As you finished putting the saddle on Appa so that Aang and Sokka could go do what they needed to do, you looked down to see the whole group run in to hug the water tribe boy. They looked so happy, but it hurt.
"Okay, we love each other." Sokka smiled, patting the heads of Katara and Aang.
You jumped down, walking off the the side. "Your good to go."
You raised a hand in the air as Appa flew off. Toph went to find her mother and Katara was going to go back to the place you were staying at. You practically had a week to yourself...and Zuko was moving to the upper region to get his and Iroh's new tea shop going. You should probably tel him why you never said Aang was with you.
You went to Iroh's new tea shop, The Jasmine Dragon. A very good name if you do say so yourself. The shop had just opened, and customers were pouring in, taking up the seats. You didn't care about the seats, you just wanted to find Zuko.
You stopped at the counter and looked over, but you felt a tap on your back. You turned around and saw Zuko, but it was odd to see him so smiley.
"Y/n, good to see you!" What the hell was wrong with him.
"Umm?" This was very unlike Zuko. "Did you hit your head?"
"My nephew has been charted on a new course, one for the greater good." Iroh pops up nudging his nephew as he puts on a hat, showing he was the owner of the shop.
Turns out, after helping Appa and you escape, Zuko fell into something of a coma from making a good decision. He was more dramatic than you ever thought he could be.
"Today is a new day, and I'm ready for it." Zuko bent down and kissed your cheek, making you flare up and puff your cheeks.
You slowly looked back to Iroh, who still didn't know anything about the two of you. Zuko went to clean a table and left you with Iroh.
"Yeah so that's a thing now..." you clear your throat. "I...Uhh, I kinda have to go now however, there's a thing, and I have to be there, soo -Bye!"
There wasn't a thing, you just wanted to leave. You started to walk towards the door, but you froze, seeing the water tribe girl with Momo on her shoulders. You dove behind a table, shocking the customers. You apologised and waited for Katara to move. She definitely saw Iroh and Zuko.
You faced forward, sighing before dashing off after her. You didn't know where she went, so your first choice was to the place Ba Sing Se gave you, but she wasn't there. Smacking your forehead, you raced towards the palace steps and Barthes through the doors.
The King wasn't sitting on his throne, but rather some of the Kyoshi warriors. Suki had to be among them, and you thought she would be...but.
"Please, where is Katara? The water tribe girl, there's been a misunderstanding." You say all within one breath as you skidded to a stop before them.
The one in the centre stood up, followed by the two girls on either side of her. "Don't worry, all is perfectly understood."
Your eyes widened at Azula's voice, and you instantly got into a stance. "Where is Katara?"
They didn't answer you, but the more friendly faced girl ran up to you, doing all sorts of tricks with her body and cartwheeling. It was Ty Lee. You blew her away, knocking her back to the door so you could have some time to fight the other two.
The knife girl ran up to you, throwing knives, but you diverted them back to her and went for Azula, trying to throw her off her feet. She jumped and punched the air, a shot of blue fire streaming at you. You bent your back further than it should go as the flames casted just over you.
Ty Lee was cartwheeling back to you. You placed your hands on the ground and twisted your legs in the air, making wind pressure and a mini tornado, mixing fire with knives and stopped Ty Lee from jumping towards you.
"I won't ask again!"
"And I won't tell you!" Azula counter attacked, moving her arms around and sparks flashed around you.
You stopped your tornado at the sight of her lightening bending. You jumped into the air as he stuck her fingers forward. Ty Lee was right behind you and through some kind-conniption, you air bended her out of the way. As you landed back on the ground, your clothes were stabbed to the floor with the knives from Mai.
But a look was shared between Mai and Ty Lee, they were out of focus, making you go out of focus because your gaydar was starting to go off the charts at the looks they gave each other.
You felt the back of your head being harshly grabbed and as your face was bent upwards, you saw the smirking version of Azula.
You kicked the crystal as it glowed from the ground. You were in some crystal cave Azula, Ty Lee and Mai shoved you in. you searched all around the place, but found no Katara. Air-bending didn't work, and you only heavily damaged the entire crystal cave.
You heard the Boulder rock above you move, and looking up you saw two of the Dai Li. "You've got company."
Then you heard the wails of someone being thrown down. You went wide eyed as you saw Zuko. He held his head as he went on his knees, seeing you were there was looking up.
"What?" Honesty, today was been enough for you. "Zuko, are you good?"
"I'm fine." He sit ps up, pushing himself to stand up. "Azula is here...she's trying to take over the city."
