nudging back playfully.

After finishing his meal, he makes his way back to his igloo. His warm heart and content start
to drop with his expression.

Tired, Sokka unties his wolf tail and runs his fingers through his grown-out hair. He huffs out
a sigh, plops down onto his cot, and starts taking off his coat. He takes note of how long his
hair has gotten. Then Sokka got under his covers and started to think.

And then he started to overthink…

Life back home was good. A bit lonely with only your dad and extended family. Sure, he
knows that their pranks are never ill meaning but after spending two and a half years with
Toph, that kind of humor wore off quickly. He’s comfortable being an extra pair of hands for
the village. Whether it be babysitting, helping build more housing, or getting chased by
hippos to make sure his tribe could eat without worries, he’s fine with it. So why does he feel
guilty?

Sokka drags his hand down his face, irritated at his brain, which would not let him just exist
without bombarding him with unnecessary thoughts.

Sokka, son of Chief Hakodaof the Southern Water Tribe, was a decorated war hero. He was a
soldier. He is an honorary member of the Kyoshi Warriors and White Lotus Society. He had a
key role in inventing some of the most revolutionary mechanics in the world. He was trained
by Master Piandoa and deemed worthy of a sword from the outer cosmos. Hell, all of his
friends were world leaders and his brother-in-law is the damn Avatar!

That is who Sokka is.

His sense of duty and purpose used to be strict and set in place. He always had a goal to
move towards. He was supposed to defend the tribe from the Fire Nation since he was the
only “man” that remained back home. He was supposed to take care of Aang and support his
friends when they go into battle. He was supposed to think of plans and draw up plots to help
the benders win their happily ever after. He had a lasting task and a problem to face for most
of his teens.
And now that he has time to relax and live like he was meant to in his teens, and Sokka
realizes he can’t. He physically can’t sit his ass down and just do nothing. His brain is
constantly putting him in battle mode, reminding him of the nearest exits, what could or
could not be used as a weapon.

He didn’t get it. The war was over! He can’t be a soldier anymore since he hasn’t got a battle
to fight. He was back home, chilling out with his dad and the rest of his family. He gets his
own igloo, HIS OWN! He didn't have to share with Katara now(albeit sleeping alone felt
weird as he spent most of his life being able to roll over and wake someone up). He gets to go
on hunting missions with everyone, just like he always dreamed. Everything was right where
it was supposed to be so…

Why isn’t he happy?

He tosses and turns in his bed for a little bit more until finally giving up and trudging out into
the night. There was no way he could go to sleep this restless, trapped in his small igloo.

The cold nips at his cheeks as he steps out into the night. The tranquility of the silence is
solely broken by the crunch of snow under his boot. Everything seems still as if time itself
was sleeping. Yue hung near full and high in the star-freckled sky, her smile beaming down
on the snow, making it wink and glitter. He makes a note to send her an offering within the
next few days.

He makes his way to the harbor where all the trading ships have rested for the night. Dim, sea
glass lanterns light his way across the creaky floorboards and old wooden posts. He breathes
in the crisp, salty air and walks until he finds an empty dock.

He dusts off a spot of snow before sitting down, dangling his feet over the low tide. He stares
into the water, watching the waves distort his reflection until he sees a green spot above him.

Sokka stares up into the sky as a messenger hawk with an Earth Kingdom uniform starts to
swoop down toward him.

Sokka raises his arm, giving the bird a place to perch as it makes its landing.

“You have traveled a long way, haven’t you buddy?” Sokka coos as he unlatches the scroll
from the bird’s back and scratching its chin. Its feathers rise up and shake in pride at the soft
voice and rewarding scritches. It stretches its wings before hopping up onto Sokka’s head and
seems to settle there.

Sokka chuckles as he opens the piece of parchment, to see the seal of Kyoshi Island.

“Huh,” He ponders what could be so urgent that the girls would send an overnight hawk to
the Southern Tribe.

Sokka unfolds the scroll, eyes widening at the contents.

…
 The next morning Sokka and Hakoda are finishing packing up a boat for the 2-day sail to
Kyoshi Island. Sokka was reluctant to let his father tag along for the journey but he insisted
on joining him.

“I still don’t get why we have to leave so soon,” Hakoda said, shoving more blankets in a
crate and pushing the lid back down.

