The Fire Within: Zuko x reader (Avatar the last Airbender) *Slow Updates*

Chapter 5: The Hot Spring Incident

"Uncle Iroh!" Y/n heard Zuko yelling.

She quickly sunk back into the steaming water of the hot springs.

"Uncle Iroh!" He shouted again.

After a quite minute he didn't shout again, so Y/n assumed he had found his uncle.

After being at sea for so long, Y/n missed taking long relaxing baths in warm water, so when she discovered the hot springs, she took the opportunity and so did Iroh in the far away neighboring springs.

But the quiet didn't last long as footsteps were heard coming from the tall grass.

As a precaution, Y/n grabbed her spear (that was next to the spring) and held it above the water, while keeping her body under.

"Y/n?!" She heard Zuko's voice, "I'm not looking! I swear! My Uncle told me you were here" he came out of the tall grass, one hand over his eyes and the other in front of him feeling around to make sure he isn't bumping into anything.

Immediately a heated blush spread on her face, flustered and embarrassed, "yes, I'm right here, but c-can you turn around? If you don't mind?"

Zuko instantly spun around so that his back was facing her, hand still covering his eyes he said, "I only came to let you know that we'll be leaving in half an hour"

"You wouldn't dare leave without me" she said, "besides I'm the Com--"

"Thirty minutes, Y/n!" He interrupted, "and I will leave without you and my uncle"

"Fine, I'll be there soon" she said, "now a little privacy please?"

"Hurry!" He said as he walked back into the tall grass.

Submerging completely underwater Y/n enjoyed the last few minutes before she'd have to leave.
××××××××××
"You're back ten minutes early" Zuko said as Y/n as walked up the ramp to the ship, bundle of dirty clothes under her arm, spear in other and wore fresh clean clothes under her armor.

"Wouldn't want to leave you in charge of my crew" she smiled, "so shall we keep heading North?"

"No! Not without my uncle!" He said.

"He's still not back?" Y/n questioned.

"He should be back soon, the half hour is almost up" he said.
×××××××××
The rest of the day was uneventful, and stubborn Zuko refused to go get his uncle, until eventually the night fell.

"Zuko, we need to get going, we've wasted an entire day" Y/n said as a solider helped her get onto a rhino, "if you don't get Iroh then I will" she took her spear.

"Fine, move back" he said.

"No way, you go in the back" she said not moving from the reins.

Zuko let out a sigh and joined Y/n on the rhino.
××××××××××
"Uncle!" Zuko yelled as he got off the rhino, "this is where he was"

Y/n got off the rhino as well and handed the reins to a solider near by, looking around the dark forest.

"Uncle, where are you?" Zuko called out, walking up to an empty hot spring.

"Sir, maybe he thought you left without him" a solider said.

Y/n ignored the comment, knowing Iroh would never, and examined the rocks, they were in a very particular shape, pointing upwards.

"Somethings not right here!" Zuko said.

Y/n pointed, "these rocks"

"It looks like there's been a landslide, Miss" a solider said, while Zuko came over to examine the rocks.