Play With Fire ~Zuko X Reader~

-27- The Southern Raiders

I woke up in Zuko's arms. Everyone around me was still asleep. That included the boy passed out with his arms around me. I can't even fully remember how I ended up like this. I looked up at his peaceful face. I wanted to touch it. Make sure he was really here, even though I could feel his arms wrapped around me. It felt good. Like I finally had something I was always meant to have.

I was frozen in time. Only broken from my trace when I heard someone yawn on the other side of the room. I slowly, and regrettably, pulled myself from Zuko's arms.

I watched as birds flew away from the fountain. It took me a moment to realize why. Bombs. Their explosion woke up everyone else.

Aang ran to the edge, watching as a fire nation airship descended on us. Aang and Appa came back towards the camp. Bombs kept assaulting us. The ceiling roof, as it began to crumble and finally caved in.

Katara stood directly beneath the crumbling ceiling, it started to fall but she was pushed out of the way by Zuko, "Watch out!"

I could barely hear their conversation over the bombardment of explosions.

"What are you doing!?"

"Keeping rocks from crushing you."

"Okay, I'm not crushed. You can get off me now!" She pushed him off and ran off.

I helped him stand, I could barely hear his muttering, "I'll take that as a thank you."

"Come on! We can get out through here!" Toph and Haru had opened up an underground exit.

Everyone started funneling in, but Appa resisted. Aang and I both noticed Zuko standing near the edge, watching the ships descend.

Aang called out, "What are you doing?"

He turned to look at us, "Go ahead! I'll hold them off. I think this is a family visit."

"Zuko! No!" I couldn't tell if that was me of Aang, the water tribe siblings came and got us.

Sokka was pulling me back, "Come on! We've gotta get out of here!"

I joined in the attempt to pull Appa into the tunnel.

Aang kept pulling, "I can't get him to go in there! Appa hates tunnels!"

Katara groaned as she kept pulling, "Aang, there's no way we can fly out of here."

I let go of the reins, "We'll have to find a way!"

"We need to split up," Sokka turned to the others, "Take the tunnel and get to the stolen airship."

"No!" Katara went to her father, "The Fire Nation can't separate our family again!"

Hakoda smiled at his daughter, "It'll be okay. It's not forever."

Katara hugged her dad, then ran back to us.

Toph touched the wall nearby, "I can clear that away and we can fly out through there!"

Suki was the only one brave enough to express concern, "Um, there's an awful lot of fire in that general direction..."

Aang looked at Appa, "We'll get through. Let's go."

Appa flew through to the outside of the temple, covered by a shield of rock in front. Azula tried to bring him down, but the shield stopped her attack. Appa escaped and the shield disintegrated. Worry flooded me until I saw Zuko rise on a different ship.

Appa weaved through balls of flames. Katara used her bending to deflect large whips of fire. We rose above the airship. I watched as Zuko and Azula battled. They were pretty evenly matched. Both of the siblings were flung from the ship.