“Well, some of the most intelligent women I know are telling me to hurry my ass over, as
soon as possible,” Sokka says, explanatorily. “If I were to show up late, I’d get my ass passed
all around the Earth Kingdom for sport!”

Hakoda's shoulders shake in laughter as he ties off some knots and starts to push the vessel
off-shore.

Sokka soon settles into his spot on the boat, already tired since he didn’t get much sleep last
night. Pulling out the scroll, he decides to re-read the letter before he doses off for the next
few hours.
“Dear Warrior Sokka,

Apologies for calling on you at such short notice but the Kyoshi Warriors have been called to
a meeting in the Fire Nation in 2 weeks. All Warriors in the South will congregate on Kyoshi
Island on the next moon, to be picked up by the rest of us. It is very important you show up
on time or we will sail off without you. Your uniform should still be at the dojo.

Hope to see you soon!

-Suki

P.S. Ty Lee says hi and Mai was peer-pressured into saying hi too, by Ty Lee of course.”

Chapter End Notes

Hope ya'll enjoyed that! Any constructive criticism, suggestions or hcs are welcomed
and appreciated!

Hakoda being the source of Sokka's sense of humour makes me happy<3 He is such a
joy to write!!

anyways hope you guys sre ready to meet the Kyoshi Warriors now bye bye

-Arson Avian
 Suki!!! YIPPEE!!
Chapter Summary

Suki has made a life for herself but sometimes it can be lonely being older and more
busy. It always helps to see her favorite gals and one(1x) guy.

Chapter Notes

Hi!! Hello!! Hope you like this chapter!! this was going to be longer but I didn't want to
have inconsistent chapter lengths soooooo sorry?

I SWEAR I TRY TO UPDATE REGULARLY BUT I AM IN SCHOOL

KSUEBSKDHBWKDHEBSHSBW

:]

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Suki sighed, stretching in her seat and cracking her neck, sore from spending the afternoon
full of filling out “thank you” letters for some of the ships the Kyoshi were renting out. She
sets her ink brush down and looks out her window, golden hour peeking out over the
mountains and clouds a soft peach. Getting up from the table, she goes to the kitchen, empty
tea cup in hand.

Socked feet pad against the tatami mats, as her thoughts wander back to Zuko’s letter.

She had no idea why the Fire Nation couldn’t perhaps, maybe, chill?

Suki had heard of some happenings over the years of the outrageous political stunts some
councilmen had tried to pull, or the riots outside the capital when Iroh had stepped in as
Firelord for the first year. Seriously, she knew the Fire Nation was fucked up but COME ON.
Did they seriously expect a teenager to just take up the throne? AFTER A WAR?

The ridiculousness of that entire country never ceases to baffle her. Like her current situation
right now.

She had received a messenger hawk from Zuko last week. It was him requesting bodyguards.
That’s when Suki knew he really was in trouble.

Because Zuko would normally rather go skinny dipping in the Boiling Rock than ask for
help.
So when Suki read with her own two eyes, that Zuko needed bodyguards? Yeah, she needed a
second to reread the scroll before immediately moving to collect all the Kyoshi Warriors
available because she’ll be damned if she let her friend keep living like that.

Speaking of which, the girls were supposed to arrive at any candle mark now.

Suki had set everything up. She sent out messenger hawks to all members and called for a
sort of ‘emergency meeting’ at Kyoshi Island. When everyone has assembled over here, she
would debrief everyone on the situation. Those who want to accept the mission would climb
aboard a couple boats to the Fire Nation and meet up with Zuko for initial trials. Zuko would
choose his pick of the warriors and they would just follow Zuko back to the palace. The rest
of the girls would be sent home with some Fire Nation funding(courtesy of all your friends
being either war heroes or nobility or both)

A bit long winded but supposedly required. If it were Suki calling these shots she’d send a
full battalion to make sure her disaster of a brother figure was safe.

“Only the best for the Firelord!” Zuko had snootily quoted one of his councilmen in his letter.
Apparently, the council had had some feelings about Earth Kingdom women being the new
bodyguards of the Firelord. And, despite how extremely offensive and close-minded that
statement was, Suki could, unfortunately, see where the dunderheaded councilman was
coming from. “Enemy spies!” and all that jazz. She really could but, Spirits, was he stupid!

