|•|W I T 卄 E R||•| Zuko X Reader ⚠SLOWBURN⚠

Book 3: Evaluation

"That's what's different about us. You always think about people who don't matter. Y/N is dead, Mother is probably dead, she was pathetic so it wouldn't be a surprise if she is. Why do you care about people who don't matter?" Azula questioned.

Zuko sighed, "They do matter. This is why you have to change. You've never experienced what it's like to love or care about everyone, because all you do is bring pain and fear. It's not okay."

"No, this is why you have to change. You've never been an honorable holder of our royal blood, all because you love being puny and weak." Azula stated.

Zuko opened his mouth as if to counter her statement, but paused.

Oka had said Zuko was "desperate to be weak."

Azula had said he "loved being weak."

The chef arrived with a plate of food which he handed to Zuko with a bow before leaving.

Exhaling, Zuko turned away from Azula, saying, "Fear... Is easy to overcome. Regret isn't. Don't make choices you'll regret, Azula."

Azula stood in silence for moment before walking away, losing interest in the game she was trying to play with her brother.
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A myriad of words suffused his mind.

Failure, choices, weakness, change, and fear...

He replayed the words Azula and Oka told him in his mind. Slowly, other memories started creeping in.

Grunting with anger, he spun around and held Oka's throat, pinning him against the wall. "I TOLD YOU TO SHUT IT!"

He had relapsed.

Zuko walked through the ashy red halls, his boots making a sound which Echoed through the corridor.

Zuko looked his sister dead in the eyes, determined, "I'm not falling for your lies again, Azula!"

Yet he allowed himself to be played by her after your "death."

The feeling of the hot plate in his hands created a burning sensation on his fingertips.

"THEN WHY WOULD MY OWN FATHER DO THIS TO ME!?" Zuko cried, raising a hand to his scar. His body shook with anger and confusion, but those emotions melted away and revealed the sorrow kindling underneath them.

He felt ashamed.

His eyes were glued to the dark floor, unable to find anything to distract his rampaging thoughts with.

"I'm begging you, Prince Zuko! It's time for you to look inward and begin asking yourself the big questions. Who are you, and what do you want?"

He knew what he wanted, but how many more people would he disappoint?

He stood in front of the door to his chambers and slammed his eyes shut tightly before opening them again.

Everything—Every single moment he had made a mistake or hurt somebody— it all replayed in his mind and stuck to him like it were a plague.

He opened the door slowly, entering his room and shutting the door behind himself.

You gasped and came out from your hiding spot with a grin, "Is that food for mwa!?"

"Yeah." Zuko muttered, walking over to you.

Your smile dropped as you noticed the forlorn look in his eyes. He took note of your change in expression and asked, "What's wrong? Are... Are you okay?"