Extinguish my heart. (ZUKKA STORY)

MARKED BY FIRE - chapter 1

Zuko always believed that the quote, "money can buy happiness," was never true. It was only just a statement powered by greed. He came from a family that owned a successful corporation - Phoenix Corp. It ran for generations, yet it proved to Zuko something good can go rotten in the wrong hands. After his grandfather had passed away, his father, Ozai, inherited the company and soon exploited the power he held over the organization. His father would put his workers into poor conditions and leave them with low wages that wouldn't let them get by every day. Ozai wasn't only power hungry over his company, but also Zuko - hoping he would pass the company onto him one day. However, Zuko wasn't the perfect son he wished for and would continually favor his little sister, Azula.
Azula would do anything to please her father, whatever she did had came back in favor of her somehow. It wasn't easy for Zuko to find a place to stand in his corrupted family. It was either he'd end up like his father, or a stranger to his own blood. But he had a place somewhere else - his Uncle Iroh's house wasn't as far from his father's. As for Azula, he was able to get through Ozai's thick head.

Recently, his uncle wasn't able to save him. Zuko remembered the night distinctively; his father was in his office working with new designs of machinery. Knocking against his door, Zuko softly spoke, "Father, may I have a moment with you?" After nights of running to his Uncle, Zuko wanted nothing to do with his father anymore, he was tired of the tiring cycle of relentlessly running away.

"Make it quick, Zuko," Ozai responded. Zuko peered through the door as his father held a slightly rusty metal part of a machine. Zuko stood from a respective distance, and then soon sat down in one of his father's chairs in his office, near his desk. "Father, I have been thinking... Phoenix Corp. has been thriving for decades on end now. Your marketing strategies are nothing short of extraordinary, and the company's growth under your leadership is undeniable."

Ozai shot his sharp eyes at Zuko, gripping the metal piece. The tension had become frigid, and Zuko didn't know what he'd just said. "Zuko, what are you saying right now? After years of investing in business for your career choice, what is this?" He questioned, his voice cold.

Zuko held onto the armrest of his chair, "Father, I mean no disrespect, but the company isn't as how it once was! Back then, it was about innovation and progress, yes, but there was also a sense of responsibility and a commitment to the greater good. Now, it feels like it's all about power and control, no matter the cost." Zuko tried to hold his ground, but underneath he felt like running away once again, afraid of what his father was capable of.

Ozai slammed his fist on the table, the sound echoing through the room. "You dare question how I run this company? Everything I do is to secure our legacy, to ensure our dominance!" The sound of the screech made Zuko flinch. He didn't know what to expect next. His father approached him, his walk slow and ominous.

"Father, I'm not questioning your methods -" Zuko raised his voice, but was interrupted abruptly when his father silenced him with an ear-deafening slap. It was enough to make Zukos eyes water. "This was all your Uncle, wasn't it!? He's been pushing his 'new agendas' down your throat!" Ozai raged, his face blooming with a hot color of pink. He didn't show grace anymore, and that day, Zuko learned what it meant to be a part of Phoenix Corp.

Ozai pushed Zuko near the exit, "Get out of my office! You have no place here until you learn what it means to be truly committed," he boomed.

Zuko hurried to his room, clutching his chest as he exhaled and inhaled deeply, recalling everything Iroh had told him about standing his ground if his father struck him again. "Not now, not here..." Zuko repeated under his breath as small tears streamed down his face. He wanted to run away, this time for good. His father was right; he had no place in his home.

The following morning, Zuko - unable to bear being in the same house as his father - planned to spend the day with Iroh. Just as he was about to leave, Ozai grabbed his shoulder. "There's an issue at one of our major industrial sites that needs your attention. Some workers are causing unrest, and they respect you. They need to hear from you, to be reassured," he informed calmly. Zuko was unsure, it was as if he had forgotten what had happened last night - yet he didn't want to start another argument, so he was willing.

Zuko had ordered a cab to deliver him to the site, and as he arrived, he was pleased to see workers that he had been working for since he was a kid. "Zuko, please talk to your father... the environment is hazardous!" A worker pleaded, tugging slightly on Zuko's sweater. A flood of guilt took over the young man. He knew if he tried suggesting anything about the business to his father once again, he wouldn't only get a slap, but rather, something much worse. "I'll try, Sato, I promise," Zuko lied through his teeth.

Zuko kept going around, talking to different workers about their problems, when a loud rumble echoed through the facility, causing the ground to tremble. One of the many workers, Jin raised her voice, a swarming sense of urgency and horror within it. "What was that?" Before anyone else could react, a deafening explosion rocked the building. Flames erupted from a nearby storage area, sending a shockwave that knocked Zuko off his feet. The force of the blast threw him against a wall, and he felt a searing pain on the left side of his face. Lifting himself, chaos came over the site. The sounds of screaming and the loud, buzzing sounds of sirens overwhelmed Zukos ears as he limped near the closest exit.

Zuko cried out as he touched the left side of his face. The pain flodded his entire face, and he could feel it on his arms and neck. The pain was too much for him to bear.

Everything went black as he collapsed onto the pavement.

Zuko's sight was blurry; he could barely see anything but blurry blobs of figures of what he thought to be nurses and people. He could still hear all the screams and cries for help from the burning building - and it tormented him. His dad hadn't invested much money into the place, but this was the first accident. Zuko knew his dad wouldn't face any consequences, because people in power could cover up anything with a simple smile and a honeyed voice.

Zuko lay in a hospital bed, in excruciating pain, crying lightly when he heard a familiar deep voice talking to a doctor - it was his father. His heart sunk. He couldn't, and wouldn't ever even see his father as the same. After that day, Zuko knew he was a horrible man; but not someone who would carelessly let many people get in danger without a care in the world.

The doctor opened the curtain, to reveal his father standing next to her, "Zuko, your father is here to visit you!"-then, to his Father,-"He has a third-degree burn on the right side of his face, along with a second-degree burn going down his arm. As for the face injuries, I can say his wounds will require more intensive medical treatment."

Ozai released a long, pent up deep breath. He nodded in understanding. "Thank you Dr. Asune. May I have a moment with my son alone?" His father asked with his best smile flashing at the doctor. "Sure! I'll be out," replied the doctor.

His father's smile faded, as he looked Zuko in the eye. "Zuko... you must be in great pain," He muttered as he brushed Zuko's hair back. Zuko winced. "But I've considered what you said to me last night, and so you'll be moving to a different school and moving in with your Uncle. You are no son of mine, so you must go. I'll have your tickets to Ba Sing Se arranged once you're out of the hospital, Zuko." Ozai flashed another smile at Zuko as he stood up, preparing to leave.

Zuko couldn't believe it. The news sent shivers down his spine. Tears started forming in the back of his eyes. "Father... Please don't do this. I take back everything I said!" Zuko begged.

"I know you do, but let this be a lesson for what happens when you go against me." Ozai pulled the curtain to a close.

authors note : feedback pls.. idk if anyone likes the format or not.