A/N This is sort of a sequel to my other story, "Perfection". You don't have to read it to understand this.
Hard work. That's all he has. That's all he ever had. He worked hard to find the Avatar. He worked hard to best his sister and get in his father's good graces. For what? His father has never accepted him. His sister still teases him. But the worst part is that his uncle is in jail because of him.
His uncle, who praised him. Who cared for him more than his father. Who loved him. He was blind, blind to an overwhelming urge. Now what was he to do? He didn't like the Fire Nation, not after the things he'd seen.
When he saw how hard people worked just to make a decent living, he wanted to throw away what he had. Why was he better? He wasn't. The answer came to him. He was born lucky. His father always said Azula was born lucky and he was lucky to be born.
But now he realized that he was lucky too. He was born into the Fire Nation Royal Family. And he hated himself for that. He always wondered why he was born. After all, he was a failure. His mother left him. His father hated him. He couldn't even defend himself against Azula, his little sister.
Zuko sat, pensive, staring at his reflection in the pond. He remembered happier days, when his father was less strict, his sister less mean. He missed his mother. She was there to help them. And when she was gone…they fell apart.
He hated that. He hated the falling apart. Hard-work had gotten him here. Azula didn't have to work this hard. Neither did the Avatar. The Avatar could do anything he wanted. He could destroy, build, sustain. All with a flick of his hand.
No one had to work as hard as Zuko. He'd never had it easy. He had to work his hardest and even that wasn't enough. It was never enough. He remembered the criticisms that his uncle had showered on him that day in Ba Sing Se. Uncle. His chest constricted painfully. Mai was a balm to sooth his troubles, but nothing could stop him from dwelling on his uncle.
He stood up. This was where his hard work had gotten him. In a crossroad. He would have to choose. His father. Or his uncle and the Avatar. He wasn't even sure he could teach the Avatar. He was a failure. But he was the Avatar's best hope of firebending. There weren't many firebender sympathetic to him.