|•|W I T 卄 E R||•| Zuko X Reader ⚠SLOWBURN⚠

The Awakening

You could feel yourself breaking. Shrinking. As if your soul was being pressed down by a strange weight. The cracks reached your face. "Y/N, that's enough!" Iroh yelled.

You let your body rest. A thick wall of dark clouds stretched across the ocean. You couldn't see where it ended. "I... Did it...!" You panted, grinning. "Calm down, Y/N. It seems... Whatever you just did took up a lot of your energy." Iroh hummed. "..." Zuko glanced at you, but turned away as soon as you noticed his stare.

"Uncle, keep heading north. Zhao will follow the smoke trail while I use it as a cover." Zuko muttered. "I'm coming with you." You stated, looking him dead in the eye. Zuko's eyes narrowed at you, but he nodded.

°•———————^v———————∆§

You eventually reached Crescent Island's Fire Temple. Zuko ran towards the entrance of the building, while you stayed back. "...What are you doing?" Zuko questioned, turning his head to give you a look. "Keeping watch in case Commander Cow comes." You replied, sitting down on a nearby rock.

"If he manages to get past that smoke screen, I'll happily give him a fist full of flames." Zuko muttered. "Glad we can agree on something, but don't you think it's better if you don't have to waste energy on Zhao at all?" You asked. Zuko paused for a second, then turned around and began to run into the building. "I also can't waste this chance to restore my honor."

You walked around a bit, focusing on your surroundings. There was a hot pit of magma underneath you. Not only that, but you could also feel a strange energy being emitted from the temple. "Something so great that Aang risked entering the Fire Nation? It has to be some weird... Avatar-y stuff." You deduced. ...The place felt familiar. But not to you.

Was it... Lso?

You had no way to contact her other than passing out, but with Zhao looming around the corner, going unconscious would just put you in more danger.

"...!" You felt a twisted presence on the island.

"Commander Zhao." You spun around to look him dead in the eye. "Y/N, was it? What a shame... You had so much potential. It would've been better, had you died that night." He smirked.

You didn't care for his words, or for him himself. You knew you were worth more than he'd ever be, no matter the amount of ranks he rised to.

"Zhao, you must feel pretty lucky, having found me. It makes you feel great. Powerful. Legendary, doesn't it?" You hummed, taking a page out of Iroh's book. Be wise and even cunning, like a snake, but also be patient and gentle, like a dove.

"I would prefer if you called me Commander Zhao. But, I suppose I do feel rather... Amused by this, yes. Once I capture you and send you to the Fire Lord... I'll go down in history." Zhao grinned. "Commander, I'm afraid you won't go down in history. You'll just go down." You gave him a soft smile.

You let him hurt you once. You knew who he was. Never again. You won't allow the man who slandered your late mother rest easy.

He clenched his fists, seemingly annoyed at your statement. "Someone like me going down? I see you haven't deviated from your rootless claims. Maybe you'll learn a thing or two back in the Fire Nation." Zhao scoffed.

"Zhao. That's where we're different." You turned slightly to the side, "You can and will only be special to the Fire Nation, to no one else, to nothing else. But me? I can and will show my worth to the world. To everyone. Even scumbags and weaklings like you, who get enjoyment  picking on teenagers and children." You heard a soldier chuckle.