It was irritating that this man decided to question the integrity of a trusted ally with a man
who could ruin your descendants' livelihoods for centuries to come, on a whim. All because
they were female. It wasn’t only insulting to the Kyoshi Warriors but also to Zuko’s
judgment. To think of Zuko even reconsidering the girls’ value to him because of makeup or
skirts shows how much of a filter this councilman had.

Pinching the bridge of her nose, Suki steps into the kitchen. Best not to dwell on a man she
won’t make plans to meet.

She sets down her teacup on the table and grabs the spark rocks. Striking them together near
the kindling, the embers hopping eagerly to the straw and twigs like children at the lake. Suki
swiftly cups the quasi-fireball in her hands and tosses it into the logs underneath her stove.
After a few minutes of prodding and poking, she finally coaxes the flame to burn brightly.

Suki took the teapot she got from Iroh and put it on the stove. It was a lovely piece, a simple
black iron body and spout, with a bamboo handle. What really made the designs on the side.
A sprig of jasmine reaches is carved into the side of the teapot as well as the characters for
“courage” and peacefulness”. It was one of her favorite things she owns.

As she waits for the water to boil, she hears a commotion from outside.

Finally.

“I’m in the kitchen!” She yells. The sound of boots stumbling through the sand grows louder.
Soon enough, there’s a few knocks on the door. “Come in!” Spirits, she can hear the smile in
her voice as she calls for her first visitor.

Suddenly, both Sokka and Ty Lee burst through the door, pushing and shoving each other
playfully.

“I got here first!” Ty Lee exclaims, stumbling forward towards Suki. A wide grin on her face,
matching her frazzled hair and sand-covered clothes.

“NUH UH-” Sokka vigorously shakes his head, trying to get the sand out. “ I was the one
who landed on shore first, so I was first!” Sokka is similarly covered in sand, along with a
few pieces of snow. “Just because you tackled me into a snowbail and screamed ‘Race you!’,
doesn’t mean you won!”

“Well,” Suki says “I’m glad you guys have this much energy. But how about we have some
tea first?” Suki reaches into a cupboard and grabs a container of oolong.

“I’ll have to take you up on that tea.” States Mai’s voice. Sokka whips around at the sound.
“Being cooped up on a small boat with an acrobat with ADHD does not do wonders for the
sleep schedule.”

“Hey!” Ty Lee pouts.

“Mai! Good to see you!” Suki smiles at the bladeswoman who was politely standing in the
doorway. Mai smiles back warmly.

“Good to see you too, Suki. Or should I say ‘President’?” Sokka and Ty Lee giggle at the
title.

“Oh, ew don’t say that until we have to!” Suki stuck her tongue at the formal speech. While it
is true Suki had been appointed the next head executive for the warriors, she herself cringed
at the title. It was just too formal for her liking. The title itself represented a separation
between the girls and her and Suki didn’t want that. It felt awkward and stiff.

“Pfft- You were basically made for the position though? I thought you would be ecstatic at
the promotion?” Sokka leans on her shoulder and a cheesy smile.

Suki shoves him off lightly as she brings out 3 more tea cups.

“You know I don’t like formalities, Dumb Dumb,” She leans against the counter and punches
him on the arm. Sokka pouts exaggeratedly and runs behind Mai, clinging to her arm.

“You see that?!?! I was ASSAULTED!!” The acclaimed war hero shakes her, fake crying into
her side. Mai chuckles before proceeding to shush and baby-talk him. Ty Lee is giggling at
the sight.

The kettle starts to whistle and the sun is glinting its farewell to the sky.
 “Actually speaking of losing sleep getting here,” Suki starts, turning around, taking the
teakettle off the stove and pouring the water over the leaves in the cups and calling over her
shoulder. “Sokka, it’s a two day sail from the south pole. Don’t tell me you made the journey
by yourself, did you?”

“Oh no, my dad tagged along but he got caught in a conversation about fishing with one of
the locals.” He said, removing himself from Mai and sitting down on a cushion at the low
table next to Ty lee.

Suki moves the tea cups onto a tray and carries it over to the table. “Well, hopefully he takes
the time to come say hi before he leaves again.”

The sky turns to a navy blue and the idle chatter fills the room. The sisters slowly arrive
throughout the night and the Island of Kyoshi becomes alive with a warm thrum fills the cozy
kitchen.

Chapter End Notes

Hope you enjoyed!! Just some fluff as a treat :)

Please drop by the Archive and comment to let the creator know if you enjoyed their work!