A Second Flame: Zuko x Reader

Chapter 50

The sky turned to blood. My lungs were nothing but smoke. I could feel the flame within me grow the heat rushing up to my head. The wind blew embers in my hair. I knew the comet had begun. I pressed up closer to Zuko on Appa,
"How are you holding up? You ready to fight Azula?"

"I'm not worried about Azula. It's just," Zuko sighed, "I'm worried about Aang. What if he can't face my father? What if he loses?"

"Then- then we'll figure something out. We always do you know."

"What about you (Y/N)? You've been quiet ever since we took off. I can tell when you're upset."

"Must be a perk of dating me." I smirked, "but then again there are many."

"(Y/N) please," he took my hand tighter in his, "you can tell me anything."

"To be honest I'm worried about you."

"I can defeat Azula (Y/N)."

"I know you can but what about-" I turned my head away from him, "Nevermind. It's not important what matters is taking down Azula!"

~

As we flew over the fire nation capital it was bare- nearly looking abandoned. The thing that scared me most was the noise- nothing silence. Like the whole world was asleep. The streets I once roamed- when I was little before everything changed. The houses I used to pass on my way to the palace, they all held terrified citizens scared of what will happen. So much had changed since then. But some part of me was still that scared little girl, afraid of what her mother will think or if she'll see her father again. Afraid of if I'll make it through the night without crying. Afraid  of why I'm so weak. But over all these years I've realized it's not bad to be afraid. Fear is natural but it isn't the enemy, it just means you still have something left to lose. My hand trembled over to Zuko's,
"Zuko."

"Yes (Y/N)?" He turned to me still holding Appa's reigns tight.

"If anything goes wrong I-" suddenly his lips were against mine. Passion melting against my skin, the flame inside me growing, "you beat me to it!"

"Thought I'd try to be bold like you," he smirked, "I love you okay? Even if we don't always agree or I make a dumb choice, you're my best friend (Y/N)."

"Did you just friendzone me? That's my job."

"You're so cute when you're flustered."

"You're not so bad yourself ZuZu."

"Do NOT call me that," He crossed his arms.

"What can I say? You're cute when you're mad."

His tone changed, "We're here."

Appa glided over the palace and to the ground. Azula immediately struck my sight she was surrounded by fire sages and no one else.  Her eyes twinged even from a distance as if something wild was running through. Her hair was messy and unkempt, her skin was pale almost frail. She meet my gaze,
"What happened to you Azula?" I thought.

"You're not going to become firelord today I am!" Zuko jumped off of Appa.

"You're hilarious." Azula laughed.

"And you're going down!" I took my place next to Zuko. Azula's eyes tracked me.

The firesage crowning Azula tried to continue but she stopped him,
"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."

"Zuko wouldn't it be better if we both fought her? She's trying to manipulate you. She's trying to separate us."