Find Me | Zuko x reader | Avatar the Last Airbender | Book 1

Chapter 49: Defeated

          "You're banned." Sokka stated. 

          "I already knew that, thanks." F/N scrunched her knees up to her chin. "No more Cactus Juice until we figure it out. I know, now leave me alone, please?" 

          Sokka sighed, turning to join the others at the campfire, the light of his torch fading into a vague flickering light several yards away, leaving F/N in the darkness again. 

          It was a dark night, despite the recent full moon, thick clouds covering the waning light. F/N hadn't asked how many days she'd been unconscious, in fact, the interaction with Sokka she'd just had was the first time she had spoken at all in awhile.

          Y/N had tried to protect her family, and failed. Again. Like always.

          So the group had agreed that, temporarily, Y/N wouldn't exist, not even when the words Cactus Juice were uttered. 

          For safety.

          F/N was cold, not sitting with the others at the warm fire at camp in the cold night air, and the breeze picking up wasn't helping. She hadn't looked a single one of them in the eyes since the incident, since waking up. She didn't want to even be around them.

          The invasion was coming, fast, and they had enough problems without worrying about the crazy lunatic traveling with them lurking around nearby.

          F/N wouldn't make the mistakes Y/N did. The mask stayed on, piece in, and guard up. 

          F/N would charge into battle, and keep the Avatar safe.

          And win the war, avenging her dead parents.

                    Like F/N L/N was supposed to.

                              —| § ථ § |—

          It took seemingly forever, but today was finally the day. F/N kept to herself during the reuniting of old friends the group had made, and the Southern Water Tribe warriors. It was painful to not greet Y/N's father, but Hakoda was well aware of the situation, and the warriors had obviously spread her new reputation well.

          F/N was a foreboding presence in the submersible ship, even though the Water Tribe warriors new who she was, they still had a nervous, fidgety demeanor the entire trip. 

          They easily went underneath the flaming nets of the Great Gates of Azulon, and resurfaced before reaching the shore. The Gaang met on top of one of the subs, ready to split up. 

          "Wait, F/N is going with you?" Sokka asked suddenly, Aang commenting on how his new glider could probably carry two people easily. "But he's going to fight the Fire Lord."

          "It's my job to keep him alive, I won't be fighting Ozai directly, but only as support if he really needs it." F/N stated. "I will defend him until he reaches the Fire Lord, then draw back."

          "I thought this had already been decided." Aang wondered, looking at the concerned looks on Katara and Sokka's faces. "Look, I know the group has been a little tense recently, but I wholeheartedly believe that we can still trust F/N as we did before. Nothing has changed."

           "Thank you, Aang." F/N whispered, and he nodded, Katara pulling him off to the side as F/N faced Sokka.

          "....I'll be honest," he started when they were out of earshot. "I wish you'd stayed home. You would be safe, take care of Gran Gran..." Sokka kicked at the metal, not meeting her cold, white eyes. "You'd never had met Zuko, never had to go through all this pain... and- and I would still trust you."