The Girl of the Dragon: Zuko x Reader

Chapter 3

It's been three years since Zuko's banishment. Day after day you watched Zuko's personality change from a kind young man to a bitter teenager. With each day the friendship that you guys shared was coming to an end.

You were currently floating in the south pole. It constantly snowed and rained ice. It was rare that the sun would shine but the bitter cold kept you from enjoying the sun's rays. The cold wasn't the only thing that kept you in your room, it was mostly because of the crewmen. You were fifteen and were becoming a beautiful young lady that didn't go unnoticed by men, even Zuko noticed but he never made his any advances. The crew did, they would often do cat calls, and in some occasions would touch you but Iroh always kept an overprotective eye on you and would always threaten to have the men thrown overboard if they did it again. Iroh advised you to stay in your room and he or Zuko would come and take you to the deck or to the mess room for food. Iroh was the only one that would keep you company.

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(Y/N) was currently sitting on deck with Iroh eating roast duck and watching Zuko practice firebending on some of the crew. (Y/N) was entertained at how Zuko was kicking the crew members asses. Two of them were the ones that would often tease you and try to touch you. Iroh thought that it would a great idea to recommend the men to practice with Zuko.

"When are you going to teach me the next step? I am more than ready ready." Zuko said after he finished off the last crewmen in his sparring match. Zuko was more than anxious since we all watch a bright light beam from the ground into the sky just a few hours ago. Zuko already had the captain sail in the direction towards the light,but the light disappeared making the young prince agitated.

"When you can do the basics perfectly" Iroh told his hot headed nephew as he took a nice long sip from his hot tea.

"The avatar has probably mastered all four elements, so I need to know the next step so that I can capture him so I can ascend my right to my throne." Zuko said calmly but it still came out as a hateful demand.

"Come now father, teach the little prince here the next step so he can stop whining, I swear my ears are gonna fall off because of it." (Y/N) said jokingly with a kind smile upon her face.

"Do you dare mock me?!" Zuko roared.

"Now now is that how you talk to a lady? You know I was just kidding. No need to get offended I was just trying to help and lighten the mood." (Y/N) stood up and patted Zuko on the shoulder calming him down.

"I know, I am sorry." Zuko said kinda like when a child apologies after he gets into trouble and is scolded by their parents.

"Very well, I will teach you the next step Prince Zuko and to you as well (Y/N). After I finished my roast duck!" Iroh continued to eat.

"Yes Father as y-you... Wait what????" (Y/N) stuttered staring blankly at her adoptive father.

"You are going to be training as well my daughter."

"But I don't have firebending abilities!" (Y/N) didn't know that it was Iroh's way of getting her ready when her bending will awaken.

"You don't have to have firebending to practice Shaolin style. Anybody can do it even waterbenders can but their bending can only work with Tai Chi. Everybody can do any fighting style but the bending can only work from their ancestral origins. (Y/N), there may come a time where Zuko nor I will be there to save you when you are in danger. I want you to learn how to fight so that you can protect yourself. Do you understand this?" Iroh explained this to (Y/N) and to Zuko. (Y/N) nodded and left to go change from her normal feminine clothing into something that she could fight in. As she left she could hear Zuko arguing with his uncle about teaching (Y/N). Iron ignored just his nephew.

After changing she could feel all eyes on her as she walked out onto the main deck in a red tunic shirt that hugged her torso and in black pants. Zuko tried hard to hide his blushing face but he really didn't have to cause (Y/N) was looking down at her feet trying to ignore the hungry lustful eyes of the crew.

"I still think that it is a waste of time to teach her how to fight." Zuko hissed at his uncle. (Y/N) grew more irritated at him as she walk up behind Zuko. (Y/N) reached for Zuko's right shoulder and hit his pressure point with two of your fingers from your left hand. Zuko flinched and slightly screamed from the discomfort in his right shoulder. (In my family we actually do this to each other for fun. The shoulder pressure point doesn't bother me anymore... My family is evil lol)

"Zuko you might think that it is a waste of time but you need to learn how to control your firebending and your anger. You need to know how to handle yourself without using your firebending. There might be a time when your firebending will not work." Iroh finished his little lecture. "Zuko I want you to attack (Y/N). (Y/N) I want you to block or avoid the attacks. Now begin!" Iroh yelled from a safe distance.

You got into a fighting stance bending your legs just a little bit. Zuko stood there for a few seconds he was reluctant to attack, but he finally moved towards you throwing a punch. In shear panic instead of dodging or blocking with your hands you roundhouse kicked him in the head. He landed on the ground and rolled a little bit from the power of your kick.

"Sorry Zuko I panicked and lost control." you rushed to his side to make sure he was ok.

"I'm ok (Y/N)." he told you as he sat up and rubbed his head.

"That was good (Y/N), but try to block the attack next time. We'll get into counterattacks latter." You could hear Iroh laugh in the background. You nodded in responce and returned to your previous stance and waiting for Zuko to return to his as well.

The two of you continued with your sparring lesson for at least an hour. You weren't that bad at blocking but occasionally Zuko would get frustrated with you and knock you down. Anger began to take over your mind spreading to your limbs until you couldn't control your movements. Zuko was caught off guard when you changed your role of 'blocking him' to 'attacking him.' You started to throw punches at his abdomen and trying to sweep his legs out from underneath him. Zuko tried his best to avoid and block your attacks but his confusion from you dramatic change in character made slow with his movements. He couldn't come at you with a counterattack for fear that he would hurt him, if it was anybody else he wouldn't hesitate, but with you he couldn't. You are the only person other than his uncle that has believed and showed him what love is.

'Boom!' Zuko took his attention off of your attacks and looked to the sky behind him to see that a flare was lit a signal from an old Fire Nation naval ship. The ship was either in distress or possibly it could be the location of the Avatar. Zuko ran towards the upper area of the ship.

"Are you seriously running from me?" You chased after him.

"No I wasn't running (Y/N)," Zuko adjusted one of the mounted telescope in the direction of the flare. "Tell uncle that I found the Avatar." You looked at him "As well as his hiding place." He looked out towards the ice covered land as you went along your way to tell Iroh the news that Zuko told you.