Traitor - Zuko X Reader

Chapter 8

I tried to pull myself out of the water, but a hand reached out and helped me the rest of the way. I looked up and was met by Sokka's concerned face.

"Sokka? I thought you were fighting with the other warriors?"

He shook his head and smiled despite the circumstances, "And I thought you were keeping Aang safe."

"I can't believe I lost him." Katara sighed defeatedly.

I walked up to her, Sokka following behind, "It's my fault, I wasn't able to stop Zuko."
"You both did everything you could. And now we need to do everything we can to get him back," Sokka reassured, "Zuko can't have gotten far, we'll find him. Aang's gonna be fine."

I helped Katara to her feet and we all boarded Appa, leaving Momo behind to keep watch in case Aang came back. Sokka took the reins and I kept an eye out for Zuko's footprints in the snow.

After almost an hour of searching in the raging storm, I could tell Katara was beginning to lose hope. Yue must've sensed this as well and she tried to lighten the mood, "Don't worry, Prince Zuko can't be getting too far in this weather."

"I'm not worried they'll get away in the blizzard. I'm worried that they won't." Katara looked downcast.

"They're not going to die in this blizzard, if there's one thing we know it's that Zuko never gives up." Sokka reassured in a firm voice.

I chimed in, "That is true. He's been that way since we were kids. It was always a rather annoying trait, and yet it was one of the many reasons why I used to lov-" Katara gave me a wide-eyed look and I began to sweat, "Loathed him. Yeah, mhm. I loathed him for it. Anyway, I know they'll survive and we'll find them."

After a few more minutes of searching, an ethereally blue streak came across the sky, "Look! That's got to be Aang!"

Sokka steered Appa to where Katara pointed and we found ourselves nearing the outside of a small cave. Aang came flying out of its opening, bound with rope and Sokka was quick to land Appa.

Katara jumped off of the saddle and Zuko raised his hands in preparation to fight, "Here for a rematch?"

"Trust me, Zuko, it won't be much of a match," Katara shielded herself with snow from his incoming blast and sent even more snow towards him. She created a large tower of ice which held Zuko upon it and swiftly crashed it to the ground.

Zuko laid unconscious in the snow as me and Sokka raced to untie Aang, I cut off Aang's binds and Sokka took the rope in hand, "Hey, this is some quality rope!"

"We need to get to the oasis. The spirits are in trouble," Aang undid the rest of his binds and him and Sokka boarded Appa.

I willed my body to turn and join them but my eyes were glued to Zuko's body lying in the snow. His clothes were not thick enough to withstand the cold for long and I knew if we left him out here he would freeze. When I looked down at him all I could see was the boy who used to make me laugh, the boy whose ears would turn red when I teased him, the boy who was once my first and closest friend.

"(Y/N)? Come on. We have to go," Sokka called.

I didn't even think when I bent down and grabbed Zuko's arm and slung it over my shoulders. He was definitely heavier than he had been years ago, all the muscle he had gained was making him weigh my shoulder down as I carried him to Appa, "We can't leave him here."

"Sure we can. Now drop him and let's go."

"She's right. If we leave him he'll die," Aang jumped down and grabbed Zuko's other side and we hoisted him up onto Appa's saddle.