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

Burning

"...Love?" Toph whispered.

Katara sighed, "Y/N, we've all gone through a lot. And I'm not saying you can't think for yourself. You're not thinking straight. That–That Fire Nation propaganda has probably gone to your head or something."

You held out your hand, "You don't think for me. I can handle the consequences of my own actions. You don't have to handle them for me. You aren't Mom."

Katara looked shocked by your words, her eyes carrying hurt and anger, "...You're saying this because of him?"

"I'm saying this because I'm done." You huffed, walking past Katara. Your walk turned into a sprint and you sat down beside some rubble.

You began to cry, and all that did was make you frustrated with yourself. The people who you worked so hard to see again were completely ignoring the existence of your own thoughts and feelings. You felt shunned by the people you called family.

"Lso...?" You cried out. She was there, but she was still too distant. You curled up into a ball, raising your knees to your chest.

Suddenly, all your other issues started beating you while you were already down. All your worries, all your fears, old memories, Ozai, Zhao, Bai Hong's words, everything crashed onto you tenfold.

"Lso... I don't belong anywhere, do I? Why... Why did you even create..." Your breath caught in your throat, "...Why did I have to be born with these powers? If I wasn't, then none of these things would've happened."

You felt weak. You hated it.

Sokka and Katara loved you, you knew that, but they didn't love all of you. The part of you that had anything to do with the Fire Nation, Katara especially... Was ignored.

Zuko had done bad things, but he had sincerely apologized. He had tried to make things right. And even though you could back up his words and actions, they wanted to keep you apart.

"Y/N...?"

You glanced to the side and saw Toph.

"Uh, there are rooms here if you want somewhere to... Cry."

You sighed, "I'm fine, thanks."

"You don't have to lie. It's okay. I mean, I'm annoyed, too! Aang needs a firebending teacher, and they're just shoving a willing one away!" Toph exclaimed.

"Anyway, uh, you just... Take care, okay? Don't... Don't almost die again."

You nodded, and Toph went away.
_________

Some time in the morning, Aang approached you with a worried look, "Uh, Y/N, have you seen Toph?"

"Toph? I saw her yesterday. She went right through this hall. Is she okay?" You questioned.

"No one knows where she went." He explained, "The Duke and Teo are looking for her, I just wanted to know if you knew if she was in any danger."

Aang glanced to the side and rubbed the back of his neck, "Um... Katara's making breakf-"

"I'm not hungry." You huffed.

Aang sighed and shook his head with a smile, extending a hand, "Come on, Y/N. I never thought you'd pass up the chance to eat something."

"...I'm hangry." You muttered, "But mostly angry."

You and Aang began to walk over to the rest of the group, talking along the way.

"So you're upset because we didn't let Zuko in?" Aang asked.

"And the way Katara and Sokka completely ignored the good that he's done. And ignored my imput. And said that because I was in the Fire Nation for so long I stopped thinking about home." You exhaled, crossing your arms.