The Fire Lily Festival (A:TLA, Zuko, M)

[Sawyer]

I definitely didn't mean to make this 3k+ words long. It's the first installment of a multi-part fic that I churned out today -- please let me know what you liked! The ending is my favorite scene. Writing it felt so smooth, like a reward! I had a blast brainstorming ideas with @Winged, @Grey on a Sunday, and @Quing Nerd. This piece wouldn't exist without you guys!! Now I'm off to think up what's going to happen in the second part, so stay tuned!

Part 1

Toph had given up counting. Numbers were more Sokka’s thing, anyway, but she wasn’t trying to think about Sokka right now. Instead, she was narrowing her otherwise-useless eyes suspiciously as Zuko cleared his throat for the… well, Toph had stopped counting, but she’d only been at the palace for a couple of hours, which should tell you a little bit about how often it had been happening that evening.

 

She’d noticed a pattern, too. Every time Zuko spoke, he would pause afterward, wait for someone else to engage the group, and then lift his fist up to his mouth and clear his throat. Nobody else seemed to remark on it – and maybe this was where Toph’s keen senses came in handy – so she kept her mouth shut.

 

“Sparky, we’ve been here for hours.” Well, at least on that topic. “Now that we’re all caught up, you wanna tell us a little more about this party or what?”

 

“It’s not a party, it’s a festival!” Aang interjected happily. “The fire lilies only bloom a few weeks every year, right Zuko?”

 

“Yeah, that’s right,” Zuko affirmed. Through the vibrations on the ground, Toph felt Zuko’s hand curl into a fist at his side, and he started to raise his arm toward his mouth, but lowered it again when he continued speaking. “They’re celebrated because they represent purity and passion. Usually, festivals crop up all over the fire nation this time of year, but after the war and everything… we thought it would be a good idea to hold one central event in honor of the nation’s newfound peace.”

 

“Sounds important,” Sokka commented, casually leaning back in an ornately carved chair in one of the many sitting rooms in the palace with his ankles crossed and feet up on the table in front of him. “Will you even have any time to enjoy the party?”

 

Zuko was caught off guard by the question, in the middle of clearing his throat. “It’s not a – never mind. Well, we have to make a speech,” he answered, gesturing to Aang. His voice had become rougher in the time since Toph last saw him, a little deeper, almost hoarse.

 

“And impress the southern Fire Nation ambassadors,” Aang added. Toph felt Zuko’s heart speed up.

 

“Things are a lot more tense in that part of the country,” Zuko explained. “They’re more geographically removed from the rest of the world, so the political atmosphere is sort of… antiquated. We have to make a good impression to convince them that we’re doing the right thing by instating peace in the country.”

 

“You look pretty nervous about it,” Katara said, her tone soft and sympathetic, but observant in a way that somehow made it so Katara didn’t sound like she was pitying him. Toph had never figured out how to make her own voice so diplomatic.

 

Zuko shrugged. “It’s a lot of pressure.” He didn’t admit to it outright, but Toph felt him tense up.

 

“Hey, we’ve done a great job in the Earth Kingdom so far!” Aang said. “And they’re a lot more stubborn than most Fire Nation citizens. If we focus enough, we might even be able to… Zuko?”

 

“Uht’CHSst!” Zuko’s head bent down toward his wrist, his shoulders going rigid with effort to restrain the sneeze.

 

Had Toph been just a few years younger, she would have hopped up from her seat and shouted ‘I knew it!’ with a triumphant fist in the air. But the half-decade after the war had matured her at least a little bit, so she chose to pocket the event as further evidence that Zuko wasn’t running at one hundred percent.

 

Instead, Zuko excused himself, Sokka offered him a handkerchief, and the night went on.

 

-

 

To ease Zuko’s nerves, Katara had suggested they all see a play at the opera house after dinner. She knew from experience that worrying about something like this wouldn’t do much to change the outcome, and at least a show would take his mind off of it for a couple hours.

