Unrequited Love - Zuko

Unrequited Love - Zuko

✩ pairing: Zuko x Reader, Zuko x Mai

✩ genre: fluff, angst

✩ summary: Zuko and gender neutral reader aare childhood best friends. They’re inseparable, Reader would do anything for him. Unfortunately the feelings seem to be one sided, and when faced with his past and his future, he decides to be selfish.

♡ warning: some swearing, mentions of kn*ves, i think that’s it!

-

I’ve always been close with Zuko. We’ve known each other since we were kids. When Azula would tease him, or burn him, I’d take care of him, I’d help him however I could.

 If he was having a bad day because of his dad, I’d be there to talk him through it. If he was feeling down, we’d feed turtleducks together, or work on our firebending, or just try to distract ourselves. 

There was nobody I was closer with than him. It had always been like that. When he got banished, I left with him, I couldn’t be without him, and I knew he couldn’t be without me. I worked with him to capture the Avatar, I’d try to mediate the situation when he and Iroh would argue.

 I loved him, I truly, completely loved him. I still do, I don’t think I could stop. 

I still remember the day he told me about his feelings for Mai. Only a couple months before he was banished.

“Y/N, listen to me and you can’t laugh or I’ll tell the guards to get you out of here,” he said, while I was sat against a tree by the pond.

“Jeez, okay what’s the issue here, Princey?” I asked him, innocently unaware of what was to come.

I was already dealing with my schoolgirl crush on him, I really couldn’t deal with any other type of romance.

“Promise you won’t laugh?” “Pinky promise!” We interlocked fingers before he sat down in front of me.

I savoured that feeling. Despite being so close, he was never all that touchy. His hands were so warm, it contrasted my strange coldness despite being Fire Nation. Any chance I had to feel him, I’d take it.

“I really like Mai and I don’t know how or when it happened but I seriously think she’s the one,” he blurted out quickly, so fast I almost didn’t process it.

“Wha- Huh? You what?” I’m sure I must’ve looked ridiculous, gawking at him as if his organs had just fallen out.

I felt a pang in my chest. I had some faith that he wouldn’t be interested in her. She wasn’t good for him, I’m not sure how nobody else saw that but me.

“Did you really miss that?” 

“No, I’m just… Processing. When’d you realize?”

“I don’t know! That doesn’t matter, what do I do?” He groaned and fell back onto the grass.

The way the sun hit his face and made him squint his eyes to shield them from the light was strangely pretty. I guess that’s just how Zuko is. Pretty in the weirdest ways.

“Well what do you want to do? Do you wanna be with her, Zuko?” I was trying my best to conceal my emotions, secretly hoping some part of him felt something for me.

“That’s why I asked you! God Y/N help me out here!” 

“I’m trying! You’re making it a bit challenging. You’re gonna start getting set up with actual prince responsibilities, y’know? Do you have time for a relationship?” Maybe this was selfish to say.

Maybe would be an understatement. It was definitely selfish, but it isn’t my fault I accidentally provided biased suggestions.

“I have an idea.” He hadn’t heard a word I said.

“Go on, then. What’s the plan?” I pushed.

He sat up and stared at me. “Can you talk to Azula and Ty Lee and find out if she has any feelings for me?”

He had that stupid shit-eating, mischievous, childish, boyish grin on his face that could always get whatever he wanted.

I swallowed my pride, and pushed down my feelings for him, ignoring the growing pain in my chest.

“Fine. But you owe me big time.”

Unsurprisingly, I never found out. But I picked up signs from Mai that Zuko’s feelings weren’t one sided. Stolen glances at him, blushing when Ty Lee and Azula would set something up to get them to hug or touch each other, actually showing emotion whenever he was around. It was obvious. Maybe not to Zuko, but to everyone else.

Nothing ever happened between them, not then at least. Zuko became obsessed with regaining his honour, and getting the love he so desperately craved from his father. 

When the three of us finally made it to Ba Sing Se, and created new lives for ourselves, I had hope that Zuko would finally settle, that he’d acknowledge that his father’s acceptance didn’t have mean to mean everything.

