Warning for non-explicit death. An AU in which Zuko did not fight with his father and went on to be a Fire Nation Soldier.
Zuko hated the war, and he hated the man who'd been encouraging it, stoking it even more. He hated fighting, he hated killing — but he had not truly hated it until he and his men raided the South Pole, and the peaceful tribe that lived there.
No one escaped the fire, no one remained after the carnage, and Zuko stood on the ground of his enemies, feeling like he was the one who had lost.
"Commander Zuko, what shall we do next?"
Zuko took a sharp breath, inhaling the acrid scent of smoke and blood, and ordered, "Leave them alone."
"But Commander—the resources —"
Zuko wanted to say fuck the resources, we just slaughtered an entire tribe, but what comes out of his mouth is, "We have done our job. The resources will not go anywhere. Let's return to the ship and regroup."
The soldier looks like he wants to protest, but Zuko silently dares him to try it, and he wisely backs off. "Will you remain here for a little longer, or…?"
Zuko exhales. "No, I will return with you." He hesitates and then shakes his head. He cannot look at this anymore.
He follows the soldier back into the ship, his shoulders bearing a burden much larger than his rank.
Three years later
Zuko is almost done with his conquest of the kingdoms, but there are rebellions. Rebellions accompany any new regime because no one is satisfied with the new ruler. It's often the method of conquering they disagree with, and Zuko agrees with them — but he can't speak out, lest he is punished. The Fire Nation doesn't dole out easy punishments — they crawl under your barriers and find out where they can hurt you the most.
One morning in Ba Sing Se, dressed in full armor, Zuko runs into a girl with brown skin and dark hair and the most piercing blue eyes he's ever seen. The girl is pretty, he supposes — but she looks him with hatred burning in her eyes.
Zuko is used to the malicious stares — there have already been six attempts on his life since he became a commander, and people aren't very discreet, they leave behind tracks.
But this girl looks like she could strangle him without breaking a sweat — and she has the right motive. Dark skin and blue eyes are only common to one nation, an extinct nation and it's one of the victories that Zuko regrets to this day. He'd suspected there might have been some children who had escaped; it had been total chaos.
He mutters a curt apology to the girl and goes on his way, but he can feel her stare searing into the back of his head.
He knows she'll come after him, and he must defend himself — but it's going to hurt.
475 words
Auction - Soldier!AU (14-3)