By Your Side (Zuko x Reader) (Sequel to Torn Heart)

Chapter 6

No one's POV:
    Zuko closed his eyes as Katara began to bend the water out of the vial. Y/N floated nearby holding her breath. She was already imagining what Zuko would look like without his scar, what it would be like for them all to be together. Just then the silence was broken by the wall caving in. The next moment Aang came flying from the dust cloud, throwing himself on Katara. Iroh, of all people, was close behind, hugging his laughing nephew. He was the first to hug Y/N, since Kataang were still sucking face.
             Finally, all the embracing was over and Aang started to rush Katara and Y/N up the ramp, "Come on, we have to catch up to Sokka and Toph."
             "W-Wait," Y/N stammered with a fleeting glance at Zuko and Iroh.
             "You go ahead. We'll catch up," Iroh reassured her.
             She broke away from her friends for a second to grasp Zuko's hands. "Don't worry. I'm right behind you. I promise," he said, letting go of one hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.
              And he certainly was...

My POV:
              The giant underground cavern was chaos. I was firing arrows as fast as I could nock while dodging blue fire, spinning daggers, and walls of rock. Aang, Katara, and I were hilariously outnumbered and I was especially outgunned on the sidelines while the benders stole the show with their crazy flailing about.
               Just as we were gaining the upper hand, Katara and Aang's gazes drifted over my shoulder, alight with hope. I watched Aang's face droop and eyes dim with grim understanding as a fireball narrowly missed my head. Without thinking I whirled around, nocking and firing within the same second. Zuko cried out as my arrow sank into his shoulder.
               "The hell are you doing?!" I cried, my confusion echoed by Katara behind me.
               "What I have to," he nodded at me, before ripping out my arrow, leaping forward, pushing me behind him as if he was protecting me, and continuing to attack my friends—who I thought were now our friends.
                No sooner had Zuko left my side than the Dai Li bore down on me from all sides. I reached for my quiver to find it empty (apparently I had fired my last arrow at my own boyfriend—like a dumbass). I was done for.
                Katara brandished her "water octopus arms," but she too was completely surrounded. Aang had shut himself up inside an earthen shell-for some reason. And my boyfriend didn't fucking know who was on what side apparently.
               Just then, Aang broke from his shell, glowing, rising into the air—the whole nine. Katara and I broke free from the Dai Li and rushed to each other's side. It was all over now. The day was saved—
              Only it wasn't.
              As if in slow motion I saw Azula's lightening streak through the air and strike Aang. I saw a flash of pain and shock hit his still alight face, before my friend went still and plummeted. Katara dove for him, but I was frozen in place. The sounds of the fighting continuing, of Iroh yelling for us to get out of there, was muffled as I stared at Aang's slack face. I knew.
              Aang was dead.
              My friend.
              The Avatar.
              Dead.
              I was shaken back to my senses by two voices calling my name from opposite sides of me. In front of me, Katara held out one hand, while the other clutched her boyfriend's body to her chest, "Come on, Y/N! We have to go!"
              Meanwhile, a few paces behind me, Zuko stretched out his hand, "Y/N, come with me."
              I looked back and forth between the two of them, torn in the most painful way. "Y/N?" Katara said.
              They both were glancing between me, each other, and Iroh as he was being overwhelmed. For the first time since he attacked my friends Zukos face was soft. "Come with me," he repeated, "Please."
              I knew then where my heart lied. I had always known. I promised him after all—we would never leave each other. And if Zuko was going to the Fire Nation, I was going to the Fire Nation.
              With one look, Katara knew too. Her gaze went cold in an instant, and she looked at me like I was a stranger. The next moment I tore my eyes away and ran to Zuko, grasping his hand and letting him lead me behind the enemies lines.
              I didn't watch Katara leave.