He went through a literal ego death, this kid did one good thing and his body rejected it. I prayed to any and all gods that would listen that he’d put away his goal to capture the Avatar.

Everything was going well, it was nice. Even despite Zuko knowing the Avatar was in Ba Sing Se as well, he just worked in the tea shop with us. He would even go on walks with me, he’d hold hands with me. We were getting somewhere with our relationship, I couldn’t have been happier.

I should’ve known this feeling of happiness and contentment would be short lived and painfully temporary. 

As quickly as everything improved, it got worse again. We were trapped in the palace when we found out the Dai Li had been working for Azula, that they’ve been watching us our entire stay here.

We were thrown in something resembling a dungeon, where we ran into Katara, a member of the Avatar’s group. Unsurprisingly, she wasn’t very happy to see us.

“Zuko?! Y/N? What are you two doing here?” She cried, I took a step toward her desperately trying to calm down. “Get away from me!”

“Calm down! We’re not trying to hurt you, we’re not working with them I promise!” I tried to reason with her.

“Real convincing, I totally trust you.” Katara responded, sarcasm dripping from her words.

Zuko sat quietly, there was definitely something pressing on his mind. I acknowledged his silent presence before turning back to Katara.

“Look, I know we were definitely not good in the past, but I swear we’ve changed. We wouldn’t be locked down here with you if we were working with the Fire Nation. We just wanted to settle somewhere, we wanted to get away from this chaos.”

She took a deep breath and sighed loudly. “Fine, but I better not run into you again once we’re out of here.” She then proceeded to try to bend herself out of here, despite being encapsulated in crystals.

I sat down next to Zuko, and gave him a sympathetic look. “What’s on your mind?” I asked him.

“I thought we got away. I thought we’d be safe now. How does she manage to ruin everything without even trying?” He was upset, that much was obvious. Sweat lining his forehead, his short hair messy and dirty, tears brimming his eyes. He hadn’t been this way in years.

It hurt to see. I wished that I’d never see him feel that way again. He deserves so much better than that pain.

It hurts like a bitch realizing time and time again how in love I am with someone that’ll never feel the same.

“I guess she gets it from her father,” I tried to joke, but boy was the timing bad. “Sorry. This isn’t the end though, we can still defeat your father, we can restore balance to the Nations, don’t give up yet, Zuko.”

Katara sat down next to us, eyeing us suspiciously, but getting more trusting.

“What happened to you guys?” She asked simply, cutting to the chase.

I chuckled and grinned slightly. “That’s a bit of a story. Where do you want us to start?”

She took a moment to think, looking around the cavern, then me, and Zuko, before her eyes settled on his scar.

The scar that damn near ruined our lives. That violently removed us from our home, that sent us on this wild goose chase after a 12 year old boy.

The scar that only existed as a result of speaking without being spoken to. A disgusting, disturbing punishment for such a small mistake.

Zuko’s too good for the treatment he received from his father. If there’s one good thing that happened after his banishment, it’s getting the love he deserves from Iroh, even if he didn’t know how to accept it.

His scar ruined any semblance of self confidence he had. He didn’t realize how beautiful he was regardless. He didn’t realize that he can still be loved, and still show love. It damaged him, he just wanted to make a suggestion and he paid an ungodly price for it.-

“Do you mind me asking how you got that scar? You don’t have to tell me of course, but if you’re comfortable letting me know, I’m all ears.”

Katara’s question cut off my thought process, I look over to my lifelong crush.

Zuko took a second to process, then collect his thoughts.

“That’s where our whole journey started. My father fought me in an Agni Kai. He burnt me to teach me a lesson. The only way I could gain back his love, and my honour and place in the Fire Nation is by catching the Avatar. He banished me, the Avatar is my only ticket back in.”

She stared at him, I looked between the two of them, curious as to how she’d react.

“Why would you want to go back? If your own father would do that to you, why would you ever want to return there?”

“That’s what I’ve been saying!” I blurted out. I covered my mouth quickly out of shock of actually saying that out loud. My response was simply a smack on the arm from Zuko.

“It’s my home, it’s all I know.” Is all he said. We left it at that, just sitting in silence for a few moments.

