The sky turned to blood. My lungs were nothing but smoke. I could feel the flame within me grow the heat rushing up to my head. The wind blew embers in my hair. I knew the comet had begun. I pressed up closer to Zuko on Appa,
"How are you holding up? You ready to fight Azula?"

"I'm not worried about Azula. It's just," Zuko sighed, "I'm worried about Aang. What if he can't face my father? What if he loses?"

"Then- then we'll figure something out. We always do you know."

"What about you (Y/N)? You've been quiet ever since we took off. I can tell when you're upset."

"Must be a perk of dating me." I smirked, "but then again there are many."

"(Y/N) please," he took my hand tighter in his, "you can tell me anything."

"To be honest I'm worried about you."

"I can defeat Azula (Y/N)."

"I know you can but what about-" I turned my head away from him, "Nevermind. It's not important what matters is taking down Azula!"

~

As we flew over the fire nation capital it was bare- nearly looking abandoned. The thing that scared me most was the noise- nothing silence. Like the whole world was asleep. The streets I once roamed- when I was little before everything changed. The houses I used to pass on my way to the palace, they all held terrified citizens scared of what will happen. So much had changed since then. But some part of me was still that scared little girl, afraid of what her mother will think or if she'll see her father again. Afraid of if I'll make it through the night without crying. Afraid  of why I'm so weak. But over all these years I've realized it's not bad to be afraid. Fear is natural but it isn't the enemy, it just means you still have something left to lose. My hand trembled over to Zuko's,
"Zuko."

"Yes (Y/N)?" He turned to me still holding Appa's reigns tight.

"If anything goes wrong I-" suddenly his lips were against mine. Passion melting against my skin, the flame inside me growing, "you beat me to it!"

"Thought I'd try to be bold like you," he smirked, "I love you okay? Even if we don't always agree or I make a dumb choice, you're my best friend (Y/N)."

"Did you just friendzone me? That's my job."

"You're so cute when you're flustered."

"You're not so bad yourself ZuZu."

"Do NOT call me that," He crossed his arms.

"What can I say? You're cute when you're mad."

His tone changed, "We're here."

Appa glided over the palace and to the ground. Azula immediately struck my sight she was surrounded by fire sages and no one else.  Her eyes twinged even from a distance as if something wild was running through. Her hair was messy and unkempt, her skin was pale almost frail. She meet my gaze,
"What happened to you Azula?" I thought.

"You're not going to become firelord today I am!" Zuko jumped off of Appa.

"You're hilarious." Azula laughed.

"And you're going down!" I took my place next to Zuko. Azula's eyes tracked me.

The firesage crowning Azula tried to continue but she stopped him,
"Wait. You want to be Fire Lord? Fine. Let's settle this. Just you and me, brother. The showdown that was always meant to be. Agni Kai!"

"You're on."

"Zuko wouldn't it be better if we both fought her? She's trying to manipulate you. She's trying to separate us."

"I know. I can take her this time." A faint smile crossed his lips when his gaze meant mine.

"But I thought we agreed with Iroh you would need my help. I thought that we could do this together."

"There's something off about her. I can't explain it but she's slipping. And this way no one else has to get hurt." He laid his hand on my shoulder.

"I thought you got over that!" I sighed, "But I trust you Zuko. If you think it's best."

~

They stood at opposite sides of the dirt field staring eachother down. Every so often Azula would look at me it with this crooked grin. And every time I was a little less scared. Zuko was right there is something wrong with her. She took off her fire lord garments,
"I'm sorry it has to end this way, brother."

"No you're not."

I tried to watch the fight, I tried to stay focused. But suddenly a memory came dripping back in, burning each and every one of my thoughts. It brought back something I hadn't felt in a long, long time.

Many years earlier, Fire Nation Girl's Academy

The wind  blew up against my cheeks.
I sat quietly on the cold pavement of the staircase smiling to myself as my friends waved from the distance,
"First week of school over and I already made two great friends Mai and Ty Lee." My smile fell a little, "I wonder what mom will think."

