Look! It's a Picasso drabble! Well, actually there's probably a better name for these, but whatever. I've always wanted to do one, and recently I've wanted to do Avatar oneshots, and I lovelovelove Zuko… soo…
This is Zuko from his childhood to right before he joins the Gaang. I like it, and might do some more if this one appears well-received. I'm also open to any requests for Avatar one/two/three or so-shots. R&R please!
Disclaimer: Avatar does not belong to me. If it did, it would have been Zutara and Taang with Mai dying a "tragic hero's death" in the Boiling Rock.
He was the heir apparent. He had to be SMART and PERFECT and he had to be a LEADER.
And if he
s l a c k e d o f f
then there were HARSH CONSEQUENCES.
So he learned quickly not to slack off.
But that wasn't good enough, because his best-it's-my-very-best-I-promise-I-promise-I'm-trying-SO-hard
was only her well-that-could-be-better-and-it-will-be-because-do-you-want-to-look-like-Zuko?
But at the end of the day there was always her
s o f t e m b r a c e
and he could simply
f a l l i n t o h e r a r m s
And it would be okay. "I promise I won't let them hurt you."
But then with a R I P and a S H O C K and H O R R O R suddenly she was gone.
And he took her, he took his mother away and even though the man never admitted it until years later, Zuko
knew.
In the same way that he knew he was always second best, how he knew he was a disgrace…
He knew his father had taken his mother away.
And five l o n g y e a r s later, the Avatar-he's-not-so-great-why-oh-why-can't-I-defeat-a-child would steal his hope away.
maybe you could be free of it…
it has special properties…
i've been saving it
for
something
special.
And he had been something special for once, for a few glorious minutes…. Then she
TORE AWAY
and she left him behind, like he was a broken toy and Aang- NO, the Avatar- was new and working and
special.
And it took time.
And it took pain.
And it took misery.
And it took everything he had.
But Zuko forgave the Avatar- his name is AANG- and then he could only hope that they would
forgive (accept, approve, please-i-promise-i've-truly-changed-this-time) him as well.