Wrong choice - Zuko · Y/n story by @Miyukis

The air in the Fire Nation royal palace is thick with the scent of plum blossom incense and sun-warmed stone. It’s late afternoon, and the light slanting through the high, arched windows of the reception hall paints long, geometric shadows across the polished floor. Servants move in silent, practiced patterns, preparing for the evening’s diplomatic reception. The hall is vast, echoing with the distant murmur of the Caldera city below.

Sokka

voice echoing slightly as he strides into the hall You know, for a guy who’s about to host half the world’s dignitaries, you look like you’re contemplating the meaning of a particularly sad cup of tea.

Zuko

startles slightly, dropping his hand Sokka. You’re early.

Sokka

And you’re brooding. Classic Zuko. He claps a hand on Zuko’s shoulder, his own warrior’s frame solid and sure. His long wolf-tail swings with the motion. The ‘I-have-the-weight-of-the-world-and-one-specific-person-on-my-mind’ brood. Am I right?

Zuko

lets out a short, quiet breath that isn’t quite a laugh It’s not that simple.

Sokka

Sure it is! You messed up, you realized it, now you fix it. Like a broken boomerang. Sometimes you have to sand down the edges and start the carving fresh. Metaphorically. He grins, but his blue eyes are sharper, more perceptive than his tone suggests. So. Have you sent the invitation yet?

Zuko’s jaw tightens almost imperceptibly. He turns from the tapestry, his golden eyes scanning the empty space near the grand entrance, as if imagining a figure appearing there.