You flunked down to sit against the broken crystals. "I figured."
Zuko looked around the cave, seeing how each crystal was broken into tiny pieces or lodged off the walls. It was chaos. "What happened in here?"
"Turns out, I really can't get out of this one."
He tried to form something of a smile, but it was really just a thin line across his face. He stuck out his hand and you took it, rising to your feet with his help. You shared a small hug.
Then you heard the Boulder rock open again and heard more familiar grunting as someone fell down the rocky hole towards the cave. You grew even wider eyes as you saw Katara. You took a step towards her, leaving Zuko's grasp.
"Y/n! You have to listen to me! Zuko is here, he's in Ba Sin-" Katara eyes found the boy and she gasped, standing up quickly and shoving you behind her. "Zuko."
"Yeah..he just got here a moment before you." You walked around the side of her, stepping between Zuko and Katara.
"Why did they throw you in here?" Katara ignored you and glared at Zuko. You watched as the prince slowly moved to the ground, sitting down and faced away from Katara. "Oh wait, let me guess. When Aang shows up to helps us, your going to finally have him in your little fire-nation clutches."
"Katara." You sighed. You had to tell her, you didn't have a choice.
"Your a terrible person, you know that? Always trying to capture the avatar, hunting us down, trying to kill the worlds last hope for peace! But what do care, your the fire lords son."
"Katara." You said this a little louder this time, and a little more warningly. You knew what that asshole did to Zuko simply because he could.
"Spreading war and violence and hatred is in your blood." She was purely disgusted by Zuko.
"You don't know what your talking about." Zuko defended himself.
"I don't?! How dare you! You have no idea what this war has put me through! Me personally! The fire-nation took my mother away from me..." Katara went down to her knees, holding the last thing she remembers and had of her mother.
"I'm sorry." Zuko apologised "I guess we have that in common."
Katara wiped her tears away and stood up. "I'm sorry I yelled at you."
"It doesn't matter." Zuko looked the other way. You slumped back into the crystals, thanking the spirits for not having to tell Katara anything.
"It does matter. Every time I imagined the face of the enemy, I pictured yours." Katara admits.
"My face." Zuko looked away, touching his scar. "I see."
"No, no, that's not what I meant." Katara quickly realised what he thought.
You stood up, walking over to the two of them, but you stayed in between them.
"It's okay. I used to think this scar marked me. Marked the banished prince, cursed to chase the Avatar forever." He turned away, facing his back towards you. From the space you had, you sneakingly reached out and grabbed his hand. "But recently I've come to realise it not who I am, and I'm free to determine my own destiny, even if I'll never be free of my mark."
You squeezed his hand, making him turn his head over his shoulder.
"What if you could be free?" Katara said.
"I have healing abilities." Katara stepped forward.
"It's a scar, it can't be helped." Such the optimistic person.
Katara then reached into her clothes, pulling out the necklace Pakkun got her. "This is special water from the spirit oasis from the Northern Water Tribe. It has special properties, so I've been saving it for something important, I don't know if it would work, but..."
Zuko looked away from her, finding refuge in your eyes. You smiled at him and placed a hand on his scar. You stayed like that for a moment until hearing apart of the wall break open made you jump into the air and hit your head.
"Aang! Iroh!" You yelled, rubbing your head from the impact of the ceiling.
Katara rushed over, hugging Aang, but you didn't missed the look on his face as he eyed Zuko. Iroh ran over, entrapped Zuko in a hug. You walked towards the hole they came through.
"Aang, I can't believe you came!" Katara smiled as she hugged Aang once more.
"Uncle! What are you doing with the Avatar." Zuko yelled, pointing at Aang. That was a good point. Considering you haven't been down here for that long, and Aang would of have to come all the way back from the Eastern Temple, Aang definitely wouldn't have gone to Iroh. Meaning Iroh would've had to find Aang, meaning Zuko had been captured. The amount of time it took Iroh to find Aang shocked you.
Iroh found Aang in such short time, that if he really wanted to, he could have tracked Aang down a long time ago.
"You go, I must talk with my nephew." Iroh gestured for you all to leave. Aang and Katara walked towards the hole, but you went towards Zuko.
Just for a moment, you hugged Zuko. He didn't have much time to react, since you left as soon as happened. But, before you left, you quickly kissed his scar and went towards Aang and Katara. It felt odd to do input in front of Aang, Katara and Iroh, but it felt that it had to be done. You hoped you'd see Zuko again soon.