avocado_love

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Sometimes I'll just write down scenes that come into my head. They don't have a point, and I don't know when or where they will be added. Sometimes they're crap, and sometimes the ending surprises even me. This is one of those scenes.

Zuko wrenched away, standing up, pacing, hands opening and closing in his agitation. “People stare at me, or they don’t look at all, which is weirder. What happened to me, Katara? What—“ he broke off, a hand running through his hair, accidentally outlining the ragged edge of his scar. “Was it an accident? Did someone do this to me? Did I somehow do this to myself?”

“Zuko—” She stood as well, her eyes full of compassion and he turned away. He didn’t want to see it. Not then.

“Who was I, back then?” They both knew he was talking about the Fire Nation. “Sometimes… I….” he paused, taking a deep, shuddering breath. “I look at these things, and it could be anything. A flower. A piece of architecture — and I recognize it. But I don’t know how or when. And… what if someday I just look at something, and it snaps and it all comes back? I’ll be a different person. I’ll hate you and I’ll be just like them and—“

“Stop.”

Katara had come up from behind him and grabbed his wrist, hard, snapping him out his ramble. He turned to her and met her eyes — strong, full of love. “You can’t do this. You are a good person, Zuko. And you’re punishing yourself for something you can’t know is ever going to happen.”

He shook his head. “I was a Fire Nation Prince. I probably tortured captives, sat with war meetings and—“

“Kicked orphan puppies?”

Zuko narrowed his eyes. He wasn’t trying to be funny. “No. I probably burned those. You’ve seen Azula.”

Katara sighed. “Come on. Sit down with me.” She tugged on his arm, and after a moment he sat with her. “I remember when you and I started bending together. Do you remember what I promised you?”

He snorted, remembering a child’s earnest promise. “That if my fire ever got out of control you’d be there to put it out.”

“And I never had too, did I?”

“No, but…” Zuko hesitated, and swallowed. Clutching her hand again in his own, he lifted it. “I need you to make me another promise.”

“Sure. What?”

“If I remember and I become someone else… you need to take me out.” She gasped, and tried to tug her hand back, but he held it and her gaze, firm. “Promise me, Katara. Before I hurt anyone.” The muscles along her jaw twitched, and finally she tore her gaze from his, blinking back angry tears and shaking her head. “Sokka can’t do it, and I can’t ask that of Aang…”

“I promise.” She didn’t look at him, and her voice was bitter. “But only because I know I’ll never have too.”

“Thank you, Katara,” he whispered.

I think I will name this scene: Zuko being an angst-monkey. Y/Y?