Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/125204.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Underage
  Category:
      M/M
  Fandom:
      Avatar:_The_Last_Airbender
  Relationship:
      Ozai/Zuko_(Avatar)
  Character:
      Ozai_(Avatar), Azula_(Avatar), Zuko_(Avatar)
  Stats:
      Published: 2010-10-09 Words: 3607
****** Chasing Echoes ******
by afropuffchan
Summary
     Set a few years pre-series. Reminders of the past lead to acceptance
     gained in an unconventional way.
Title: Chasing Echoes
Pairing: Ozai/Zuko
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 3,580
Summary: Set a few years pre-series. Reminders of the past lead to acceptance
gained in an unconventional way.
 
 
In the royal family’s private training area, Zuko practiced his firebending,
hitting the scattered targets one after the other. He paused momentarily,
watching the resulting fires crackle. A decent effort, but he hadn’t been fast
enough. She would have been much faster. He’d have to do better if he wanted to
prove his worth to his father.
 
As if he’d summoned her with his thoughts, Azula appeared. She stepped out into
the courtyard, her claps slow and mocking.
 
“Nice, but wouldn’t it be better to train with someone who can shoot back?” Her
lips twisted into a grin. “But I suppose this sort of thing is more comfortable
for amateurs, isn’t it, Zuzu?”
 
“I’m not an amateur, and don’t call me that!” Zuko shouted, rising to her bait.
He shot a fireball at her that she easily deflected.
 
“Oh, is that an offer?” she asked, referring to his angry gesture. “Why, Zuzu,
I’d be glad to help you train.” She fired off a series of blue blasts that had
him reeling.
 
Zuko held his own against her for a while, but not long enough as he soon found
himself knocked down onto his rear. Azula laughed heartily at the position he’d
landed in. Fueled by his anger, Zuko sent a blast her way that surprised them
both at its strength. It caused her to lose her footing and end up in a sprawl
on the ground. Her face twisted in rage as she pulled herself to her feet. She
soon left him singed for his trouble. But at least he’d landed a hit on her, so
he deemed the pain he felt as he struggled to his knees worth it.
 
“Sister and brother training together? A rare sight indeed,” Fire Lord Ozai
remarked as he entered the courtyard to approach the pair, his entourage a
short distance away. Zuko quickly moved to bow from his position on the ground.
He wasn’t sure how long the man had been watching. His stomach twisted with the
fear that he’d embarrassed himself in front of his father.
 
“Excellent as always, Azula,” Ozai said, causing a satisfied grin to spread
over her face. He paused before Zuko’s bowed form. “And a better effort than
I’ve seen from you, Zuko.” His hand alighted briefly on his son’s shoulder
before slipping away. “Perhaps one day you’ll manage to become a firebender
that isn’t an affront to your ancestors.”
 
Zuko’s heart raced in his chest, left over adrenaline from the fight or from
the brief touch and his father’s words, he couldn’t be sure. “Thank you,
Father. I’ll train much harder,” Zuko answered, unable to keep the pleased note
out of his voice. His father had complimented him, no matter how backhanded it
had been.
 
“See that you do,” Ozai said, turning to head back inside the palace,
attendants trailing behind him.
 
Azula shook her head as she watched her brother gain his footing. “You’re so
pathetic,” she told him. Her grin was mocking. “He pats you on the shoulder and
you act like a pet running around its master’s ankles.”
 
“Leave me be, Azula,” he told her as he stalked away, refusing to let her ruin
his good mood. Father had acknowledged him with something other than just
contempt.
 
                              *******************
 
The royal transport pulled to a stop before the large country home. The Fire
Lord and his children exited amid the bustle of servants making preparations
for the family. Zuko breathed in the fresh air. It had been years since he’d
been here, memories of better times coming back to him. Their father’s decision
had been sudden, but neither he nor his sister could complain about the Fire
Lord’s desire to get away from the harried atmosphere of the palace for a short
time.
 
“Thank you for bringing us here, Father,” Azula told him. “We haven’t
vacationed together in ages.”
 
“You’re welcome,” Ozai answered. “No matter how busy those of our status are,
we must take time out to reinvigorate ourselves on occasion.”
 
“I wish Mother was here,” Zuko remarked wistfully, and he knew they were the
wrong words before they’d finished leaving his mouth. Azula rolled her eyes and
turned away, but his father’s eyes darkened, his lips pressing together into a
line. Zuko’s next words rushed from his lips. “I just meant that, the last time
we were here, she was-”
 
“I don’t need you to explain, Zuko,” Ozai answered with clipped words. “I
caught your meaning.” Not looking in his son’s direction, he walked past him
toward the house. Azula followed, but not before smirking at him before she
turned away. Sighing, Zuko trailed after them.
 
