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Zuko had just gotten into his room at the Western Air Temple, and he felt like he could finally rest and relax. He unpacked his bag, and held his uncle's portrait once he took it out. He couldn't help but feel shame.
He put it back in the bag and put his hand up to his good ear as his hearing was taken over by a loud, high pitched, almost painful ringing.
He froze as he saw the waterbender walked in and started talking to him. She had one of the most serious faces he's ever seen, and he grew up with Firelord Ozai and Azula as family.
His ear was unfortunately, still ringing, as she finished her speech. She walked out, leaving Zuko confused and anxious. What if it was something important? What if it was information he needed?
'It did seem pretty important,' Zuko thought, 'But I doubt they'll let me ask.'
"Grrrr what do I do? It's not like I can walk up and be like 'hey I know you said something important but I have cursed ears so sorry I didn't hear!' Why am I like this.." Zuko sat down on his bed, head in his hands. He needed something to calm him down.
He decided on cleaning his swords. He finished and decided to lie down and close his eyes. After an hour or two, the little earthbender came in and told him that food was ready.
He made his way out, ignoring the glares (that ranged from 'I still kinda don't trust you' to 'You might as well jump off the temple if you think I'm gonna trust you'. It's gonna go great.
He sat and got his bowl of food and started to eat. They started talking about their past travels, when the little earthbender asked him a question.
"Hey Zuko, where were you on the day of the eclipse? Just asking."
"I faced my dad during the eclipse and told him I was going to join the Avatar. I was gonna leave but.. he asked if I wanted to know what happened to my mom. He stalled me."
"Wait wait wait." It was water boy "You're telling me YOU went to the Firelord's chamber and faced him?! And your mom? What does that have to do with anything?"
He looked around, not sure if he should continue. They all had some sort of concern on their faces, but the waterbender looked at him as if she were challenging him. Challenging him to talk and be vulnerable.
He spoke anyways. "Yes, I did. My mom disappeared when I was 10 with no explanation. That day I found out Firelord Azulon died. My dad became Firelord after that. I always thought she was dead." He said it. Clear, simple, to the point. But most of all, it was said with no emotion.
He looked around. No one was talking, they wanted him to continue. Even the waterbender had curiosity in her eyes. So he continued.
"He told me that Firelord Azulon ordered him to kill me, after Uncle lost his only son. He was going to do it, but my mom intervened. He told me she did treasonous things, so she was banished. By then, the eclipse was over. He shot lightning at me."
Everyone was appalled. They knew the Firelord was bad, but dear lord. Wait. Lightning?
"Hold on he shot lightning at you?" Waterbender asked. Zuko nodded. "I redirected it. Uncle taught me how to."
The Avatar's eyes widened. "You can redirect lightning! Can you teach me please please please please-" The Avatar was shaking his arm a lot.
"Uhm yeah, I guess I can. Uncle said he learned it from waterbending techniques. Turning your enemy's offense into your own." The waterbender perked up at the mention of her bending.
The water boy spoke first. "If it makes you feel any better, my first girlfriend turned into the moon."
"That's what happened!? Then why did the ocean eat Zhao?"
The little earthbender put her bowl down. "That's too much talking for tonight! Can we just eat without revelations and shocking news!"
The water boy looked down. "Oh uh yeah. Sorry Toph."
Zuko was about to take another bite of food when a bout of extremely loud roaring went off in his ear. He gasped and covered his good ear. They all looked at him. He shrunk a little.
"I have tinnitus. I can't hear or see out of my left side, so now the other side gets horrible ringing. Gets pretty annoying though." He looked at the waterbender and cowered a bit.
"And uh. Sorry, whatever you said to me alone earlier, I didn't hear it. Sorry again."
As the voices rose, so did the roaring. Wait. Is that why Uncle and Mom always called him little dragon when no one else was around? Hmmm. Thoughts for another day.