Torn Heart (Zuko x Reader)

Chapter 24

My POV:
The cave exploded into chaos. I reeled backwards as Zuko threw a fireball at Aang. Katara intercepted it with a whip of water, before striking at Zuko with the same stream. He dodged, but Toph stomped her foot and sent him flying backwards out of the cave. He landed on his feet, but barely, gouging two gashes in the dirt.
He came flying back, flinging more flames, which Aang flung back at him with a gust of wind. Zuko dropped to his knees to dodge them. Shaking from my confusion, I threw myself in between Zuko and my friends, throwing my arms over my face and bracing myself.
"Y/N, move!" Zuko snapped.
I dropped my arms to see both him and Aang had screeched to a halt less than a foot from me on either side. Zuko's skin was still smoking.
"Why did you bring Zuko here?!" Aang demanded.
"You know each other?!" I shot back.
"Yes!" Sokka snapped in frustration, "We told you about him hunting us all over the damn earth!"
"No, no. That was someone else. His name was...um...it started with a Z...Oh, fuck, it was Zuko, wasn't it?"
"Yes!"
I turned on Zuko, "When were you gonna mention this?"
The pitiful look on his face was a cold hand grabbing my heart and twisting, "I told you my father banished me and sent me on a wild goose chase...only I never told you...it was capturing him."
He pointed at Aang who balked, "I am not a goose."
Despite my friends quip I felt like the earth was crumbling beneath my feet, nothing was holding me up. "You tricked me," the voice didn't sound like my own.
"Y/N—" Zuko started, but was interrupted by Sokka.
"You have no right to talk to her!"
"Stay the hell out this! Y/N—"
"Just get out of here, Zuko!" I cried, tears springing from my eyes now.
"I'm sorry, but I can't leave now," he said, somberly, before flinging a stream of fire from each hand, returning to the fight.
At the same time Katara hurled her water and Aang threw a gust of wind. Air, water, and fire collided, the force of which threw me against the cave wall. The next second I dropped into the sand, my ears ringing and a stinging in my side.
"Y/N!" five voice cried. Then, Katara was at my side, seizing me by the shoulder. She gasped. I had instinctively brought my hand to my side and my fingers came away red. My head was swimming suddenly.
"Y/N, I'm sorry," Zuko surged towards me, all the color drained from his face, but Aang jumped between him and I.
"Don't touch her!"
He swung his staff and a blast of wind threw Zuko back against the opposite wall. He dropped to the sand, unconscious. My eyes were glued to his still form as Katara and Sokka helped me to my feet and onto Appa.
"Come on, let's get out of here before he wakes," Sokka mused.

          "That awful brute," Katara murmured, holding her water-clad hands over my stomach, "Burning you like this."
          "Yeah," is all I said, neglecting to mention it was my idea. I bit on my lower lip to try to keep the tears from coming again. It didn't work.
          "Does it still hurt?" Katara asked.
          I shook my head, sniffing, "No, that feels better."
          She frowned, understanding now, but not commenting yet. She replaced my shirt, saying, "There. You're healed. There'll always be a bit of scar that I can't get rid of though."
          I sat up and hugged my knees, "It's fine. Thanks."
          Now Katara put an arm around me and said, "I'm sorry he hurt you like that."
          I couldn't hold back any more and started sobbing. No one spoke for a long time, which made me feel more pathetic than I already was. I finally managed to speak, but it came out as a wail, "I'm so sorry. I was so naive and I put you all in danger. I'm sorry I brought trouble on you, Aang."
Aang looked over his shoulder from where he held Appa's reigns, "You don't have to be sorry, Y/N. Zuko tricked you."
"He's the one who should be sorry," Katara agreed, "He deceived you. It's not your fault. It's his for being a bastard."
Even now, something in me recoiled at them saying such awful things about my ex...whatever we were.
"What was it like traveling with raw-steak-face anyway?" Sokka asked.
"Sokka—" Katara started, but I waved her off, dropping my knees so I was sitting cross-legged.
"It's okay, Katara...Sorry to disappoint, but Zuko seemed perfectly normal, kind of grouchy and a stick in the mud sometimes, but we just...you know...traveled. He was even kind of...sweet in his own way."
I thought I was controlling my facial expressions well, but it must have been written on my forehead, because Katara breathed, "You loved him, didn't you?"
I nodded. Still do, after everything. Probably always will.
But I didn't mention that, just turned away from my friends and watched the world spin by in a blur under us, wondering where Zuko was now.