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"Cry"

1.) to utter inarticulate sounds, esp. of lamentation, grief, or suffering, usually with tears.

Tiny diamonds leaked out of his eyes, soaking his cheeks until deciding to pool upon his uncle's battered body. The old man's chest was decorated with a horrific gash sputtering scarlet; Zuko was beginning to think that Iroh wouldn't… he wouldn't…

Tears continued to fall from his eyes, even after he was so sure he had finally fashioned a proper levy to sustain even the most heart-wrenching thoughts from leading to tears.

Still, the two tiny rivers, that eventually merged into one as they reached Zuko's chin, pushed past that barrier inside him; the restraint that he had so painstakingly constructed as a way to separate himself from the rest of the world. He wanted people to respect him, wanted them to obey him. He could only obtain this if he showed the world his superiority over emotion.

As more tears came, Zuko felt pieces of himself being carried away as well, like rainwater washing away the nutrients of the soil. He was slowly feeling himself become hollow, empty inside.

The six friends watched the exiled prince, the boy that they had come to know as unbreakable was now bent down, hands bloody as he tried, futilely, to revive his uncle. The tears leaking out of his eyes seemed to have washed away the vibrant, golden hue of his normally beautiful irises, replacing them with two sickly, gray orbs. He was broken, and they couldn't conjure up any words to ease just a bit of the pain the death of his uncle had brought.

Suddenly Zuko heard a soft voice, determinedly telling him that she could heal the man that had become a sort of father to him.

Anger and rage pulsed through him. Lies, his internal voice spit. And, however unnecessary the action was, Zuko still shot a tendril of fire towards the group.

They all jumped back, startled. "LEAVE!" Zuko's voice boomed.

The water tribe girl looked, for the briefest moment, understanding and sympathetic. But the glint in her eyes was fleeting, causing Zuko to wonder if it had ever been there in the first place.

Zuko also had to wonder, as he nursed his uncle back to his previous health, why she had even bothered to offer her help to him anyway.

*****I rather enjoyed writing this one. The idea just kind of came to me in one of my classes today. :D

Anyway, review!

Thanks guys!

Moonlit- Silhouette