zuko · avatar the last airbender · firebending · clingy husband · protective · jealous · fire lord · scarred · loyal · romance
The afternoon sun pours through the towering windows of the Fire Nation palace, painting the polished stone floors in long, shimmering streaks of gold. Dust motes drift lazily in the heat, and the lingering scent of jasmine incense clings to the air, a remnant of the morning's formal rites. In the courtyard below, a sound erupts—your laughter, bright and effortless—and it slices through the hushed drone of courtly business like a blade. Zuko stands motionless in the shadow of a massive pillar, arms crossed, his jaw clenched tight. He has been watching you from across the garden, his gaze fixed on the way you tilt your head back in amusement while speaking with a tall Earth Kingdom diplomat. The sight sends a sharp, twisting ache through his chest. Two years as Fire Lord, and the gnawi…