Torn Heart (Zuko x Reader)

Chapter 14

       I woke up the next morning with the pale gentle rays of the early morning sun streaking across the floor towards me from the open door. I shifted to sit up, but found an arm slung around my waist and froze. I peeked over my shoulder to see Zuko's face inches from mine, still asleep. Not only that, we were both naked!
Heart pounding so hard, I'm sure it would wake him, I inched out from under his arm, wrapping my blanket around myself and stood up. I followed the sunlight to the open porch door and leaned against the door jamb. It was there that the memories came flooding back. Being thrown up against this very wall, leading Zuko down to the beach—it happened right there in my line of sight, among the big black rocks that dotted the shore.
Somehow we had stumbled back here.
For the first time, I started to wonder at the implications of this little relationship we had. Zuko would catch up with his uncle and I with my friends and...would we go our separate ways?
I knew they would love him when they got to know him, but my friends might not even give a fire bender a chance, and while it made me laugh to think of the looks on their faces, they especially wouldn't like the idea of me being in love with one. Besides that, it seemed Zuko was still hell-bent on returning home, salvaging his "honor" or whatever. Would he even say yes if I asked him not to leave?
My panicked thoughts were interrupted by a pair of lips on my neck that made me jump. "Good morning," Zuko said. He gave a sleepy laugh, "Did I startle you?"
"Just a bit," I said, trying not to seem stiff.
"Sorry,"
Before I could reply, there was a knock at the door that made me jump harder. "Lee, Katara?" came our hostess' voice, "Breakfast will be ready soon."
"Okay, thank you," Zuko called, "We'll be there in a second."
That's when he saw my face, "Y/N? Is everything okay?"
I pushed my bed-headed hair out of my face, "Y-Yeah, I'm just a little...shaken up by everything—you know, last night and waking up here...with you—n-not that it wasn't great, it was and—and..."
I trailed off when I realized Zuko now mirrored my expression. "Well, look. We don't have to make a big thing of it, okay?" he said, awkwardly.
Not the answer I was hoping for.
"Oh,"
"What?" he asked, more impatient now.
"Nothing, you're right. Let's...um...let's not make a big thing of it,"