 

Katara had never been to see a play in the Fire Nation Capital, and she was instantly awestruck by its beauty. Like most things in the Fire Nation, it was decorated in vibrant reds and golds, and the stage was framed by magnificent golden carvings of dragons surrounded by delicate flames.

 

It wasn’t hard to get good seats on such short notice (being the Fire Lord had its perks), and Katara was seated on a long wooden pew in between Aang and Zuko who, over the years, finally rivaled each other in height. The lights dimmed for the audience and the stage was illuminated as the ensemble began playing a whimsical introduction to the show.

 

By the end of the first scene, Katara found herself distracted. She could hear her brother, who was sitting on Zuko’s other side, chomping on spicy snacks that, to his credit, he had offered to share several times before the play began. Next, Sokka had discovered that his theatre food was too hot and was only able to complain for a second before Zuko offered Sokka his own unopened drink. Sokka tried to give it back after a few sips, but Zuko had been gracious enough to insist that he keep it.

 

“It’s fine,” Zuko whispered. “I’ll get another one at intermission.” His reassurance was punctuated with a small series of even smaller coughs that shook his shoulders.

 

“You sure? Sounds like you need it,” Sokka commented, and Zuko just shook his head and whispered an apology to him and Katara, his attention directed back to the stage.

 

Once the final scene before the intermission began, Katara had grown concerned. Zuko had interrupted the experience with several bouts of coughing until Toph passed a hard candy down to him in hopes that it might help. It did, but Katara noticed that Zuko’s reactions had slowed as well; he was always a moment late to laugh at a joke or show surprise during a plot twist. She supposed he could be distracted by his nerves about the upcoming festival, but for somebody with reflexes as razor sharp as Zuko’s, this shift was still pretty out of the ordinary.

 

“So, what do you think of the play so far?” she asked him during the intermission, once the others were in the concession line stretching their legs. Zuko stood off to the side of the lobby, likely recognized by the theater’s patrons who were polite enough not to bother him the night before a big cultural event.

 

“What?” There he went again! Katara hadn’t snuck up on him – there was no reason for him to be caught off guard so many times in a row.

 

Still, she didn’t show her suspicion. “I asked how you were liking the play,” she clarified. “These actors are a lot less… dramatic than the Ember Island Players.”

 

Zuko smiled and shook his head. “Yeah,” he agreed, “that’s for sure. Not so flashy.” He paused and cleared his throat. “I’m the Avatar! Does anybody have some extra lipstick I can borrow?” His voice went up an octave as he mimicked the play they’d seen five years ago.

 

Katara laughed along with him until she heard her boyfriend’s voice behind her. “Hey, are you guys making fun of me?” She turned her head to see Aang smiling with a glass of fruit juice in his hand, likely for them to share during the second act. He looped his free arm around Katara, his hand coming back around to cover his own right eye, and deepened his voice comically. “I’ll trade you – one tube of lipstick for an extra wig! I’m afraid mine is too short; it only reaches my shoulders!”

 

Zuko laughed again, this time stopping before the other two so he could clear his throat.

 

“I’m Sokka!” Katara tried, her voice low and bumbling. “My jokes aren’t just about meat!”

 

Zuko snickered. “Now that’s something the real Sokka would say.”

 

“Wait, look over there,” Aang interrupted them, turning to face the entrance to the theatre. “Speaking of Sokka… is-is that him eating all my rice cakes? He said he’d save them for me!” He unwrapped his arm and headed toward Toph and Sokka, who were walking back to their seats with food in hand.

 

Katara opened her mouth to say something, but Zuko beat her to it. “We should go back inside too. I think the second act is starting soon.” His voice cracked on the last word, though, and although Sokka might have made an immature ‘second puberty’ joke at that, Katara just frowned.

 

“Hey, Zuko. Are you feeling okay?”

 

Zuko stirred, but schooled his expression quickly. “Yeah,” he answered simply. “Why do you ask?”

