^what I picture the hair clips to look like (but you can wear whatever you like!)

Ok but first:
Thank you so much for making this book #11 on the "Zukoxreader" category! Really guys, with so many Zuko x reader's out there, I didn't have any hopes of this one making it into a high rank, but you guys made that happen!

Also, the lovely new cover was made by undisputedtori
The stuff she makes is absolutely glorious! I recommend to check it out!

--RUNAWAYS-- also makes gorgeous wallpapers, they truly beautiful so make sure to check out her Wallpaper book as well!

Happy Reading!

Key:
h/l- hair length
h/c- hair color
h/s- hair style(braid, ponytail, messy bun etc...)
f/c- favorite color
f/g- favorite gemstone

Your choice of hair style choose:
1 for hair up
Or
2 for hair down
^i hope this makes sense and isn't too confusing (I just really like to give you guys character design freedom!)
××××××××××
"Y/n wake up!"

Y/n immediately recognized the voice as Prince Zuko's.

His loud knocking in the metal door caused her to get up from her matress, flatten her h/l h/c hair and opened the door.

"Just last night you were telling me to get rest and now your waking me up? Make up your mind, Zuko" She said.

"Geez, I brought breakfast to make it up to you" he said pushing the tray in Y/n's hands.

"Yeah breakfast" she looked down at the tray that contained a cup of steaming tea and a small tray with three tea biscuits.

"Could you get dressed to practice?" He asked.

"Practice what?" Y/n bit into a cookie.

"Well since you were so dependent on that stick you carried around, your fire bending is dusty" he said.

"Pfft my skills aren't dusty" she said drinking some tea, "but I guess practice is a good way to pass time, ok let me get ready" she closed the door.

"Just hurry!" He called out from behind the door, "I'll be waiting on the main dock!"

Y/n quick drank the rest of the tea with the cookies and put on something comfortable to move in, and did her hair:

1- up trying it up in a h/s.

2- down clipping her h/c hair back with regular clips instead of her special gold ones.

(Some choices I found)

(Ps. Arts not mine, but I did fill them all in with grey so you can be comfortable in your own skin, beautiful!)

(And then that's what Zuko is wearing XD)
×××××××××
"Woah! I guess I am a little dusty" Y/n said as she nearly got hit by one of Zuko's attacks.

"A little? Y/n, I'll be right back, I'm going to ask Uncle for a dust pan and a broom" he said with a half smile.

"Zuko!" She exclaimed making Zuko laugh.

But Zuko stopped laughing as he avoided one of Y/n's fire attacks. Y/n got closer to him and attempted to throw some punches and kicks, but Zuko kept avoiding them all.

"Stop doing that!" He said as he avoided Y/n's roundhouse kick.

"Doing what ZuZu?" She said as she got a hold of his arm, turned around and successfully was able throw him over her shoulder.

"That!" He said as he looked up at her from the ground, "your a fire bender, you can fire bend, I don't know how else to tell you: use your bending!"

"Sorry, I guess I got used to close combat with weapons" She extended her hand, Zuko took it and she helped him to his feet.

"Don't be sorry, just do it, here" he said showing her a position.

Y/n mimicked the position, keeping her feet shoulder-width apart, and bringing her fists close to her body, down near her hips.

"Good now keep that stance steady" he said holding one of her arms and shaking it, moving Y/n, "steady"

"Sorry" her cheeks tinted red as she readjusted her pose.

Zuko stook her arm again, but this time Y/n didn't shake, "good" he said, "it's a basic fighting stance, and your home base" he shrugged putting some distance between them, "you said you were a close combat fighter, use your bending and you can reach far distance" he went into his own fighting position, "use your bending and fight me Y/n"

Y/n looked a bit hesitant.

"Don't be afraid and just fight!" He called out.

With this reassurance, Y/n nodded and started sending out fire towards Zuko, each jab sent a new steam of fire. Zuko avoided all of them, for the sake of not getting hurt, of course.

"Great! Now start moving towards me! But always try to bring your hands back to your home base!" He instructed, "when your close enough, then you can take me out with that cool throw you did earlier!"

Y/n did as told and closed in on Zuko, but before she could grab him, the ship did a very sharp turn, causing them both to fall to the side, the border preventing them from falling overboard, however not preventing them from falling on each other.

Y/n was red and flustered as she looked at Zuko, who was below her, equally as red.

Too embarrassed to say anything Y/n quickly got up and away from the Prince, changing the subject as quickly as possible "What!" Y/n looked up at the wheelhouse.

"Why are we changing course?" He asked, face still red from moments ago.

"I don't know" she said as they both went up to the cabin, ignoring the akward position they had been in a couple seconds ago.

They walk in on Iroh playing pai sho with a couple of other old crew mates.

