Zuko's POV
"Sorry, but you're not going to become Fire Lord today. I am."
My sister laughed mockingly,
"You're hilarious."
Katara stood by my side and glared at Azula,
"And you're going down."
As the sage attempted to place the crown on my sister's head, she held up her hand,
"Wait. You want to be Fire Lord? Fine. Let's settle this, just you and me, brother, the showdown that was always meant to be- Agni Kai."
"You're on."
Katara whispered,
"What are you doing? She's playing you. She knows she can't take us both so she's trying to separate us."
"I know, but I can take her this time."
"But even you admitted to your uncle that you would need help facing Azula."
"There's something off about her, I can't explain it, but she's slipping. And this way, no one else has to get hurt."
I noticed that Y/N wasn't with her, so I supposed she was with the airships.
I hope she's safe, things had become so confusing between us, after she joined team avatar, I didn't spend as much time with her as I used to, I didn't even realise that she was uncomfortable, and I know now that if we make it out of today alive, I'll do better, because I love her more than anything in the world.
Focus.
I turned to my sister as she discarded her cloak and mocked me,
"I'm sorry it has to end this way, brother."
"No, you're not."
And as I said that, a massive wave of blue flames came blasting towards me, and my own orange flames blasted right back at them.
The sky lit up as flames of orange and blue danced together, it would've been a rather beautiful sight if they weren't there for the soul purpose of two siblings trying to destroy one another.
I felt Azula's flames almost lick my skin as the sweat beads trickled down from my forehead. The intensity of our blasts was sending my feet backwards, but I held my attack until she stopped hers.
She turned to see the burning building behind her before advancing on me once again, but I wasn't going to lose, I had too many reasons that I needed to win this fight.
I blocked her again and again, and attacked back until I knocked her down, sending her crashing into the ground.
She stood up panting and glared at me with her eyebrows furrowed.
I yelled to her,
"No lightning today? What's the matter? Afraid I'll redirect it?"
"Oh, I'll show you lightning!"
Y/N's POV
I moved through the waters as fast as I could.
Come on, Y/N, faster.
How stupid is he? What makes him think he can take on Azula?
I should've stayed with him, I should've stayed.
My eyes were stinging from the tears and my heart was pounding.
I regretted everything, I regretted leaving him, I regretted it more than anything in my entire life; and if he died today, I'll have no one to blame but myself.
Zuko's POV
My sister started to generate lightning as I took my stance, ready to redirect her attack right back at her.
I deeply inhaled before exhaling and staring at her.
But at the very last moment, she changed the direction of her attack, I noticed at the very last moment and without even thinking twice jumped in front of Katara,
"NOOO!"
I tried to redirect the lightning as I did so, but it was difficult, I didn't have any time to think. Some of the lightning went crashing into the sky, but pain also surged through every limb in my body as I laid defenceless on the ground.
I felt my body shaking as the electricity continued to inhabit my body.
"Zuko!"
As Katara called out my name, I heard a crash as my sister attacked her.
I rolled onto my front and groaned as I tried to pull myself up.
Katara tried to run towards me but my sister blasted her again and again, manically laughing.
I tried to help, I tried to pull myself up, but my body wouldn't cooperate, I was too weak.
I heard Azula shout to Katara,
"I'd really rather our family physician look after little Zuzu, if you don't mind!"
I could hear and see blasts of blue flames, I supposed Katara was trying to heal me.
My sister then called out to her again, mockingly,
"Zuzu, you don't look so good!"
Before I heard her blast another attack at Katara.
I finally stopped trying to pull myself up and let my body fall in defeat.
I'm sorry, Y/N. I'm so so sorry.
I wanted to see you again, to hold you again, to kiss your soft lips, to hear your soothing voice- but I guess this is the end for me.
I really hope you live, and I hope that you're happy.
I grunted in pain as the sound of my sister and Katara fighting became foggier and my vision became more blurry.
I let uncle down, he believed in me, but I suppose he overestimated me- I couldn't do it.
I was stupid to think I could face Azula alone, I was stupid to think Katara and I would be able to take on both Azula and Y/N; why did I expect today to be any different? No matter how hard I try, the universe will constantly force me into misery and disappointment.
I groaned again in pain as the electricity ran through my veins, but I soon felt hands flip my over- it was Katara.
I suddenly felt the pain melt away as the water she was bending on her hands began to heal me.
Then she pulled her hands away and smiled at me, I weakly responded,
"Thank you, Katara."
I saw tears forming in her eyes,
"I think I'm the one who should be thanking you."
Y/N's POV
As I approached the palace, everything was in flames, I ran as fast as my legs could carry me and my heart dropped when I saw Zuko laid still on the ground with Katara next to him.
As I sprinted towards them, my tears fell behind me and I dropped to my knees beside him and held my hand on his face,
"Zuko! Katara, what happened to him!? What happened?"
His eyes were open and he was breathing, I turned to see Azula chained to a drain manically screaming and crying.
My red eyes cried even harder and I pulled Zuko up and held him close,
"I'm so sorry Zuko, I'm so sorry I wasn't there, I'm sorry I left you, I'm sorry I didn't protect you, I'm sorry I didn't keep my promise, I'm just- I'm so sorry."
I wept into his shoulder as I help him and he weakly pulled away from me as his eyes scanned my face,
"Y/N... what are you doing here?"
