Fan the Flame (Zuko X Reader)

Introduction

Ba Sing Se: 9 years earlier

I sat at the dinner as I gently poked my fork into the table, leaving barely noticeable imprints in the wood.

"Stop that, (Y/N)! You're going to wreck the table." My mother grabbed my wrist before I could leave another mark with my fork. "You're seven years old now, you should know better than to do that"

It was my seventh birthday. so far, I was not enjoying it. My parents acted like it was just another regular day. My mother would scold me for the same things that my sister Kumi got away with. As for my Father, there's not much he really could have done. He held a high position in the Dai Li, and that kept him busy. I hardly ever see him.

"So, Mother. When do you think father will be getting home?" Kumi asked.

My mother glanced at me. I could tell something was on her mind. She was frustrated, and it showed on her face. Silence hung in the air, until my mother finally spoke.

"He's not coming back till late" she said sharply. Thats what she always says. It wasn't a surprise, But it hurt more than usual this time. Kumi and I exchanged glances from across the table. I could tell she was thinking the same thing i was.

"But it's my birthda-" "thats enough, (y/n)!" My mother interrupted "you have to understand that there's more to life than frivolous things, like birthdays. Now go to bed. I don't want to hear another word out of you."

Tears stung my eyes. I silently got up from my chair and started to head for my room. Kumi gave me a look of sympathy. I stormed off stomping, and slammed the door behind me once I got to my room.

No matter how much I tried to blink away the tears that blurred my vision, I couldn't stop one from rolling down my cheek. I flopped down onto my bed, burying my face into my pillow as I began to cry.

I'd see happy families walking together when I went on walks. I'd watch how the parents would attentively listen to what the kids would say, and smile as they watched them play. Why couldn't I have that? Didn't I deserve it?

I sat up from my bed and looked out the window. It was storming outside. "This day couldn't get any worse" I thought to myself, but I knew one thing that could make it better.

I went into the closet and grabbed my coat. As I put it on I Walked towards the window and opened it. I climbed through and hopped over the short stone barrier that surrounded our house.

We live along the inner wall of Ba Sing Se and I spent a lot of time playing outside. While playing one day I found a secret passage that lead to a small creek. It's where I go to escape from my family whenever I'm in a situation like this.

I made my way along the wall until I found a brick that stuck out a little more than the others. I pushed it in and slid it to the left. A piece of the wall began to turn, leaving an opening just wide enough for someone to pass through. I went through the opening, and once I did, the piece of the wall turned back to its original position.

I started along a dirt path that was surrounded by trees that swayed in the wind from the storm. Rain started to soak through the hood of my coat, and droplets ran from the top of my head along the sides of my face. I started to hear the sound of rushing water and saw the creek up ahead.

Once I got to the creek I walked along side it until I find the boulder that I always sit and watch the water on.

Normally you could hear birds chirping in the trees and turtle ducks quacking. All I heard now was the sound of the wind swaying the trees back and forth and raindrops hitting the ground.

I tried to remind myself that this is my happy place and that I'm safe here, but the wind hitting my face kept me from being able to concentrate.

"Come on, (y/n). Focus." I told myself.

"Focus" I told myself again. the wind started to get louder.

The wind whipped my hood off, and finally I couldn't take it anymore.

"Stop it!" I yelled throwing my hands out to the side.

And then, the wind stopped.

Well, not exactly. The storm was still happening, trees were still swaying. But for some strange reason, I didn't feel any wind. Instead, wind swirled around me like a small tornado, but it didn't touch me at all.

I realized what I was doing. I've heard about before in stories.

I was airbending.