"Happy birthday, Cousin," Zuko said softly, and suddenly he felt eight years old again-envy and admiration coursing through him, but now tinged with sadness.

He had followed his uncle out to this tree, and waited, so he could be alone. Uncle had taken Lu Ten's portrait back to their apartment, but Zuko had his own. It had been taken only a week before Lu Ten went off to war; Zuko's mother had wanted a picture of both the young princes. Zuko remembered that day. He had been the perfect prince, patient and serious, while Lu Ten amused himself by trying to make his young cousin laugh.

"I know Uncle came here earlier. I hope that helped him… I haven't been a very good nephew lately. I can't be you. I'm not- I have very little practice being a son. But- but I want you to know that I'm trying. I'll take care of him, like family should. I promise you that."

Zuko raised his head slightly and looked at the picture. It was a bad portrait, he thought. None of Lu Ten's spirit was in it, only his appearance. The sight dimmed as the sun finally set over Ba Sing Se's monstrous wall, but he could still feel it clinging to the horizon. The tips of incense glowed faintly in the darkness, and Zuko was mesmerized.

The tiny pinpricks of light were like orange stars, small golden eyes. He could feel the smoldering flame, feel the power in them just waiting to burst forth. He didn't let it. He closed his hand into a fist, and the fire went out. The smoke, which smelled like cinnamon, faded in the spring breeze.

"Of all the people I've ever met," Zuko said. His voice had faded into a whisper. He wasn't sure why. "I think I was jealous of you the most. As a child, I always admired you- I still admire you. You were Prince Lu Ten, who would make the Fire Nation proud. You were supposed to be a war hero, cousin. Not a martyr. I always knew I could never be as wise as Uncle, or as kind as my mother, but I could try to be like you. Strong, loyal, brave. I wanted so much to be like you."

Zuko's eyes closed, and soft tears fell from them. He clutched the fabric of his robe tight in his fist.

"I have failed my country, while you gave everything for it. You were the perfect son to your father and brother to me, and here at twilight, with the sun and moon as my witness, I will honor you, my cousin Lu Ten. I will take back my throne, which should have been yours, and lead my nation the way you would have. Honorably. Bravely."

Zuko lifted his index finger and produced a hot, dull flame. He reached up to touch the tree, and singed Lu Ten's name into the bark.

"I swear it."


This is my first completed Avatar fic. I meant it to be part of Zutara Week for the prompt "Family", but Katara flatly refused to intrude, so this is what it ended up as. Hopefully, it gave a little insight into Zuko's thoughts about his non-psychotic family, and one of the reasons he decided to go back to the Fire Nation in Ba Sing Se.