“I could heal your scar if you want? Katara offered.

The two of us stared at her, I almost let out a cackle.

“Countless healers have tried to get rid of it, I’m sorry to say but I doubt you’re any different. You might be skilled, but it’s still just water, and you’re still just a kid.” I told her, repressing my laugh.

“I’m not like other healers, and this isn’t just water. I got it after our fight in the Northern Water Temple, it has special properties, it’s powerful. Would you be willing to let me try?” She asked again.

Zuko went into deep thought again, weighing the options.

“Are you sure you’d be willing to do that for me?” He stared at her, hopeful but ready to be let down.

“Definitely, Spirits knows how long we’ll be stuck down here.” She smiled at him. “Could you move over a bit, Y/N? I need some space.”

I basically jumped up. “Oh, sure, yeah no worries.”

I watched her bend the water out of the case she carried it in, and I was entranced by the fluid and gentle movements.

Suddenly there was a crash, and once I turned to the side I had to immediately dodge a throwing knife.

Mai. 

Katara quickly retaliated, taking the water and whipping Mai’s ankles. Following her lead, I performed a fire sweep and aimed for her ankles.

A figure came out from behind Mai, followed by another.

We were now faced by Mai, Ty Lee, and Azula.

“Zuzu! Y/N! So good to see you again.” Azula said, as snarky as ever.

“Oh quit the pleasantries, Azula. Let’s just get this fight over with.” I rolled my eyes, just wanting to get out of the situation

Katara and I got back into a fighting stance, but Zuko was still just staring at the three of them, but his eyes would always go back to Mai.

“Zuko come on, we need to get out of here!” Katara yelled at him, but he was unphased.

“Aww is someone second guessing being a ‘good guy’?” Azula taunted. She started walking towards Zuko.

Mai stood next to Ty Lee, twirling her knife and staring me dead in the eyes. Ty Lee on the other hand had… less aggressive intentions. “Hey, water-bender! Is your brother still single?” She grinned.

Katara responded by simply whipping Ty Lee gently, not wanting to prematurely start a fight.

“Ty Lee, for the love of Agni just shut up for a minute.” Mai groaned.

“Y’know Zuzu, it isn’t too late to join us. Father will still love you if you join us now, we can capture the Avatar once and for all if you work with me. You can join the Fire Nation again! Isn’t that what you want?” Azula was talking to Zuko as though nobody else was in the room.

“I told you to stop calling me that.” Is all he said in response.

Please Zuko, make the right decision. Don’t do this to us. Please.

“Are you going to defeat these peasants with us or not?” She asked, growing increasingly impatient.

He was quiet, he was thinking. Mai and Ty Lee were getting more antsy, and Katara and I were just about to start attacking.

“Zuko don’t do this. Please, be smart. You don’t have to go with them. You have a family, you have me and Iroh. We love you, please, please don’t do this.” I begged. I didn’t know what I’d do without him.

He looked me in the eyes, he watched the tears threatening to pour out of my eyes. He looked to Mai, his entire look changed.

“I’m sorry.”

It was the last thing he said before he shot a chi blast toward me. I quickly built a fire wall before grabbing Katara and running like hell out of the caverns.

I tried to ignore the burning sensation in my chest, but the pain was undeniable.

The boy I spent damn near my entire life pining over, the boy I left my home for, I trusted, I fought with, I fought for. He betrayed and abandoned me without a second thought. I could pretend it didn’t hurt, I could pretend that I wouldn’t miss him, but he’s the only constant I’ve ever had. He’s the only thing that was consistent.

He was my rock, I loved him. We were closer than anyone else. We were a power duo. How the hell does he expect me to move on from this? How am I supposed to forget the one and only person I’ve loved. Someone that I built my world around, but that’s willing to leave me the moment he might get affection from his abusive father.

I told myself I didn’t need him, that I’d build a new life with Katara and her friends, that we’d save the world together, but I need him, I really do.

That was the last time I saw him, and I had to accept that he’d always choose her. I’d never be what he wanted.

It didn’t matter what I did, she’d always come first on his list of priorities. I may have been his best friend, his support system, but that would never matter.

Mai always came first.