Avatar: Shadows (Zuko x reader)

Chapter 9

As your lying in bed thinking about Zuko's offer you hear the lock on the door click. You sit up and see Iroh has opened the door. "Iroh?" you question.

"not that it's any of my business." Iroh says setting a tray on the floor. "but I brought you some sandwiches and tea." He glances at you and frowns. "my nephew is excited that he caught the avatar but he is worried about what might happen to you when we reach the dock."

"if he was so damn worried why didn't he leave me in the earth nation!?" you growl.

"I've yet to get him to tell me." Iroh sighs. "I'm sure he has a reason."

"well thanks I guess." You pout. "he's sourly mistaken if he thinks I'm going to be ok with going back to my old life. I don't care if my family owes his a debt, I don't want to serve a family who head a war."

"I understand." Iroh nods. "truly I would not like to see any harm fall on you." he walks back out the door. "I will try to reason with my nephew on your behalf."

"thanks..." you wait until the door is closed before you stand up. you look at the tea and sandwiches. Clearly Iroh had made them himself because he took the time to cut the sandwiches into triangles and remove the crust so they look very lovely. 'why is he being so nice to me?' you wonder. After eating the sandwiches, you hear the door click again when you look up this time you see Zuko.

"have you thought about my offer?" Zuko questions.

"I don't want to serve the palace anymore. That's why I left in the first place." You frown.

"like it or not you owe my ancestors a life debt." Zuko crosses his arms. "I'm sure my father knows that."

"I don't owe you anything." You growl. "I saved you three times yesterday." You stand up glaring at Zuko. "besides that was hundreds of years ago! Times have changed drastically. Your people are on the other side of the war this time!" you point at Zuko accusingly. "your ancestor that spared my people would cringe if he saw what became of the nation he founded!"

Zuko leans against the wall extremely calm for being faced with you yelling at him. "yeah I know." He nods. "after hearing your peoples story... that's why you have to come back with me."

You pause for a moment. "what do you mean? Why aren't you yelling back at me?"

"well your right." Zuko shrugs. "my father wants a war... or rather he wants to overtake the other nations much the same way your people did in the past." He glances at you. "somehow you must be the key to stopping that. My father thinks the Avatar is what is going to stand in his way but if I had to be honest with you I think it's very unlikely that Aang would stand a chance against my father."

"wait... you're not making any sense..." you frown.

"actually I am." Zuko chuckles a little. "I'm telling you that Aang isn't ready to fight my father. if you want to end the war you're going to have to learn a new trick."

"oh yeah?" you pout. "what are you talking about?"

"learn to fight fire bending." Zuko says standing up. "if you can figure out how to fight without breaking your shadow you would be the most unstoppable person in existence." He steps towards you letting the door close behind him. "I might seek my father's approval but I don't approve of this war he has started. Growing up I knew it was a terrible thing and that was what drove me to speak against him... the reason I was thrown away." Zuko glares at the door. "but you... you come from people who were stronger... stronger than even the avatar. So powerful that the shadow chain was removed from the avatar's cycle to keep the avatar from using its power against humanity." He looks at you again. "you alone can stop this mess."

"what would you have me do?" you huff.

Zuko nods. "tomorrow morning we will reach the fire nation. The avatar will be turned over to my father and you will be punished for fleeing the nation. That is all unless you can find a way to overcome your bending weakness." He punches the air and a blast of fire rushes past you. "so then if you wish to change that fate you will need intensive training."

"you're crazy." You smirk. "I like it. was this your plan all along?"

"no." Zuko smirks. "I was going to let the avatar have at him until I heard the old lady talking about your mysterious tattoo." He pulls the red pendant out of his pocket. "I was hoping that held some kind of hope for peace." He flips it up into the air and catches it. "so... will you help me?"

"you're not going to betray me?" you frown.

"no." Zuko holds the pendant up and looks at it. "I want to remove my father from power." He glances at you. "I just require your assistance with getting him to step down."

"but why do you want him to step down now?" you question.

"because this war needs to end." Zuko nods. "we weren't meant to fight each other like this. My family is supposed to be the people who stop stuff like this not cause it. according to your past and the creation of the fire nation this should never have happened. Nobody else is going to fix it so we're going to have to do it ourselves." He puts the coin back in his pocket. "come on we're training until it gets dark."