"What is the meaning of this mutiny!" Zuko shouted as they entered the cabin.

Y/n held her hand up at him, indicating for him to stop talking, "why are you changing the course?" She crossed her arms, "got somewhere more important to be?" Y/n raised an eyebrow at the driver.

"Actually Y/n, my apologies, I should have checked with you before changing the course" Iroh spoke up.

"You changed the course?" She asked surprised.

"Yes, and I assure you that it is a matter of utmost importance" he said thinking hard about his next move in the game.

"Is it something to do with the Avatar!?" Zuko immediately asked.

"Even more urgent" he said.

"What is it, Iroh?" Y/n asked, thinking that maybe a pit stop wouldn't be so bad.

"Oh well-- it seems I--" he seemed embarrassed about it, "I've lost my lotus tile"

"Lotus?" Zuko said blankly.

"For my pai sho game." He answered, "most people think the lotus tile insignificant. But it is essential for the unusual strategy that I employ."

"You changed our course for a stupid lotus tile?" Zuko asked with a hint of anger.

Y/n stepped in, "it's alright, Iroh, we can stop for your lotus tile" she said with a kind smile, "continue with the lotus tile course" she called out to the driver.

"Yes Captain!" He replied.

"Thank you so much Y/n!" Iroh said cheerfully, "just give me ten minutes to check the merchants and hopefully, they'll have the lotus tile in stock, and I can get on with my life"

"Oh no, please take all the time you need!"  She said wholeheartedly as she knew how much the man loved to play pai sho, "wouldn't want that lotus tile to ruin your whole strategy!"

Zuko seemed really mad by now, and let out a breath of fire up to the metal cabin roof, causing it to cloud with smoke.

"I'm lucky to have such an understanding nephew" Iroh commented.

Y/n laughed, making her way out of the smoke filled cabin, "I know right? Come on Prince Zuko let's continue your training, you can't slack off!" She joked.

"It's your training Y/n!" He called out after her, "your terrible, did you forget everything we learned when we were little?"

"Hey! I'm getting better with your help already!" She said, "so it's technically both of our training!"
××××××××
After Y/n and Zuko dressed from their practice clothes to their regular fire nation clothes and armor, they stopped at a small merchant port.

Y/n looked around the small stands, this port had nothing special and had a bad vibe going on.

Y/n stopped and browsed through a stand that had a few dull looking weapons. Y/n reached for a grey and rusty looking spear that laid in the corner, before someone quickly snatched her arm away from it, taking a tight grip in her forearm.

"What do you think your doing?" Zuko said angrily, "you are not getting another one!"

Y/n got out of Zuko's grip and said, "I wasn't going to buy it anyway, thing wouldn't even cut through hot butter"

"Come on let's go get my uncle" he said.

"No, I told him he could take as long as he needs, maybe you should go help him look for that tile, the sooner he finds it, the sooner we can leave" she said.

"Will you be looking for the lotus tile?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'll keep my eye out for it" she said.

"Where are you going?" The Prince asked.

"I'm going to go look around the for any earrings or necklaces-- hey maybe I can even find one that isn't rusty or covered in mold" then she adds, "the blue one we found clashes terribly with all of my outfits"

"What's your favorite color?" He asked.

Taken aback by the unrelated-Avatar question and his normal tone, she answered with a kawaii smile and giggle, "f/c of course!"

"And your favorite gemstone?" He asked.

She let out another laugh, "we should have more normal conversations like this Zuko"

"We're not normal, Y/n" Zuko reminded her.

She shrugged, "f/g, why?"

"I'm going to help Uncle find his lotus tile" he said walking the opposite direction as Y/n stood watching him disappear in the crowd.

'Too embarrassed to say anything...'

'We're not normal, Y/n'

Y/n reflected on their past, sure she had grown up as Zuko, but she never saw him as brother, more like her best friend, and more recently she's been feeling like she wants to be more than friends. But she can't get distracted, right now all she wanted was to get Zuko to be happy, just like before his accident.

After the incident with his father, he's turned angry and unhappy, sad... heartbroken. And Y/n would do anything to make him happy again, that's why he came with him, The Avatar will make him happy, coming home to his father will make him happy, getting his honor back will make him happy.

Or that's what Y/n thought.

She's never had or been around any other people of her same age.

There was Azula who was two years younger than them, but Azula was impossible to get along with. Y/n's tried when they were younger, all she got in return were pranks.

The military has had her too busy for any kind of relationships and the youngest soliders were 20 year olds and up. Disgusting, she'd rather stay with someone of her between her own age range.

And traveling didn't make it any easier. Zuko's the only boy her age that she's been around for a long time, so of course she'd crush on the Prince, but she kept those feelings hidden and away, pushing them away and ignoring them as the only thing that matters now is capturing the Avatar.