 

“Well, it’s just that you—” This time, Katara was interrupted by the lights flickering in the lobby, signaling that Zuko was correct in his timing.

 

“Come on, it’s going to start without us,” he insisted, and Katara, still unsatisfied, followed him back inside.

 

She absorbed even less of the second act than she did of the first. She attributed part of this to her friends snacking all around her (although she did admit that the summer fruit juice Aang picked had been a good choice), but mostly to the addition of symptoms that Zuko was displaying.

 

Not even halfway into the first scene, he jerked forward twice, silently with a bob of his head. She’d realized that he was sneezing when Sokka murmured a “bless you” the third time he did it, and not even fifteen minutes later, it happened again.

 

“Hp’KSsht!” This time, apparently, it was too strong for Zuko to contain. Katara winced as he shifted beside her, accidently bumping her elbow as he reached to retrieve Sokka’s loaned handkerchief. “Sorry.”

 

“It’s okay,” Katara whispered back, her eyebrows knitting together as she tried to concentrate on the stage.

 

Still, despite Zuko’s repeated displays of infirm, Katara didn’t blink when he shivered as they exited the theatre into the cool summer air. Being so close to the equator meant that the Fire Nation got hot, especially during the middle of the year when the sun spent extra hours high in the sky, drying up the air and beating down on its citizens. But the night was comparatively cool, especially without humidity, and the contrast was often at least a little shocking.

 

Once everyone reached the palace, Zuko was quick to show them to their rooms and retire to bed early in lieu of the big day ahead of him. His room was located just one wing over, past a kitchen and down the hall. Once Katara was sure he was out of earshot, she paused her unpacking and addressed the others.

 

“I don’t want to gossip, but…”

 

“What are you talking about, Katara?” Sokka asked as he undid his wolf tail in front of the mirror. “You love to gossip!”

 

“I do not!” Katara bristled.

 

“You do too, Sugar Queen,” Toph corrected. She slid off her shoes. “But go ahead, gossip away!”

 

Katara rolled her eyes. “Whatever. I just wanted to ask, did you notice Zuko seeming a little off today? Like he’s coming down with a—”

 

“SPIRITS, Katara, finally!” Toph exclaimed. Katara wanted to protest being interrupted, but Toph didn’t give her a chance. “Zuko is sick. I knew right away! I’m surprised none of you said anything sooner!”

 

“Why didn’t you say anything, Toph?” Aang asked.

 

Toph shrugged. “It’s not my business.”

 

“You know, he was sneezing a lot during the play,” Sokka recalled with a shrug. “I just thought it was dusty.”

 

“And clearing his throat every five seconds, and leaving the room to blow his nose, and turning around to scrub at his face when he thought no one was looking, and shivering every time a gentle breeze swept by, AND—”

 

“Alright, Toph, we get it!” Katara insisted, halting her friend. “Do you think he’ll be okay to talk to those ambassadors tomorrow?”

 

“I dunno,” Toph said, sounding matter-of-fact instead of concerned. “He seems like he’s getting worse.”

 

“I can cover for him if he needs a break,” Aang realized. “We’ll be together most of the night anyway, you know, Avatar and Fire Lord stuff. So I can keep an eye on him in case something happens.”

 

“It’s probably just a cold,” Sokka reasoned. “Remember he got one in the summer back at the Western Air Temple, too? Maybe it’s a firebender thing.”

 

“Well, no use in stressing about it now,” Aang decided. “I think Zuko had the right idea; we should all try to get some rest.”

 

Toph and Sokka went to their respective rooms, while Aang and Katara shared the king-sized suite at the front of the guest wing (one of the perks of finally being engaged). Aang was sound asleep almost instantly, but Katara was only able to drift in and out of sleep until the middle of the night, when her nocturnal nature won out and she traveled to the kitchen to make a pot of herbal tea.

 

She and Aang had visited the palace dozens of times, and had long ago learned how to make themselves at home in the guest wing. Katara had been especially welcomed, by Zuko’s Uncle Iroh, to help herself to a cup of tea. Servants were on call to make it for her, of course, but Uncle always said that it tasted better when you brewed it yourself.