Dinner wasn’t as strained as it could have been given what had happened
earlier. Zuko heard the voices of his father and sister vaguely in the
background while he lost himself in his thoughts. The subject of his mother and
what had happened to her had long since been a forbidden topic, so Zuko was
angry at himself for ruining the lighter mood that had come over them all at
the sudden vacation. But it was maddening not knowing what had truly happened
to her. She had just disappeared and his father had given no real explanation
at the time. Zuko had always wondered if she was still alive. If she’d died,
wouldn’t there have been a funeral? Had she fled for some reason? Was that why
Father always seemed so upset at the mere mention of her? Azula never seemed to
care, but Zuko supposed that even she did on some level.
 
The drone of voices in the background stopped, and Zuko sensed eyes on him. He
looked up, and realized that his father and sister were both staring at him,
possibly for some time. Azula didn’t even try to hide her smirk. The Fire Lord
appeared annoyed.
 
“He didn’t hear a thing you just said, Father,” Azula noted with amusement in
her voice, “did you, Zuzu?”
 
Zuko glared at her before he stammered an apology to his father. Ozai frowned.
“You seem so distracted of late,” his father noted. “I would have thought
spending time in a more relaxing environment would have improved your spirits,
Zuko, but I seem to have been mistaken.”
 
“We should have just left him behind at the palace,” Azula lamented.
 
Zuko ignored her. “No, Father, I’m glad that we came here. It’s just that I-”
His words trailed off as his father’s eyes shifted from his face in favor of
gazing forward. Zuko’s eyes followed his to the empty chair opposite the head
of the table. Zuko almost expected to see her there, his mother dressed as she
had been that day years ago, gazing at them with kind eyes, gently chiding her
husband not to be so hard on his son. But there was thin air in the space that
she should have occupied. Zuko turned back toward his father who wore a
shuttered expression, unsure of what to say.
 
Azula chimed in to change the subject, breaking the Fire Lord’s reverie. The
two continued speaking almost as though there hadn’t been an unpleasant
interruption in their conversation. Zuko was thankful that his father’s ire had
been forgotten for the moment. He pushed the food around on his plate, not
noticing the golden eyes that fell upon him intermittently.
 
 
The following afternoon saw Zuko sitting on the beach a distance from the
house, watching absently as Azula dove into the gentle current of the bay. His
father was still inside, likely sipping his tea given the time of day.
 
The vision of Azula in the surf retreated in favor of a fond memory tied to
this place of when he had been so very young. They had been gazing out at the
bay when his mother had placed him into his father’s arms before heading inside
for a moment. His father had held him close, his silken unbound hair brushing
against his face. The sight of Azula toddling along in the sand nearby had
faded as Zuko’s eyes closed, lulled into a light doze by the gentle rise and
fall of his father’s chest and the beat of his heart under his ear.  Zuko held
onto that memory years later, calling it to mind whenever the Fire Lord’s angry
eyes fell on him or venom dripped from his lips. He used it to remind himself
that there was a time that he too had been precious, not just his sister, and
that if only he could be as his father wanted, he would be so again.
 
Nodding as he decided on a course of action, Zuko rose, moving into a ready
stance. He shot a volley of fireballs across the beach into the air, the light
from them making the particles of sand glint. Not satisfied, he redoubled his
efforts. He had to be faster, more fluid, more-
 
“Zuko, we’re on vacation,” Azula called to him from her position in the water,
“Why are you training when you should be relaxing? Come into the water with
me.”
 
“I don’t feel like swimming right now,” he told her, trying not to sound as
petulant as he felt. “I’ll do what I like.”
 
Azula sighed. “Suit yourself. You can’t do anything properly, not even have
fun,” she said before turning to dive into a wave.
 
“Azula’s right, you know,” Zuko heard his father say a distance away, startling
him. He turned to see the Fire Lord shed his royal robes and toss them into the
arms of an attendant before walking farther onto the beach. The gold bands his
father wore on his upper arms glinted in the sunlight. “But I can understand
the draw you feel, Zuko. The rays of the sun are brightest at this time of day,
invigorating.”
 
Zuko had wanted this for so long, he and his father together and alone, the
usual scorn in his eyes replaced with something softer from days gone by. But
now that his father stood before him, Zuko was at a loss for what to say to the
man. Ozai smiled briefly, amused at his son’s surprised silence.
 
“The reason you’re having trouble is that your stance is too wide. It’s
throwing you off balance.” Ozai moved into the correct position to demonstrate
as his son watched with wide eyes. “It’s only when you have achieved the proper
form that the power of your blow is at its peak.” He shifted forward, the
golden fireball he let loose as bright and magnificent as one would expect from
the Fire Lord.
 
