Whumptober 2021

#29) Playing with Fire- ATLA

Prompt #29- All rest and no play. Post S3 of ATLA as Zuko begins to figure life out as Fire Lord. I read a couple of the comics but it's been a while so this is probably AU-ish.

Zuko eyed the stack of papers an attendant had left on his bedroom desk. The meeting with his advisors had run three hours over and had done little to accomplish anything. About half of the members still held to Ozai's vision for the Fire Nation, even if they hadn't liked the man himself. One Hundred years of war dogma and propaganda didn't go away overnight. . . or away in three months.

'Still-' Zuko resisted the urge to groan. Aang showed more common sense than the room put together. His vision went blurry, and Zuko rubbed his eyes. Fatigue crashed over him in waves. When was the last time he'd gotten a decent night's sleep? Before his mom disappeared probably. Sighing, Zuko ignored his bed and grabbed the top sheet.

GENERAL JIAN requesting Fire Lord Zuko to reconsider the relocation of troop 874 from the Earth Kingdom. . .

Zuko shoved back his chair, barely resisting the urge to crumple the paper. How many times was this going to be repeated? Growling under his breath Zuko drafted a missive stating, again, that no he was not changing his mind, and yes all Fire Nation military was being recalled. He could write these in his sleep at this point. Zuko set down his quill and quelled the urge to burn the paper. No matter how many times Zuko reiterated the point, another commander dug their heels in at obeying the order.

A glimmer of bitterness rose with the thought that Ozai hadn't dealt with men back talking like this. However, If any commander dared question Ozai's orders, they would have been stripped of their rank at best, executed at worst. Zuko himself served as living proof. With that in mind guilt flooded through Zuko. He didn't want to mirror any of Ozai's barbaric practices. Unfortunately, that meant dealing with a lot of insubordination attempts.

A stiff knock broke Zuko from his thoughts. "Enter."

Suki strode in wearing her Kyoshi uniform. "Nothing abnormal noted today. I'm taking point tonight."

Zuko figured as much but appreciated her update. "Thank you, Suki." Instead of exiting, she gave Zuko an appraising look. Zuko fought to avoid squirming. "What?"

"When was the last time you slept?" she held up a hand at Zuko's spluttering protests. "Like really slept?"

Zuko snapped his jaw shut. The silence dragged out between them.

"That's what I thought. Zuko," they'd been through too much history for Zuko to feel comfortable with Suki using any honorifics, "how can you take care of a nation if you're not taking care of yourself?"

Anger crackled up Zuko's spine. "As you said, I have a nation to rule. Too long my family has taken care of itself rather than look to the needs of the people. My sleep is of little consequence."

'I've gone longer on less sleep,' he didn't say aloud. Granted at the time the fall out would have only been on his own head- or the small crew of the Wani- not several hundred thousand people.

Instead of rising to the bait Suki only sighed. "All I'm saying is it's okay to look at your own needs too. And you don't have to do everything on your own." Rather than wait for him to respond she marched out the room, closing the door behind her.

Groaning silently, Zuko slumped back in his chair. Suki had good points, but that didn't make it easy. The only Fire Nation official he implicitly trusted had chosen to remain in Ba Sing Se, though the two sent letters back and forth often enough. However, it wasn't the same as having Uncle with him.