 

She made her way down the hall and into one of the kitchens, finding a cloth sachet of ginger root after bringing a pot of water to a boil. Katara leaned against a countertop as she waited for the tea to steep, remembering someone telling her years ago that ginger was good for insomnia.

 

Katara jumped when she heard rustling down the hall toward the next wing over, but relaxed when she heard the sound that followed.

 

“HuhETSSCHh!” Was that Zuko? “EHTschHue! …Heh’ESShue!” Well, really, who else could it be.

 

Katara heard his footsteps coming closer and resisted the urge to poke her head out of the room and check. He approached the kitchen slowly, but she didn’t blame him for that. It was the middle of the night.

 

“It’s the middle of the night,” she greeted once Zuko entered the room. “What are you doing up?”

 

“Couldn’t sleep,” Zuko answered shortly. He didn’t seem surprised by her presence, and he moved slowly and sharply, like his senses were dulled. His hair was loose and shaggy, making him look years younger, like he did when they had first become friends.

 

Katara put her hand on his shoulder and guided him to the dark wooden table on the other side of the counter. “Sit down, you look awful,” she chided, remarking on the half-circles under Zuko’s eyes and flush across his nose and cheeks.

 

Zuko glared at her. “Thanks.”

 

“You know that’s not what I meant.” Katara turned around and poured herself a cup of tea, then added orange peel and turmeric from the cabinets into the remaining water in the pot. She would wait for it to finish steeping before she began sipping from her own. She winced when he started coughing, sounding raw and congested. “Is that cough keeping you awake?”

 

Zuko opened his mouth, undoubtedly about to deny that anything was wrong. But something about the late night softened people’s defenses, Katara noticed, and Zuko averted his gaze to the floor instead. “I’ve been going over strategies for when we meet with the ambassadors,” he diverted. “I thought that inst-stead of referring to the war as a war, we could hh! c-call… Huh! Call it… Huht’nnTSCH!”

 

“Bless you,” Katara said, placing a cup down in front of Zuko and pouring the tea.

 

“AhtCHSHh! Thank you.” Katara couldn’t tell if he meant the blessing or the tea, but considering Zuko’s reluctance to acknowledge when anything was wrong with him, she assumed the latter. “What are you doing up, anyway?”

 

“Couldn’t sleep,” Katara echoed. Zuko frowned. “Relax, I’m not mocking you. Sometimes I have trouble staying in bed during a full moon, that’s all. Probably a waterbender thing.”

 

“Oh,” Zuko replied. “I think I know what you mean. It’s hard for me to sleep in after sunrise, especially during the summer. I guess for the same reason.”

 

“So what’s the reason tonight?” Katara pried.

 

Zuko didn’t look at her, instead choosing to stare at the night sky through an open window. “I keep…” he didn’t speak further, only vaguely gestured to his face.

 

“Here, drinking this will help.” Katara nudged Zuko’s cup of tea closer to him. “It’s ginger with citrus and turmeric; it’s good for colds.”

 

“I don’t have—”

 

“Zuko, it’s okay.” This time, Katara couldn’t keep the sympathy out of her voice. “It’s not a big deal. It’s called the ‘common cold’ for a reason. Everyone gets sick.”

 

“It’s different when you’re the Fire Lord,” Zuko complained. His voice sounded wrecked, hoarse and crackling, his consonants soft and fuzzy. “People expect you to operate at a certain level. Someone’s head is on the line for ‘allowing’ you to get sick. Servants fuss over you, and somehow everybody ends up knowing about it. It’s suffocating. It’s embarrassing!”

 

“Wow,” Katara breathed. Zuko took a long sip of his tea, wincing as he swallowed. “They really get into such a tizzy over something so small?”

 

“…I don’t know,” Zuko admitted. “I’ve never seen it happen. My father never got sick...”

