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

Chapter 9

           We got Hakoda back to the Air Temple. It was great to witness how happy Katara and Sokka were to have their father with them. But our happiness didn't last long—because of course it couldn't.
              "Morning," Zuko whispered in my ear from behind me.
              Groaning, I twisted in his arms and dug in deeper, soaking up his warmth, "I miss the temple. I swear it was warmer in there."
              He laughed, softly, "But up here we get woken by the sunrise."
              "See, to you that's a good thing. I get that you can feel the power of it or whatever, but you know I like to sleep in,"
              "I know,"
              "I miss our bed back at the palace. It was big and cushy and warm..." I drifted off at the sigh Zuko gave and how he squeezed me tighter, "Sorry, I know I shouldn't remind you of home."
               He pulled back slightly, "No, it's okay. I miss it too, but I'd rather sleep on the cold hard ground with you that be without you again. The main thing I miss about our room back home was the privacy."
               This last part he said with a smirk and I bit my lip. "It's hard to make love to you when your best friend can feel our every move," he continued.
                "That's another thing I miss about the temple—multiple floors,"
                "I'm starting to worry we'll never have quite as mind-blowing of a time as we did that first night back together," Zuko crawled to his feet then, stretching, "Anyway, enough sitting around and missing or we'll miss this sunrise."
                 "Oh, darn," I groaned, sarcastically, following him out of the tent.
                 I followed Zuko away from camp and to a cliff side bathed in the pale golden light of the rising sun. The warm and blinding glow seemed to fill me, not missing a single part. Zuko sat cross legged on the ground and closed his eyes. I stayed standing for a while, with my hands spread open towards the sun.
                 A little while ago, Zuko had gotten me into his morning ritual of meditating in the first light of day. He confessed that he hated doing it for the longest time, but it was something Iroh encouraged. I knew that Zuko felt closer to his uncle at this time, which was one of the reasons why I liked to be with him, to see the peace in his face for once. I liked to imagine, as I think Zuko did too, that Iroh was somewhere right now doing the same thing.
                But today something else seemed to be weighing Zuko down.
                "Is something on your mind, Love?" I asked, breaking the silence after about fifteen minutes of meditating.
                Zuko sighed, "It's Katara."
                "About her attitude last night?" I asked, "Please don't let that get to you. She's just like that sometimes."
                "It's not just that. Afterwards I talked to her down by the dock. She hates me, Y/N," he stared into his lap, slouching his shoulders.
                I ran my hand through his hair, "I'm sorry, I don't know how to help. Katara is very stubborn and slow to trust. She hasn't liked me very much for a long time now."
               "And you just accept that?"
               "I trust her that she'll have my back when I need her and that we're still friends. I try to understand her behavior towards me. I won't pretend it's always easy though,"
               "Well, I can't accept it,"
               "Because you're a stubborn ass too. What'll you do?"
               "I'm not sure yet. But I have an idea."

               That night, Zuko never came to our tent. I woke up sometime past midnight and he still wasn't beside me. I slipped out of the tent to look for him, but almost missed him he was sitting so still. He sat on a rock not too far away from our tent, but just outside Kataras. I ran a hand through his hair,
               "Zuko, what are you doing? Come to bed."
               He barely acknowledged my presence, seeming to speak to no one but the wind, "Sokka told me what happened to their mother. I know how to help now. I won't move from this spot until she wakes up."
              A thrill of foreboding ran up my spine, "Zuko, what are you planning? Have you thought this through? I don't want you going down a dark path again."
             Now he met my eyes and gave me a gentle smile, "Don't worry, my love. I've thought this through and it's the best way to redeem myself to Katara. I'm glad I have you looking out for me."
             He kissed my hand and insisted I go back to sleep.

             "You're going to do what?!" I balked.
             "And what exactly do you think this will accomplish?" Aang snapped.
             Katara shook her head and began to storm off, "I knew you wouldn't understand."
             Aang chased after her arguing. Meanwhile I glared at Zuko throughout the argument. This was his big idea?!
             "Forgiveness is the same as doing nothing!" Zuko insisted.
             "No it's not, Zuko. I've forgiven you multiple times for screwing up and our friends have forgiven both of us," I said.
             "This is completely different," Katara snapped, "This isn't like your silly love quarrels with Zuko. He murdered my mother."
             "It's easy to do nothing," Aang chimed back in, "but it's hard to forgive."
             "It's not just hard, it's impossible," Katara said, before storming off.
             Now Zuko turned to me, "I thought you'd be on our side."
             I placed my hands on his chest, "I'm always on your side, Love. But this time I don't agree with you."

            Zuko and Katara ended up in fact leaving us, despite me, Aang, and Sokka continuing to argue. "You're not coming," Zuko observed more than asked.
            "No, I still don't think you should do this," I hugged him, "But I'll be right here when you come back."
            Zuko sighed, resigned, and hugged me back, before kissing me, "I'll be thinking of you."
           "Me too. Be safe."