Everything Changed (Zuko x Reader)(Conclusion to the Torn Heart trilogy)

Chapter 7

Zuko's POV:
             Zuko paced his cell. He was glad to have found Sokkas father, but he was still anxious to leave and to get Y/N out as well. The longer they were here, him especially, the more dangerous it got. His thoughts were interrupted by Sokkas voice,
             "Zuko, are you there?"
             "I'm here," Zuko peered through the slit in the door.
             "I just got done talking to my dad. We came up with an escape plan together,"
             Thank Ra, before Zuko could reply there was another voice farther away, "What are you doing here?"
              Sokka vanished from sight and Zuko ducked away from the door.
              "I was just telling this dirty lowlife what I think of him!" Sokka said, with what Zuko imagined was his best "tough voice."
              The guard sounded mildly amused, "Well, you'll have to do that later. He's coming with us."
               Zuko's heart jumped. Luckily Sokka asked for him, "Why?"
               "Because we have orders straight from the warden, that's why!" the guard snapped.
               Shit! We were so close!
               "Could I just get ten more seconds to rough him up a bit?"
               "Fine, ten seconds,"
               The door opened. Improvising Zuko grabbed his mattress and held it up, gesturing to Sokka to punch. As he did and Zuko gave up some fake grunts, his friend murmured, "We have a new plan, but it's gonna need a big distraction. Be in the yard in one hour. I'll let Suki and Y/N know too."
                As the last words left his mouth, the door opened again. Sokka knocked the mattress aside and grabbed Zuko.
                "All right, that's enough," said the guard, separating them and dragging Zuko out.
                "What are you doing? Where are you taking me?" he demanded as they reached an interrogation room of all places, "I didn't do anything wrong!"
                "Come on," said a voice behind him, startling him, "We all know that's a lie."
                "Mai!"

My POV:
                I paced my cell, waiting impatiently for Sokka to release us, though I wasn't sure how he would. On top of that, I had asked if Zuko was okay and he had seemed uneasy. Something was wrong.
                Somehow I knew the moment my cell door opened that it wasn't from Sokka releasing us. My hairs stood on end, even before the voice purred,
                "Leave us. I can handle her."
                I turned to Azula.
                "Hey, sis," she sang, pushing aside her bangs with her long nails.
                "Hey, sis. To what do I owe this immense pleasure?" I responded in kind.
                But she continued, "How ironic to find you here, right where you belong. But I wonder how you got here. There were no reports of your arrest."
                "Maybe spend less time at the royal spa, Princess, and more time keeping up with current events,"
                Azula pretended to consider it, then, "Mm, no, that's not it. I'm guessing you snuck in here—sounds like the kind of idiotic plot you and my brother would've come up with with your one shared braincell. Is he here too?"
                "I'm not telling you anything,"
                "So that's a yes," she grumbled, "But why? Why would you willingly place yourself in prison?"
                 "Shits and giggles,"
                 "Cute," she sighed, "Well, it was nice catching up. I'll be back of course. Apparently there was an attempted prison break and a guard was in on it. I assume you had something to do with it."
                 My face must have betrayed some kind of emotion, because she grinned, "Aha, it did. Well, once we ferret out everyone involved, the punishment will be unimaginable—looking forward to it. Tat-ta for now, big sis!"
                 She opened the door to leave, but I cried, "Azula, wait!"
                 I don't know if I was stalling or truly reaching out to her, but words were coming out of my mouth, "I really did like you. Back at the palace for a while I thought maybe we'd really be a family."
                "You thought wrong,"
                "Because you pushed me away. That's all it was—you manipulated me, but I'm still willing to forgive that and fix things between us,"
                Maybe I was imagining it, but I thought Azula's expression cracked into surprise and longing—just for a second, "You really want to be friends—still?"
                I nodded.
                Like a switch went off, her face hardened back into cold emotionlessness, "Then you're more naive then I thought."

No one's POV:
                "How did you know I was here?"
                "Because I know you so well," Mai said, sarcastically, "My uncles the fucking warden, idiot."
                Zuko groaned, "Right."
                "Zuko, what are you doing here?" Mai shook her head.
                "I needed to make things right,"
                "By betraying your country?"
                "I'm saving my country,"
                "No, you're traipsing after Y/N like a lovesick puppy,"
                "This isn't about her, this is about the Fire Nation!"
                "Bet she'd love to hear that,"
                "She already knows. She understands me, like you and everyone else in the Fire Nation never could!"
                Mai gave him a look that made him realize he gave up too much. "See?"
                "I won't apologize for loving her,"
                "I don't want you to apologize...I just...Y/N was my friend. It hurt me too when she left," he could hear a sliver of emotion in Mais voice.
                "Mai, I—"
                 A guard burst through the doorway, "Ma'am, there's a riot going on!"
                 Sokka.
                 "I'm here to protect you!"
                 "I don't need any protection," Mai sneered and Zuko snorted,
                 "Believe me, she doesn't."
                 "I'm sorry,  but I'm under direct orders from your uncle to make sure nothing happens,"
                 The words barely left his mouth when Zuko seized the opportunity and launched a stream of fire at him. As the guard dove out of the way and towards Mai, Zuko made a dash for the door slamming it behind him.