 

“And you don’t want your people thinking you’re somehow a less capable leader because you did,” Katara finished, suddenly understanding.

 

“I think… I think they’ll hold on to anything, Katara. Any reason to doubt my qualifications, and I don’t want them to see me like…” He stopped there, trailing off and taking another drink. He didn’t wince as hard that time, and Katara took comfort in the suspicion that the tea was working.

 

“I mean, it could humanize you a little, too,” Katara suggested. “Make them see you as somebody who can sympathize with them, instead of an all-powerful superhuman tyrant like your father was.”

 

“Maybe,” Zuko considered. Katara wondered if he would have opened up like this during the day, when his guard wasn’t down from fatigue and the isolation and privacy that came along with the night. “You won’t… tell anyone about this?” he requested.

 

“What, your cold or our talk?” Katara asked. Zuko shrugged, likely meaning both. “Zuko, unless you make a miraculous recovery in the next six hours, it’s going to be pretty hard to hide.”

 

Still, she promised to keep her mouth shut on all accounts, knowing that Zuko’s body would do most of the talking for him in the morning.

 

Edited July 29, 2016 by Sen Beret

[Winged]

You already know that I think this is freaking amazing but I'm saying it for the WORLD to see because I love when you write A:tLA and I love what you're doing with our poor miserable Fire Lord. ehehe. I also really love the fact that it's written post-series! It's fun to see how things both change and stay the same once the initial threat of the comet is gone. You rock and I can't wait to read more! *thumbs-up*

[•.*°•☆. Q .☆•°*.•]

I'M SCREAMING OH m y god this came out so amazingly good so far i cANNOT WAIT to see what you do with the second half

Thank you so much for including me in this i'm so excited about it ohhhh my gosh <3333333333

[SweaterWeather]

Ohhhhh my good golly goshness SERIOUSLY THIS IS SO SWEET AND GOOD AND TASY FRESH! Okay I just, the little Gaang all grown up? My heart already swelled so big but now?! Toph maturing, Katara and Aang fluff, SOKKA STILL LIKING HIS SPICY SNACKS BUT KNOWING THEY ARE WAY TOO SPICY fffffff jeez. I honestly love this to pieces, especially Zuko's sneezes. When he's not trying to stifle they sound so desperate and-- Okay, just, this is awesome. I love how there's still so much for all of them to learn and grow and realize, and this feels like a part of the actual series I'd been missing forEVER and a day.

Also that last line about Zuko's body doing most of the talking? Ohhhohoho this sets things up for an even more wonderful second part. Can't wait!

[JQLovesSneezes]

This is already my new favorite Zuko fic.  Can't wait to read more! 

[BananaFan]

Oh wow! You did amazing with the characters; I love Toph- LOVE Toph in your fic. 

Hnnng...omg caretaker Katara. Ohmygosh sick denial. AND THERE WAS TEA!!

I can't wait to see what delicious things you have in store for that meeting. Ufff...keep it up!!  You're awesome! 

[Sawyer]

Aw man, I can't thank you guys enough! I'll be working on part 2 tonight and hopefully during work tomorrow (I'm alone in the office and it's a sloooooow day. yikes I hope my boss doesn't go on the sneeze fetish forum and see that I said that!), since I just realized that this is going to have to be a little longer than 2 parts! I think what I'll do is make the next parts a bit shorter, that way I'll stop dragging my feet so much! Thank you all so much for reading and giving feedback. It means the world to me! This fic wouldn't exist without you, truly truly truly!

On 7/28/2016 at 9:30 PM, Winged said:

You already know that I think this is freaking amazing but I'm saying it for the WORLD to see because I love when you write A:tLA and I love what you're doing with our poor miserable Fire Lord. ehehe. I also really love the fact that it's written post-series! It's fun to see how things both change and stay the same once the initial threat of the comet is gone. You rock and I can't wait to read more! *thumbs-up*

Thank you thank you! Seriously, you're the best! I don't think I could have gone anywhere BUT post-series, tbh, and I've never written this era before so it's a really fun new challenge for me!

