You're Not Alone Zuko x Reader

=Chapter 10=

We decided to set up camp in one of the abandoned buildings. Iroh hasn't woken up yet. 

Zuko was looking out of the giant hole in the wall. I finished bandaging Iroh and walked over to him. The sun was setting making the sky beautiful shades of pink, purple, and orange. Zuko turned to face me. The sky was reflecting in his eyes. He held both of my hands. I felt a fluttery feeling in my stomach. 

"Thank you, Y/n." His golden eyes stared right into my green ones. I was speechless. "I never should have left you. I'm so sorry." 

I squeezed his hands, "I forgive you, Prince Zuko." His flicked down at my lips then back up to my eyes. I got on the tips of my toes and kissed his cheek. I left my lips millimeters from his skin for a moment before pulling away. I looked up into his eyes. 

He let go of my hands and held my face with his. His eyes never leaving mine. "y/n..." He whispered.  He gave me a small smile. "You should get some rest,"

The next day          

Zuko was trying to brew some tea for when his uncle woke up. I was braiding my hair and started humming a song to myself. It was peaceful. 

After a while, Iroh started to stir. "Uncle. You were unconscious." Zuko told him. "Azula did this to you,"

"It was a surprise attack," I said.

"Somehow that's so not surprising." Iroh groaned as he sat up.

"I hope I made the way you like, "Zuko said holding out a cup of tea. 

By the look on Iroh's face, he didn't, but he wasn't about to tell Zuko that, "Umm good." He lied. He took another sip and almost gaged, "That was very, um, bracing." Zuko handed him another cup but when his back was turned he poured it out the window. I tried my best not to laugh.

"So, Uncle, We've been thinking," He gestured to me. "It's only a matter of time before we run into Azula again. I'm going to need more advanced fire bending if I want to stand a chance against her. I know what you're going to say: she's my sister and I should be trying to get along with her"

Iroh set down his cup. "No. she's crazy and she needs to go down." he stood up and grunted in pain. "It's time to resume your training."

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"Lightning is a pure expression of fire bending-" Iroh started teaching Zuko. I wasn't paying any attention. I fixed my eyes on Zuko, studying his body language.  

after a bit, we moved outside. Iroh shot lightning from his fingers into the sky, catching my attention. Zuko copied Iroh's movement but it blew up in his face, Literally. 

He kept trying over and over again, "Why can't I do it! Instead of lighting, it keeps exploding in my face! Like everything always does!" His voice cracked. 

"I was afraid this might happen. You will not be able to master lightning until you have dealt with the turmoil inside you." Iroh explained.

"What turmoil?!" Zuko shouted. Is he serious?   

"Zuko, you must let go of your feelings of shame if you want your anger to go away," Iroh told him. 

"But I don't feel any shame at all. I'm as proud as ever." Zuko said.

"Prince Zuko, pride is not the opposite of shame, but its source. True humility is the only antidote to shame." Iroh said.

"Well, my life has been but nothing humbling lately," Zuko mumbled. 

"I have another idea. I will teach you a fire bending move that even Azula doesn't know. Because I made it myself." Iroh said with thumps up. 

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Iroh grabbed a stick and started drawing in the sand. 

"Fire is the element of power. The people of the Fire Nation have desire and will, and the energy and drive to achieve what they want." He drew the symbol of the Fire Nation. 

"Earth is the element of substance. The people of the Earth Kingdom are diverse and strong." Zuko glanced at me. "They are persistent and enduring." He drew the symbol of the Earth Kingdom.          

"Air is the element of freedom. The Air Nomads detached themselves from worldly concerns and found peace and freedom. Also, they apparently had a very good sense of humor." Iroh smiled widely. He drew the symbol of the Air Nomads.

"Water is the element of change. The people of the Water Tribe are capable of adapting to many things. They have a deep sense of community and love that holds them together through anything." He drew the symbol of the Water Tribes. 

Zuko looked up at his uncle. "Why are you telling me these things?" 

"It is important to draw wisdom from many different places. If you take it from only one place it becomes rigid and stale. Understanding others, the other elements, and the other nations will help you become whole." 

"All this four elements talk is sounding like avatar stuff," Zuko said.

"It is the combination of the four elements in one person that makes the avatar so powerful, but it can make you more powerful too." He poked Zuko's chest with his stick. "You see, the technique I am about to teach you is one I learned by studying the water benders,"

"Water benders deal with the flow of energy. A water bender lets their defense become their offense, turning their opponents energy against them. I learn a way to do this with lightning." Iroh said,

"You can teach me to redirect lightning?" Zuko asked hopefully. 

Iroh nodded. "If you let the energy in your own body flow, the lightning will follow it." 

He kept explaining it more. Eventually, Zuko began copying his movements.   

"Excellent! You've got it," Iroh said proudly.

"Great! I'm ready to try it with real Lightning," Zuko said.

"What?!" I yelled.

"Are you crazy? Lightning is very dangerous." Iroh agreed. 

"I thought that was the point, you teaching me how to protect myself from it. " Zuko said.

"Yeah, but I'm not going to shoot lightning at you!" Iroh exclaimed. "If your lucky, you will never have to use this technique at all." a storm was brewing in the distance.  

"Well, if you don't help me, I'll find my own lightning." He said and got on the horse. 

"Zuko, please," I said. But he just got on his horse and rode off.

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The storm was getting worse and Zuko hadn't come back yet. So I went to find him. I searched in the freezing rain and found him standing at the edge of a cliff.

"You've always thrown everything you could at me!" He shouted into the sky. He didn't notice I was there. "Well, now I can take it! and now I can give it back!" lightning struck not too far away from him. "Come on! strike me! You've never held back before!" 

Tears ran down my cheeks. Zuko yelled and sunk to his knees. "Zuko, please," I begged. He turned to me he was crying too. "Don't do this. Please,"  I held him in my arms. Tears still pouring down my face. I rested his head on my shoulder and whispered, "I love you, Zuko."