The Blue Spirit ღ (Zuko x OC)

ⅩⅩⅠⅩ: Smoke

"And after 3 long years, your Prince has returned . . . Zuko!"

The scene atop the balcony overlooking his people played over in his head. The whole event had felt surreal . . . as if it had happened to someone else. He found himself staring into water again, this time the pond within the palace where he'd once sat beside his mother. His hand brushed over the grass and he let out a heavy puff of air, trying his hardest to let go. He broke off a piece of bread and tossed it toward the turtle ducks. He was playing the part, wasn't he? Why hadn't his father come to greet him. He wasn't even giving him a chance to prove he'd changed!

As if a devil had heard his troubles, he saw a shadow come over the pond that startled the animals.

"You seem so downcast." Azula's voice came from beside him. He wasn't in the mood for her mind games, but she might at least shed some light on his standing within the palace. "Has Mai gotten to you already? Though, actually, Mai has been in a strangely good mood lately." The smirk passing over her lips made his throat tighten. He knew she'd been behind pushing them together, he didn't know yet why, but he could detect Azula's handywork. Despite this, he shoved the feeling down.

"I haven't seen dad yet," He said. "I haven't seen him in 3 years . . . since i was banished."

"So what?"

"So . . . I didn't capture the Avatar." He found he was fishing . . . for a look, for a slip up, anything that would give away Azula's game. He couldn't shake the possibility that nothing here seemed to add up, that nothing was quite as it seemed, that every day to follow back here in his home land was a step in the dark and he was waiting for his foot to find only air, and for the dark to swallow him whole.

Ahh. Just like childhood.

                                                                                        *✧*

Nothing felt right. The meeting with his father, the conversation with Azula afterward . . . everything felt off. But he was catching on to the 'why'. His sister wasn't the generous type, she wasn't one for any kind of altruism or selfless giving, there was always an ulterior motive for Azula. When there's smoke, there's fire.

She'd read him like a book from the start, and she meant for him to be her scapegoat. Again.

Zuko stopped in the dark halls of the palace, only half a way back to his room. His fist met the wall with a thud that shook the wall hangings. A few guards had been alerted and peered around a corner.

"Everything okay, Prince Zuko?" A voice echoed within their helmets.

"I'm FINE!" Zuko snapped, trudging away from the scrutinising eyes to make his way back to his room. He sat on the edge of the bed, wringing his hands and running over and over the possibilities.

Katara had mentioned some fancy water she could use . . . powerful enough to heal his scar. Could it heal the Avatar's injuries? If only his uncle hadn't interfered, if only he hadn't betrayed him, he could have finished the job, or picked up the Avatar's body . . . no. Zuko clenched his teeth. It wasn't right to think Iroh would betray him. He'd loved him like a son . . . so why . . .

He felt his breath hitch and got to his feet, forcing the feeling away as he removed the pin from his hair piece and let his hair fall around his face. He'd try to sleep it off, shake the bad taste in his mouth this day had left him, silence the song of regret at the edge of his mind. But sleep wouldn't find him, and after tossing and turning about as he was turning of his thoughts in his own self, he decided to go for a walk for answers.