 

On 7/28/2016 at 10:03 PM, Quing Nerd said:

I'M SCREAMING OH m y god this came out so amazingly good so far i cANNOT WAIT to see what you do with the second half

Thank you so much for including me in this i'm so excited about it ohhhh my gosh <3333333333

Oh my god!!!!!! Your enthusiasm lights up my night, Q, thank you! I'm so happy you're liking it -- it's so encouraging to bounce ideas off of you and be met with such an excited reaction. And the excitement is contagious!!! I can't wait for you to see what happens next!

 

23 hours ago, Grey on a Sunday said:

Ohhhhh my good golly goshness SERIOUSLY THIS IS SO SWEET AND GOOD AND TASY FRESH! Okay I just, the little Gaang all grown up? My heart already swelled so big but now?! Toph maturing, Katara and Aang fluff, SOKKA STILL LIKING HIS SPICY SNACKS BUT KNOWING THEY ARE WAY TOO SPICY fffffff jeez. I honestly love this to pieces, especially Zuko's sneezes. When he's not trying to stifle they sound so desperate and-- Okay, just, this is awesome. I love how there's still so much for all of them to learn and grow and realize, and this feels like a part of the actual series I'd been missing forEVER and a day.

Also that last line about Zuko's body doing most of the talking? Ohhhohoho this sets things up for an even more wonderful second part. Can't wait!

Yeeeee, thank you thank you, it wouldn't have been possible without you!! I'm so happy you pointed out which parts you liked, omfg especially that you noticed the spicy food thing because I loved adding it in there! Sokka is my favorite, I think, after Zuko, and I haven't featured him much yet so it's cool that you liked what I was able to fit in! ^__^ OMG, and you noticing the difference in sneezes, I'm gonna die lol I'm weak as hell for that so of course I had to put it in. Half stifles are my kryptonite. I'm already concocting like a million cool ways for his body to betray his secret illness (lol I call it an "illness" but a cold is barely anything, except when it isn't, if you get my drift). Love when the mind and body are at war!!!! Hell yeah dude!!

 

2 hours ago, JQLovesSneezes said:

This is already my new favorite Zuko fic.  Can't wait to read more! 

Aw, that's very sweet of you to say! There are a lot of really good ones out there too. I'm glad you are enjoying it so far!

 

1 hour ago, Bananagirl said:

Oh wow! You did amazing with the characters; I love Toph- LOVE Toph in your fic. 

Hnnng...omg caretaker Katara. Ohmygosh sick denial. AND THERE WAS TEA!!

I can't wait to see what delicious things you have in store for that meeting. Ufff...keep it up!!  You're awesome! 

Yes!!! Thank you for reading, I'm happy you liked it! I love Toph and her bluntness to pieces, and it's weird to imagine her as a young woman instead of a brash 12 year old girl. Her spirit hasn't changed a bit though, which is what matters! Hehe and I think Katara naturally falls into a caretaking role, which is why I had her play that specific role in the first part! Trust me... there is more to come! ^__^ 

[Sawyer]

Aw man.. alright... what did I say about dragging my feet? I wrote this at work today, it's over 800 words, and I didn't want to have a repeat of last time, so... I'll be posting the rest in smaller parts/scenes like I said! I'm going out tonight and will hopefully be inspired to write all day tomorrow and Sunday. (And oh my god, as an aside, I'm always down for bouncing ideas and chatting about the show. I am obsessed lately.) 

Let me know what you guys think so far!

Part 2

 

Zuko understood that a part of being a gracious host was making sure they were accommodated for, which included waking before they did and having breakfast ready for them by the time they had all woken up and gotten ready to start the day. During his friends’ past visits, Zuko didn’t find any problems doing this; he naturally woke early, and had no trouble planning lavish meals for his servants to prepare in advance.

