Heyyo! This one is a request I got. It's for an Avatar: The Last Airbender fic about Zuko. Bit of background so things aren't confusing for those who know the story/plotline: It's set shortly after they began hiding in the air Temple and Zuko joined them. Keep in mind the horrible abuse Zuko's father put him through, and understand that this gets just a general warning for possible mentions of past abuse. K enough babbling. Let's light this candle :P Yes I know you are all groaning at my horrible pun okay story time now for real:
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It was something Uncle had never had a problem with. That didn't mean it didn't bother him. It had been happening since the night before the Ag Nee Kai. After that it was every night. Uncle said it was called Shell-shock or something, and that a lot of honored war veterans went through similar things. It still didn't make Zuko feel better.
But since he had joined the Avatar? Well, things had been looking up. Katara still wasn't as fond of him, but Sokka took him in with welcome arms, constantly showing him affection the only way the boy seemed to know how: sarcasm and gentle poking. Toph was generally quiet, but she voiced her own approval. Aang was just happy to have a firebending master to teach him, and he was probably the first to forgive Zuko.
But still, his past clung to him, much like the scar over his left eye. Nightmares were something everyone seemed to have, but he made sure to sleep farther away from the others. Always. The banished prince who wet his bed.
* * * *
Per usual, he woke up that morning drenched in his own piss. He'd done some exploring his first few days, and had found a little room Katara had already set up for washing. He snuck off quietly, starting his soiled bed roll and clothes. He took some time to clean himself up too, grabbing the clothes he had left to dry the day before and sliding them on. The process was familiar enough, however aggravating. He finally found his way back to the main courtyard where the others were just getting up, Katara fixing breakfast.
"Morning Zuko," She said cheerfully, handing him a bowl. He nodded to her, sitting down between Sokka and Toph.
"Hey Zuko?" Sokka said, amusement coloring his tone.
"I'm not in the mood for a joke Sokka," He mumbled.
"But it's funny!" Sokka whined.
"To who Sokka?" Toph said plainly. "Because as far as I can tell, your jokes only amuse you."
"Hey! they're good! Just like my group names!" Sokka said. He and Toph launched into another one of their early morning arguements, so Zuko relocated his position to one that was beside Aang. Unfortunately he forgot that Aang was The Avatar and kind of noticed everything.
"You were up early again," He said mildly as he shoveled some food into his mouth.
"And?" Zuko mumbled, hoping he wouldn't press it.
"That's the third time this week," He said. "Are you okay?"
"Fine," He said, gritting his teeth.
"Doesn't seem-"
"I said I'm fine!" He finally snapped, causing everyone to look at him. He blushed before silently stalking down a corridor. He found a dimly lit room and decided to sulk there. What was he gonna do? Even the others were beginning to notice, or at least it felt like that. There was a soft knock and he quickly glanced up to see Aang standing there.
"Hey, I'm sorry if I upset you," he said gently.
"It's not your fault," Zuko mumbled. "Mostly my stupid father's."
Aang nodded. He had expected as much. "Did you want to stay here and sulk or help me learn to firebend?" Zuko smiled, grateful for Aang's gentle approach and followed him back out to the main courtyard to begin their lessons. The day passed easily, and Zuko found himself feeling surprisingly less angsty as he sat down to dinner that night. He remained quiet as he sat by Aang, but somehow that was enough. As everyone turned in though, he made sure to set himself up, always farther away from the others. Sokka took notice of this.
"Hey, it's warmer over here," he said gently.
Zuko shrugged. "I like my space," He said simply.
"Aw come on Zuko, don't be a party pooper!" Aang encouraged. "It's fun, like a giant, never ending sleepover!"
"......" Zuko hesitated.
"And I promise to make sure Sokka doesn't pull any stupid pranks on you," Toph added. Zuko knew he'd end up regretting it, but hesitantly pulled his freshly dried bedroll between Toph and Aang. He watched the fire burn low, then extinguish itself. Sometime after that, he fell asleep.
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It was something Uncle had never had a problem with. That didn't mean it didn't bother him. It had been happening since the night before the Ag Nee Kai. After that it was every night. Uncle said it was called Shell-shock or something, and that a lot of honored war veterans went through similar things. It still didn't make Zuko feel better.
But since he had joined the Avatar? Well, things had been looking up. Katara still wasn't as fond of him, but Sokka took him in with welcome arms, constantly showing him affection the only way the boy seemed to know how: sarcasm and gentle poking. Toph was generally quiet, but she voiced her own approval. Aang was just happy to have a firebending master to teach him, and he was probably the first to forgive Zuko.
But still, his past clung to him, much like the scar over his left eye. Nightmares were something everyone seemed to have, but he made sure to sleep farther away from the others. Always. The banished prince who wet his bed.
* * * *
Per usual, he woke up that morning drenched in his own piss. He'd done some exploring his first few days, and had found a little room Katara had already set up for washing. He snuck off quietly, starting his soiled bed roll and clothes. He took some time to clean himself up too, grabbing the clothes he had left to dry the day before and sliding them on. The process was familiar enough, however aggravating. He finally found his way back to the main courtyard where the others were just getting up, Katara fixing breakfast.
"Morning Zuko," She said cheerfully, handing him a bowl. He nodded to her, sitting down between Sokka and Toph.
