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

Icicles For Rain

"There may come a time where you use this energy transfer for someone other than yourself."

That was what Lso had told you, only you didn't realize how soon you'd end up using it.

As you clenched Oka's hands, a bright purple and white light shot upwards. You felt your body go numb.
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You stood up, noticing piles of snow on the ground. Ice was everywhere. Looking around, you realized you were in the Northern Water Tribe, but... It seemed different.

"Oka! Oka, good job!" Someone exclaimed. Peering over your shoulder, you saw a young Yue waving at someone. You gasped as you turned to the left and saw Oka running off somewhere. The only thing was... He was a kid, too.

You decided to follow him, realizing you couldn't be seen by anyone. Were these his memories?

Oka reached his home and swung the door open. It was a building you had never seen—Even though you, Arnook, and that waterbender knocked on the door of every building to evacuate everyone.

Hidden in the shadows, his mother sobbed, her face buried in her palms. A familiar feeling entered your heart as you watched Oka's grin falter.

"...Daddy?" The little boy whispered, stepping toward his father.

"DAD!" He cried, screaming.

You almost wanted to reach out and cover his eyes, when you were transported to one memory after another. Oka and Yue spending time together, Oka's mother, Oka's training, and... His confrontation with Chief Arnook.

"Weapons for what!? For what!? People are dying and we're doing nothing. Our sister tribe is dying, and we're doing nothing. My father died, and we're still doing nothing!" Oka shouted.

Arnook stared at Oka with a look of slight concern and reluctance, before standing up, "You are not just a child in age, but a child in mind. The only thing mature about you is your strength."

Before Oka could reply, Arnook said, "Have you forgotten your mother, who has already lost her husband? If you pass as well, what then?"

Oka fell silent. He seemed to be deep in thought.

"Oka... Your urge to fight is preventing you from seeing the full picture. There has been a question in my mind, and I believe I have an answer for it."

"The question... Of who Princess Yue should marry once she turns sixteen."

You watched as Oka reacted to Hahn getting to be with the woman he loved. You watched as everything he had worked for crumbled underneath him. You watched as his mental state began to collapse. You watched as the death of his father continued to torment him.

Until... Finally... He snapped.
__

Suddenly, you found yourself on a hill with a massive tree, red, bright fruits hanging from its leaves and branches.
Spiderlilies and red butter-flies danced around in the cool breeze.

Sitting in the center of three white pillars which formed a triangle was a young Oka, at the base of the tree with what looked like an old, ancient ragged scroll. A woman with a hood bending some sort of black water.

Your eyes widened—That was Lso!

The scroll had a few differences in language that made it hard for you to read it, but Lso helped you understand some of it.

There was a weird heading which read, "In case of a lack of memory," But aside from that....
      It was the story of how Lso made the relic of destruction, how she was so angry at humans for trying to harm the spirits that she attacked them. The spirits were her friends, after all.

You pursed your lips and furrowed your eyebrows. Didn't Lso go back in time after doing that? How would anyone write down a story like that?

"I told those stories to Saiyaka." Lso whispered, softly.

That's when you realized where you were. Looking around, you saw the familiar Fire Nation cities. In the distance, you could make out Saiyaka's shop. Oka... Stole from her?

The young Oka began to laugh quietly.
"So there's a way," He sighed, relieved, "I don't have to go out like a coward. I can die as if I were fighting."

You stiffened.

"Mom... Forgive me for this..." Oka whispered, but then he shook his head. "There's no way she would want a son like me." He then began to laugh and cackle, dropping the scroll in the grass.

"Your son will die soon, mother. I'll greet father if we end up in the same place." Oka chuckled dryly. "I'm not a coward."

Oka then smashed his fist into the tree, leaving a noticeable mark in the wood, but puncturing his hand full of splinters with blood dripping from it.

"I'm not a coward like the rest of you are."

That's when a young man walked towards Oka from the other side of the hill. "Um... Excuse me, are you alrig—" The man stopped when he saw the blood falling from Oka's hand.

"Come with me!" The man, Mitarai, exclaimed.
Oka stood still and silent confused.
"Come on!"

Quietly, Oka followed the man as he rushed away from the hill, presumably to his house.
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Oka panted, his eyes wide.
"What did you do to me?" He whispered.

You stepped away from him, your eyes returning to their normal color. You didn't respond, still in shock.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?!" He shouted, almost writhing in his restraints.

"...You want to die?" You whispered.

Oka fell silent and stared at you blankly, but then a smile appeared on his face. He looked exhausted. Before he could utter a word, you covered his mouth with a layer of void and removed the void around the two of you.

Mitarai was still on the ground, but he seemed to he fine. Oka grit his teeth—He was going to try blood bending again, but... It didn't work.

You heard Lso's voice in the back of your head, "Take him away from here. The presence of the Moon Spirit is strengthening him."

You tied every part of his body together. Mitarai watched in silence.

Taking one of the fallen war balloons, you took in its characteristics and created a version that wasn't damaged. You placed Oka inside and turned to Mitarai. "Take him to a Fire Nation prison. Make sure it's a cell where he won't be able to get out."

Mitarai simply nodded and entered the war balloon.

"Did you take care of him?" You asked, voice soft.

"Yeah." Mitarai whispered.

"And... Were you two close?" You inquired.

"...Yeah." Mitarai mumbled.

"...I'm sorry." You muttered. Oka watched you with wide eyes, yelling something at you. You didn't know what, because you still had his mouth covered.

Oka stopped and then looked up at the orange sky with blank, dull eyes. Then they shut.

You took off your partially burnt wings and set them on an ice floe, looking up at the sky as well. A faint, brilliant blue light shined, but then vanished.

"Thank you, Mitarai." You mumbled, before creating a new pair of wings and gliding away.

Oka was defeated. He was done. But you weren't done with him. You definitely weren't.
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