Avatar Fic for Xanykaos ~ Making Amends
Awhile ago I posted a fic meme thing. I'm still only about half way though writing Severem's (but still working on it I promise) fic. But I have finished the fic for
xanykaos.
Title: Making Amends
Fandom: Avatar
Rating: PG-ish
Author's Notes: This is set after the Day of Black Sun eps. However, I have not seen the newest episodes yet (Damn Nick) so some things here maybe contradicted (I hope not too much). I didn't receive a prompt, but I saw Xanykaos comment that she wants to see Zuko grovel. I hope this pleases.
Convincing the Avatar to let him join their group, let alone accept his teaching, was difficult; especially since he had to do most of his convincing while frozen to the wall.
Still, try as they might, not even the water tribe boy could argue with his logic. “The comet is coming. Whatever you think of me, the Avatar has to learn firebending.”
The blind girl, with her truth-sensing abilities, helped.
~*~*~
The conversation with Katara was awkward, particularly since the girl seemed to waver between wanting to trust him and wanting to throw him off a cliff. In light of their last meeting, he supposed he couldn’t blame her.
“I have changed. I told you that. It just took me longer than it should have to understand what those changes meant.”
She calmed down after that, stopped glaring so much and tentatively allowed a hint of that understanding they had shared to color their interactions.
~*~*~
He didn’t try to talk to Sokka, the other boy made his feelings on the subject clear.
Well, at the very least, no could accuse him of trying to switch to the winning side.
~*~*~
He and the Avatar were alone, practicing, when he felt the eyes boring into his back. They weren’t hostile, so he completed his movement, corrected the Avatar as the boy copied him and nodded before turning to see who it was.
He froze, eyes wide, as he saw his Uncle.
He had rehearsed this moment, run every possible seneirieo through his mind, prepared exactly what he would say, both before the eclipse and after he had discovered his Uncle hadn’t needed his help at all. But now that the moment was here, every carefully chosen word flew from his mind and he was caught, speechless and weak-kneed.
He tried to open his mouth, to say something, anything, as that familiar figure approached him, but his throat was dry, mind blank.
He couldn’t bear to look, couldn’t bear to see if his Uncle was still angry, or worse, still disappointed. He bowed his head, then sunk to his knees (they weren’t going to hold him up much longer anyway) and pressed his forehead to the ground. It was a gesture he’d made only once before in his life, to a man far less worthy of it.
“I… I’m sorry.” He choked out. It was so small, so simple and plain, nothing like the elegant speech that had deserted him, but it was all he had, all he could think of to say. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m--”
Strong hands grabbed his shoulders and pulled him up, breaking his litany. Uncle was kneeling in front of him. “I heard about what you said to Ozai and I see here the path you have chosen.” Uncle Iroh paused, placed a hand on Zuko’s cheek. “I am so proud of you, my nephew.”
Zuko gasped and looked up at his Uncle in amazement. That he had been so readily forgiven felt both unreal and wonderful. It was like a great weight had been lifted from him, leaving him lightheaded. “Uncle … I …” Zuko blinked, trying to clear his head, trying to find something to say to let Uncle Iroh know how important this was to him, but again words deserted him when he needed them the most.
His Uncle seemed to understand anyway. His arms drew Zuko into a tight hug that squeezed all the breath from his body and made talking impossible even if he’d had anything coherent to say. He leaned against Uncle Iroh’s shoulder, not protesting as he usually did that he was too old for such treatment, until the old man released him.
“Thank you, Uncle” Zuko whispered, as they climbed to their feet. Uncle Iroh’s smile was all the acknowledgement he needed.
Zuko had forgotten they weren’t alone until Uncle Iroh turned to the Avatar.
“Hello, again, Aang.” He chuckled slightly. “I seem to have interrupted a training session. Please, don’t mind me, carry on.” He waved his hands at the two of them.
Zuko turned back to his gaping pupil. “Close your mouth before a bearbee flies into it.” Unfortunately for his dignity, the heat of his words was off set by the blush he could feel spreading across his cheeks. He quickly started snapping instructions before Aang’s muffled giggles became full out laughter. “Move back into position. You need to ground yourself, provide a strong root from which your inner fire can flow, but not too much that you lose maneuverability.”
