Fan the Flame (Zuko X Reader)

10 minutes

"Everyone below deck!" Captain Hakoda exclaimed. The crew hurried towards the stairs that lead to below the ship, except for Sokka, Mairu and I. The three of us faced the flaming gates of Azulon, our ship growing closer and closer as we continued to tread toward it. Hakoda placed a hand on Sokka's shoulder, gently.

"Lets hope your invention works." Sokka's father told him before retreating below deck with the rest of the crew and beckoning Mairu and I to follow after him. I briefly remembered Sokka talking to us about his invention and every now and then I'd see him working on it. He'd been creating these almost boat like machines, but designed to go underwater rather than float. They were to be propelled through the water by water benders, and they were our ticket to getting into the fire nation as stealthily as possible.

Sokka came in behind us and pointed towards the buffalo yak hide on the floor.

"Move that hide over and open the hatch underneath, then jump through one at a time." Mairu moved aside the hide and opened the hatch, peering down into what appeared to be another room. He jumped down, his feet hitting the floor with a thump. His hand appeared through the hatch and he held it out to me. I took it carefully and leapt through the hatch, grasping his hand tightly. My landing was a little on the clumsy side and I began to stumble around. Mairu kept hold of my hand with his own and reached out to catch me with his free hand.

He pressed his hand into the small of my back, bringing me closer to him.

"You alright?" He asked, a red hue tinting his cheeks. When I realized just how close we were, I felt my face grow hot as well.

"Yes, I'm fine." I blurted out, too embarrassed to meet his eyes. "Thanks for your help." Mairu sensed my embarrassment and let go of my hand and moved his other off from my back. I took a moment to take in the room around me. I had been too preoccupied with Mairu to notice just how amazing the inside of Sokka's invention was.

The invention was completely immersed in the water, which I noticed through the windows. Through those same windows I saw several other copies of Sokka's invention that the other few ships crew were travelling in.

"You've really outdone yourself, Sokka." I told him as he jumped down from the hatch, and I wasn't lying in the slightest. Sokka had managed to come up with the perfect tool for getting into the Fire Nation.

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After breaching the shores of the Fire Nation and attacking the soldiers along the beach, Aang set off to find the Fire Lord. The eclipse that would cause the fire benders to be unable to use their powers had not set in yet, but Captain Hakoda had been injured, meaning that he couldn't continue to fight and lead the troops. Luckily, Sokka was able to take on his dad's responsibilty as captain while he healed, but as I and the rest of the gang (aside from Aang) sat with him as we discussed plans, I could tell that he was nervous.

   The shadow of Aang's glider appeared on the ground before Aang's slow descent to the ground. He turned to us with a grim expression. Something was wrong, he wasn't supposed to be back this soon.

  "Aang? Is everything alright?" I asked him. "Why are you back so early?" 

  "Please tell me you're here because the Fire Lord turned out to be a big wimp and you didn't even need the eclipse to take him down." Sokka scoffed.

   "He wasn't home." Aang said, ignoring Sokka's comment. "No one was. The entire palace was abandoned." 

    With the eclipse starting soon, this was bad news. The eclipse was our only opportunity to defeat the Fire Lord, and with the eclipse only lasting so long, this opportunity was fleeting. 

    "They knew." Sokka muttered to himself. 

    "It's over. The Fire Lord is probably long gone." Aang said. "Most likely on some remote island where he'll be safe from the eclipse."

    "No, my instincts tell me he wouldn't go too far." Sokka said, eyebrows furrowed in thought. "He would have a secret bunker. Somewhere he could go during a siege, but still be close enough to lead his nation." 

   "I think you're spot on Sokka." Mairu spoke up. "I remember overhearing my Grandfather discussing the Fire Lord fleeing to his secret hideout with one of the other servants. This was a couple years back when rumours of an uprising against the Fire Lord were circling in the Fire Nation."

   "If it's an underground bunker we're looking for, I'm just the one for the job." Toph said with a boastful smirk. 

   "The mechanist gave me this timing device." Sokka reached into his pocket and pulled out a clock looking contraption. "It looks like we've got about 10 minutes until the full eclipse."

   "10 minutes to find the Fire Lord."

   "We can still do this." Aang said, determined. "We can still win the day. All we have to do is find that bunker." He turned to Mairu. "Got any idea where his bunker might be?"

    Mairu stopped for a moment, wracking his brain for any sort of clue. His eyes lit up, and he pointed towards a looming volcano that towered over the horizon. 

    "That volcano is dormant. The locals here all know that, but anyone who isn't from the Fire Nation wouldn't have a clue and wouldn't think to check there, making it the perfect place for a bunker. I say we check there."

   I glanced over at Sokka who was looking at him skeptically. 

  "Are you trying to sabotage us or something?" His eyes narrowed. 

  "We only have so much time, and I think it's worth a shot." I said, coming to Mairu's defense. Though I understood Sokka's skepticism, I trust Mairu. Sokka shrugged and groaned.

   "Alright. If (Y/N) trusts his decision then I say we go for it." He gestured towards Appa. "Lets get a move on, then."

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Zuko's POV

     It's a good thing I've been trained to use these dual blades, or what I plan to do next would never have been an option.

   With the eclipse approaching, I decided that this was the perfect opportunity to face my father. To shed this facade that I've been wearing. Maybe with my father rendered powerless, he'd hear me out for a change. Either way, I trudged through the halls of the secret bunker, heading straight for where the Fire Lord was situated. 

   I stopped in front of the door leading to his chambers. I tried to remember the breathing technique that uncle Iroh taught me months ago, but with my heart pounding in my chest, it was no use. 

   "I'm ready to face you." I mutter to myself as I try my best to believe that I truly am, and with one final shaky exhale I reach for the doorknob.