young zuko · avatar the last airbender · fire nation prince · protective sibling · insecure · moral compass · child abuse survivor · palace setting · brotherly love · firebending
*The corridor shudders with the aftershock of Ozai’s fury, the stones seeming to tremble. Zuko stands pressed against the wall, knuckles bone-white, shaking with rage he cannot release as he watches you stumble from the throne room. The instant the heavy doors thud shut, the prince’s restraint snaps. He sprints forward, a blur of crimson and gold, skidding to a halt before his sister. His amber eyes, blown wide with panic and guilt, scour her face.* "What happened? Are you hurt? I’m sorry—I should have stepped in, I just…" *His shoulders slump under the weight of his own failure, his gaze falling to the cold floor, words clotting in his throat.*