Within Shadows (Zuko x Reader)

Chapter 2

"I-im sorry! Okay?" Zuko shot back. You sent a glare at him and could see the pure guilt in his golden eyes. You let out a sigh and softened your expression and slumped your shoulders.

"Just... Be careful with the fight, okay? I know you had good intentions, Zuko but you really need to know when to keep your mouth shut, you loud mouth." You teased as you squeezed his shoulder. "I'll be standing with Iroh in the crowd. Good luck." He gave you a nod at your words and you soon left, making your way to the arena. Azula caught you along the way and walked along side you. A knowing smirk played on her lips.

"This should be a good one." She mused. You raised a brow at her and she chuckled. "It's nothing really. I just have a gut feeling about this one." And with that you narrowed your eyes but kept them ahead of you. You spotter Iroh and went to stand next to him while Azula stood on the other side of you.

"I told him not to speak when going in there..." Iroh grumbled from beside you.

"And of course, he didn't listen... Which lead him to this." You muttered with your arms crossed. "Seriously... He worries me."

"Oh poor Zuzu will handle this just fine. He's a big boy now after all." Azula spoke beside you with some snarkiness behind it and a fake pout to her voice at the last part. You rolled your eyes and went into hyper focus once Zuko and his opponent stood across from each other with their capes on and backs faced towards each other. The signal to start went off and the two turned, capes off but your breath hitched and your stomach jumped to your throat at tho Zuko's opponent is.

"Father..." Zuko gasped out and immediately fell to his knees before him.

"Rise and fight me you coward." Ozai hissed from above his own son. The itch to throw yourself into the arena and get Zuko out of there was strong but a gentle hand to your shoulder from Iroh stopped that urge.

"No! No I won't fight my own father!" Zuko cried out. Tears streaming down his cheeks causing your heart to ache for the poor boy. "Please forgive me father! I only held good intentions for the fire nation!" He continued to plead out. Ozai snarled at the boy before him.

"You will soon learn respect..." He paused, a flame in his hand. "And suffering will be your teacher." And without missing a beat, he went ahead and burned the left side of his face with Zuko falling to his side and crying out in pain. Ozai's chest heaved with fury and his blazing golden eyes scanned the crowd. "You are here by banished from not only the palace, but the fire nation as a whole. You are stripped of your honor and I want to see you out of my sight and gone by tonight. The only way to regain your honor, is to bring the Avatar to me. Only then, shall you come back home in open arms." And with that, the crowd began to clear. You ripped yourself from Iroh's grip and rushed over to Zuko once Ozai turned his back on his son and began his leave. You turned to Zuko's trembling body, his hands covering his face as he whimpered and sobbed in pain. Your heart aching for the boy and you began to speak softly and comfortingly to the boy as you gently grabbed his hands and moved them away from his face to see the burn. You winced slightly at the sight of it. It was searing red and blistered and he struggled to open the eye without the sharp pains and stings.

"Zuko..." You breathed out and hugged the boy to your chest, making sure that the okay side of his face met contact and not the burnt side.

"W-why-?" Zuko whimpered and choked on his own words.

"I don't know, Zuko... But let's get you into the infirmary while you still have some time here." You spoke soothingly as you rubbed his bare back. He nodded into your chest and you helped him up. He covered the burn with his hand so lingering people wouldn't see and you ushered him out of the arena. You glanced around and met eyes with Iroh who held a mixture of worry and hurt in his eyes. You shared the same expression and continued forward. Azula was up ahead with a smirk on her face. She parted her lips to speak but you snapped at her before she could. "Save it for later, princess" you hissed. Slightly catching her by surprise and continued on word.