Traitor - Zuko X Reader

Chapter 25

A/N Whenever it's Zuko's POV and it says 'her' in italics he's referring to (Y/N). Enjoy the chapter!

ZUKO POV

This was stupid. I should be back in the palace, not on some boat on my way to Ember Island. To make matters worse, Azula was coming and she had invited her two friends. Ever since I returned home, everything has been perfect, but for some reason all I've been feeling is distaste and annoyance towards the world around me. It didn't help that Azula seemed to always be watching me condescendingly, waiting for me to mess up somehow.

"I'm so excited to spend the weekend on Ember Island. It's gonna be great to hang out on the beach and do nothing," Ty Lee exclaimed as she looked over the water.

She was already getting on my nerves. Her bubbly personality was something I tolerated as a kid because she was so close to her but I was finding it harder to tolerate her with all the thoughts running through my head, giving me even more of a headache. I jumped up from my seat, "Doing nothing is a waste of time. We're being sent away on a forced vacation. I feel like a child."

"Lighten up," Azula spoke, "So dad wants to meet with his advisors alone, without anyone else around. Don't take it personally."

I hated how she spoke about my complaints as though they were worthless, it made me feel pathetic and irrational. I wanted to open my mouth to argue but Ty Lee tried to change the subject, "Doesn't your family have a house on ember island?"

Azula nodded, "We used to come every summer when we were kids."

"That must have been fun!"

I looked over the waves, allowing the wind to blow through my hair, "That was a long time ago."

Lo and Li were first to greet us when we arrived at Ember Island. They led us into their small home and I grimaced at the overwhelming scent of perfume and old-age. I whispered under my breath, "It smells like old lady in here."

"Gee, I wonder why," Mei spoke from beside me before walking off.

Once I had arrived home, Azula had made it a point to try and 'set up' me and her friend, Mei. I had known the girl growing up, she was tolerable but never had I thought of her in any kind of romantic sense. Azula was insistent on it though and now I guess me and Mei were . . . dating? Honestly, I didn't want to date her in the first place and was just going along with it to keep Azula happy and off my back about getting over her. Additionally, Mei didn't seem too thrilled by the prospect of dating me and was always in a sour mood when we were together, sighing a lot and being sarcastic. But, we made it a point to stand and sit close to each other to at least make it seem like we enjoyed each other's company enough to date.

"Who are these two beautiful women," Ty Lee asked Lo and Li, pointing to an image of two women in bikinis.

"Can't you tell it's us," the two old women got into the same pose as in the picture and I retched at the image.

"I love this seashell bedspread!" Ty Lee complimented as Lo and Li showed us where we'd be sleeping. The room was disgustingly decorated with pink and frills all over.

Mei walked up to Ty Lee, "Are you serious? It looks like the beach threw up all over it."

It was always a relief when Mei would leave to go spend time with Ty Lee instead of me. When we 'hung out' it would usually just be her reading or sharpening her knives while I sat there awkwardly trying to make conversation. Even when I did try to ask her a question about herself she would roll her eyes and give a blunt or sarcastic answer. I didn't know what her problem was but was at all and wanted to know if she just wanted to break up (which I wouldn't be opposed to in the slightest).