Within Shadows (Zuko x Reader)

Chapter 11

Katara had healed your wounds that faded into scars. As of now though, you all got sucked into the swamps and got separated in your sleep. "Aang?!" You called out as you looked around your surroundings. "Sokka?!" You yelled out again still looking. "Katara?! Anyone?!" You stopped in your tracks and let out a shaky breath. Your eyes scanning every direction until you stopped at a figure in the distance. "Hello?" You called out nervously but moved forward to try and see them better. Your breath hitched and your eyes widened once you realized who it was.

"Zuko!" You exclaimed and rushed towards him. He turned to look at you with open arms your eyes watered and you jumped forward to embrace him but somehow phased through him and fell into the water. You stared at the water with wide eyes and droplets fell into the water. Your heart twisted and you stood up slowly. You wiped the back of your hand on your cheeks to get rid of the tears that poured and clutched your chest with the other hand. It was now that you had finally realized "I-im in love with Zuko..." You muttered out. But the reason why you're crying, the reason why you're so heart broken. Is knowing the fact that you can't have him. And you might never have him since both he had always showed some sort of interest in Mai and you knew she liked him back.

You sniffled and hiccuped but turned into a direction and pushed forward in hopes of you finding them and also in hopes of your crying ending by the time you arrived. But as you were searching, you suddenly got knocked over and got the wind knocked out of you. You sat up and finally found the gaang. "What do you guys think you're doing?! I've been looking all over for you!" Sokka yelled.

"Well I've been wondering around looking for you!" Katara shot back.

"I was chasing some girl..." Aang trailed and used his bending to stand him up and help Katara up. Sokka went over to help you up and you gave him a small thanks and made sure he didn't see your puffy eyes.

"What girl?" Katara asked as she took Aangs hand and stood up.

"I don't know. I heard laughing and I saw some girl in a fancy dress."

"Well there must be a tea party here and we just didn't get our invitations." Sokka spoke sarcastically. You elbowed him in the ribs as a way of telling him to shut up.

"I thought I saw mom..." Katara trailed. But that sentence really made Sokka shut up.

"I... I thought I saw Zuko. But he looked different. His pony tail was replaced by a full head of short hair and his clothes were all grey. Nothing that screamed Fire Nation." You muttered out. Keeping your gaze on the ground.

"Look. We're all just scared and hungry and our minds were playing tricks on us. That's why we all saw things out here." Sokka spoke. Trying hard to comfort everyone but in your eyes. He kinda failed.

"You saw something too?" Katara asked. Sokka turned away from you all.

"...I thought I saw Yue... But that doesn't prove anything." He replied. He turned back to you all. "Look I think about her all the time. And you saw mom. Someone you miss a lot. Same goes for you even though- well never mind that. We all saw someone we miss."

"What about me?" Aang asked. "I didn't know the girl I saw. And all our visions lead us all right here."

"Okay... So where's here? The middle of the swamp?" Katara asked. Aang looked around and then looked up.

"Yeah... The center..." He trailed. You looked up too and the massive tree before you. "It's the heart of the swamp. It's been calling us here. I knew it."

"It's just a tree. It can't call anyone. For the last time. There is nothing after us. And there's nothing magical happening here." And just as Sokka said that. A large swamp spirit burst up from the water scaring all of you. It began trying to attack you all and he grabbed Sokka and flung him around. Aang air bent him out of its grasp. And it then smacked Aang out of the way. You didn't have your swords with you so you used your fire bending. The spirit simply blocked it and grabbed both you and Sokka and made a mad dash for it. Katara surfed on the water and sliced the arm that held Sokka and then the arm that held you. But it quickly grew back. You were soon grabbed by the same arm that held Sokka and the spirit used the other arm to attack Katara.