Zuko sunk fluidly into his stance and waited for the Avatar to copy him. He would show his Uncle just how good a teacher he could be and his Uncle would never have a reason to be disappointed in him again. Zuko swore it.
xanykaos.
Title: Making Amends
Fandom: Avatar
Rating: PG-ish
Author's Notes: This is set after the Day of Black Sun eps. However, I have not seen the newest episodes yet (Damn Nick) so some things here maybe contradicted (I hope not too much). I didn't receive a prompt, but I saw Xanykaos comment that she wants to see Zuko grovel. I hope this pleases.
Convincing the Avatar to let him join their group, let alone accept his teaching, was difficult; especially since he had to do most of his convincing while frozen to the wall.
Still, try as they might, not even the water tribe boy could argue with his logic. “The comet is coming. Whatever you think of me, the Avatar has to learn firebending.”
The blind girl, with her truth-sensing abilities, helped.
~*~*~
The conversation with Katara was awkward, particularly since the girl seemed to waver between wanting to trust him and wanting to throw him off a cliff. In light of their last meeting, he supposed he couldn’t blame her.
“I have changed. I told you that. It just took me longer than it should have to understand what those changes meant.”
She calmed down after that, stopped glaring so much and tentatively allowed a hint of that understanding they had shared to color their interactions.
~*~*~
He didn’t try to talk to Sokka, the other boy made his feelings on the subject clear.
Well, at the very least, no could accuse him of trying to switch to the winning side.
~*~*~
He and the Avatar were alone, practicing, when he felt the eyes boring into his back. They weren’t hostile, so he completed his movement, corrected the Avatar as the boy copied him and nodded before turning to see who it was.
He froze, eyes wide, as he saw his Uncle.
He had rehearsed this moment, run every possible seneirieo through his mind, prepared exactly what he would say, both before the eclipse and after he had discovered his Uncle hadn’t needed his help at all. But now that the moment was here, every carefully chosen word flew from his mind and he was caught, speechless and weak-kneed.
He tried to open his mouth, to say something, anything, as that familiar figure approached him, but his throat was dry, mind blank.
He couldn’t bear to look, couldn’t bear to see if his Uncle was still angry, or worse, still disappointed. He bowed his head, then sunk to his knees (they weren’t going to hold him up much longer anyway) and pressed his forehead to the ground. It was a gesture he’d made only once before in his life, to a man far less worthy of it.
“I… I’m sorry.” He choked out. It was so small, so simple and plain, nothing like the elegant speech that had deserted him, but it was all he had, all he could think of to say. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m--”
Strong hands grabbed his shoulders and pulled him up, breaking his litany. Uncle was kneeling in front of him. “I heard about what you said to Ozai and I see here the path you have chosen.” Uncle Iroh paused, placed a hand on Zuko’s cheek. “I am so proud of you, my nephew.”
Zuko gasped and looked up at his Uncle in amazement. That he had been so readily forgiven felt both unreal and wonderful. It was like a great weight had been lifted from him, leaving him lightheaded. “Uncle … I …” Zuko blinked, trying to clear his head, trying to find something to say to let Uncle Iroh know how important this was to him, but again words deserted him when he needed them the most.
His Uncle seemed to understand anyway. His arms drew Zuko into a tight hug that squeezed all the breath from his body and made talking impossible even if he’d had anything coherent to say. He leaned against Uncle Iroh’s shoulder, not protesting as he usually did that he was too old for such treatment, until the old man released him.
“Thank you, Uncle” Zuko whispered, as they climbed to their feet. Uncle Iroh’s smile was all the acknowledgement he needed.
Zuko had forgotten they weren’t alone until Uncle Iroh turned to the Avatar.
“Hello, again, Aang.” He chuckled slightly. “I seem to have interrupted a training session. Please, don’t mind me, carry on.” He waved his hands at the two of them.
Zuko turned back to his gaping pupil. “Close your mouth before a bearbee flies into it.” Unfortunately for his dignity, the heat of his words was off set by the blush he could feel spreading across his cheeks. He quickly started snapping instructions before Aang’s muffled giggles became full out laughter. “Move back into position. You need to ground yourself, provide a strong root from which your inner fire can flow, but not too much that you lose maneuverability.”
Zuko sunk fluidly into his stance and waited for the Avatar to copy him. He would show his Uncle just how good a teacher he could be and his Uncle would never have a reason to be disappointed in him again. Zuko swore it.