Ba Sing Se Boarding High

Coming Out Party Prep

TW Suicidal thoughts

*Zuko POV*

I know this is supposed to be good, but I'm still anxious. This is basically me saying "I'm gay" to the whole world. A bunch of people will be there. Aang managed to get a really good venue. I guess there are a few perks to being the Avatar.
"I can tell what you're thinking. It still sucks," Aang says.
"You can read minds now too? You sure it sucks?" 
"Yeeeeees. I'm lucky that I don't have to start doing the boring meeting stuff until I turn sixteen,"
"You didn't deny mind-reading,"
"I can read minds. You're thinking about your mother,"
"No, actually I'm not. Good guess though,"
"Don't patronize me,"
"That's what I'm supposed to say,"
"Sure thing, Sifu Hotman,"
"Why is that even a thing?"
"Because I said so,"
"Back on the topic of my mom, I was thinking about visiting her on this lovely Saturday. Wanna join me?"
"Sure. Everyone else jumped on the party planning, so I only got to bake the cake. Let's do something fun,"

We walk up to the gate of the address my mom gave me. Aang is wearing sunglasses and standing stupidly.
"Why do you even need sunglasses. It's cloudy,"
"Because you're so bright," I kick the inside of his leg. "You missed,"
"You better not want me to hit it,"
"Nope! Sunglasses going away,"
"Good boy," I pat the top of his head. We laugh.
"Ring the doorbell,"
"Right," I ring the bell. A little girl answered the door. 
"Are you sure this is the right house?" Aang whispers in my ear.
"I double-checked. Hello there. Is your mommy home?" I am surprisingly good with children.
"Mommy! Some high schoolers are at the door," She yells. 
"Coming!" Mom yells from the back. I kinda droop. She comes to the door. "Hello, Zuko. Hi, Aang. Nice sunglasses,"
"You idiot. Take those off,"
"I can't enjoy your radiant family?"
"No one thinks that's funny Aang,"
"You just don't appreciate my humour. Your mother likes it," He points to my laughing mother. I rip the glasses off his face. 
"Yes, hilarious. Hey mom, could we talk?"
"Sure thing Zuko. You don't mind watching Kiyi, do you Aang?"
"I think I can handle her,"
"Bye Zu-Zu!" The little girl says. My heart stops. 
"Are you coming Zuko?"
"Yes! Definitely not getting phased by nicknames,"

We walk into the kitchen. It smells amazing, but that's not why I'm here.
"You wanted to talk about something my love?"
"I can't believe you! Azula and I were mentally rotting and you're just here starting a new life and acting like we never existed! Azula has convinced herself that you think she's a monster, so she turned herself into one. My father burned half my face. And you're just living your happy little life with a new family. Were we a trial run!?"
"Zuko, my love, I would never think of you as a trial run,"
"Shut up about that. You left in the middle of the night, to get plastic surgery and forget we ever existed,"
"I never forgot about you,"
"I thought you were dead and that's why you never came back. Did you think of us as dead? Because the Fire Lord's children can't exactly die without the world hearing about it,"
"I knew you were alive,"
"We must've been a lost cause then," My mind runs through all of my reactions to bad situations. Trying to firebend but flinching away covering my face. Staring directly at my father as he burned and banished me. Just dozens and dozens of horrible situations. She doesn't even respond. "I guess it would make sense. One child is so mentally broken from being perfect, the other never able to live up to the standards to the point it drives them nuts seeking for their honour. Walking through the ashes of civilization because he wants so badly to receive the approval of someone who doesn't care. One was born lucky, the other lucky to be born. I guess those standards are too hard to infiltrate and try to fix. A lost cause. That would make sense,"
"Zuko, I've loved Noren since before I met your father. He ripped us apart,"
"And you got out unscarred. I have to explain that my father hates me every. Single. Time. I meet someone new. I know mental scars exist, but I have no depth perception and I'm half deaf. It feels like you didn't even care what was happening. Uncle cares. Sokka and Aang care. They care because they're decent people. What does it say about you," I start to walk out of the kitchen when she grabs me and pulls me into a hug. "You'll need more than that,"
"I think about you and Azula every waking hour of my life. I didn't save you because Ozai would've killed all of us. I had Kiyi because I was so mentally torn after losing you two. It could never fill the void. I'm sorry you had to go through all of that because I left, but it's got to be better than dying,"
"I thought about it. I thought about it so many times. I was useless. I could never be right. Maybe if I'd died Azula could've lived a better life. And with you gone, it seemed like no one would even care," I need to stay strong. I've already cried enough for this. 
"There would've been people who cared. I'm sure Azula would have cared,"
"Azula, care about 'Zu-Zu'? Yeah right,"
"This is new to me,"
"She came up with it after you left. As a way to belittle me. Proving that I could be reduced down to nothing but a nickname,"
"You don't know that,"
"She explained it to me," I felt my mother freeze.
"I'm so sorry I made her like that,"
"I can't blame you for that one. She's a self-proclaimed Daddy's Little Monster," 
"We'll help her soon, but for today, we can be happy that you can be yourself freely,"