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

Chapter 16

No One's POV:
A couple weeks after she had left, it sank in that Y/N really wasn't coming back. Zuko spent most of the daylight hours in the gardens or shut up in his bedchamber—though it was hard to spend much time there as every inch of the room reminded him of her. Anything to avoid Azula—who gloated and tormented him—and his father—who kept telling him that "it was for the best."
Then the worst possible thing—Zuko and Azula and her friends were dragged to Ember Island for the weekend and there was nowhere to hide. At least no one seemed to recognize Azula and himself and they were even invited to a party at a general's son's house who was ignorant of who they really were.
Zuko hoped to get some solace among new people around his age, but the noise of the party just grated on his nerves more.
"You know, you're more mopey than me lately, Zuko. And that's saying something," Mai said, coming up to where he sat on the sidelines. She offered him a plate of food, but he waved it away.
"I'm so bored," he grumbled.
"Story of my life," she said back, sitting next to him, "I know—"
"Don't say you know how I feel," Zuko pleaded, "Cause you don't."
Mai bristled, "Oh, this is about that Earth Kingdom tramp, isn't it?"
"Her name is Y/N. And no, she left me. She chose to leave and that's her loss,"
"She didn't leave you, you drove her away, Zuko,"
"How would you know?"
"Because that's what you always do. You drove me away, and now you've driven Y/N away. It's simple. You're probably the reason your mom even left too,"
Zuko leapt to his feet crying, "Shut up!"
Mai jumped to her feet too, but before she could retaliate, their host took Zuko by the shoulder, "Easy, man, just chill. This is a pa—"
He was cut off by Zuko whirling and socking him in the jaw. "Zuko!" Mai cried, as Azula and Ty Lee came running up.
Azula took the young man by the shoulders, plastering on a fake smile, "You'll have to excuse my brother, Chang. He just got dumped and he's still whining about it."
"I am not whining," Zuko snarled, shoving his sister, "I just—I just can't stand this stupid party!"
With that he stormed out.

            Zuko hardly paid attention to where he was walking until he came upon their old beach house. After wandering a bit through the silent, dark halls, haunted with memories, he settled on the front steps. It was there that the loneliness sunk in. "I'm surrounded by people and I'm still lonely," she had said. Now she was with her friends (hopefully) and he was without her and more lonely than ever.
            And the beach that he could see from here only reminded him of her—her skin, her lips. I really messed up this time. Maybe—
            His thoughts were interrupted by a shape coming up the path towards him. "I thought I'd find you here,"
            He looked away from his sister, musing, "Those summers we spent here seem so long ago. So much has changed."         
            Azula snorted, "Is this about what's-her-name?"
            "Among other things," he wanted to go on about how much he missed her and was rethinking everything, but held his tongue.
            Deciding he wasn't continuing, Azula turned away and started back down the path, "Come down to the beach with me. Come on, it's fucking depressing here,"
           Zuko rose and followed her down to the beach, hoping to push it all out of his mind.
           No such luck.
           The sound of the three women's bitching ground on his nerves until he snapped.
           "For so long I thought that if my dad accepted me, I'd be happy. I'm back home now, my dad talks to me. He even thinks I'm a hero!" he ignored Mai and Ty Lee staring and Azula smirking as all the pain and confusion boiled over, "Everything should be perfect, right? I should be happy now, but I'm not. I'm angrier than ever and I don't know why!"
           "There's a simple question you need to answer, then," Azula said, almost as if she was being helpful, "Who are you angry at?"
           "I don't know," Zuko felt completely powerless.
           "Is it Dad?"
           "No,"
           "Your uncle?" Ty Lee offered.
           "No, no,"
           "Me?"
           "Me?"
           "Y/N?"
           "No, no!"
           "Then who, Zuko?"
           "Yeah, who are you angry at?"
           "I'M ANGRY AT MYSELF!" the bonfire in front of him roared and spit. Even though it settled, the next moment, Zuko's thoughts continued to rage, I'm so confused about right and wrong and I lost Y/N! Mai's right, I drove her away! It's my fault she's gone.
           There had to be a way to get her back.

Ta-da! I'm not dead! Thanks for being patient while I worked on new chapters. This chapter and the next few follow Book 3 relatively closely. Enjoy!
                       ~Liz