Chapter Text
Zuko's POV
There was something bothering him after today, and he just couldn't place his finger on it.
He slowly sat on his King-sized bed at two in the morning, his insomnia was killing him and it had gotten worse after he became the Fire Lord. His hand, splaying across the soft, silky sheets of his comfortable yet bad memory bringing.
Trying to steady his breathing, just as how his uncle taught him, he contemplated all of his past life decisions. Life flashing before him as if this were his death making him think this was a literal death bed he slept on.
He shook his head trying to fight it those unforgiving past mistakes. His gaze, landing on the dozen stacked paperworks that rested on his desk.
He sighed in resignation knowing he'd have to do them soon if not later.
He looked away, tilting down to face the floor.
Avoiding millions of responsibilities now and leaving the rest of the paperworks to his future self.
Even after retrieving fire lady Ursa—His mother, His new founded younger sister, and most likely his third Father.
He still felt.. So uneasy.
The new Oz*i society just tried assassinating them, but even before all of that, he still felt Unbelievably uncomfortable. He didn't really understand why, but the feeling would most and would always appear during his talks and meetings with his sister—Azula.
He didn't understand why or to even—How exactly. .
But nonetheless, as the Fire Lord of the Fire Nation, they have to always be strong and have that spark in them that demanded overwhelming support and applause, despite never doing the good for the Nation, or any of the others.
... Did he really have to be those pathetic yet Cold Fire Lords, even crossing the line as to demanding of an audience in awe and in fear?
Really.
He didn't want to become like his father,
Because he wasn't his father.
Seriously! Would you become someone so wretched and evil?
Someone who ruined your life?
Someone who——
It was morning. Already.
And yet, despite Zuko's ego being absolutely convinced he'd finish it under a minute—Hours ago—he was suddenly on his desk, filing, agreeing and disagreeing to laws that haven't been altered in over centuries, to whatever he deemed appropriate for the new and established Fire Nation that now loved him more than his sister or especially Oz*i. Mostly because of his well mannered and caring being currently, before the Agni Kai with his Father and despite those badly uneducated rumors of him as “the banished prince.”
Zuko worked quietly out of spite and in so much frustration, his free hand holding—Gripping—his short, messy dark hair with so much irritation, while the other held the fountain pen and wrote fluidly on the paper.
Before he could even reach out to dip his fountain pen in ink, he was abruptly stopped as he heard exactly four knocks on his door.
He looked back at the door, it was completely obscuring the person behind it though, I think we already knew that doors do that., then back at the ink. Thinking of whether to just ignore it and act asleep as it was still six in the morning as said in his Eli Terry pillar, and yet he was also contemplating if he should ask who it was and/or just let them in completely instead.
I mean.. He wasn't that stupid to just open doors to random people, most likely his mother and her family were still sleeping in one of the guestrooms, where it was farthest away from the prisons where Oz*i was located.
“Toph, we should probably go now–... He's most likely still sleeping.” mumbled and also a quiet voice was heard behind the door, It was a male though—it really didn't seem like he was alone.
“Shut up, Sokka! I literally see him through the door, He's literally sitting down infront of his desk and writing something q?!” Toph whispered as well screamed and berated Sokka in lowercase too, being careful not as to disturb the second family in the other room.
“How can you see him—Oh... Oh yeah... I forgot..” before he could even continue, the door squeaked opened. Revealing none other than the infamous Fire Lord Zuko!
Sokka's eyes lit up, grinning upon seeing him. “ZUU——” He was cut off immediately, both Toph and Zuko shushing him
“Sokka, you big dumb idiot!” Toph jumped to reach Sokka's height and smacked him on the back of his head while scolding him in a low tone “ouch! how dare yo-” but then was shushed soon enough by Zuko. “Hey! No fighting!” Zuko said, before Sokka blamed Toph while rubbing the back of his head “she started it!..”, “No I did not!”
“What are you guys even doing here?” The Fire Lord pinched the bridge of his nose and quickly added—Whispering to the two after they quieted down.
“Oh, us? We're here to—badump badump! D-d-deliver, News!” Sokka said in a low yet exaggerated tone, making his finger into guns like hand signs.
Zuko crossed his arms after pinching the bridge of his nose, his face expression slowly softening. “Okay.. So when are you gonna give it to me straight?”
Sokka was just about to start speaking, before a metal bar landed right on his mouth—as if trying to restrain him from speaking. “He said give it to him straight, Sokka.” Toph said, before pausing to clear her throat a bit too loud sounding like she was trying to hide the muffled screaming at the floor—then continuing. “great, anyway... King Kuei requests an audience with you, or something.”
“Huh? An audience with me?” Zuko's eyes widened in shock as he uncrossed his arms, hearing this was unbelievable—despite their reconciliation during the Harmony Restoration Movement. “Yeah. An audience with you” Toph crossed her arms, mimicking his earlier posture while Sokka was still muffled in the background—still trying to take the straightened metal bar off of his mouth.
“Wait—it's still so early? Why tell me this now?” Zuko asked, still flabbergasted by the news. “it's because, the meeting he wants you to attend to is at Eight in the morning.” “Wha—WHAAT??!” he was so shocked he screamed out the what and immediately covered his mouth.
Dear, Agni... This was gonna be the worst day ever.
He should probably try and finish these paperwork before the meeting, since it might take way too long.
“...Why didn't you guys tell me sooner..!?” Zuko was absolutely panicked. “Well, Snoozles over here forgot to tell you when he clearly told me he already told you about it and before I pointed it out that he was lying—He was already asleep.” She pointed down at the masked Sokka when she said his nickname, her other arm crossed before crossing both of them back.
Zuko sighed then face palmed
This was already the worst day ever.
Seriously, What did he do to deserve this?
Toph's POV (Briefly)
“Great, we're going now, bye Sparky!” she waved while grabbing the muffled Sokka by his collar from the floor as her bare feet saw Zuko's anxiety rise higher every step she took and yet it was only now that she felt that something was bothering him. When Zuko finally turned his head away, Toph tilted her head back and up to look at him while now slowly walking down the stairs—His brows furrowed in thought as he finally turned around and closed the door.
Toph sighed wondering why she hadn't felt Zuko's heart race, was it because he was a good liar? Or was it because she was way too invested in the conversation?even if she was invested in the conversation they had, she'd still be able to feel that something was bothering him.
Sokka was still busy screaming, protesting about the metal against his mouth. Even despite the fact they were already out the Fire Lord's Castle(?)