The knives came fast, and Y/N was ready, making a water whip and slicing them from the air. Katara was careful with Ty Lee now, keeping her distance as they fought.
Sokka and Y/N switched off, stepping in when the other would get pinned to a tree or rock. Mai was pushed back quickly with both of them, eventually Sokka managed to nailed her in the back of the head with his boomerang.
Y/N managed to freeze Mai in place before Ty Lee got her from behind. A sharp hit in her shoulder, back, and arms, and her bending was gone, leaving her to block the next few hits with her hands. Ty Lee was fast, and Y/N was barely able to defend herself as it was, every now and then she would get her again, making it harder to move.
Eventually, she was stumbling onto the ground, basically paralyzed, as Sokka tried defending her, receiving the same treatment. He flopped in the ground, trying to struggle upright, but nothing was working properly anymore.
They were saved by a flying bison tail.
Appa slammed his tail on the ground, knocking both Fire Nation girls into the river.
"We need to find Aang." Katara urged. Y/N and Sokka looked up at her with annoyed looks, unable to stand, much less get back onto Appa. Momo flew over, landing on top of Y/N's head and chattering encouragement to both of them.
"Oh, I forgot." Katara said teasingly. "Do my big siblings need some help?"
"Shut up, sassy pants, and get us up on the bison before I smack you." Y/N grumbled, managing to flop herself over on her stomach in attempt to stand, but she ended up looking like a weird lizard, her limbs uncomfortably tangled up.
"You could try." Katara knelt next to her sister.
"We will hurt you, Katara, don't you have a boyfriend to save? Hurry up." Sokka muttered.
—|➖◾️➖|—
Y/N was shaking her arms around the whole trip, following the fur trail Aang left. They quickly found out that Katara's healing power helped a lot, and Y/N was bending, if shakily, in minutes.
Sokka complained about being sore a lot, but he was also moving fine, something they would have to keep in mind for the future. Protect Katara from the chi blocking to have a quick recovery person.
I guess protecting the healer overall is kinda important.Y/N thought with a sigh at her own stupidity. And she's also my little sister... annoying as she may be.
Aang didn't go far, and they came to an abandoned town quickly, where Azula stood over him, about to deliver a huge attack. Katara jumped off Appa before he even landed, smacking Azula away with a jet of water.
Y/N jumped down soon after, whipping out her water to meet Azula's attacks as she quickly recovered from Katara, trying to go after Aang again. She was quickly joined by Iroh, Toph, and Sokka, who all moved in to corner Azula.
She took a quick glance at Iroh, and noticed who stood next to him, resisting the urge to break formation and run to Zuko.
"I give up." Azula announced, raising her hands in surrender, looking at all seven of them warily. Y/N couldn't relax, studying her for a few moments as she smiled slyly.
Then the princess was moving, firing a concentrated attack at Iroh. Y/N screamed in horror, desperately bending water to try meeting the attack in time, her panicked breath turning the water into ice on accident.
She had gotten there in time, but way too close for comfort. The ice barrier shattered from the fire's impact, and stray icicles sliced open a gash on Iroh's shoulder.
Then everyone was directing their attacks at Azula, all four elements combined, making a huge explosion that threw them all backwards. Dust and smoke hovered in the air as Y/N scrambled to her feet, running to Iroh's side.
He sat up, looking dazed, but other than the deep gash in his shoulder, he looked fine. Y/N sighed in relief, giving her friend a hug, which was quickly returned.
"She's gone." Toph realized, seeing more than the group could in the hazy air.
"Let me help." Katara ran to Iroh, bringing out water to heal his badly bleeding shoulder. Y/N sat back to watch, looking up as the others came in.
Amber eyes stared right back at her, standing several feet away. A strange half sob, half laugh escaped her lips as she stumbled upright, running towards him.
Zuko had already been running, scooping Y/N up and into his arms. Their balance was off from running at different speeds, causing them to fall onto their knees next to Iroh to prevent themselves from toppling over.
"You're okay!" Y/N laughed, hugging Zuko tighter around his shoulders as he pulled her in by the waist. "I saw the wanted posters..."
"I didn't know where you'd gone." Zuko said in a tight voice. "You snapped Zhao in half!"
"I know!" Y/N's voice was hysterically happy as she laughed, suddenly becoming aware of everyone staring at her.
"You WHAT?" Sokka asked. "You know what? I'm not sure if I want to ask about it, or... that." He gestured towards Y/N, who was still clinging to Zuko, and vice versa.
"I've done what I can." Katara said, standing from healing Iroh, glaring pointedly at Zuko, clenching her jaw as she saw his arms around her sister. "We need to go before they find us again, or this lunatic decides to swap sides all of a sudden. We need some sleep."
Everyone stood up, Y/N helping Iroh up and watching Aang, Sokka, and Katara head back to Appa, leaving her with the two firebenders. Iroh smiled at her, laughing as she gave him another hug.
"It's good to see you too, Y/N." He chuckled. "I'll give you two some space." He walked off to the ostrich horse that he probably arrived on, and Y/N turned to Zuko.
"Are you afraid of me?" Y/N asked bluntly after a few moments of studying each other.
"...Yes." He admitted, pulling her into another hug, but brushing her hair from her face to not break eye contact. "But I don't fear you any more than before what happened on the bridge. And I still trust you, despite it." He paused for a few moments, studying her E/C eyes. "Do you trust me?"
"No." Y/N said, and he frowned, holding her closer. "Not in general, I can't. You're too unpredictable. I would still trust you with my life, but not my siblings, or Aang. Why aren't you trying to capture him right now?"
"I don't know... I don't know what I'm doing." Zuko closed his eyes, rubbing his face like it might push away the confusion.
"Come with us." Y/N prompted, lightly touching his scar.
"I can't." He shook his head. "Why do you make this so hard, Y/N?"
"Then I have to leave." She concluded, looking back at Appa and the others, who were arguing with each other farther off to her right.
"Don't. Please." Zuko grabbed her hands, then let go, then grabbed them again. "I can't, I don't know..."
"I will see you again." Y/N's tone was more sure than hopeful. "I will wait for you, patiently, if you feel the same way, but I you know I can't trust you, until you make a decision."
"What will you do if I choose my father, my throne? My birthright?" He asked, bringing her hands up to hold them gently in his against his chest.
"If you endanger the world's future by taking the Avatar away, I will have to kill you." She said simply. "I'm relying on you to make the choice, so I won't have to make mine."
"Hey, Y/N! Katara's gonna blow a fuse if you don't hurry up!" Toph called.
"Until we meet again. Do not disappoint me, please." Y/N glanced back at Toph, then looked up at Zuko. He stared at the ground for a few seconds, thinking.
Y/N smiled sadly, pulling away from his embrace, and beginning to walk back to the group.
"Wait!" Zuko called out suddenly, lunging and grabbing her arm.
"What? I have to leave." She turned around, Zuko roughly grabbing her chin and crashing his lips onto hers. They stood there for a few moments before he pulled away, breaths uneven.
"I love you, Y/N."
"You aren't supposed to."
"I know, I don't know what I'm going to do."
"Love someone else?"
"I can't imagine that being possible."
"Me neither. I love you, Zuko. I love you. Remember that."
"I will."