Zuko scratched behind Ren's fluffy golden ears as her tongue lapped at his other hand to help keep him grounded. The panic attack had come on so suddenly he was almost certain that he'd pass out before making it to a safe spot for deep pressure therapy. But, as she always did, Ren led him to a quiet space, pressed into his legs to get him in a sitting position, and sprawled her full weight across his legs. Good girl, he thought, running his hand through her long fur. He closed his eyes, assessing his body. His heart still felt like it was in his throat, but the lightheadedness and heat flashes had completely subsided. He took a deep breath and used both hands to give Ren the praise she deserved, muttering 'what a good girl' as she took her cue to get ready to go. With somewhat shaky legs, Zuko stood up and brushed away any dirt from his dark jeans. He took a moment to get his bearings, giving an appreciative nod at the local library sign before grabbing hold of Ren's guide handle again.
"Yip yip." The loyal golden retriever started walking forward with ease, her side lightly brushing his left leg every few steps. He gave a soft smile when the sun peaked out of the clouds and splayed its warmth across his face. Zuko was grateful for the warmer weather, grateful to get out of his apartment, grateful for the dog that had granted him so much freedom. He no longer felt his heart in his throat as he and his companion walked the familiar route to his favorite tea shop. Just thinking about the spiced tea was making his mouth water.
Only two blocks from the library he had temporarily stopped at, he smiled as the sign for The Jasmine Dragon became visible. The boldly painted green, red, and golden dragon elegantly snaked under the title of the tea shop, sprigs of jasmine flowers and leaves surrounding its detailed scales in an almost three-dimensional painted effect. It was Zuko's light in the dark, one of the few things that brought him comfort when his mind felt hazy and lost. He let go of the guide handle on Ren's harness as he opened the door, allowing her to go in and do her standard checks. She came back a minute later, turned in a circle, and sat patiently inside the doorway. Good girl. Zuko stepped inside and Ren resumed her position in the tight heel next to him. As expected, there was a person at the table directly inside the building, but no other people hidden from his direct line of sight. He patted Ren's head again, thanking his lucky stars for his dog. Zuko assumed his usual spot in the back corner booth, and Ren curled up at the side of the table, out of the way but still watching the surroundings attentively. Opening his messenger bag, his fingers brushed across his work files before freezing on the manila envelope. A deep sigh of relief escaped his lips. It's over. He felt Ren's wet nose nudge his leg, but his brain was busy.
"Nephew!" The booming voice of Uncle Iroh pulled him from his thoughts. A smile played at his lips at the sight of the jovial man, but Zuko felt guilty as he watched his uncle stumble over his greeting. Iroh used to greet his nephew with a hug, and that is what his arms had started to do out of habit before falling to his sides; touch was a fickle thing with Zuko, and his uncle's furrowed brow showed his concern on how he should show his affection toward his only nephew. As ashamed as Zuko felt for making his uncle hold back affections, he couldn't be touched. Not right now, not after the panic attack he had earlier. Instead of wrestling with the awkwardness of the greeting, he gave Ren her release command and let the dog happily run and solicit pets from Iroh. The grin widened on his uncle's face and Zuko knew it was the right choice. "And there is my favorite dog. What a sweet girl you are, Ren." After a few distinct pats to the fluffy golden, Zuko called her back to her post. Iroh glanced up at his nephew and slid onto the booth across from him. With a flick of his wrist, Zuko placed the manila envelope on the table and watched his uncle's eyebrow raise before opening it and reading its contents. A deep sigh of relief escaped Iroh's mouth and the knowing grin was back on his face. The older man stood, ruffled the dark shaggy hair of his nephew, and his booming voice could be heard again. "A round of tea on the house. Today, we celebrate my nephew's freedom and the justice system prevailing!" The handful of customers cheered and lifted their glasses in a mock toast. A smile broke out across Zuko's face as he watched his uncle head back to work.
No more worrying she'd come steal his happiness again. No more worrying she'd show up with her set of knives. No more dodging the things she'd throw. No more being manipulated and taken advantage of. She was answering for her crimes, and he could move on with his life, he thought.
No more abusive wife. No more Mai.
But he knew the damage could never be undone. Not completely.
Author's note: I had this story idea pop into my head and wrote chunks of it randomly, so I'll be piecing the chunks together as I go and (hopefully) it will make a nice cohesive story in the end haha. This story will eventually have more mature plot points that will bump the rating to T (possibly M).
I will try to trigger warn/content warn chapters when applicable. If I don't TW/CW something that you believe should be warned, PLEASE reach out and tell me so I can do so. No harm is meant to come to anyone reading my story.