Fanfiction -- Bridges Crossed and Burned Behind Us
Title: Bridges Crossed and Burned Behind Us
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Characters: Azula, Zhao ; Azula/Zhao
Prompt: #1 - Temptation
Word Count: 589
Rating: T
Summary: We cross our bridges and burn them behind us. And the only memory left is the smell of smoke. A collection of Azula-centric drabbles.
Disclaimer: Not my toys!
Notes: Table is here
Shore leave was always a blessed reprieve.
In the Earth Kingdom among the lowly savages, he was a monster and he reveled in his status. But here among his own, he was a praised hero and his ego swelled accordingly.
Promotions came as just rewards and Zhao carried the Fire Lord's approval like a badge of honor, worth more than the treasures in his Sovereign's storehouse.
And the children too, sang his praises, gathered on the sides of the streets while the army marched, banner held high, and they were cheering for these hometown heroes. But they did not understand, how war torn and broken the world had become.
None of them truly understood. Except her.
But Azula was always the exception. She was a dangerous child, with eyes of gold and smiles as deadly as the flames under her command.
She came to him often, when the crowds were gone and the fanfare had stopped. And he would regale her with tales of his campaign through the Earth Kingdom. She listened with an intensity not normal for girls her age and would smirk when he mentioned capturing villages and hanging the Fire Nation's banner from the governor’s manor.
“Tell me more, Commander.” She would say in a voice deceptive and sweet and Zhao could not help but oblige.
But eventually, there was nothing left to tell and Zhao began to wonder why she continued to visit. Yet, there she was, rummaging through his quarters and the time was beyond what was proper, dressed in a silk robe and hair pulled back into a precise ponytail. He tried not to notice.
“What are you looking for?”
“You have so much...junk. There has to be something interesting here.”
Zhao frowned while Azula crowed her triumph and she turned with her prize grasped delicately in her hands. “Where did you find this?”
“There was a library in the desert. And I only had a limited time to take what I could before it sank into the sand again.”
Azula toyed with the wax seal with a sharp nail. “You never told me that story,” she said, eyebrow arched.
“There is nothing to tell.” He folded his arms over his chest and tried not to watch the way her hips swayed as she walked up to him. She pressed a hand to his chest, her lips red and parted in a tempting smile.
“Secrets, Commander? I find that very interesting.” Her voice dipped to a dangerous whisper and she dipped her head.
“Is that all, Prin--cess?” His voice lost when she leaned over and grazed his neck with her mouth. “Azula...” He caught her wrist when he felt her her hand slip over his chest and giving the muscles a gentle squeeze.
“Mmm?”
“Perhaps you should leave.”
“Is that what you want?”
That was a question that did not have an answer. Zhao couldn't ignore her suggestive glances and her flirty smiles. How could he, when they were so obviously deliberate.
“I didn't think so.”
“How old are you?” His blood hammered in his ears and he did not hear her answer.
She simply laughed and slowly, teasingly untied the sash around her waist. “I don't think it matters. Do you?”
“Your father...”
“Won't find out. Unless you tell him.” The silk slipped down her shoulders, pooled at her feet. She reached up, lacing her fingers around his neck. “Welcome home, Soldier.”
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Characters: Azula, Zhao ; Azula/Zhao
Prompt: #1 - Temptation
Word Count: 589
Rating: T
Summary: We cross our bridges and burn them behind us. And the only memory left is the smell of smoke. A collection of Azula-centric drabbles.
Disclaimer: Not my toys!
Notes: Table is here
Shore leave was always a blessed reprieve.
In the Earth Kingdom among the lowly savages, he was a monster and he reveled in his status. But here among his own, he was a praised hero and his ego swelled accordingly.
Promotions came as just rewards and Zhao carried the Fire Lord's approval like a badge of honor, worth more than the treasures in his Sovereign's storehouse.
And the children too, sang his praises, gathered on the sides of the streets while the army marched, banner held high, and they were cheering for these hometown heroes. But they did not understand, how war torn and broken the world had become.
None of them truly understood. Except her.
But Azula was always the exception. She was a dangerous child, with eyes of gold and smiles as deadly as the flames under her command.
She came to him often, when the crowds were gone and the fanfare had stopped. And he would regale her with tales of his campaign through the Earth Kingdom. She listened with an intensity not normal for girls her age and would smirk when he mentioned capturing villages and hanging the Fire Nation's banner from the governor’s manor.
“Tell me more, Commander.” She would say in a voice deceptive and sweet and Zhao could not help but oblige.
But eventually, there was nothing left to tell and Zhao began to wonder why she continued to visit. Yet, there she was, rummaging through his quarters and the time was beyond what was proper, dressed in a silk robe and hair pulled back into a precise ponytail. He tried not to notice.
“What are you looking for?”
“You have so much...junk. There has to be something interesting here.”
Zhao frowned while Azula crowed her triumph and she turned with her prize grasped delicately in her hands. “Where did you find this?”
“There was a library in the desert. And I only had a limited time to take what I could before it sank into the sand again.”
Azula toyed with the wax seal with a sharp nail. “You never told me that story,” she said, eyebrow arched.
“There is nothing to tell.” He folded his arms over his chest and tried not to watch the way her hips swayed as she walked up to him. She pressed a hand to his chest, her lips red and parted in a tempting smile.
“Secrets, Commander? I find that very interesting.” Her voice dipped to a dangerous whisper and she dipped her head.
“Is that all, Prin--cess?” His voice lost when she leaned over and grazed his neck with her mouth. “Azula...” He caught her wrist when he felt her her hand slip over his chest and giving the muscles a gentle squeeze.
“Mmm?”
“Perhaps you should leave.”
“Is that what you want?”
That was a question that did not have an answer. Zhao couldn't ignore her suggestive glances and her flirty smiles. How could he, when they were so obviously deliberate.
“I didn't think so.”
“How old are you?” His blood hammered in his ears and he did not hear her answer.
She simply laughed and slowly, teasingly untied the sash around her waist. “I don't think it matters. Do you?”
“Your father...”
“Won't find out. Unless you tell him.” The silk slipped down her shoulders, pooled at her feet. She reached up, lacing her fingers around his neck. “Welcome home, Soldier.”