I remembered how she wanted me to try to befriend the firelord's daughter but I haven't seen her all day. And to be honest she scared me a little. She was so good at firebending, I would feel so weak around her. But I'm sure she's nice if she's related to the firelord!

"Looks like mom forgot to get me- but I'll get some practice in. She'll be so impressed when I get home. I walked to the agni Kai field in front of the school.

"Fire kick!" I raised my leg but nothing came out but a puff of smoke. Suddenly I heard a muffled sound,
"Is someone crying?"

I followed the noise, leading me all the way to one of the firebender statues surrounding the school. There sat-
"Azula?"

Her head snapped up,
"You-you can't see me like this you'll think I'm weak."

"You weak? You're the best bender in the whole school." I reached my hand out toward her which she reluctantly took, "are you ok?"

"I've been here for a week and no one wants to talk to me, everyone's scared of me because I could ruin their parents lives, which I could but-"

"I'm not scared of you." Her gaze met mine, "I love your eyes they're such a lovely color."

"You're not?"

I nodded.

"What's your name peasant- I mean friend."

"(Y/N)."

"That's a pretty name." Her cheeks grew a slight red.

"I can introduce you to my friends Ty Lee and Mai tomorrow they'd love to meet you Azula!"

"I-thank you."

"Hey what are friends for?"

"OK, friend."

~

Everything seems so different now.

Azula's blue flames roared against Zuko's in perfect harmony against the backdrop of the palace. It was almost beautiful. The sky lit up with walls of swirling flames dancing  before turning to ash. Every spark seemed to be greater than the last. Embers and smoke were like painted  ghosts in the air, never lasting long enough. I had never seen flame like that in all my whole life.

Zuko and Azula grew more and more desperate with each strike. Azulas eyes grew with manic, Zuko's with hope. Little fires began to catch around the palace. My lungs swelled up trying to find clean air. I wanted to join, end this. I was sick of seeing Zuko suffer. I was sick of seeing the world suffer. But it wasn't my time. It was his.

Suddenly Azula fell over from Zuko's strike, she stood back up panting like a dog,
"No lightning today? What's the matter? Afraid I'll redirect it?"

"Oh I'll show you lighting." Her stance wavered as the electric bolts covered the blood sky flickering in and out against Azula's control.

Then she looked at me. And for a moment the whole world stopped. For a moment I was young and naive-trusting. And I didn't move as the lighting came rushing towards me. For that moment I understood what Azula wanted me to be, hers.

"No!" Zuko screeched leaping up into the air reaching his hand up to the sky. He hit the ground the lighting absorbing in him.

My face fell as I saw him whither in pain on the ground. "Zuko!" I screamed running toward him, "Zuko..."

He could barely even look at me. I grimaced at the scar burnt onto his chest. The fire inside me rose as Azula laughed into a maniacal shrivel,
"You are going to pay for that."

Hey y'all!! New chapter is up!! Sorry for another long wait, as most of you probably know school can get busy. Also  as you all probably know by this point there is only one episode of Alta left... so yes that means the book will be over soon... but there will be one additional chapter after the Atla finale to wrap up everything and give some sweet sweet adult Zuko/(Y/N) content

Other things I want to mention
1. Thank you guys so so much for your generous support of my book. Seriously your guys comments and support have gotten me through some rough times! This book will always hold a special place in my heart
2. Song at top doesn't super go with this particular chapter but more the story in general, also it slaps so I wanted to include it
3. Finally, I know I could have gone into a lot more description on the Azula Zuko fight but honestly it's like literally one of the most beautiful pieces of animation I have ever seen so I just knew whatever I could put together wouldn't really live up to it

Anyway have an awesome day y'all!! Hope you enjoyed the chapter
-your humble author, Goldie :)