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

Burning

Toph gasped and tensed up.

"I've done some good things! I mean, I could have stolen your bison in Ba Sing Se, but I set him free. And-"

Gesturing for Zuko to stop talking, Toph spoke, voice shaking. "H-Hey, did... Did Y/N really die in Ba Sing Se?"

Katara grit her teeth, pain in her eyes, "She did. Zuko and Azula are the reason she died. They're the reason we almost lost Aang, too."

Sokka scowled at Zuko, clutching his boomerang tighter.

Zuko spoke up, "No, that's not what-"

"Don't you DARE try to lie to my face about what you did!" Katara shouted, launching a massive wave of water at Zuko.

Toph whispered, "...He's not lying."

Katara and Sokka froze. "What...?" Sokka mumbled.

"She–She's here. She's here right now! She's alive!" Toph exclaimed.

You walked up to everyone, helping Zuko up after he was knocked down by Katara's attack.

"I–" Before you could say a word, Katara dragged you away from Zuko.

"You... You aren't...?" Katara's eyes widened, tears in them. She glanced at Zuko, furrowing her eyebrows. "What did he do to you?"

"He didn't do anything but save me. He saved my life." You stated, "And he really did free Appa. I was there!

"But he's still done awful things. He attacked our village!" Sokka argued, putting an arm in front of you to block you from Zuko.

"He did, but he's not who he used to be!" You declared.

"Y/N, he stole Mom's necklace and used it to track us down!" Katara yelled.

"But–"

She cut you off, "But what!? Ever since you went to the Fire Nation, you changed! Do you not care that he took the only thing I have left to remember Mom?!
    You didn't even tell us you were alive! Where were you?!"

"I was in the–..." You paused, the strength of your voice faltering.

"...She was in the Fire Nation with me. It's not her fault she ended up there, it was‐" Zuko was interrupted by Katara.

"Oh, that must be it! You were with her in Ba Sing Se! You and Azula must've used the Dai Li to brainwash Y/N! There's no way she'd want to be around a liar like you! It was your fault, wasn't it?!"

Everyone except you and Toph stared at Zuko with animosity, but he returned their gazes with guilt and regret.

"I know I did bad things, I was wrong to try and capture you and I'm sorry for attacking the Water Tribe. And I never should've sent that Fire Nation assassination after you–"

"You sent combustion man after us?!" Sokka exclaimed.

"...After everything you've done, there's no way we can trust you." Aang muttered.

"I can understand that, but I'm trying to explain that I'm not that person anymore!" Zuko stated.

You spoke up, "He isn't lying! I know you've been hurt by his past actions, but would you at least hear him out?!"

"Why are you defending him, Y/N?!" Katara questioned, looking at you with frustration.

"Because I know the kind of person he really is!" You announced.

"You haven't seen what he's done. You don't know anything about him. He's a liar!" She said.

You pushed Sokka's arm aside and walked towards Zuko, "I do know. When I went to the Fire Nation all those years ago, I met him! "