True to his word, Zuko rushed us out of our host's home right after breakfast, despite their insisting. And thus, we set off down the road, hand-in-hand. Despite what he said in his room, Zuko did seem like he was in a much better mood than...maybe than he's been in since I met him. He swung our conjoined hands back and forth, joking about our pretending to be married.
"Next time we have to give a story, we should pretend to be brother and sister," I offered.
"Nah,"
"Why not?"
"We don't look enough alike to be blood related, besides," he snorted, mirthlessly, "We get along way too well."
"You...think we get along well?"
"Hello, were you there last night?!"
I felt my face turn beat red and Zuko smirked, "I mean, I guess if you count that..."
I hurried on and changed the subject, "Well, at least they never found out either of our secrets."
Zuko furrowed his single eyebrow at me, "What's your secret?"
"That I stabbed that guy, remember?"
"Ooohh, yeah," he rolled his eyes, "I forgot you killed one guy, my father's indirectly killed millions, but good thing your secret never got out."
I was about to defend myself, but the look in his eye told me he was teasing. I elbowed him still, "Oh, come on—Hey, I just realized. I've collected one of each now!"
"One of each?" he echoed.
I let go of his hand and skipped on ahead, "You know, I know a water bender, an earth bender, an air bender, and now I know you!"
The last part of the word you dripped off my lip sluggishly as I saw the look Zuko was giving me, "What?"
"You know an air bender?" he said, cautiously.
"Oh, yeah," I said, "He's the last one. Pretty cool, right?—Not that he's the last one, that's terrible, but that he's the last and he's my friend—What. Is. Wrong. Zuko?!"
Now he looked like his soul had left his body. He shook his head hard, "Nothing. Come on, this is the town I'm supposed to meet my uncle up here."
         We rounded the next bend and the town came into sight—but it was a sea of red. "Shit," Zuko breathed.
         "Is this that battalion they were talking about?"
Zuko scoffed, mirthlessly, "Nope. Believe it or not, that'd be way worse."
"Oh, great," I murmured, "What do you want to do?"
         "Find my uncle and get the hell out of there,"
         "Sounds good,"
         His face softened, "Y/N, if you want to...um...part ways here...I'd understand."
         Oof, there it was. I stuck out my chin, "No, I've gone this far with you. Besides, I want to meet this uncle of yours. He sounds like quite the character and it's clear you admire him, so anyone that can illicit that reaction from you must be something. Come on, lead the way."
As we slipped into the stream of people in the center of the town, still holding hands, I squeezed closer to Zuko until we were bumping shoulders. He had pulled up the hood of his cloak, but I could still spy the determined look on his face. He steered me straight for the smallest inn in town and asked the innkeeper for a "Mushi."
The woman looked through her records, "Ah, yes, he checked out this morning."
"He. Checked. Out," Zuko echoed, "Do you know why?"
She shook her head at the same time I gently squeezed Zuko's arm to steady him. The next second, he stormed off and I lost my grip. I hurriedly thanked the innkeeper and fought my way back to my companions side, "What now?"
"I don't know. He couldn't have gone far. We just have to—"
He stopped short just as we passed a group of tables filled with people eating, before walking backwards and whirling on a man eating alone, "Uncle Iroh!?"
The man started, "Zu—I mean, Lee! You found me at last. Good thing too, I was getting worried."
"You want to talk about worried? I went to our rendezvous spot and you checked out," Zuko was steaming.
Iroh continued, landing eyes on me and chuckling, "Well, you weren't wont for company, I see...Aren't you going to introduce us?"
Zuko sighed, before rambling off, "Y/N—my uncle, Iroh. Uncle—this is Y/N."
          Iroh cleared his throat aggressively, but Zuko rolled his eyes, "She knows everything."
          "Everything?"
          "Everything,"
          "Even about hunting the A—" he grunted as Zuko kicked him under the table.
I let it go, smiling, "Zuko still has his secrets, but I'm okay with that. I have some of my own," I stuck out a hand, "Very nice to finally meet you."
        Iroh accepted, "Oh, the pleasure's mine."
"Now come on, we've got to go!" Zuko urged.
"Sit down, sit down. I'll get you both some miso soup, this inn is famous for it—and its de-li-cious!" The last syllable was drown out as he disappeared into his bowl.
"No, no, we don't have time—!" Zuko was still saying but I sat down—Finally, someone more my speed—"Ugh!"
           Zuko plunked down, reluctantly, next to me as Iroh waved over a server, "Two more bowls of soup please...So where'd my nephew find you, Y/N?"
           "I helped him break out of a hospital a week ago and we've been traveling together ever since,"
           "And where are you headed?"
           "I'm catching up with my friends. We got separated," I said as our soup arrived.
           "And Zukos helping you find them?" he sounded dubious.
           "We help each other really,"
           "Hmmm," Irohs eyebrows shot up and he had a knowing glint in his eye, but didn't comment, instead continuing, "And he's been the perfect gentleman I'll bet?"
            I gave Zuko a sarcastically somber look, "Oh, yes, the perfect gentleman."
"Hey," Zuko scowled, before turning to his uncle, "I've been...decent."
Iroh and I met eyes and both laughed, before both turning to our soups for a minute. After swallowing what seemed much heavier than just soup broth, I spoke up, "But now that you've found your uncle, I suppose we'll be going our separate ways?"
Zuko didn't speak for a moment, looking between Iroh and I, before saying, "If you want to...but we can stick with you until you find your friends...if you want?"
"Really?" I asked, trying to hide my delight, "I don't want to inconvenience you two."
"It would be our pleasure," Iroh chimed in, looking very proud of his nephew, but also with that knowing look in his eyes. If he guessed at our relationship, he didn't comment.