Ba Sing Se Boarding High

Safe Spaces

*Zuko POV*

After Toph is done, it's other people's turns. There are gays, trans straights, aromantic polysexual. Just a bunch of different people. I should be fine. But it doesn't help. Once it gets to me, I'm gripped with panic.
"My name is Zuko. I'm eighteen. My pronouns are he/him. And I'm..." I gulp. "I- I'm..." Sokka grabs my hand and gives me a supportive look. "I'm gay," I say confidently. "And the interesting thing I did this week was forcing Sokka to walk through Little Fire Nation while he was being a one day vegetarian," 
"HEY! I supported you!"
"I only did it because Aang mentioned it earlier," I reply. He scowls and tries to grab Aang, who dodges.
"That's everyone! We have a quick presentation before you can go and mingle and meet new people!" The girl from the front says. Her name is Tiffany. The presentation is on the rules. Basically no homophobia or racism and use everyone's proper pronouns. 

I wander around. A girl with pigtails and big round glasses.
"Hi! I'm Robin. I'm really proud of you for being able to say your sexuality up there. I guess your parents weren't very accepting. It can be hard sometimes, but I admire your courage Zuko,"
"Thanks, Robin. It means a lot to have a safe place, even when I have the most supportive friends in the world. And my parents weren't very supportive," 
"I noticed that you mentioned Little Fire Nation. Are you from there or do you just find Fire Nation culture interesting?"
"I'm from there. And I don't really like the culture. At least not now anyway. The Fire Lord is a terrible leader (and father)," I say the last part under my breath.
"What was that last part? I swear you said and father... Oh my god. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to trigger bad memories," She covers her mouth when she realizes.
"It's alright. You didn't cause them. I'm living with my Uncle Iroh right now. He's my real father. Uncle supports everything I do and lets me make my own decisions,"
"It's always great to have people in your life who care for and support you. I get the feeling. My family didn't support me either. I had to run away and live with a friend. I'm proud of you," She pats my shoulder. I hear a bang and Aang saying ow.
"Sokka! You were supposed to hold me up! I could barely airbend in time to catch myself," 
"Sorry! I was trying! My balance isn't great," I laugh.
"You guys are idiots!" I yell.
"We know!" They smile at me. Toph earthbends under Aang and sends him flying.
"Your friends are so cool. Are all of them benders?" Robin asks.
"Nebula and Sokka aren't, and Suki isn't. She's not here right now. Toph is an earthbender, Aang's an airbender and Katara is a waterbender. She's also not here. Katara is the straight in the group,"
"Every gay friend group has to have one. Who's the raging bisexual?"
"Definitely Sokka,"
"Hmm, you've got the confident lesbian, that girl Toph. It's awesome that she's blind too,"
"Yeah. I guess we've got two of those. Suki is also a super confident lesbian,"
"I ship it,"
"I thought shipping was for fictional characters," I say.
"Nah, I ship you and that Sokka guy too," I blush at her comment. "Ah, you do like him,"
"Yeah. But I don't think he feels the same way," I look at him dancing to Aang's beatboxing with a girl named Yue. He grins at me when he sees me watching.
"Look at Aang beatbox. Not the thing you would expect from such a happy go lucky guy,"
"There are a lot of things you wouldn't expect about Aang," I think of the scars, his trauma, nightmare and stress from being the Avatar.

"Change of topic, but did you hear that the Avatar is getting announced early?" 
"Yeah. I did," I say solemnly.
"Any guesses about who it is? I guess that we can't really know because Air Nomad kids are so sheltered, but I think they're probably someone who learned quickly and got out early. It could even be your friend Aang," I want to laugh.
"You'd be surprised. The Avatar is never who you expect it to be," I say. All of a sudden, a girl comes up and grabs Robin by the arm.
"Come on Robin. You have to dance to this guy's beatboxing,"
"I'm coming Iliana. I have to ask him how he can beatbox for so long,"
"Hi, Aang! How aren't you out of breath yet?" She asks him.
"I'm an airbender. If I ran out of breath there would be a..." He gets cut off by a coughing fit. He walks over to a chair. It goes on a lot longer than it feels like it should. Someone gives him a bottle of water. "Stupid toxins," He says through gritted teeth. 
"Are you okay Aang? I've never heard you cough like that," Nebula says.
"I have. That's what happens when your lungs absorb the toxins from smoke," I say. 
"Yeah. Yeah, it is. Sorry, guys," He says. He downs the water and goes to get more. I grab him.
"Never apologize for having a physical condition. That would be like me apologizing to my father because he burned my face," I tell him. His eyes go wide. 
"Right. That makes sense,"
"Now hug me. You could use one," He grabs me and I hug him tight.
"You smell like a campfire," He says.
"Most benders have their own scent. You smell like apple cider," I say.
"Apple cider eh?" 
"Yup. Katara smells like seawater. I haven't gotten close enough to Toph to be able to smell," He laughs.
"No one can get close enough to the Melon Lord to smell her. I bet she smells like watermelon,"
"Yeah. She eats enough watermelon,"
"What can I say Sparky. Watermelon is good," I jump at her sudden arrival.
"When did you get here?" I scream. A few heads turn.
"Contrary to popular belief, I can sneak just as well as Twinkle Toes," She says.
"You don't tend to," Aang says. Somehow not fazed by Toph's random arrival.
"Being loud is more fun. But it was worth it this time," She grins. 
"Can I smell you?" I ask. 
"Why the hell would you want to do that?"
"All benders have a unique smell, I wanted to know yours,"
"I get a unique smell? Nice. Sure you can sniff my hair Sparky. It's a little weird, but you do you,"
"I don't want to sniff your hair!"
"Sounds like you do," She says.
"Whatever. I got permission," I sniff her hair. It was the best place to do it without being any weirder. She smells like aluminum. Okay then.
"What's my smell?"
"Aluminum?" I say.
"Proof that I'm a metalbender. Sweet," That makes sense. 

We talk about different smells and more nonsense. A few others join in. Sokka asks what Azula smells like. She smells like a forest fire. My Uncle Iroh smells too strongly of tea to tell, or maybe that is his smell. I never got close enough to my father to smell. And my mother wasn't a firebender. I hardly ever saw my grandfather let alone smelled him. Toph shows off her metalbending powers. Everyone claps. Aang asks why he would smell like apple cider. He smells more like fall in general, I just thought of apple cider first. This place is nice. We can talk about random stuff or real issues. I'm going to come back next week. When the meeting is over, everyone leaves.
"We're going straight back to the dorm. I need meat," Sokka drags Aang and me.
"I can't believe you guys got him to go a day without meat," Nebula says.
"It was the only way we would go with him. He didn't want to be lonely," I say. Everyone but Sokka laughs.
"Yeah yeah. Laugh at the guy who had to compromise,"
"Not eating meat isn't so bad," Aang says.
"Coming from someone who's never tasted it," Sokka pokes his finger into Aang's chest.
"You've got a point," I say. 
"Don't side with him!" Aang says. Everyone laughs. I'm glad I found good friends.

A/N Just fluff. And Zuko helping Aang out. Sokka can't eat meat. I think it was funny. I hope you enjoyed the chaos.