The Fire Within - an atla fanfic (Zuko x OC)

(Let Me Go) Will Not Let You Go

"What are you doing?" Zuko asked.

"I'm showing him good music." I said as I tapped on my walkman. I had been playing some music for Druk. "He needs to be cultured." I glanced down at Druk, who seemed neither happy nor angry about me bothering him. "He isn't very emotive." I added.

Zuko sat next to me and starting petting Druk. "He's still a baby. He probably isn't used to hearing so much." He showed me the cup he was holding. "I got some jerky. Maybe he'll like it."

He pushed it towards Druk, and Druk gave it a few sniffs, and then devoured it, giving a tiny burp afterwards.

I watched in awe. "Well clearly he liked that." I watched as Druk seemed happy for once. "Where'd you find jerky from?" I asked.

"It was in Sokka's bag." Zuko said with a tiny sigh. "Well, that was all of it."

"Uh oh. Bad news for Sokka." I replied.

Zuko chuckled and smiled. "I'm gonna go train Aang for a bit, wanna come?"

"Not really, if you don't mind." I replied. Training was usually boring. I had better things to do.

———

I walked over to Sokka, who was sharpening his boomerang, and sat next to him. "What's up Sokka?" I asked, as I stroked Druk in my arms. I tried to leave him in my room but he seemed upset when I tried to leave him there.

"Hey Ashley." Sokka replied. "Druk seems to like you."

"Yeah, I guess so. He likes Zuko more though."

"So that little dragon can firebend?" Sokka asked, sounding a bit dejected.

"I wouldn't say firebend quite yet. But he will learn how to soon." I said with a tiny smile.

"I still think it's unfair that a little dragon can bend but I can't." Sokka said with a tiny sigh. "At least I have my space sword now."

"What space sword?" I asked.

He unsheathed his blade and handed it to me. "It's made from meteor."

I inspected the blade carefully. "That's really cool! How did you find a meteorite?"

"It fell right next to where we set up camp once." Sokka explained.

"I'm glad you have a sword. It's cool." I stated.

"Yeah, but not as cool as being a bender. I'm like the only one here who isn't."

I shrugged. "That doesn't mean anything. It's not like being a bender makes you smarter or something. I feel pretty much the same as I did before I realized I could bend."

"How did it take you so long to realize? I mean, I thought most people knew when they were young." Sokka asked.

I sighed. I's already told Aang. I guess I had to tell Aang now too. "I wasn't born a firebender. My dad made me one when he experimented on me when I was 10."

Sokka widened his eyes. "That's possible?"

"Apparently so." I replied. "But I guess that proves bending doesn't change who you truly are."

Sokka nodded slightly. "You're right."

"Yeah. And besides, you don't need to be any different. You're already the smartest out of the group, and being smarter is more valuable than strength to me." I said with a shrug.

"Not true. Now that you are in our group, I think you take the title of smartest." Sokka said with a tiny scoff.

"Well, yeah." I said jokingly. "But you'll get there eventually." I watched as Druk shakily walked in front of us.