your love is my oxygen - Zuko x reader

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Zuko's POV
My sister began to generate lightning as I took my stance, ready to redirect her attack right back at her.

I inhaled deeply before exhaling, staring directly at her.

But at the very last moment, she changed the direction of her attack, I noticed in a split second 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 fell defenceless onto 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 and a thud hit the ground as my sister laughed, "aw, look, Zuzu! You seem to have hit a messenger bird out of the sky!"

I rolled onto my front and groaned as I tried to pull myself up, and through blurred vision I saw something that made my heart drop- Y/N's burning wind glider.

I tried to call her name but no words were coming out of my mouth.

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.

No, where's Y/N? Please, get to her first.

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., "oh? Is poor little Y/N even moving anymore?"

I turned to look for Y/N and I think for just a fraction of a moment I saw a glimpse of her, but with the smoke and my already blurry vision, I couldn't tell for sure.

I finally stopped trying to pull myself up and let my body fall in defeat.

I wonder what it was that she wanted to tell me before we left- if I'm going to die right here, I'll never find out.

I've barely even paid her much attention recently, I've been so focused on being a better person, on trying to end this war that I've not taken a moment to appreciate what I already had: Y/N... my uncle...

I think shooting her out of the sky was one of the best things that I ever did; until she was there, I don't remember feeling so hopeful for tomorrow. Nobody made my heart race like she did.

She is the most beautiful, incredible, smart, exciting, funny person that I've ever met.

Maybe I should've told her that.

I groaned in pain as I felt the electricity run through my veins, but I soon felt hands flip me over- it was Katara.

I suddenly felt the pain melt away as the water she was bending on her hands began to heal me.

As she pulled her hands away I managed, "what about Y/N? Help her, please-"

Before I finished my sentence, she rushed away from me and dropped to her knees a few meters away and I heard her protest; "No, Zuko is fine, I healed him"

As I finally pulled myself up, I forced my body to walk towards them and fell by Y/N's side as Katara moved the glowing water up and down her torso.

I felt my body tense as I placed my hand on the side of her head, my other fist clenching as I gritted my teeth, "I'm so so sorry, Y/N, I didn't- I didn't mean to-"

But I was cut off as I felt her hand weakly feel for mine as she slowly muttered, "hey, hot-head, it's okay. I'm okay. We're okay."

I felt myself burst into tears at the sound of her voice, and as Katara took her hands away, I pulled Y/N into my arms and buried my face in her neck, squeezing her tightly.

"I was so scared. I thought I lost you, I thought- I thought I was the reason you-"

She tucked her face into my neck as she placed her hand on the back of my head and whispered, "don't worry, there's nothing to worry about- I'm right here"

As we finally pulled away, Y/N offered me a weak smile, "thanks for not being dead, I would've been so mad at you"

I almost smiled at her jokey tone as I replied, "okay, so... we're not dead... what was it that you wanted to tell me?"

She let out a broken sigh as she reached for my face and almost whispered, "I love you"

And in that moment, my heart skipped a beat, I couldn't form a coherent sentence.

Should I just... kiss her?

My mind was running laps but she suddenly doubled over in pain and I felt her hand squeeze mine.

"Y/N!? What's wrong!? Katara!?"

Katara immediately slung one of Y/N's arms over her shoulders, "we need to get help, now"

I quickly followed, grabbing her other arm, "why do we need help!? Can't you fix her!?"

—

It wasn't long before I became the Fire Lord, the war ended and balance was restored to the world.

The physician tended to Y/N for days, but she didn't wake up again.

We tried everything. But there was nothing left to do, she was gone.

Shooting her out of the sky that day was the worst thing that I ever did; maybe if I hadn't, she'd still be here. Maybe she would've joined Aang sooner, maybe today would've gone differently.

I sat by her grave for days, telling her that I loved her over and over again. I don't know if she heard it.

The lightning that I redirected killed her, she's dead because of me.

And I don't think I will ever forgive myself.

No-one's POV
Those like Aang, Katara, Suki and Sokka were lucky; they fell in love in the middle of a war and left with their hearts in tact.

But in war, people die- as simple as it sounds.

Some people don't get to be happy.

Because like lightning, life is only temporary, leaving behind only the fire burning in the hearts of the people impacted by your existence.

And just like that, the avatar truly was the last airbender.

A/N- epilogue to follow in the next couple of days