i'm fifteen, you jerk! (a:tla, reader insert)

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

"Hello. Is something amiss, soldiers?" The Dai Li officers were silent as they handcuffed you with rock. "What's wrong? I haven't committed any crimes, last I checked." your heart race was increasing, and soon enough you would be too panicked to think straight. Calm down. Calm down. I'm that wherever they're taking you won't hurt you.

The officer threw you into the cave, and you barely managed to land on your back. Maybe they'll hurt you, but they won't hurt Zuko and Azula...? You weren't too sure. You looked around, seeing a sleeping Katara and a whole lotta rocks. The cave was long, surely you could find some form of food and water. Or, better yet, shelter. You would go see Katara when she woke up.

You walked around, trying to find a clearing where you could hide if someone more... dangerous was thrown in here. You found a little space around the size of a bed that was surrounded by crystals, a perfect place to inhabit.

You unraveled your scarf, setting your bright-eyed and bushy-tailed children on your lap. You rolled the scarf to be comfortable, and you placed Zuko and Azula down. They started to talk again, and you were delighted to hear the word "mama" over and over again. Although, you didn't want their noise to wake up Katara.

"Shhh, my little loves. I'm so excited that you're talking, but I need you to quiet. Come on, come on. Yeah, that's it." you entertained your children, making sure that their giggles were quiet.

You heard yelling coming from where Katara was, and you started to wrap your scarf around you, tucking Zuko and Azula into it.

"Is everything..." the words died on your lips as you saw Katara and your brother yelling at each other. You stayed for a little bit, listening to their conversation, until you decided to speak up. "The Fire Nation has taken everything from everyone, Katara. I lost-"

"Oh, yeah? What could you have possibly lost?" Zuko challenged, and you handed your children to Katara. "Hold them." you whispered, and she nodded. "I asked you a question." you sighed. "I lost my freedom."

"You didn't lose your freedom, you ran away."

"No. The moment I was married to Zhao I lost all of my rights as a person. You don't understand, and you never will. You were the lucky one."

"I was banished! You still have a claim to the throne!"

"It doesn't work like that, Prince Zuko." there was something desperate in your eyes. "Zhao would be the Fire Lord. I would be his wife, destined to stay behind the scenes forever." your mannerisms hadn't changed fully, but you were getting more casual with your brother.

"Then what's the point of you running away?"

"I did what I had to do. My children deserve a good life, and I'm not a proper mother if I don't provide it for them." in all your agitation, you didn't notice that you were bending the water from Katara's open flask until it hit your brother in the face. He turned to glare at Katara, opening his mouth to yell at her.

"Apologies, that was me. I didn't control myself in my moment of agitation, please forgive me, Prince Zuko." he stared down, incredulous at your words. "You're a firebender. But that means- no. You're not the Avatar." you smiled bitterly, getting on your knees in a bow.

"I am not, but I am adopted. I thought that I would learn the elements and become the mock Avatar to help father succeed in his goal of conquering the entire world. It was a foolish idea, because it was around the time I mastered water-"

"I don't care." you nodded, standing up. "Apologies, Prince Zuko. I won't bore you any longer, it must be a waste of your time." you took Zuko and Azula back from Katara, going over to your spot as your friend yelled at your brother for how he treated you.

You didn't care all that much, and you could barely move as your uncle and Aang came to "save" you. "Wait, but Y/N-"

"Y/N's here? I only got a vision of you being in danger. Not her, too. Where is she?" you stood up, approaching your embracing friends. "I am here, Avatar Aang." keep up the act until you can't. Once Zuko's gone it'll be okay. Everything will stop, and it won't hurt anymore. As if on instinct, your voice had risen to the pitch and tone it was when you were back home. It hurt to switch so suddenly, but it was for the greater good if Zuko kept his image of you in his mind.

"Let's go." you followed your friends out, running like hell. You panted, reaching an underground room of some sort.

As if the universe wouldn't allow you a break, a blast of fire was sent your way. Blue fire. The only fire that was blue other than yours was... Azula. Fuck. Azula was here. "Y/N, get out of here!" Katara commanded, and you scanned the room. "Not so fast." Azula smirked, and then she was upon you. You found a place to lay your children while you fought, and you led her over there, moving backwards.

As Aang distracted her, you hid Zuko and Azula, making sure that they were out of sight. Your brother joined in on the brawl, and you could barely dodge as he sent a fire fist your way. "Shit." you muttered as you started to fight him.

Well, it wasn't a fight. It was you dodging his fire and him getting angrier with every attack you evaded. Katara hit him with a water whip, and the two started to tussle, leaving you with Azula. Aang was knocked out, and you could see that he was slowly getting up.

"Your eyes have changed, older sister." Azula taunted, but you wouldn't give in. "Ah, yes. You remember when grandfather first found me, no? I had E/C eyes, so he gave me dye to cover it up."

She stopped suddenly, her face morphing into a mock regret. "You can come back, Y/N. Father wants you. You can regain his trust, regain his love, all if you come with me. Father will find you a new husband, and you can live happily back home." Azula's lying. Azula's lying. Even if you knew that she was deceiving you, you couldn't deny that you wanted to be home. It wasn't worth the trickery. You would just end up under someone else's thumb, given to another man who wanted to exploit you.

"Please?" every one had turned their attention to the interaction between you and Azula, and you clenched your jaw. "No." she shrugged, clearly amused that she got to fight you and maybe even injure you. "Whatever you want, big sis." and the fighting resumed.

Azula turned her attention to Katara, slamming her against a wall of rock. You looked over to Aang, who looked outraged. He attempted to do something, and then the... oh no. The Dai Li were here.

You started to fight them off, but it was futile. The best you could do was defend yourself, and you would have to get in front of your children if you wanted to survive. You managed to push your way, knocking back soldiers and avoiding capture as you stood in front of the space that held your children.

Aang threw up a wall of crystal, starting to do something. "Wrong time, dumbass." you muttered, staring menacingly at the Dai Li officers who were approaching you. "Do it, you fucking idiots. Try to fight the first princess of the Fire Nation. I'm stronger than your leader, and I'm stronger than you." you snarled as they advanced. You braced yourself, but they never hit you. In fact, they were spread across the room by a wave, and you were barely to deflect the water off of you and Zuko and Azula.

"I'll hold them off." Iroh offered, and you ran. You ran, holding your children. Katara was holding Aang, but you would ask about that later.

"Fuck. This is my fault. Katara, let me heal him."

"No. Let me do it." you stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "No. I know how to treat lightning. I'll use your water though, if that's okay." she reluctantly gave you her amulet, and you uncorked the small thing, beginning to spin the water.

You turned Aang over so you could see his back, and some of your tears hit his wound. "Let's do this." you didn't notice how he started to awaken as you bent the water to heal him. He groaned, and you started to cry even harder. "Thank fuck. Thank fuck. Thank fuck."

Aang was alive, although Ba Sing Se had fallen. "Fuck...fuck." Zuko had taken the side of Azula. "Y/N, it'll be okay." Sokka tried to comfort you, but his words went in one ear and out the other.

"It won't. The Earth Kingdom has fallen, and it's all my fault."