Burnt Out - Zuko x OC

Divine Plan

~ NSFW ~

Running back down to the submarines felt like a dream. Kai's legs couldn't move fast enough and her heart seemed to be tugging her in the opposite direction; back towards the volcano, back towards a fight. Sokka dragged her along by the wrist while she continued to look over her shoulder.

They were under attack again. The eclipse had passed and they'd failed at taking over the Fire Nation. Aang and Katara were trying to keep the soldiers at bay while Sokka and the Water Tribe Warriors led everyone to safety.

"Everyone take cover, we're about to see some bombs!" Sokka shouted. War balloons floated over their heads like some sort of midsummer festival, and while he tried to pull Kai under the shelter of a smoldering boulder, her feet remained planted firmly on the ground.

Sokka looked back to see Kai chewing on her lip and looking forlornly at the Capitol.

"What are you doing?!" He shouted over the trampling screams of men.

Her cheeks were pink. Stray tears escaped from her eyes before she could respond. "I have to go back." Her voice cracked when she spoke.

"What??" Sokka's hand tightened around her wrist as she tried to take a step away from him. "Are you crazy? You can't go back, you'll get killed!"

Kai continued to look back and forth between safety and probable death — between her two lovers. Her heart was breaking for the second time that day and somehow it seemed worse this time around.

"Zuko's back there." She admitted. Saying it made the tears flow a little faster. "I saw him in the volcano, I felt him fighting Ozai. I have to—"

The soft hairs on Sokka's spine stood on end and she tugged harder, but he wouldn't let her go again. "No, Kai." He said as sternly as possible, holding onto her shoulders with both hands. "Zuko can handle his father on his own, but all these people —" he motioned to the bloody scene around them, "they can't take on an army of fire benders without you. They need you. I need you. So hate me for it if you want, but I have to get everyone back to the subs and you're coming with me — even if I have to drag you there kicking and screaming!"

Kai looked back toward the volcano one last time and realized that if Zuko had lost his fight, he was already dead. She'd be chasing after a corpse. There was no use in going after him, no use in both of them dying at the hands of his father. She glanced up at the sky afterwards. The explosions had stopped.

"Why aren't they turning around to attack us again?" She asked.

Aang landed beside the two of them, along with Katara and Toph. The war balloons were drifting further and further away.

"They're headed.. for the beach." Aang gasped, "They're gonna destroy the submarines!"

Bato dragged Hakoda to his children, limp arm slung over his shoulder. Immense pain from the explosion earlier still lingered while he explained that they couldn't all make it out safely, not if the subs were about to be destroyed.

"Then our only choice is to stand and fight. We have the avatar, we could still win." Sokka said as he grabbed his sword.

Hakoda shook his head. "Yes, with the Avatar we could still win. On another day. You kids have to leave. You have to escape on Appa together."

Katara broke down, grabbing her father's broken body and pleading with him to not leave her. She was reliving the death of her mother all over again in real time. Hakoda knew that this wasn't the end. It may be the beginning of hell, but it wasn't the end of the battle. They had to keep hope alive, and his children had always been that beacon for him.