your love is my oxygen - Zuko x reader

The Fire Nation

Y/N's POV
"No! You can't take him! You can't take Oogi from me, please! I'll do anything!"

The monks shook their heads in disapproval, "your bison would be better off in somebody else's care, somebody responsible and-"

"NO! I DON'T CARE! YOU KNOW FULL WELL THAT I'D PUT MY LIFE ON THE LINE FOR HIS WELL BEING, YOU CAN'T TAKE HIM FROM ME, HE'S MY BEST FRIEND- WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME!"

I was being pulled further and further away from Oogi as I bent and struggled to fight back.

"LET ME GO!"

"PLEASE, DON'T TAKE HIM!"

I felt my voice crack, "HE'S ALL I HAVE!"

I woke up gasping for breath in a grand bedroom decorated with crimson and gold.

I slipped out of the satin sheets to take a walk through the outdoor corridors to calm myself down.

"Out for a late night stroll?"

"Princess Azula! I'm sorry, I didn't see you there."

She exhaled, "it's alright. What are you doing up so late?"

I raised an eyebrow, slightly confused at her attempt to make conversation with me, especially based on what Zuko had told me about her.

"Nightmares."

"Oh? What about?"

Her tone was curious, no hint of sympathy.

"Just stuff that happened a long time ago. The monks tried to take my bison away from me after an incident occurred that was my fault."

"Is that so? I was rather intrigued to know what you're capable of, I hear you're quite the asset."

"What do you mean?"

—

"Your sister said I might find you here, I watched the ceremony, you looked cool."

Zuko glanced up at me and handed me some of the bread he had in his hands as I took a seat next to him.

"Your girlfriend is pretty."

He visibly tensed for a moment, before nodding, "yeah..."

Things had been weird between us ever since what happened in Ba Sing Se; I was trying to pretend everything was normal, but it wasn't working.

After a little while, Zuko finally initiated conversation, "how are you finding the palace?"

"It's fine, your sister is nicer than I pictured and I like the turtle-ducks, you have good food, too."

He nodded, staring at the bread in his hands and I asked, "are you upset with me?"

"What? No. Why would I be?"

"I mean... things happened back in Ba Sing Se, and with your uncle-"

"I don't wanna talk about it."

We were interrupted by a newly familiar shadow and the ducks scurrying away, "you seem so downcast. Has Mai gotten to you already? Though actually, Mai has been in a strangely good mood lately."

I sighed, laying back onto the grass and staring up at the sky, trying to ignore the conversation that was about to unfold.

"I haven't seen dad yet. I haven't seen him in three years, since I was banished."

"So, what?"

"So, I didn't capture the avatar."

"Who cares? The avatar's dead."

I felt myself almost wince at that.

"Unless, you somehow think he miraculously survived?"

"No. There's no way he could've survived."

"Well, then I'm sure you have nothing to worry about."

As Princess Azula walked away, I noticed that Zuko was tense and staring straight ahead, supposedly deep in thought.

"Hey, do you wanna talk about-"

"No. I'm gonna go. Uh- if you need anything just find one of the servants, they'll deal with it."

And he left me there.

I liked the Fire Nation palace, I really did, it gave me a sense of nostalgia from the brief time I spent here over a century ago, but I couldn't help feeling out of place.

And so I sat alone at the pond with the turtle ducks for a while, feeding them with what Zuko had left behind.

Zuko's POV
"You have been away for a long time, I see the weight of your travels has changed you. You have redeemed yourself, my son. Welcome home."

I sat bowed before my father's throne as he approached me.

"I am proud of you, Prince Zuko, I am proud because you and your sister conquered Ba Sing Se; I am proud because when your loyalty was tested by your treacherous uncle, you did the right thing and captured the traitor; and I am proudest of all of your most legendary accomplishment... you slew the avatar."

I felt my heart race as I quickly asked, "what did you hear?"

"Azula told me everything, she said she was amazed and impressed with your power and ferocity at the moment of truth."

—

"Why'd you do it?"

Azula still had her eyes closed as she replied, "you're going to have to be a little more specific."

"Why did you tell father that I was the one who killed the avatar?"

"Can't this wait until morning?"

"It can't."

She huffed, sitting up in her bed, "ugh, fine... you seemed so worried about how father would treat you because you hadn't captured the avatar. I figured if I gave you the credit, you'd have nothing to worry about."

"But, why?"

She stepped out of her bed and walked towards me, "call it a generous gesture. I wanted to thank you for your help, and I was happy to share the glory."

"You're lying."

"If you say so."

"You have another motive for doing this. I just haven't figured out what it is."

"Please, Zuko. What ulterior motive could I have? What could I possibly gain by letting you get all the glory for defeating the avatar? Unless, somehow, the avatar was actually alive. All that glory would suddenly turn to shame and foolishness. But you said yourself, that was impossible. Sleep well, Zuzu."

I turned to leave. She knows.