 

These things were true on the morning of the Fire Lily Festival as well, although Zuko found his biggest problem was getting himself ready to greet everyone. He’d awoken with a terrible pulsating ache in the front of his face and a painful scratchiness in his throat that made him sound croaky and nasal when he tried to talk. It took him several minutes of gargling until he was able to make it past a whisper.

 

He still had yet to tie his hair back, and realized that the pressure a tight bun would hold on his scalp would do a number on his headache. Tentatively, Zuko decided to leave it down until he had to leave the palace and make an impression; he would just have to lay low until then. He guessed that tea might help – the brew Katara had made the previous night was admittedly very soothing – but he knew the others would be awake already, and there was no chance of sneaking past them at the breakfast table for a measly cup of tea.

 

He would just have to face them as he was.

 

Breakfast was typically served outside in the garden during the summer; the Fire Nation’s dry climate made for a pleasant, underwhelming heat before the sun was high in the sky. On his way to the patio, Zuko was in the middle of wondering whether the fresh air would do him any good when a rush of blue and brown whizzed past him, startling Zuko out of his thoughts.

 

Just a few paces in front of the firebender, Sokka turned around just as quickly as he had been running not even a second earlier. “Hey, you’re up!” He shot Zuko a grin, but it faltered as his eyes focused on Zuko’s face. “Rough night?”

 

“You…” Zuko began, but his voice was barely audible, raspy from misuse. He cleared his throat, hoping his next attempt would be a little better. “You could say that.”

 

“Ouch.” Sokka winced. “Seriously, it hurts me to hear you talk. You really are sick then, huh?”

 

Zuko shrugged. No use denying it now. “I feel fine,” he said, walking forward to catch up with Sokka. He sounded soft and hoarse, but at least he was audible. “Everywhere below my neck, at least.”

 

“Guess they don’t call it a ‘head cold’ for nothing,” Sokka remarked, loosely wrapping a friendly arm around Zuko’s shoulders. “Well hey! Food always makes me feel better. You can’t heal on an empty stomach! Come on, I was just going to get seconds.”

 

“Is everyone else up too?” Zuko asked as they approached the garden.

 

“Yeah, but I’m glad you’re here,” Sokka answered, and Zuko felt a surge of affection catch him off guard. “Aang and my sister are being all weird and secretive about something -- what else is new -- and Toph’s just chatting about bending strategies with your uncle. I need backup.”

 

Zuko coughed in response, feeling it rattle in his chest. “Sorry,” he said. “I don’t think I’ll.. hhHT’CHTSsh! I’ll be a very effective… Uht’ESSHhue! uh, conversational partner.”

 

“Jeez. Bless you.” Sokka took a moment to consider. “Yeah, on second thought, you should really save your voice. How did you get so sick, anyway? It didn’t seem this bad yesterday! Is it the stress? The excitement? Not enough vitamin C? Oh! Did you get stuck in the rain or something? I know firebenders can get sick wh--”

 

“I don’t know why it happened!” Zuko exclaimed, cutting him off. “Sorry. You’re right, it is probably the stress.”

 

“Sucks that you can’t plan these things,” Sokka lamented. “Like, I get that being sick is a part of life. It just happens. But it’s like… why now, of all times? Y’know? It happened to me a few years ago when we were building the cultural center -- I tried to push through it, but I ended up in bed for three days!”

 

“I don’t have three days to spend in bed,” Zuko complained. “I don’t even have three hours. I’m supposed to meet with the mayor after breakfast and then Aang and I have to plan our speech, not to mention the--”

 

“Woah, woah, take it easy.” Sokka stopped in front of the doors to the patio, halting Zuko along with him. “Jeez, you really are a bundle of nerves right now. I mean, more than usual.” Zuko bristled, and Sokka squeezed his shoulder. “You’re gonna be fine. You and Aang will prepare as best you can, and then you’ll get to rest and enjoy the paaar, uh, the festival, once it’s over. You just have to get through today.”

 

The word ‘today’ rattled around in Zuko’s head as he stepped out into the garden, and he wondered how a simple word could sound so intimidating.