“Yes, Father,” Zuko answered, taking up a similar position. Ozai placed a hand
on his son’s hip and shoulder to make adjustments. Zuko was so taken aback by
this that he almost faltered, but not quite. With fluid movements, he mirrored
those of his father, the resulting ball of fire an improvement over those
previous.
 
“Better, but you have much to learn if you hope to become a firebending
master,” Ozai told his son. He demonstrated some further moves and Zuko did his
best to learn them.
 
Zuko wasn’t sure what it was that had brought about his father’s generous mood,
but he knew better than to question his change in luck and ruin the moment.
Perhaps being in their family’s old vacation spot again had brought back fond
memories for his father as well, visions of happier times together before
everything had somehow fallen apart. So father and son performed training
exercises under the midday sun, the light of it suffusing them with power as
Azula did laps in the gentle waters.
 
                           *************************
 
Unable to sleep for reasons he wasn’t sure he wanted to name, Ozai walked the
halls in the dim light. His travels brought him to the door of his son’s room.
He entered silently, pulling the door closed behind him. He approached to stand
near Zuko’s bed, watching as the light from the full moon streaming in through
the window illuminated his face. At times like this, Ozai could see the echo of
his wife in him, Ursa, who he hadn’t seen again since that day years ago.
Before he could stop it, his hand had fallen to Zuko’s face, stroking the skin
of his cheek. It was almost as soft as hers had been.
 
Zuko made a soft sound that caused Ozai’s breath to catch. He shifted in bed
and began to stir to wakefulness. Ozai stiffened. There was no way of leaving
the room without being seen by his son. Zuko’s eyes fluttered open before he
squinted, pushing to sit up in the bed.
 
“Father?” he asked as if unsure of what his eyes were showing him. “Is
something wrong?” he added, a worried note creeping into his voice.
 
“No, Zuko, nothing is wrong,” Ozai answered, feeling unusually awkward. “I was
just… checking on you,” he finished. It wasn’t a complete lie, in any case.
 
The tension visibly seeped out of Zuko’s frame. “Oh, just like when I was
young.”
 
“You’re still young,” Ozai insisted, but couldn’t help a faint smile creeping
onto his face. Zuko smiled slightly in response, pleasantly surprised as he
watched his father sink onto the bed. “It’s true, though. I used to watch you
sleep on occasion. You favor your mother, especially when you are asleep.”
 
Apprehension stole over Zuko, but he couldn’t help asking, “You miss her, too,
don’t you?”
 
“I suppose that’s true,” Ozai admitted, “Her presence seems to haunt the halls
of the palace and the rooms of this place. It stares at me from behind your
eyes.” He frowned as Zuko gazed up at him. “You’re so much like her at times
that it’s vexing, beautiful and soft-hearted, not at all like what I wanted in
a son.” He watched Zuko’s expression fall as he turned away, his eyes downcast.
“But when the situation called for it, she became as terrifying a creature as
any I’ve ever known, committing wicked acts not to be spoken of in the light of
day. I was so sure that I knew her, and yet she surprised me that day.” He
grasped his son’s chin to turn his face toward his own. “I wonder sometimes
what wicked things you are capable of.”
 
Zuko gazed up into his father’s glittering eyes, unable to place the expression
in them. The weight of his stare caused a knot to form in his stomach. He was
about to speak when Ozai began to stroke his lower lip with his thumb. Zuko
shivered, his eyes widening as his father’s face loomed ever closer before lips
sealed themselves to his. He froze, too surprised to react. Ozai pulled away
briefly, appearing as though he were debating something with himself, judging
by his expression. Decision made, he dove back in to deepen the kiss.
 
Zuko’s stomach fluttered strangely as Ozai’s tongue swept his mouth. This was
wrong, so terribly wrong, and yet he didn’t dare pull away. Not just out of
fear of his father’s anger, but because his father’s arms were winding around
his waist to pull him close. He was wanted, perhaps even needed. As Zuko felt
the heat of his father’s body through his robe, he wasn’t sure that he could
bring himself to care about what was taboo.
 
Breaking the kiss, Ozai pushed the covers aside, a strange smile hovering on
his lips. “I want to teach you something, Zuko,” he murmured, “something that
must stay only between the two of us. But sometimes the walls have ears. So
show me how disciplined you can be and don’t make a sound.”
 
Zuko nodded, sure that he could comply with that no matter what it was his
father was about to do. But that was before Ozai’s hand slipped between his
legs and squeezed. The moan had escaped his lips before he could even try to
stop it. Luckily, Ozai didn’t seem angry. He smirked, placing a finger to
Zuko’s lips.
 
“Shh,” he hushed him, “Not one sound.”
 
