i. Uncle doesn't look at him. Won't look at him. Zuko isn't sure what he'd see in his eyes if he did (betrayal; hurt; disappointment— hatred), and doesn't think he wants to.
ii. The journey home is long and slow with too many stops and too many nights and not enough noise— his old rusty ship creaked as it sailed and the city never sleeps and Uncle snores so the sudden quiet is odd. He is restless and his scar aches as they get closer and closer to home.
iii. "Stop worrying," Mai says— he hasn't seen Mai in years (she was hunting them down with Azula just a few weeks ago and now she is kissing him like nothing is wrong). She's not the same girl he knew, and he's definitely not the same boy, so a part of him wonders why they are doing this.
iv. He hears news about Be Sing Se from a gleeful Azula— the Dai Li (protectors of the cultural heritage) brought the walls down, people cried, people flinched, people fought back and got burned and people (the girl he went on a date with maybe, the solider who always sat at the back corner table, the kid who tossed a ball at him the woman who smiled when he took her order the man who waved the morning they opened the new shop) died.
v. He thinks vaguely about the village he stopped at, and wonders if Li's brother is okay. He thinks vaguely about the knife the boy refused, and wonders if he's worthy to even pick it up anymore.
vi. He thinks probably not.
vii. "I see the weight of your travels has changed you," Father says, sitting before him behind a wall of fire, high and mighty and powerful and terrible and Zuko feels small and wants to say— you know nothing, you have no idea what I've been through, what I've done what for you, you don't care— but instead says nothing. Takes the hollow praise. Tries to feel content.
viii. Zuko visits Uncle in the small dirty cell they (he) put him in. Uncle doesn't look at him, but Zuko's sure- he's sure- he can feel the betrayal hurt disappointment hatred filling the air around them. He leaves.
ix. He visits again. Uncle doesn't turn around.
x. He runs. Runs and runs and runs down the corridors of the palace and down the front steps and through streets because— Uncle's a traitor, Zuzu, he's getting what he deserves, this is how things work, you know that— and it can't, it won't, there's no way.
xi. Traitors are executed now.
xii. This knowledge is brand new to Zuko and no one bothered to tell him and Uncle didn't bother to tell him and he could've done something and he pushes past the last of the crowd and sees fire and yells and— Uncle finally looks at him. Softens. Smiles. I forgive you is what his eyes say.
xiii. Iroh burns.
xiv. Zuko struggles and watches and cries and doesn't deserve forgiveness.
xv. "My uncle is dead," he says to the Avatar and his friends; he stands in front of them, tired and cold with a singed arm and nothing left to loose, "I'll teach you firebending."