Fire & Rain: Book 2 (slow updates)

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Zuko's POV
Y/N and I took an airship back to the Fire Nation the next morning, leaving the rest of team avatar in Ba Sing Se.

She leaned over the railing and stared into the endless, blue sky and didn't acknowledge me as I stood beside her.

"Y/N?"

"Mhm?"

I sighed,

"What are you so angry about?"

She screwed up her face and looked at me, as if to ask me if I was stupid; I leaned against the railing closer to her and explained,

"I have a duty to the world, Y/N, I have a nation to-"

"You have a nation!? Yeah, and do you know what else you have? A girlfriend. A family. Friends."

"Y/N, I-"

"I don't wanna hear your stupid explanation about the avatar being your "safety net", you don't need a "safety net", you have me."

If I was honest, I wouldn't completely trust the fate of the world in Y/N's hands, because in the end, she sided with the Fire Nation.

I placed my hand on top of hers and sighed,

"I know, baby, I know. But you don't need to handle all of my problems for me, you need a break."

"I don't need a break. I'm supposed to be your girlfriend, of course I'm going to help handle your problems."

"Okay, you're right. I shouldn't have asked that, I'm sorry."

I was lying. I'm not sorry, the world did need a safety net.

She didn't reply, she just continued to look into the sky.

I wrapped my arms around her waist and rested my chin on her shoulder,

"What's been going on with you lately?"

"What do you mean?"

"You've just seemed... off... I dunno."

Y/N's POV
I felt guilty. I should be in prison- soldiers who continued to side with Ozai and refused to stand down have been locked up, and when Zuko begged me to stay, I left.

I left and returned to Ozai's army to end the Earth Kingdom.

And in the end, the only thing that I regretted was leaving Zuko.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Please, Y/N."

"Zuko, I really don't know what you're talking about, I'm fine."

He sighed into the curve of my shoulder before quickly kissing my cheek and saying,

"I'm going inside, I'll see you in a little while?"

I nodded as he pulled away and retreated inside.

I inhaled the fresh of air and took a moment to appreciate the feeling of the wind blowing through my hair and against my skin.

I should try to be happy for now, because when I get back I'll have to face my parents for the first time since I became a fugitive, and although I'm no longer a fugitive, I still went against everything they'd ever taught me.

Sigh.

—

As we approached the Fire Nation capital, Zuko ordered some guards to escort me home, I furrowed my eyebrows and protested,