Zuko bit his lower lip, determined to comply with his father’s orders. But this
was almost too hard with Ozai’s heated stare on his face while his hands
slipped under his robe to surround his length. He began to stroke it at a brisk
pace, making Zuko dig his fingernails into the bedding and grit his teeth lest
he loose the groan that tried to fight its way out of his mouth. Just when he
didn’t think he could take much more of this treatment, his father abruptly
stopped. Zuko feared that he had done something wrong. He opened his eyes in
time to see his father’s head sink into his lap. Zuko’s head snapped back in a
soundless cry as wet heat engulfed his erection.
 
Barely able to catch his breath, Zuko bunched up the sheets in his hands, his
toes curling as Ozai’s head bobbed in his lap. He had no idea that people even
did such things, or that something that seemed almost dirty could make him feel
as he did now. Unable to stop himself, Zuko raised a hand to stroke through his
father’s hair as it hung loosely about his shoulders. Golden eyes opened to
bore into his, but Ozai said nothing, allowing the touch. His eyes slipped shut
again, and he did something with his fingers that made Zuko almost bite his
tongue. Warm fluid shot at the back of Ozai’s throat, and as he slid down to
the base to swallow around him, Zuko choked on a groan before collapsing onto
the bed.
 
Ozai pulled away to gaze at the sprawl his son had landed in. His own erection
jutted swollen and thick from between his legs under his robe. He crawled up
Zuko’s body, leaning down to ghost lips over his son’s. “I wonder which part of
you I should take,” he mused in a low voice. “These lips, or perhaps down
here.” His hand trailed up Zuko’s thigh.
 
Zuko’s eyes glittered up into his father’s. “Do whatever you want,” he said,
his mind still in a pleasurable haze.
               
“Whatever I want?” Ozai echoed, raising an eyebrow as his hand wandered. A
chuckle rumbled in his throat. “You never tempt someone with appetites like
mine with such words. There are a great many things that I want.” He stroked a
finger across Zuko’s entrance, eliciting a soft gasp. “But I find myself
without the proper preparations for that. But no matter. There are other ways
to seek such pleasures.”
 
He urged Zuko to turn onto his side before moving to spoon behind him. Zuko
soon felt his father’s erection slipping past his slightly parted thighs. Ozai
sighed as he urged Zuko to clasp his thighs together around him, making a low
rumbling noise close to Zuko’s ear as he started to move.
 
Heat weaved its way through Zuko’s gut at how his father’s panting breaths
warmed his neck. Ozai wound an arm about his waist to pull him close as his
hips thrust against him. Zuko found himself getting hard again at the feel of
his father’s erection sliding against his own.
 
Blunt nails bit into Zuko’s skin as Ozai’s thrusts became erratic. He kissed
and nipped at the skin of Zuko’s throat. In moments, Ozai stiffened, muffling
his groan in the crook between neck and shoulder, warm wetness spreading on
Zuko’s thighs.
 
Hesitant, Zuko touched the arm that was still draped around him. Ozai stirred,
but didn’t dislodge his hand. Whether this was because he accepted the gesture
or merely tolerated it, Zuko couldn’t be sure, but maybe this didn’t matter. He
lay there while his father’s breath evened out as he drifted off, wondering if
the Fire Lord would stay until nearly morning or if he’d slip out after Zuko
had fallen asleep. He wondered if anything had really changed between them, or
if come tomorrow, his father would act as though nothing had happened. Zuko
sighed, putting away his worries for the moment to enjoy the feel of his
father’s sleeping embrace for as long as it lasted.
 
                              *******************
 
The next morning, Azula could sense that there was something amiss. Their
father seemed to be in a better mood than usual, and spoke to Zuko without
making a snide remark even once. Though still tentative, Zuko seemed more
talkative than usual, his expression bright as he managed to say something that
made Ozai smile faintly. There was something in their father’s gaze as it fell
upon Zuko that she couldn’t quite place, but she knew she didn’t like. Azula
frowned. She didn’t care for feeling as though she were the one being excluded
for once.
 
After they finished their meal, the Fire Lord rose from the table, his children
following after him. Azula’s eyes narrowed. She’d seen the look the pair had
shared as Ozai had passed Zuko’s chair. She fell into step beside her brother,
who seemed too comfortable somehow for her tastes.
 
“You’re hiding something,” Azula accused in a low voice as she leaned toward
him.
 
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Zuko murmured, his expression as
neutral as he could muster.
 
“Liar,” she countered. “I’ll find out eventually. You can never hide anything
from me for long.”
 
Zuko intended to prove her wrong on that score. He gazed at his father’s form
as he walked several steps ahead. He would keep their shared secret. This was
finally something for the two of them alone. He wasn’t about to ruin that.
 
End
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