Avatar: Shadows (Zuko x reader)

Chapter 1

(this will take place outside the original timeline during Zuko's exile and the cast of book one: water.)

A sword on your back and a fan on your hip you decide to go on an adventure to find out just who you are. what you know; You're not a firebender though you are from the fire nation, you not a water, air, or earth bender, and your only bending skill seems to be one that has never existed before. You can bend the dark reflection of a person or object, that's right a shadow bender. You don't know where it originates or why you're the only person that can do it but that facts are you can and you are. You had spent a year roaming around the earth nation looking for the avatar because you had hoped that he would know why you could bend shadows.

You never did find the avatar but you drew a lot of attention in the earth nation as a person who wonders about dressed in fire nation clothing. This had resulted in some bad information about you being a firebender who was working for the fire nation to find villages off the map, so when you arrived in a small village near Omashu you had been ambushed by the people who live there. They decide to lock you in a metal room which has only one small window on the door, and a bunk bed that hangs from the wall by a chain.

Inside the room there is a boy about your age and he is sitting on the top bunk pouting. There is a burn on the wall but it appears no damage was actually done to the wall.

You glare at the door. "this is unfair! You can't hold me here! I've done nothing wrong!" you yell.

"save it." the boy grumbles. "if they can hear us they don't give a damn."

You turn to face the boy whose face is hidden by shadows in the room. "who are you?"

"Zuko." He replies coldly. "and don't bother trying to firebend... it only makes it hot in here..."

"well then I guess it's a good thing I can't firebend." You reply.

Zuko raises his one eyebrow his golden yellow eyes pierce the darkness of the shadows cast on the wall. "you aren't a firebender?"

"nope." you reply. "I'm not really a type of bender that anyone has ever heard of." You glance at the door. "but because I am from the fire nation everyone assumes I can bend fire..."

"then what do you bend?" Zuko questions leaning forward into the light. Now you can see the burn on his eye and you recognize him from the palace a few years ago.

"Prince Zuko." You bow from force of habit. "I bend... shadows."

"shadows?" Zuko questions. "show me."

You bend shadows into the beam of light and make them into bunnies and butterflies.

"oh that's neat." Zuko nods. "and how effective is that in combat?"

"I've been able to take a person's shadow and use it to hold them down and stop them from moving, or I can use their shadow to make them move how I want them too." You reply. "so pretty effective."

"good then I have a plan." Zuko leaps from the bed and walks to the door to look out the tiny window. "do you see the guard over there?" he points. "I want you to grab his shadow and force him to open the door. he has the key in his pocket."

"I can try." You nod and look out the window. You direct a small shadow to stretch out towards the Guard and once you grab ahold of his shadow the real work begins. When somebody is asleep they are easier to control but when somebody is awake it's another story. You manage to get him to pull out the key but he doesn't go peacefully. He manages to break free and he runs out of the room believing he'd just been attacked by a ghost.

"bad luck." Zuko frowns.

"no it's ok he dropped the key." You smirk and use the shadow of the key to slide it across the ground so you can pick it up. then you open the cell door and smile. "see easy enough."

"clever." Zuko grins. "come with me." he slides his back against the wall to peer around the corner. "we stand a better chance of getting away if we head towards the forest." He nods towards thick trees on the other side of a large clearing. "we'll be in the open for less than a minute but if we get seen then we'll just have to fight." He looks at you. "you got it?"

"you want to just run for it?" You say baffled.

"better than waiting around here for the guard to come back." Zuko says. "go!" he yells and runs across the clearing.

You follow behind him running as fast as you can until you bump into Zuko who has stopped running. "why'd we stop?!" you question looking around.

"we got away." Zuko says. "we don't have to run anymore." He turns to you and puts his hand on his chin. "have I seen you someplace before?"

"I used to work for your father." You reply. "I'd been working in the palace sense I was three."

"oh yeah the adopted maid..." Zuko nods. "yeah I remember you." he frowns a bit. "I didn't know you left the palace."

"I did... I've been trying to discover who I truly am." You say. "I was hoping the avatar might know."

"what a coincidence I'm looking for the avatar as well." Zuko smirks. "though I'm sure it's a much different reason then you." he pauses for a moment and then frowns. "the good news is we're safe from the village.... The bad news is I have no idea where we are and I lost my uncle."

"well I guess I can stick with you until you find him." You smirk.

Zuko frowns and starts walking off. "I don't need a baby sitter... I'm perfectly capable of... ah!?" he screams as his foot is roped and he is hung upside down in a bear trap. "hu!?"

"you look like you totally have this covered." You smirk with a hand on your hip. "you want me to cut you down?"

Zuko huffs and bends fire on the rope. It breaks and he falls onto his back. "oww...."

"well that was smart." You chuckle a bit. "and fun to watch."

"shut up..." Zuko grumbles. He stands up and dusts himself off. "it won't happen again." He mumbles starting forward again. He steps directly into another trap but before it can hang him upside down you slice the rope with your sword.

"yes it seems you have this well in hand." You reply with a grin. "maybe you should watch your feet?"

He stands up again like he's going to retort angrily but then he pauses and looks away. "fine... thanks anyway." He then turns fully around and starts down the path more carefully this time watching out for traps. He knows he could deal with all the traps in one go with his fire but that may cause damage to the forest or set the forest on fire and he didn't want to risk it. after a few minutes he realizes he forgot to ask your name. "I didn't catch your name."

"I never told you my name." you reply. "it's (y/n) (y/ln)"

"oh." Zuko smirks a bit. "I like that."