𝙄𝙉 𝙀𝙓𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙉𝙂𝙀 ⤁ prince zuko

seventeen | lake laogai

How the moon shining through the window illuminated her face, how she rested so peacefully, how she cuddled closer to the pillow when she was cold.

"What's wrong with me." He mumbled, cursing himself under his breath before tearing his eyes away from her.

He shut the door slightly with an exhale. Making his way to Iroh's room, Zuko checked to see if he was awake. But he didn't even need to open the door, for he heard his Uncle's loud snores from the end of the hallway.

He then returned to his room, pulling the familiar blue mask and duel swords from a bag under his bed. He dressed quickly and snuck out the door, into the dark city.

Mari awoke to the sound of her door being closed. Rubbing her eyes she tried to drift back asleep, but she couldn't when she heard light footsteps in the living room. Thinking nothing of it, she closed her eyes once more to rest. They opened abruptly again when she heard the front door close loudly. Sneaking out of her room, she looked down the hallway, hearing Iroh's loud snores. She then looked to her right and noticed Zuko's room door was left open.

He never leaves it open.

She walked slowly to his room, peaking her head in. She saw his bed left unmade, his sleep clothes tossed on the floor. Her eyes drifted back to the unmade bed and spotted a large bag resting on it. Walking up the bag, she pulled out the remains. Her white dragon mask from the Earth Kingdom village. But the matching blue one was gone.

"You're an idiot, Zuko." She sighed at the bag before running to awake Iroh.

---

"Expecting someone else?" Zuko asked through his mask as the door opened to reveal a trapped Sky Bison. Zuko had seized a Dai Lee agent and forced him to lead him to the Bison. He was hidden deep in an underground establishment, hidden under the waters of Lake Laogai.

The Sky Bison growled at the familiar voice in fear.

"You're mine now." Zuko said, as Appa fought to be free. He turned immediately as he heard the door being opened, drawing his swords. "Uncle?" Zuko asked as he saw the familiar man and girl who opened the door.

"So, The Blue Spirit. I wonder who could be behind that mask."

Sighing, Zuko pulled it off. "What are you two doing here."

"I could ask you the same thing." Iroh retorted. "What do you plan on doing now that you've found the Avatar's bison? Keep it locked in our new apartment? Should I go put on a pot of tea for him?" Iroh asked, trying to speak some sense into his nephew.

Mari watched as Zuko's tough look softened, realizing that he hadn't thought this plan over at all.

"First I have to get it out of here." Zuko responded.

"And then what?" Iroh shouted, growing angry. "You never think these things through. This is exactly what happened when you captured the Avatar at the North Pole. You had him, and then you had no where to go!"

"I would've figured something out!" Zuko shouted back.

"No! If his friends hadn't found you, you would've froze to death!" Iroh said, face growing red.

"Iroh.." Mari trailed off trying to calm him down.

"I know my own destiny, Uncle." Zuko said.

"Is it your own destiny? Or is it a destiny someone else has tried to force on you?" Iroh said, calmer.

"Stop it, Uncle. I have to do this!" Zuko said, clearly battling over what is right and wrong.

"I'm begging you Prince Zuko! t's time for you to look inward and begin asking yourself the big questions. Who are you, and what do you want?"

Zuko shouted in frustration and threw his swords and mask to the ground.

Mari tried to reach for him but Iroh stopped her. "He must do what is right on his own."

Zuko took a deep breath in before grabbing his swords once more. He swung them towards the Bison and Mari turned her head and closed her eyes. But she was surprised to hear the sound of clinking metal. She looked up and watched as Zuko cut through the chain's that bound Appa, setting him free.

---

The three climbed up the ladder that lead to the entrance at the shore of the lake.

"You did the right thing, Nephew." Iroh smiled, proudly.

Zuko turned away, taking the mask from his belt. He looked at it longingly. Mari placed her hand over the mask and nodded. Zuko looked at her hopefully.

He took a more confident breath and tossed it in the water, watching as it sunk down into the lake.