Hey everyone :D! I just finished watching Avatar the other day and this popped up into my head. This is going to be a series of oneshots/drabbles centered around Fire Lord Zuko's life post finale. Hope I can make you guys smile.


Zuko looked around his vast throne room, almost empty except for the young Fire Lord, seated at the top of the flaming platform. (The fire was quite impractical though; sparks often found their way to royal documents and Zuko's elaborate robe.) It might as well be empty though. The only thing he had been doing for the past couple of weeks was sit in the lonely room, signing various papers and approving the reconstruction of devastated locations across the nation.

The Fire Lord scowled like he always did, before letting out a stifled, "Aargh,", which the large room only made louder. It's not as if Zuko didn't like the progress that the Four Nations have made. He personally traveled to the Water Tribes and the Earth Kingdom to sort out problems left by the war, and he even joined workers to help rebuild foreign cities. But now that many of the major predicaments were smoothly on their way to being settled, Zuko had nothing to do but sign documents all day.

Zuko was bored.

Now, it had been a long time since he had felt this feeling, probably since when he was still a young child with his only worries being Azula pulling his topknot and fighting off wild turtle ducks. Chasing the Avatar never gave him the luxury to be bored, and teaching him firebending to take down his father wasn't exactly any easier. And, Zuko always had Uncle around to keep him annoyed, which didn't warrant boredom either. However, Uncle was all the way in Ba Sing Se, running his tea shop and probably not being bored.

…That sneaky old man. He probably saw this coming and hid behind his tea to leave the Fire Lord with the grunt work. And he was the one with the six-pack abs.

Fire Lord Zuko sighed again, albeit a little louder this time, and lay on the hardwood floor, his legs outstretched. Sitting in a cross-legged position under a short table for hours, effectively cutting off the circulation to his lower body, didn't really help the situation.

Knitting his eyebrows, Zuko tried thinking of ways to keep himself occupied. He was tempted to call servants in for entertainment, but he knew all there would be was stupid arm flailing, and it might project a lazy image from the Fire Lord, which would be unacceptable. And his advisors would not allow him out of the palace until his work was finished. Thinking back, Zuko realized that with Group Avatar (it was shorter than saying Aang, Katara, Sokka, Suki, and Toph), he was never bored. There was always someone to argue with or try to prove himself to, and of course feeling the weight of saving the world from the onslaught of the greatest military force (and giant fireballs) ever created was pretty unboring.

Then it hit him.

Zuko quickly got up and ran out of the throne room as quickly as his bloodless legs could carry him with heavy imperial robes over them.

--

Panting slightly (the metal shoulder piece wasn't very light), the Fire Lord found himself in the messenger hawk room. It was about the size of a small post office, with the animals elegantly perched in their designated cages. Sunlight glinted through the holes, a pleasant change from the throne room's harsh fires and dark backdrop.

He removed four bound scrolls from his robes and opened one of them to confirm what was written inside:

So how have you been?

-Zuko

Zuko shut his eyes and scowled nervously before rebinding the paper and attaching it to a hawk. He wrote the same exact line on the rest of the letters.

Attaching the rest of them to separate hawks, he sent them off in hopes of quick replies.

One to Aang, who was traveling anywhere and everywhere as the Avatar to answer people's cries for help.

One to Katara, who was at the Northern Water Tribe, teaching young waterbenders and healing the sick.

One to Sokka and Suki, who were enacting a grand plan to connect the Four Nations through roads and waterways.

One to Toph, who was in Ba Sing Se, helping to rebuild the wall.

And none to his uncle Iroh, because he was still annoyed at him. He would send one later.

--

A couple days later…

"My lord!" greeted a servant as he entered the throne room before bowing. "You have several messages sent by messenger hawks."

"Thank you, you may leave now," dismissed the Fire Lord after taking the letters the servant offered up. After he left, Zuko swiftly opened up the scrolls with his remaining paperwork laying forgotten by his side.

The first one read:

You just missed him! He's on Kyoshi Island now.

Zuko shrugged. The Avatar was a busy person. He rewrote his original message to be sent to Aang again.

The second one read:

I've been good, you?

-Katara

Zuko blinked at the rather short reply which only took him a second to read. He quickly wrote the reply:

I'm fine, thanks.

-Zuko

which took him just as long.

The third one read:

Aww, you miss us don't you! But I can see why you'd be lonely without my humor around. ;D
The project's going great! It's also sorta strange, the three nations working together so well after so many years of fighting. We'll actually be getting a break in a couple weeks, so we can round up the Gaang and come visit your depressing self. ;D

It's nice to hear from you Zuko. I've been well. The construction is progressing nicely and we should be able to visit you soon. After I visit Kyoshi Island, of course.

-Sokka and Suki

Zuko scowled at the first line Sokka wrote. He was just…bored. But he couldn't help but feel warmth inside himself at the prospect of seeing everyone together again. Grabbing his brush, he deftly wrote:

I don't miss you guys, I just wanted to hear how the project was going. However, I will make preparations for Group Avatar's arrival.

And I heard Aang is on Kyoshi Island.

-Zuko

And the fourth on read:

I think you forgot that Toph can't read or write—

Zuko mentally slapped himself.

so she asked your uncle to write to you instead. And she wants to remind you that she's blind.

