Work Text:
I
Fire
It doesn't play fair
It likes Azula more than me
It bends to her will easily but
She's not even nice
She's mean to Mai and Ty Lee
And me
But father is always
Proud of her
*****
II
Fire
It delights
In my pain, my
Humiliation, my
Punishment
(But I did nothing wrong!)
It is glad
That I am mutilated
It mocks me
It marks my weakness
Forever
*****
III
Fire
It is
Power
A means to an end
A tool
To regain my honor
*****
IV
Fire
It does not discriminate
It burns whatever
It wishes to
Heedless of the pain it causes
To me, to Song, Jin, Lee, everyone
It touches
*****
V
Fire
I can tame it
Use it
To protect the innocent
To drive away the bullies
But it drives away
The innocent too
Because they are afraid
Of being burned
*****
VI
I did what I had to
What was expected of me
What was
Right and
I am welcomed home
With open arms
*****
VII
It should be a
Warm relief
To have regained
The respect, the
Love, the
Honor
That I deserve
But it feels like a
Cold betrayal
A mocking guilt, regret
Shame
Anger and
I hate it
*****
VIII
A second chance
The promise of
Redemption but
Fire is bad
At being good
Or
At least
I am
*****
VIIII
Finally
Not forgiveness but
A chance
To prove myself
To fix my mistakes
*****
X
Fire
It burns just out of my reach
Mere embers
Of the inferno that it should be
My new friends
Say that it is because
I’m not so angry now
But without it
I’m useless
*****
XI
Fire
It is heat
Light
It is a creation of the dragons
It is a burning sun inside of me
It is the element of
Power but
It can be
Beautiful and pure
Not simply destruction
And rage but
Energy and life