Disclaimer- I Do not own ATLA. Only the original plotline.
Chapter Two
(To Be With You)
Zuko stood on the balcony and stared up at the moon. It was a warm summer evening in the fire nation and the firelord was not attending any parties or being followed by a squad of crazy girls, or even by his own (Self claimed) girlfriend. For a moment Zuko's mind flashed back to the night of his coronation. He'd been standing in that exact spot looking at the same moon and feeling the same emptiness. He sighed and looked down at the water where boats were once floating. But now there was nothing. Only waves and the reflection of the moon on those waves. The shine still reminded him of her. The girl with the blue eyes. He, of course had not spoken her name in years, but never ceased to think about her. Zuko tried to appreciate the girl he had; there was just too little to her though. Even now, she felt nothing. (And she still had the mullet pigtail thing going on…) Mai simply wasn't enough.
Again, Zuko sighed, recalling the dull voice that nagged him all day everyday. It was like she was his wife… but he would never marry her. Never. They had been good friends once; but that was a long time ago. It seemed as if they had drifted as far apart in ideas that the north and southern water tribes. Of course that's what his mind flicked to… the water tribes. Quickly, the firelord brushed the thought away. He wouldn't ruin Katara's life at home just because he was unhappy. There was no doubt in his mind that everything was going perfectly for her. She was beautiful and kind. Probably married. Married!? Mentally, Zuko slapped himself. She had more sense than to marry at a young age. He knew she wasn't married. Why would he even think that?
The sound of approaching footsteps made Zuko turn around. "Zuko," a dismal voice said. Mai. Yuck. "I'm breaking up with you. We have been dating for four years and I'm still not happy. We are through. Good bye." Mai flicked her pigtail and walked out of the room.
"Okay??" Zuko asked himself. "Should I be sad… or angry… or anything?" He thought a minute and then shrugged. Oh well, he knew that he was happier without her. Suddenly, a smile spread over his face… though it felt out of place- he'd just been dumped.
The days that passed seemed a little less bleak without Mai downing on everything. But there was still a void that needed to be filled. Without meaning to, he thought of the blue eyed girl. She hadn't crossed his mind in a while, but when she did, it brought back painful memories. Zuko tried to ignore the memories he had brought forth and attempted to shove them aside. Something inside of him turned over. He would not allow himself to regret and dwell on the decisions he had made in the past. What has happened has happened and it won't happen again, he promised himself often. Almost as often as he wondered if she thought of him. Once every year, Zuko brought himself to holding a pen just above a piece of paper and hesitantly scratching a letter, then a word, then two. That was as far as he had ever gotten; after that, he crumpled the paper and disintegrated it between his hands.
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A light breeze ruffled the shrubs in the palace garden. Zuko sat by the pond with his back against an old tree; this had always been his place to go when he needed to think- only now, there was no one to bother him. Or comfort him, or show him what to do. The firelord exhaled angrily and clenched his fists. He wanted to scream. This wasn't fair. When he looked around, everything he saw was perfect. There was too much perfect. All he wanted was a little imperfect, to remind him of the way things used to be… back when he was just Zuko.
Zuko's eyes wandered slowly around the garden. He noticed that it was in full, fiery bloom. The red rose bushes that his mother had planted stretched across the east wall of the garden. A patch of fire lilies set the center of the garden a blaze. As Zuko shifted his position, he felt something under his hand. Gently, he plucked the tiny blue weed from the dirt and looked at it longingly. When he couldn't bear to look at it any longer, his eyes drifted to the body of water in front of him and he closed his hand around the flower. Laughing quietly, he realized that he had found his imperfect. One blue flower in a sea of red. Again, memories were drug from his mind, but shoved away once more by a stern firelord who refused to think about her anymore.
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Just Talking
Hi mah peeps. School has resumed! Aren't you glad? :-p Well, as you know, this chapter was like the Zuko version of chappie one. It was based on the song To Be With You by David Archuleta. Gotta love Archie!
SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS!
Again, if you want a spoiler for a much later chapter, listen to the song Run To You by Lady Antebellum. A spoiler for the next chapter… listen to One Step At A Time by Jordin Sparks.
Other Stuff
Not much else to say… other than: didja like it? Didja didja didja? Lol, seriously though, read review. And PLEASE UNPLUG YOUR CELL PHONE CHARGERS WHEN YOU AREN'T USING THEM! IT'LL SAVE THE WORLD! SERIOUSLY, YOU COULD BE LIKE, THE NEXT BATMAN OR SOMETHING! JUST DO IT FOR THE WORLD! FOR YOU CHILDREN! FOR THE WOLFIES! FOR THE STARVING CHILDREN IN AFRICA AND ALL OVER THE WORLD! FOR THE HOMELESS MAN THAT LIVES NEAR THE SHOPPING CENTER! FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
~She Poe
