Swampy (Zuko x Reader)

23: Home

The trip back to the Fire Nation was quite unceremonious, with every one mostly keeping to themselves. But you wasted no time finding the Fire Lord when you finally arrived. Although it took you a few hours to locate him, it wasn't long before you stood in front of Fire Lord Ozai.

"Who let this child in here?" He boomed.

"Ain't no one let me in. I let myself in here 'cause I gotta talk to ya."

"How dare you address me so informally. Guards!"

"Oh, they ain't comin'. You best just shut up and listen."

"You insolent fool!" Quickly aggravated, Ozai stood up and began to get into a stance.

"Sit down." You quickly got into your own stance, brought your hands up to force him back into a sitting position. You knew not to get close, remembering Iroh's ability to breathe fire.

"What is this?! Guards! GUARDS!"

"I said, shut up." You clenched your fists, cutting off the blood supply to Ozai's brain, making him feel as if he was choking. "Look, I'm just here 'cause you been messin' around with the swamp and that's gotta stop. Don't touch the swamp. I ain't anywhere near scared enough not to kill ya."

Ozai looked at you bitterly. He wasn't stupid. He knew you wouldn't be able to last long in this state, but that you were more than able to kill him. So he figured lying would be his best way out.

"Fine." He growled after a few minutes of deliberation.

You knew better than to immediately let him go. You also didn't trust his answer, but you had done what you had come to do and were quickly becoming time. So you glared at him and walked out of the throne room and held onto your control on him until you were a seemingly safe distance away.

Then you ran. You were not going to stay near the Fire Lord when you were too tired to kill him.

Yet you couldn't leave. If Aang had truly died, then that meant that you would kill the Fire Lord. It was the least you could do for the world. But it wasn't your destiny and you knew that. You felt like Aang had to be alive.

Then it hit you like a brick wall. Or... you hit him and he was like a brick wall.

As you looked up from the ground you saw Zuko back in Fire Nation gear, extending a hand to you.

"Did you..."

"Yep. He ain't gonna listen to me though." You dusted yourself off and stood at an angle to Zuko.

"So..."

"So I'll be stickin' around for a bit. I hope that's okay with ya." You smiled at him, trying your best to be friendly, but not too friendly.

Zuko smiled back, a moderately uncommon sight. But as he responded to you, you noticed that his voice dropped to a much quieter level.

"Is it okay if you stay in the room next to me?" His face changed almost imperceptibly to that of lust. On the trip down he had realized that even if he was still in the Fire Nation with Mai, she didn't live in the palace. And your outfit right now was a little bit more than tantalizing.

He wants us both. Thank goodness. I ain't know how long I could put up with 'fore I'd have ta leave. You thought to yourself as you nodded your head and looked at him sideways.

"Let me show you where it is right now. It would be my honor."

You extended your hand, which he graciously took, and you both took a slow stroll to your new room.