Find Me | Zuko x reader | Avatar the Last Airbender | Book 1

Chapter 32: Hope

          "We thought you'd never be back." Katara's face was right in front of Y/N's when she finally woke up. Actually, woke up. 

          "Eyes not dilated or anything?" Aang asked hopefully. "Good, Toph almost broke your ribs when it was her turn to carry you."

          "What happened? How long was I out?" Y/N asked groggily, Sokka letting her down from carrying her on his shoulder. 

           "Out? No. More like high as a kite for over 24 hours. We recently discovered the culprit. Sokka's been passing you more cactus juice every time you seem to be snapping out of it." Toph laughed, Y/N giving Sokka a disappointed look.

          "What? It was good stuff!" Sokka said defensively, raising his hands in the air.

          "Despite everything, you're back, and just in time." Katara rolled her eyes at her brother. "We're gonna cross the Serpent's Pass." Y/N laughed.

          "The Serpent's Pass is literally the least safe way to get to the Ba Sing Se area." She giggled. "We are not-" she cut off as she looked around. They were at the entrance to the Pass, an old sign barely legible above them.

          "We are taking the Serpent's Pass." She realized with a sigh. "'Abandon all hope.' That's a fun sign." She looked back at the group, and three refugees apparently tagging along. 

          "I can't see anything going wrong with this."

                             —|➖◾️➖|—

          They only almost died about 7 times on day 1. No biggy. Sokka was being overprotective of Suki, a Kioshi warrior he had apparently met in the past. 

          They set up camp in a relatively flat area when it got dark, Y/N taking first watch as everyone else went to bed, at least, she thought. 

          Upon checking, Aang was getting up again, and Sokka and Suki were gone. Y/N decided to not worry about the two, not wanting to walk in on anything. Instead, she worried about the exhausted Avatar coming over to sit next to her.

          "I think I know what we're both about to say." Y/N spoke quietly to not wake the others. 

          "I'm sorry." They said in unison, and they both chuckled, Y/N leaning back on her hands as she dangled her feet over the side of the ridge, looking across the dark sea. 

          "Don't worry about it." She said, glancing over at him before checking the campsite again. Sokka and Suki were just returning from... whatever they were doing. "We were both being real jerks, and I totally get why you're upset. We'll all work together to find Appa, I can easily speak for the others on that point."

          "Thanks." Aang said sadly, staring at the waves crashing on the rocks far below. Y/N glanced back at the group, everyone seeming to be sleeping now.

          "So what are you gonna say?" She asked, lowering her voice just a bit more. 

          "What?"

          "You know what I mean, Katara isn't going to pick up on hints like a normal person, she's dense." Y/N laughed quietly, glancing down at Aang's horrified expression. "Don't worry. Everyone knows but her."

          "I have enough on my plate without all... that to think about." Aang groaned, letting himself fall backwards so he lay on the ground.

          "Eh, something to consider, though. You don't have forever."

                             —|➖◾️➖|—

          "Bum bum bum buuuuuum...." Y/N sang dramatically as she and Katara parted the water for the group to walk a flooded section of the pass. Katara laughed at her sister's new theme song going along to their waterbending. The group began walking through, only Aang reaching the other side before the big serpent came. Fun.

          Toph managed to earthbend a platform above the water level before the walls of water crashed back in, the sea boiling with bubbles from the sea serpent. Everyone except Y/N and Aang stood on the platform in the middle of the water as the serpent burst from the surface, hissing. Aang was on the other side, and Y/N tumbling through the water.

          "I'll distract it!" Aang yelled, opening his glider. "Katara, get everyone to shore!" Katara quickly made an ice bridge, urging everyone to run across. Only Toph stayed where she was as Y/N gasped in air at the surface, pulling herself out of the water to join Toph on the island.

          "Come on, Toph!" Sokka urged. "You need to cross the bridge!" Y/N quickly crossed it herself, looking back to see if Toph was following.

          "I'll stay where I can see, thanks." She replied, cutting off moments later when her island shattered from the impact of the serpent's tail. She flailed in the water, yelling for help.

          "I'm coming, Toph!" Y/N yelled, but Suki was already in the water, scooping her up.

          "Oh, Y/N, you saved me!" Toph pecked Suki on the cheek, and Y/N snorted despite the situation, doubling over laughing.

          "Actually, it's me." Suki said awkwardly, and Toph's face dropped.

          "Oh, ha." She sighed. "You can go ahead and let me drown now." Y/N busted up laughing even more, almost getting bitten in half by the serpent as it lunged at her. Aang and Katara spun the monster around in a mix of water and air, slamming it against a cliff, knocking it unconscious.

          "Here, I'll do it for the meme." Y/N gave Toph a peck on the cheek once she was back on land, making both of them crack up. 

          "You two are the gayest straight people I've ever met." Suki commented.

          "It's not gay- we were destined to be friends from the start. There's a difference between gay and best friends." Toph hooked her arm around Y/N's neck, nearly slamming the waterbender's face into the ground in a really aggressive side hug. 

          "I'm honored?" Y/N whimpered, feeling like her neck had been snapped.

                             —|➖◾️➖|—

          They made it to the end of the pass, Ying, the pregnant refugee traveling with them, went into labor right outside Ba Sing Se's walls. While Sokka and Aang freaked out, and Toph kept her distance, Y/N and Katara helped with the process, and a beautiful baby girl was born.

          "I've been going through a really hard time lately, but you've made me... hopeful again." Ying looked around at the group with grateful eyes. "I will name her Hope."

          The group left after admiring the baby for a bit to make plans, but Y/N stayed behind a little longer, talking with Ying and the baby. Soon, Hope's eyes opened, and she stared around at her environment in wonder. 

          "Hope." Y/N smiled at the baby batted at her finger a little. "Hope."