You're Not Alone Zuko x Reader

=Chapter 9=

Iroh and I sat talking in a cave while Zuko was in town. After awhile Zuko came back with barrel's full of food. 

"Where did you get these?" Iroh asked skeptically. 

"What does it matter where it came from?" Zuko replied waking away.

"Hmm." Iroh looked at me and raised an eyebrow and took a bite of some of the food Zuko brought. "Mmm!" 

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I sat across from Zuko in the cave, surrounded by all the things he "collected." I was playing with the chain of my necklace. I searched his face with my eyes. I wasn't quite sure what I was looking for. He must have sensed my eyes on him cause he turned to me and smirked, "Hey,"

"Hey, Zuko." I looked down at my hand that was still fidgeting with the chain of my necklace, the locket still tucked into my shirt.          

He looked at my hand and asked. "What's that?" pointing to my neck.

"Oh," I pulled the locket out, holding it in my hands. "It's the necklace you gave me when you first entered the earth kingdom colonies."

He looked surprised, "You still have it?"

"Of course I do," I smiled still looking at the locket. I opened it and took out the letter I put inside all those years ago. I held it out to Zuko and he grabbed it. "It's the first letter you wrote to me after you left." He unfolded and started reading the note.

"Wow, that seems like a million years ago." He crawled across the cave settling beside me. I could feel his body heat on my skin. He looked down at the necklace then back into my eyes, "It really does match your eyes." 

We both sat next to each other staring into the fire. I put my head on his shoulder and we both fell asleep.         

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My eyelids fluttered. Apparently, Iroh put a blanket over us. I didn't want to get up so I pretended to still be asleep. I felt Zuko's eyes on me.

"Looks like you did some serious shopping," Iroh said to Zuko. "but where did you get the money?"  

"Do you like your new teapot?" Zuko asked him, ignoring his question. 

"To be honest with you, the best tea tastes delicious whether it comes in a porcelain pot or a tin cup,"  Iroh said. "I know we've had some difficult times lately. We've had to struggle just to get by." I could hear Iroh sit next to Zuko. "But it's nothing to be ashamed of." He made his voice as to not 'wake me up'. "There is a simple honor in poverty." 

"There's no honor for me without the avatar," Zuko said. If my eyes were open I'd be rolling them. 

"Zuko..." Iroh sighed. "even if you did capture the avatar, I'm not so sure it would solve our problems. Not now,"

I felt Zuko's body shift, "Then there is no hope at all." 

"No, Zuko! You must never give into despair. Allow yourself to slip down that road and you surrender to your lowest instincts. In the darkest times, hope is all you can give yourself. That is the meaning of inner strength." Iroh said. Zuko got up and walked away forcing out of my fake slumber. I stood up to follow him but Iroh put a hand on my shoulder and said, "I think he needs to be alone,"

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I sat on a boulder outside the cave while Iroh was sipping his tea inside. Zuko walked up to him and said. "Uncle...I thought a lot about what you said."