I sniffled,
"I- I thought you might've been killed."
He faintly smiled up at me and gently caressed my cheek as I held onto his hand and he asked,
"You came back... for me?"
I could barely choke out a response as I nodded,
"Mhm."
After a moment of more sobbing, I pulled myself together and stroked his hair,
"I'm so, so sorry Zuko, I'm sorry for leaving you, I'm sorry for everything, I know I don't deserve your forgiveness- what I did was stupid and I don't expect you to forgive me but I-"
I was cut off as he pulled my face towards him and crashed his lips into mine, I closed my eyes and melted into the kiss, his grip around the side of my face tightened as I leaned further into him- my heart raced, his skin smelled like burning and we were sat on the dirty floor outside of the burning palace, but this is all I wanted, there was nowhere else I'd rather be than with him, in this moment as our lips locked together, starved of each other's affection, hungry for more.
After a few moments, we pulled away and as he still held the side of my face he told me,
"I love you so, so much, Y/N."
"I- I love you too, Zuko. But, I messed up- I messed up so bad and-"
"Y/N, stop. You have nothing to apologise for."
I felt heart flutter before I looked up to Katara, who had been awkwardly sat there the entire time.
"Thank you. You know, for being here with him, and for healing him."
She smiled at me and before she could reply we were cut off by Azula manically screaming and blasting fire out of her mouth. She was rolling around on the ground crying her eyes out.
Katara and I pulled Zuko to his feet as we watched Azula.
I stepped forward to speak to her but Zuko grabbed my arm and held me back,
"There's nothing you can do."
"I have to try- she's my friend, and she doesn't have anyone else, Zuko."
He sighed and moved his arm down to my hand,
"Just- can you at least wait until it's safe, I'll have someone lock her up, you can speak to her when I'm confident that she won't be able to hurt you."
I sighed dejectedly,
"Okay, fine."
Zuko's POV
I winced in pain as I tried to pull my robe over my arm.
"Hey, need some help?"
I turned to see Y/N stood at the door, I smiled as she walked over to me and cleared her throat whilst helping me dress myself.
"Actually, Zuko, there's someone who wanted to see you."
I turned to face the door and from behind it emerged Mai.
"Mai, you're okay! They let you out of prison?"
She smiled at me,
"My uncle pulled something strings, and being friends with the new Fire Lord doesn't hurt either."
"So... does this mean you don't hate me anymore."
"I guess it does."
Y/N finished tying my robe and announced,
"They let Ty Lee out, too."
Mai added,
"She's waiting outside with the Kyoshi warriors to watch your coronation. I should probably join her, good luck!"
Y/N waved at Mai and turned to me,
"How are you feeling? Nervous?"
I grasped her hand,
"No, because I know you're gonna be right there, and in this moment I have everything I've ever wanted. I have the most amazing girl by my side, I'm about to be crowned Fire Lord, the war has ended..."
My voice must've trailed off as I came to the realisation that I had no idea how Y/N was feeling. I gently caressed her cheek and asked,
"How are you doing, my love?"
"Oh, I'm fine."
"What are your plans then? You're no longer a fugitive here, so you're free to do whatever you want."
She sighed and twiddled with my hand,
"I don't know... I guess I'll still be working in the military... I think that at some point this week I'll be going to find the jail cell that my biological mother was left in... but I don't know if that's a good idea..."
I pulled her hand up and gently kissed the back of it.
"Well, if even you don't, I'll be letting the war captives free anyway, but whatever you do, I'm here to support you."
She smiled before tiptoeing and gently pecking my lips and telling me to finish getting ready.
As I approached the stage, ready to be crowned Fire Lord, I stopped beside Aang, who was sat silently, dressed a bit like a guru.
"I can't believe a year ago, my purpose in life was hunting you down and now..."
He turned to me, grinning,
"And now we're friends!"
I felt myself smile back,
"Yeah. We are friends."
"I can't believe a year ago I was still frozen in a block of ice. The world's so different now."
"And it's gonna be even more different. We'll rebuild it together."
I pulled Aang in for a hug before passing through the curtains and standing before the crowd.
At the front of the people who were clearly from the Fire Nation, was Y/N, smiling up at me, proud as ever.
Everyone cheered, but I held up my hand and insisted,
"Please, the real hero, is the avatar."
Aang emerged from behind me and the crowd cheered even louder.
I announced,
"Today, this war is finally over! I promised my uncle that I would restore the honour of the Fire Nation and I will. The road ahead of us is challenging, a hundred years of fighting has left the world scarred and divided. But with the avatar's help, we can get it back on the right path, and begin a new era of love and peace."
I then kneeled as a fire sage placed the crown on my head,
"All hail Fire Lord Zuko!"
The crowd erupted, clapping and cheering, and I stood beside Aang, ready to begin the journey of healing the world.
After the ceremony, I decided that there was an important visit I needed to make to my father's jail cell.
As I entered, he glanced at me,
"I should count myself lucky. The new Fire Lord has graced me with his presence in my lowly prison cell."
"You should count yourself lucky that the avatar spared your life."
"Hmm."
"Banishing me was the best thing you could've done for my life. It put me on the right path. Perhaps your time in here can do the same for you."
"Why are you really here?"
"Because you're gonna tell me something. Where is my mother?"