I'm doing quite well, but I am saddened that I did not get a letter myself. ):

-Uncle Iroh

Zuko couldn't help but feel guilty, imagining his uncle's pouting face from behind a cup of steaming lavender tea because of not getting his own letter. He really slapped himself this time. And how did Toph's get to him in the first place!?

Tell Toph that I am sorry for my mistake. How is the tea shop?

-Zuko

Finishing his last reply, he swiftly reached the messenger hawk room and sent them off.

--

A couple days later…

Zuko swept the royal documents off of the table to give room for the second set of replies. The first one read:

Sorry, the Avatar left an hour ago. He's heading for the mining village now!

He gritted his teeth slightly, but only rewrote his first message. The unavailability of Aang was to be expected.

The second one read:

...you don't seem like the type to write to people. Why are you doing this?

-Katara

Zuko made a thoughtful expression. That girl is sharp. He wrote back:

I've been doing only paperwork for quite some time now and…I'm rather bored.

-Zuko

The third one read:

Yah, yah Fire Lord, we all believe you. ;D
Group Avatar? Gaang sounds way cooler. AND, it's a pun.

Really? I heard he was at Chuming Bay.

-Sokka and Suki 3

Sokka was starting to get on his nerves, and he wasn't even in the country! And Gaang was the stupidest thing he ever heard, even if it was a pun. He frowned. Exactly where in the world is Aang the last Airbender?

The last one read:

Toph told me to write that she'll accept our apology once she gets to tell you off face-to-face.

The shop has been going great! But some animals have gotten into the store and destroyed some of the white tea leaves. And this heat wave is making chrysanthemum tea packs moist. The black tea tastes quite good though. And we are going to receive a shipment of green tea soon—

Zuko skipped over the rest of the message and quickly wrote the reply:

That's good to hear.

-Zuko

--

A couple days later…

Zuko eagerly opened his first reply letter. (He kept telling himself the Sizzle Crisps were making him jittery instead.) It read:

I'm sorry to say you missed Avatar Aang by only a couple of minutes! His next stop is Ba Sing Se.

He hit the table, hard enough to cause black ink to spill out of the inkstone and onto nearby parchment. How hard was it for Fire Lord Zuko, one of the leaders of the great Four Nations, to contact a single person, even if he was the Avatar!?

Taking a sheet of spoiled paper, he deftly wrote:

HOW ARE YOU?

-Zuko

"Servants!" he shouted while binding the letter. Several people hurried into the throne room. "Have this sent by the fastest messenger hawk we have to the Avatar. This is of utmost importance, and if this doesn't reach him, there will be dire consequences." The Fire Lord said this all out as quickly as possible before handing a servant the letter.

Nervously, the servant answered, "Yes—"

"Go!" the Fire Lord barked, effectively sending the servants scurrying away to the messenger hawk room.

When everyone left and Zuko was alone again, he took a couple minutes to just breathe in, and breathe out. Breathe in, and breathe out. He kept telling himself to trust the servants. After successfully calming himself down, the hot-headed man turned to other letter he received. He opened it up.

Bored? JUST BORED? You don't care about anyone at all, do you?!

-Katara

Zuko only scowled at the touchy waterbender's response.

Well you said it yourself that I'm not the type of person to write to people. And I'm not.

-Zuko

Then why bother to write anyways? It's not as if communicating with is something fun for someone like YOU.

-Katara

It's not. It passes the time.

-Zuko

Ooooh. I see now. People are just a bunch of tools for your own selfish needs. Well I'm not going to be used by the likes of you, a greedy pig who doesn't care at all for others. I have no idea how you managed to become the Fire Lord, the leader of entire NATION when you don't care for other people. You should be glad I'm not in your royal little palace, because I would waterwhip that sick, disgusting personality right out of you. And do you know why I could do that? BECAUSE ALL YOU ARE IS A SPOILED, SHORT-TEMPERED LITTLE BRAT THAT CAN'T COMPREHEND AT ALL THE MISFORTUNES OF OTHER PEOPLE. IT'S ALL ABOUT YOU, YOU, YOU—

Zuko tore up the entire letter and he wasn't even halfway finished. "Aaargh!" shouted the Fire Lord, letting out a primal roar of frustrating and some flames. What the hell was wrong with this girl!? She overreacted at everything he said, even if it was the truth. Zuko scowled, thinking of Katara's irrationality. How did the Gaang, no, Group Avatar always deal with her?

Zuko was about to let out some steam by doing some firebending forms when a servant entered the room.

"You have a reply from the Avatar, my lord." He handed it to the Fire Lord before noticing his lord's not exactly happy disposition. "Is there something wrong, my lord?"

"No, nothing, you may leave now," Zuko stated sharply. He was still busy fuming.

When the servant left, the firebender tried his best to calm down before opening the letter. He barely unbound it without ripping it, annoyance coursing red-hot through his veins. The letter read:

Hey Zuko! Sorry for the late reply. I've been super busy lately. Being Avatar is not easy. I've finally got some time to have fun though at Ba Sing Se. Me and Toph are hanging out at your uncle's tea shop. He makes excellent tea.

So how've you been?

-Your friend Aang

Zuko stared at the message for a moment before getting out a new sheet of paper. He ferociously wrote:

I'M PISSED.

-Zuko

That was the last letter he was ever going to write anyone.


Reviews are loved, of course. ;)