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

Chapter 10

No ones POV:
The next day began with a maid finding Zuko and Y/N asleep on the floor next to the bed in a puddle of blankets. She nudged Y/N gently, "Um...miss?"
Y/N started awake, which awoke Zuko, who violently lurched into a sitting position. The maid yelped and jumped back. As he remembered where he was Zuko sighed and stood up, stumbling to the bathroom.
"Why were you sleeping on the floor?" the maid asked Y/N.
She yawned, "The bed's too squishy."
"Oh," she sounded very worried as she gazed at the offending piece of furniture.
Y/N started, realizing she probably thought she—or someone else—was about to be in trouble, "Oh, it's okay. We'll adjust—that is, Zuko will readjust."
This seemed to only comfort her slightly. She gestured to the tray she had set on the nearby table, "I brought breakfast like you asked. Will there be anything else, miss?"
"No, you're good,"
"Anything I can do for you, my prince?" she addressed Zuko as he left the bathroom.
He just waved her off, still half asleep.
After the maid had left, Y/N got to her feet, collected their breakfast and brought it to the bed, sitting cross-legged. She had never eaten so good in her life before last night. There was fresh fruit, pastries, sausage, eggs, and tea. She meant to savor every bite like it was her last meal ever, but Zuko spoke up,
"Let's eat fast so I can take you into the city."
"Sure," Y/N said, reluctantly.

After breakfast, they left the palace after a good five minutes of Zuko insisting he didn't need a palanquin or a dozen servants and guards to accompany them. Finally, to placate them,  he agreed to bring two guards and one servant, looking embarrassed all the while.
Then there was the crowd of people to handle that met them at the gates. Like the other day, Y/N could tell that Zuko tensed in response to all the touching, probably reminding himself that he wasn't in any danger. She squeezed his hand and winked, "It seems we're very popular."
Even though she knew it was him they were excited about and she was basically invisible again.
The crowd thinned out as they delved deeper into the city and farther from the palace. Y/N couldn't believe how different the city was from Ba Sing Se—the only other city she had been in—it was calm and serene here, which wasn't at all what she was expecting. Quickly, she forgot she was in the Fire Nation at all—these were just more buildings, more people, going about their day.
Zuko relaxed too, pointing out places they had to visit and marveling at how things hadn't changed. He easily let Y/N pull him aside into different shops and to different stands and laughed at how she shrunk back when she saw how expensive everything was.
"I've never seen such expensive things in my entire life," she blushed.
"Well, whatever you want, I'll buy it for you," Zuko grinned.
"Really?! Are you sure?" her eyes lit up like a child's.
His heart stuttered for a second in his chest at the look on her face, "Of course, I'm sure. Let me spoil you."
For a moment, he forgot about what was weighing him down. That's right. Everything's going to be okay now. I have everything I could possibly want.
Everything is perfect.

My POV:
I allowed Zuko to buy me only a few nice things, then he bought us lunch at a restaurant overlooking a peaceful lake. I didn't know where I was in relation to where I'd woken up or what time it was or what everyone else I knew was doing and for the first time in seemingly forever, I didn't care.
My worries and my guilts were only pinpricks at the back of my mind. They surfaced when I thought of what my friends would say, how Sokka would get carried away in that last shop, how much Toph would hate this place, how they would rave over the food as much as I was.
That all vanished when we left the restaurant and Zuko hurried me to a large building nearby, suddenly almost nervous, "Okay, this next stop I'm really excited to show you. It's my favorite place in—maybe the whole world."
Our guards and one servant halted at the door, leaving us alone for the first time today. We stepped inside, just to come across a giant open air courtyard filled with trees, bushes, flowers, fountains, and a pond. The grass was lush and green.
"Welcome to our private gardens," Zuko beamed.
"Zuko, it's gorgeous here," I breathed, stepping inside and starting to explore.
Zuko followed me silently. I could feel him watching me with amusement.
I reached the pond and gasped, "Awe! Turtleducks!"
I squatted down and reached out my hand, but seeing I had no food for them, they didn't float very close.
Zuko sat down on a bench a few feet behind me, musing, "I'm glad they still nest here. My mother and I used to feed them. Azula tried, but she just scares them off."
I laughed, rising and coming to sit next to him, "Why am I not surprised?"
He launched into more stories about his family—they seemed almost normal. He seemed almost happy. Time raced by.
After a while, we fell to silence, watching the turtleducks floating by. After a long moment, I broke the silence, "We're going to be happy here, right?"
Zuko gave me a strange look, but I didn't give in. "Of course, no more running, we have all the money and comforts we could ever need. I'll take my rightful place as Fire Lord and you'll be my queen," he reached up and caressed my cheek, "All the hard parts are done with. You're safe now and I'll be by your side forever, just like we promised."
I just nodded, but Zuko had sounded like he was trying to convince himself too. I shook off the idea and pulled him into a kiss, gentle, lazy, and lingering.
After a moment, we were interrupted by a familiar voice, "Y/N!"
I looked up to see Ty Lee bounding towards us. Zuko rolled his eyes but I jumped up and embraced her, "Hi, Ty Lee!"
"It's so good to see you! How do you like the Fire Nation? Isn't it just great?!"
"It's like a dream," I admitted.
"I'm not sure what kind of dreams you're having..." Mai droned, coming up behind Ty Lee, arm-in-arm with Azula, who scrunched her nose at me.
            "You're still wearing Earth Kingdom fashion?"
            I glanced down at my green dress. In truth I hadn't worn anything else since we left Ba Sing Se. My clothes weren't exactly in the forefront of my mind.
            "She can wear whatever she likes," Zuko grimaced at his sister.
            "Oh, please, ZuZu, you know that's not true. Not if she's going to be seen out with you,"
            "Besides, wouldn't she look great in red!?" Ty Lee exclaimed, putting an arm around me as if to show me off to the others, "Ooh, or pink!"
            "I'd be fine with either, but—" I started.
            "No buts! It's decided! Tomorrow, we're going shopping!"
            "Wonderful idea, Ty Lee, just us girls," said Azula, while Mai shrugged.
            "I guess. There are worse things to do."
            I smiled at their excitement. It wasn't practical of course to only have one dress. Especially if I was settling down in one spot, "Sounds like fun! Okay!"
            "Y/N—" Zuko seemed at war with himself.
            "Come on, they're just clothes,"
            "Clothes I'll have to pay for,"
            "You did say you wanted to spoil me, my Prince..."