Edited July 29, 2016 by Sen Beret
added some info lol

[Sitruuna]

This is just

Idk

So perfect

[Yast]

It's so nice to see some new content on the forum, especially A:TLA since I happened to re-watch the series recently . This is so well written, I love how well you portrayed the characters. I'm excited to see what you do with this next .!

[JQLovesSneezes]

Poor Zuko  I love it  Can't wait to see how the meeting goes. 

[•.*°•☆. Q .☆•°*.•]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH          

 

 

[mariaib]

man its 2016 and one of the things i certantly didnt expect to see was a zuko fic.But godamn i'm happy about t! you were actually the very person to get me into sneeze fics (with your other ATLA fic) and its so nice to see work from you! can't wat for the next chapter(no matter how many years pass,zuko will always be my favorite to read in sneezefics~)also love the story if it wasn''t obvious by now.<3

[Colds-and-Cuddles]

This is absolutely everything I could have asked for in a Zuko fic, and more! Thank you so much, I can't wait for the next part!

[nolongeractive]

I strongly feel that this story is worth a bump... and not just because it's a story about Zuko, your favorite childhood crush! It's deserving because of how wonderfully well-written the characters are, all of the cute scenarios that result from Zuko's illness, the great interactions... It's one of those stories where you'll want to read every word and not miss a thing, and I keep coming back to it over and over... Seriously, if you've ever thought Zuko's even a little hot... this is a good story for you... I highly recommend it!!

(also PS... I want part 3!!!)

Edited October 3, 2016 by The Cracked Egg

[NoThankYou]

On 7/29/2016 at 5:11 PM, Sen Beret said:

“Woah, woah, take it easy.” Sokka stopped in front of the doors to the patio, halting Zuko along with him. [...] “You’re gonna be fine. You and Aang will prepare as best you can, and then you’ll get to rest and enjoy the paaar, uh, the festival, once it’s over. You just have to get through today.”

Oh, Sokka, always putting your foot in your mouth. At least you caught yourself •almost* in time. (:

Love this story! Such good characterization of, well, everyone. The world needs more Zuko sickfic. And more Sokka in general. Thank you for being the fanfic writer we all need. (:

[Rika]

Just here to bring life to this fic because I just finished ATLA and Zuko is my fave and this gave me such life.  I wish there was more. 😭😭

[glitter_]

Although this probably will never be continued I just wanted to dive in for a sec and say: this is by far the best ATLA fic I've read on this forum. Zuko is my favorite fictional character of all time and your story really does him justice. Maybe we could start a petition for you to continue? I'd like to imagine that there is still hope for an update in the future. 

[x-theearlofgrey-x]

On 2/1/2022 at 2:52 AM, glitter_ said:

Maybe we could start a petition for you to continue? I'd like to imagine that there is still hope for an update in the future. 

I'd sign that! but no pressure

 

[Interest_in_sickness]

Omg…I feel like I’ve ascended. Just the right amount of everything! I especially loved the reference to the Ember island actors! This is an awesome fic!!

[Sickficsinger]

I am so sad to find out that they only have  2 parts because my brain screams continue

 

 OMG though it is fantastic and you are a gifted writer

[Sawyer]

On 2/3/2022 at 9:07 PM, x-theearlofgrey-x said:

On 2/1/2022 at 4:52 AM, glitter_ said:

Maybe we could start a petition for you to continue? I'd like to imagine that there is still hope for an update in the future. 

I'd sign that! but no pressure

You are all so, so incredibly lovely. I want to quote each of you but feel self-conscious of all the notifications I'd send out, so please just know I've read these comments over and over every time the fic gets bumped again. I'm so happy people like it.

I'd love to continue as ATLA is one of my absolute forever fandoms (as it is for so many of us millennials I'm sure). I'll always come back to it like a sailor returning home. It's been more than six years so the writing style may be a bit different, and I'm thinking of reconciling that by switching to another character's POV. I'll see you all soon!