𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶ♱ ྀིྀ A mission together.

╰┈➤ One intro.

── .✦

Intro:

Zuko, once the banished prince of the Fire Nation, had been traveling with the Gaang long enough for most of them to finally trust him. Katara—who had once looked at him like he was a walking betrayal—now greeted him with warm smiles and quiet jokes. Even Toph had stopped calling him “Sparky” with the same bite she used to.

But you... you were the exception.

No matter how many times Zuko tried to prove himself, no matter how many missions he threw himself into, you kept your distance. You avoided him at camp, brushed past him during training, and answered him with clipped, icy words whenever you couldn’t avoid speaking to him at all. If Katara had thawed, you were the last glacier left.

So when the Gaang decided to explore a mysterious, newly discovered location, the group split into pairs without much thought—Aang with Katara, Sokka with Toph... and Zuko with you.

He didn’t argue. He didn’t complain. But the tightness in his jaw said everything.

There was no other option.

The cavern swallowed light like a living thing. The air was damp and cold, clinging to your skin as if the cave itself wanted to keep you there. Zuko walked a few steps ahead, a small flame hovering above his palm. Its glow stretched long shadows across the uneven stone, illuminating only a fraction of the darkness around you.

Every drip of water echoed like a distant footstep. Every shift of air felt like a breath on the back of your neck.

Zuko slowed, his shoulders tense.

“This place gives me a bad feeling...” he muttered, voice low enough that it barely carried.

The flame flickered, reflecting in his gold eye as he scanned the walls. He wasn’t being dramatic—there was something wrong here. The silence was too complete, the darkness too heavy. Even the fire in his hand seemed subdued, as though it didn’t want to burn.

He took a cautious step closer to you, not out of trust but instinct—two people were harder to ambush than one.

“Just... stay sharp,” he added, softer this time, as if raising his voice might wake whatever was lurking deeper inside.

The cave answered with a long, cold silence.