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It's a bright and sunny day inside the fire nations boarders. Fire Lord Zuko has been in meetings all day in his continued effort to keep the peace of his nation and just wants to relax. As he lays down on the couch, the back of his hand resting on his forehead, he closes his eyes and starts to drift. His body goes limp; his mind starts to fade and just as he reaches the cusp of relaxation-
"Fire Lord Zuko!" yells one of his workers bursting through the castle doors.
Zuko's eyes open just a sliver. "What is it now?"
"Apologies my Lord," the worker bows, holding his hands behind his back. "I was told to inform you a child was challenged to an Agni Kai at sundown by his own father."
The moment the workers words hit his ears, Zuko is already back on his feet, wide awake with pure rage in his eyes. It's been months since he's made it illegal to challenge anyone under the age of majority to an Agni Kai. Anyone stupid enough to challenge a child to one would have to face him instead. No one's dared to challenge this law being that it's common knowledge Zuko can and will keep to his word no matter what he has to do.
"Where?" he asks in a scarily calm tone.
"Um," the worker squares his shoulders. "Their home is on the other side of the city. In a small home with a reddish orange roof."
"I'll be back in a few hours, keep watch while I'm gone."
Without waiting for a response, Zuko storms out of the room, his eyes dead set on the front doors. The servants and other workers press themselves against the walls as he walks past. A few scramble to open the doors for him but he's faster and opens them himself. The city below is casted with a hue of gold from the setting sun, he could walk through the streets, but that'd take too much time. With one simple leap, he ends up on the roofs, jumping from building to building with practiced ease.
A reddish orange roof far side of the city is easy enough to find especially from his vantage point. By the time he gets to the home there's a small group already circled around a drawn in dirt arena. One side has a child, no older than ten or so, while the other has a grown man with white patches in his stubble. The little one tries his best to look brave by squaring his shoulders, but his quivering lip and shaking legs give him away completely.
"D-dad I said I was sorry!" he cries, tears staining his icy olive toned cheeks.
"Can it Ren." the dad shouts, swiping at the air, trails of ember following. "You're an embarrassment on this family with that weak display of power."
Zuko waits until the match properly starts before making his move. The kid-Ren-does a pretty impressive fireball in his father's direction but of course that does very little to a grown man. When the father starts to run up to the child, his fist ignited with a bright red flame, Zuko finally jumps down from the roof, catching the man's hand before it can reach the child. The crowd gasps, taking several steps away as the man looks up in a mix of horror and rage.
"Fire L-lord Zuko." He stumbles, trying to take his hand back.
Zuko tightens his grip, fire emitting from his nose. "You challenged a child to a fight? At your grown age you sat there and thought this child needs to fight his own father?"
The father winces as he hears the bones in his fingers crack. "N-no of course not! I was, uh, just trying to put a little, a little-"
"A little what?!" Zuko snaps, squeezing tighter. "A little fear? A little trepidation? He's. A. Child. He doesn't need to fear his own father; he needs protection from people like you!"
"Look, I'm so, sorry to disturb you with this sir, it won't--"
"Shut up," Zuko tosses him back, walking towards the child. "If it's a fight you want, then it's a fight you'll get. Your opponent is me now."
As he reaches the boy, the little one backs away, his eyes wide with fear. Zuko kneels down to his level, gently setting his hand atop the boy's head. "Don't worry, you're safe now. Do you have anyone else you can run to?"
"Mhm." the boy sniffles, pointing to a woman with nearly identical features to the boy running towards them.
Zuko follows his finger, nodding. "Good, go with her and get out of here. I'll come check on you both later, okay?"
The boy nods, then hugs Zuko around the man's waist. "Thank you sir."
Zuko freezes, his arms held away from the kid, the hair on his neck standing to full attention.
"Of course, I meant what I said about keeping you all safe. Now go."
The boy nods and runs to his mother who scoops him up into a tight embrace. Judging by her fresh but very muddy clothes she's likely makes pottery for their living and just got back from work. Disgusting. A man like this can have this kind of calm life with such a lovely child and mother just to throw it away for power.
"My Lord please, I-"
"I said be quiet." Zuko rises to his feet, facing the quivering man. "You have two options, either fight me then be arrested for breaking royal law or admit defeat and be arrested with your bones unbroken. Your choice."
The man looks around them at all the people, not a single one moving or saying a word. If he fights this man, he'll lose, if he doesn't, he still loses but looks like a coward in front of everyone. Steeling himself, he gets into a fighting stance, doing his best to remain calm. Zuko lets out a sharp breath of black smoke from his nose and ready's himself for battle. Once it begins, Zuko lets the man get several blows off before pile driving his face into the dirt, holding him to the ground with the bottom of his foot. He could break every bone in his body, a part of him wishes to do so, but looking over his shoulder, this man's child is watching while hiding behind his mother.
"Guards," Zuko calls out, stepping off the man. "Take him away. We can deal with him later. The rest of you head back to your homes, now."
Without hesitation the crowd clears faster than when it arrived, Zuko stands by watching the guards take the father away kicking and screaming. Even when defeated this idiot still tries to fight? Pathetic. It doesn't matter now though; he's gone and will soon be banished forever. There is no space for people like him in this Fire nation and there never will be.
Turning around the mother and child are still standing there with a mix of shock and relief on their faces. The boy dashes up to Zuko, grabbing at the end of his shirt with bright wide eyes staring up at him.
"Thank you sir! That was an awesome fight!"
"Hm," Zuko kneels down once more, his elbow on his knee. "I'm glad you're okay now. I'll make sure your father won't hurt anyone ever again, okay?"
"Mhm!" he beams, bouncing on his toes.
"Thank you so much my Lord." The woman approaches, bowing half her body height.
"No need for thanks," Zuko says, returning to his feet. "Do you have a safe place to rest? Is your home still safe to sleep in?"
The woman looks over her shoulder to their home, the shutters are tattered and the door's hinges are loose from the father forcibly dragging their son outside.
"Yes, I believe we'll be fine." she smiles, pulling her son to her side.
Zuko glances over the house, motioning for one of his guards. "I'll send some people to fix what he broke. You both deserve a safe place to stay."
"My lord that is far too much!" The mother insists.
Zuko shakes his head, holding his hand up to stop her. "What's too much is letting this stand as it is. No one deserves to feel unsafe in their own home. My crew will be here by morning to fix whatever is broken. A guard will stand watch outside the home for the night. If you need anything else, you will ask for it. Understand?"
The mother hesitates, unsure if it's even worth it to argue with a man so determined as him. Her fingers tighten slightly around her son’s shoulder before she lowers her gaze again.
“…Yes, my Lord. We understand.”
Zuko studies her form. "Good. Get inside. It's safter."
The woman nods and beckons her kid to follow. The boy follows obediently, waving back to Zuko with a content smile on his face. He waits a moment longer to ensure they're both inside and safe then motions for a guard to standpoint at the door.
The next day the father is exiled from the Fire nation permanently, destined to walk the rest of his life alone. From a saft distance he watches as his workers fix up the boy's home with a subtle smile on his face. He promised his people he would protect them all no matter the cost it puts onto him, and he meant it. Hopefully, the people will see it this way too.