"Hey Zuko?" Sokka said, amusement coloring his tone.
"I'm not in the mood for a joke Sokka," He mumbled.
"But it's funny!" Sokka whined.
"To who Sokka?" Toph said plainly. "Because as far as I can tell, your jokes only amuse you."
"Hey! they're good! Just like my group names!" Sokka said. He and Toph launched into another one of their early morning arguements, so Zuko relocated his position to one that was beside Aang. Unfortunately he forgot that Aang was The Avatar and kind of noticed everything.
"You were up early again," He said mildly as he shoveled some food into his mouth.
"And?" Zuko mumbled, hoping he wouldn't press it.
"That's the third time this week," He said. "Are you okay?"
"Fine," He said, gritting his teeth.
"Doesn't seem-"
"I said I'm fine!" He finally snapped, causing everyone to look at him. He blushed before silently stalking down a corridor. He found a dimly lit room and decided to sulk there. What was he gonna do? Even the others were beginning to notice, or at least it felt like that. There was a soft knock and he quickly glanced up to see Aang standing there.
"Hey, I'm sorry if I upset you," he said gently.
"It's not your fault," Zuko mumbled. "Mostly my stupid father's."
Aang nodded. He had expected as much. "Did you want to stay here and sulk or help me learn to firebend?" Zuko smiled, grateful for Aang's gentle approach and followed him back out to the main courtyard to begin their lessons. The day passed easily, and Zuko found himself feeling surprisingly less angsty as he sat down to dinner that night. He remained quiet as he sat by Aang, but somehow that was enough. As everyone turned in though, he made sure to set himself up, always farther away from the others. Sokka took notice of this.
"Hey, it's warmer over here," he said gently.
Zuko shrugged. "I like my space," He said simply.
"Aw come on Zuko, don't be a party pooper!" Aang encouraged. "It's fun, like a giant, never ending sleepover!"
"......" Zuko hesitated.
"And I promise to make sure Sokka doesn't pull any stupid pranks on you," Toph added. Zuko knew he'd end up regretting it, but hesitantly pulled his freshly dried bedroll between Toph and Aang. He watched the fire burn low, then extinguish itself. Sometime after that, he fell asleep.
* * * *
"Hey! I'm all wet!" Toph shouted the next morning. No. Oh no. Oh no no no....
Everyone sat up Groggily, rubbing their eyes and yawning as Toph growled. "What the heck Sokka?!"
"Mnf, didn't do anything," he mumbled. "Wanna sleep."
"Then who...." She stopped, everyone stopped, and they glanced at Zuko. He was as red as the clothes on his body. His bedroll forgotten, he ran. FAR. As far into the air temple as he could. His clothes were cold and itchy but he couldn't stop. All he could think about was the shame burning inside of him, the fear bubbling up, and the tears threatening to spill out of him. When he deemed himself far enough away, he sunk down and began to cry. Softly, miserably, and with every ounce of emotion he had kept buried for YEARS. In the process, he never noticed someone sitting next to him. He did notice them when they ran their hand through his hair. He frantically looked up to see Katara.
"Don't panic," She said gently. "I came to talk."
"About what?" He asked, sounding too weak for his own liking.
Katara sat across from him. "You're not the first person to deal with this," She said. Zuko scoffed. "Seriously. After we visited the southern air temple, and Aang really saw the devastation of the war.... It really began to take its toll on him. Not to mention Sokka."
"I highly doubt-"
"She's not wrong," Aang added. "And we can try and heal you. I imagine this isn't the first time?" Zuko hesitantly shook his head.
"I'm sorry," He finally choked. Katara gave him the warmest smile he had ever seen on his face.
"Zuko, it's not your fault. I can't tell you how many people I've met and healed who dealt with this," Katara said. "And after all your father put you through, it's really not that far of a leap. Does... Does anyone else know?"
"Don't panic," She said gently. "I came to talk."
"About what?" He asked, sounding too weak for his own liking.
Katara sat across from him. "You're not the first person to deal with this," She said. Zuko scoffed. "Seriously. After we visited the southern air temple, and Aang really saw the devastation of the war.... It really began to take its toll on him. Not to mention Sokka."
"I highly doubt-"
"She's not wrong," Aang added. "And we can try and heal you. I imagine this isn't the first time?" Zuko hesitantly shook his head.
"I'm sorry," He finally choked. Katara gave him the warmest smile he had ever seen on his face.
"Zuko, it's not your fault. I can't tell you how many people I've met and healed who dealt with this," Katara said. "And after all your father put you through, it's really not that far of a leap. Does... Does anyone else know?"
He nodded. "Uncle and his favorite servant, Tee. Once I went home... I found a mute who helped me," he explained. Katara nodded. Aang pushed some clean clothes in front of Zuko. Katara used some water, letting it hover over Zuko's belly.
"Deep emotional truama," she muttered. "Figures. I can ease the symptoms, but you have to open up more for it to completely stop, okay?"
Zuko nodded. "Thank you Katara," he said softly. Somehow... he knew things could only improve. They just had to.
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I tried to write this like an episode of the show and I hope it translates. Thanks for reading! :)
I tried to write this like an episode of the show and I hope it translates. Thanks for reading! :)
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