Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Zuko had screwed up, big time. He had spoken out against the plan for the fourty-first division, the plan just felt so - immoral. He should have just kept his mouth shut.

When it had been said that he would be fighting, the person he had disrespected he though it would have been that General, not his own father.

He had never thought in a million years, he would be fighting his father. He felt like he couldn’t breathe. Why couldn’t he have just stayed quiet?

It was a childish thing for him to think talking out about would ever end good for him.

Zuko tried to apologize, he really did. But he knew, as his father walked closer, slowly, he knew it wasn’t enough. It was never enough.

He had messed up, but now there was nothing, he could do to make up for it.

His father sneered at him, now right infront of Zuko. Zuko flinched as father grabbed him, but there was no getting away from this. Why did he have to insult that one stupid plan?

“You disrespected me.” His father barked at him, as he raised his hand. Zuko flinched away, expecting the regular repeated hits to the head.

But when his hand started heating up, Zukos eyes widened with horror. As fathers hand burned his skin and along with it his one eye, he screamed, closing his eye that wasn’t currently being burned.

The heat was unberable, however then something no one could ever have expected happened.

Zukos eye flew open, glowing a light blue, so bright it encased everything around him in a faint blue light. A sudden burst of wind blew father across the room, with a loud crack as his skull hit the wall in the other side of the room hard.

As Zuko came to his feet, wind surrounded him, almost like a hurricane. Until suddenly the glowing in his eyes stopped, along with the wind around him.

There was a beat, where everything was silent, no one moved.

“He’s the Avatar. Capture him!” Father yelled, after recovering. Zuko, with a sudden burst of adrenalin, ran.

He ran a out of the room, out of the castle and hid in a large volcanic rock, with the palace on a volcano qnd Zuko getting out of breath, this seemed the best place to hide for now.

He had no idea where he could go. Was there anywhere to go? His own father had just ordered his capture. Who would ever help him now? He was an enemy of the Fire Nation now.

The left side of Zukos face was throbbing and he wanted to cry. He hesitantly raised his hand to touch it only to feel white hot pain, he bit back a scream, releasing instead a quiet whimper.

That was stupid idea. Why did he always seem to do the most idiotic things? Could he never do anything right? Azula was right, he really is weak. He’s apparently the Avatar, and he’s still weaker than his sister.

“Zuko!” A voice whispered, Zuko flinched away. Only to see his Uncle Iroh. “Don’t worry, i have a plan to get us out of here.”

Zuko relaxed a little after processing what his Incle had said. Zuko nodded wordlessly, hoping to get across how gratefull he truely was. The task of talking, though, it felt impossible. Like his throat had been burned away with his left side of his face.

As Zuko and Uncle Iroh made their way to the water, out of sight of the many guards, now hunting for Zuko.

He attempted to open his left eye, to no avail. Not even a slither of light was to be seen by that eye, he couldn’t do anything with his left eye.

He hoped and prayed to any spirits that would listen that, he wouldn’t be permanetly blinded in that eye.

They had finally made it to a ship, it was one that was currently not in use. It was originally supposed to be looked over to see, if it was even safe to travel with, but as anywhere was safer then here for Zuko right now, it didn’t really matter.

It looked fine enough, so it would have to do. As they climbed aboard, though, they were spotted. They heard a Fire Nation guard yell; “Over there!” And it was obvious who they were refering to.

So they had to make a move on. Uncle got the ship going as fast as he could, as Zuko just stood unsure of what to do.

Everything happening felt so surreal, almost like a dream, well more of a nightmare really. But it was all real, all happening right now, no dreaming involved. Which felt as if the world was splitting in two around him.

In the span of 24 hours Zuko had went from a Prince with honour, a throne, a home. To the Avatar, with nothing but a ship, a burned left side of his face and his Uncle.

Don’t get him wrong, he loved his Uncle, even if he would never admit it, he just felt so… lost? Confused? Angry? All of the above?

He didn’t know. His emotions seemed to muddle together in a mess he couldn’t comprehend or even try to understand.

He barely registered when they had finally gotten far enough away from the palace to be out of fireing distance. He took his hand up to the burned side of his face but barely felt the pain as the world around him went black.

Chapter Text

As Zuko came back into consciousness, the first thing he registered was pain.

He opened his one good eye to see he was in a room, he could feel the slight sway of the ship. His whole body felt like it was shaking and his eye hurt like hell.

Sitting up he saw the room more clearly, it wasn’t exactly small, but it definitely wasn’t as big as his room back at the hom- the palace.

That wasn’t his home anymore, if Zuko were to ever return back to the Fire Nation, or ever got caught by a soldier, he didn’t know what would happen to him exactly.

He would be returned to his father, he would most likely be tortured… but then what? He didn’t know, he would just be reborn into another Avatar if he died, right? So would he just be kept as a prisoner until he died?

All he knew was that he didn’t want to find out. Zuko had a sinking feeling of realization about his situation.

He was the Avatar, he was supposed to master the four elements and save the world.

How the hell was he supposed to do that? Was… was his father the one he needed to fight? Was his Nation really that bad? He knew his father wasn’t… the best but he hadn’t… no, that wasn’t right, he didn’t want to think they were the bad guys.

His spiraling thoughts were interupted by the door opening. Zuko jumped, it was his uncle.

“Oh, Zuko you’re awake.” Uncle Iroh said, looking a little more cheerful than…

“How long was i out for?” Zuko asked, a sense of dread in the pit of his stomache.

“Four days.” Iroh responded.

Zukos breathing sped up. Four whole days? They were long gone from the Fire Nation by now, everything was just too much.

He took his knees to his chest as his mind went over, how he was probably going to die and would never be able to go back to father. The worst thing was he didn’t even know if he even wanted to go back to father.

Subconsciously, Zuko raised his hand to his left eye, it was bandaged but he still felt a dull sense of pain from the touch, or maybe it had been there the whole time.

His Uncle was trying to comfort him but Zuko couldn’t hear him.

Would anyone even trust him as the Avatar if they found out about his past status as Prince of the Fire Nation? Most likely scenario was, no they wouldn’t. Who in their right mind would?

Uncle Iroh put a hand on Zukos shoulder, who flinched but didn’t pull away.

He felt tears streaming down his face, and in his mix of emotions the one he felt most was shame.

Shame for how he was acting now. How could he just sit here crying and acting like a child? He should be stronger than this. That didn’t stop him though.

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t calm his breathing.

Uncle Iroh pulled him into a hug, this time Zuko didn’t flinch, he just cried.

Overwhelmed with the world. He knew he had to become stronger than this if he was supposed to be the Avatar, but not right now.

Right now it felt almost… nice not having to pretend to be fine, or strong, or someone he’s not.