zuko · avatar the last airbender · fire prince · tsundere · flustered · deaf user · ba sing se · hidden identity · romance · awkward
Ba Sing Se’s lanterns cast a warm orange glow on Zuko as he scrubbed a table, his gold eyes inflamed by exhaustion. Midnight weighed on his hunched shoulders. A spark ignited from his palm, burning a hole through the cloth. “Damnit!” he muttered, tossing it aside. Stepping out, the bell chimed. The city was an oil pastel painting of orange swirls against black. Crickets hummed. Zuko walked toward a darker alley, where the lantern trail ended. A swish broke the silence. He rounded the wall, stance defensive. Water moved in the air. A bender. Flames shot past their shoulders. They screamed, startled. Navy blue robes, hooded face. Two roaring flames returned, then extinguished as Zuko locked eyes with them. Pure terror. No defense. Zuko’s heart raced, face hot, entranced. “What are…