Zuko x Reader: Love Burns (REVAMPED)

Chapter Four : Kyoshi Island

Traveling with Katara, Aang, and Sokka was more fun than I had thought it would be. I didn't realize how nice it was to have an actual group of friends. The closest thing I had to that is when I used to hang out with Azula and her two friends Mai and Ty Lee. Mai didn't seem to like me all that much, but I couldn't really tell. Ty Lee was sweet, though.

I had spent my days distracting myself, trying not to let my thoughts drift to the banished prince, but that was hard. 

I mean, I had the most hopeless, pining, stupid schoolgirl crush on him for years. But, I try not to let my emotions cloud my judgment. 

Besides, Zuko would choose to capture the Avatar over me any day. 

I glanced around Appa (Aang's flying bison) to see Katara sewing up Sokka's pants while Sokka rifled through maps. It was pretty clear that no one really knew where we were. I wanted to help, but I didn't really know anything about navigation, so I looked for something I could help with. 

"Katara," I started to ask, "Do you need some help sewing? I used to get burns all over my clothes, and my mom would always patch them up for me, so I know a few things."

Katara laughed, "Perks of being a firebender?"

Aang looked at me and I just let out an awkward laugh. 

One more thing I should probably mention: Katara and Sokka had no idea I could waterbend. Old habits die hard, I guess. 

Katara looked surprised, mistaking my awkwardness as offense, "Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't mean it as an insult! I was just making a joke."

"No, no," I laughed, "I know you don't care that I'm Fire Nation! I wasn't offended."

Katara let out a sigh of relief, "I just didn't want to push boundaries."

She was so sweet. I should just tell her, but I refrained. I didn't fully understand why I wanted to keep it a secret. My whole life I had been looked at like I was different. In the Fire Nation, everyone I met knew who I was. The daughter of the late ex-general Seizo. The girl who's parents died. Then, I was the freak who could bend two elements. 

In my eyes, I was different enough from the three of them. This was the first time I could actually get a sense of people thinking I was normal. 

Aang quickly changed the subject by attempting to show Katara some marble trick, "Hey Katara, check out this airbending trick!"

Katara didn't look up from her sewing, "That's great, Aang."

Aang stopped, looking dejected, "You didn't even look."

Katara looked at Aang and plastered a smile on her face, "That's great!"

Aang pouted even more, "But I'm not doing it now."

I laughed, "Don't worry Aang, Katara's just trying to focus on what she's doing."

"Yeah, stop bugging her, airhead. You need to give girls space when they do their sewing," Sokka said nonchalantly. 

That was the last thing I expected to come out of his mouth.

"What does me being a girl have to do with sewing?" Katara asked, glaring at  her brother. 

"Yeah, Sokka," I said, "What exactly did you mean by that?"

"Simple. Girls are better at fixing pants than guys and guys are better at hunting and fighting and stuff like that. It's just the natural order of things."

"But," I stifled a laugh, "You couldn't even land one good hit on Prince Zuko."

Sokka looked at me, "That doesn't-"