An Innocent Spark [Zukka]

Chapter 1: Doubts of a New Fire Lord

It had been two months since team Avatar had defeated Ozai but to Zuko it felt like a lifetime. So much had changed since he had last seen his friends. After his coronation, the grueling task of establishing world peace and mending the damage caused by a century of destruction by his nation weighed heavy on his shoulders.

While Zuko had the full support of his uncle, he still felt so alone and unsure of every decision he made. He knew his friends couldn't stay with him in the fire nation, but it didn't make being apart from them any easier. Katara and Sokka were at the south pole helping to rebuild the southern water tribe. Last he heard they had recently finished the construction of a new port to facilitate the transportation of raw materials from the other nations. Aang on the other hand was helping Toph track down the bandits that had been terrorizing the Earth kingdom after the fall of the Earth King a month before. Suki had gone back to Kyoshi island to resume her role as the leader of the Kyoshi warriors which Ty Lee had joined after the war.

He was happy for his friends; they were all making a difference in the world while he was stuck trying to find a way to pay for the reparations his nation owed the other nations. Some days it was all he could do not to rip his hair out after hours of meetings with representatives from the three nations. They expected so much out of him and his people. He wanted so bad to right the wrongs his family had done, but not at the expense of his people. Just that day a northern water tribe official had demanded the fire nation pay for the construction of a new military base, even after Zuko assured him he would do everything in his power to maintain the peace. He did not want another war on his hands, and he saw no reason for the northern water tribe to militarize further.

It was getting late. Zuko stopped by his uncle's room to tell him goodnight before heading off for his own bedroom. His father had made ruling look so easy, although he supposed it was easier when you were the only one with power.

He closed the door quietly to his room and made his way to his desk. He sank down into the chair in defeat. How was he supposed to spend his life ruling a nation that the rest of the world hated? He tried to distract himself from the day's events by reading a book his uncle had given him a few weeks back. Iroh said it would be good for Zuko to read a book about meditation and the calming powers of tea, but after fifteen minutes he slammed the book shut and threw it across the room. Not even Jasmine tea could calm Zuko's mind that night.

He changed into his night clothes and put out the candles that were illuminating his room before laying down in bed. The silk covers and soft mattress provided some much-needed relief to his tired body, yet despite this fatigue Zuko couldn't fall asleep. His thoughts were plagued by thoughts of his agni kai with Azula, his father's look of hatred and disappointment as he was locked in his prison cell, the look of hatred on the face of general Fong from the Earth kingdom after their meeting earlier and most of all the sound of his mother's voice on the night she disappeared.

After a few hours of tossing and turning he finally was able to fall asleep, only to have his dreams be tainted by visions of the palace on fire, surrounded by rioters led by his father and sister. He saw his mother being dragged away in chains by the crowd towards a burning building. This nightmare was enough to tear him from his sleep. He bolted upright completely out of breath and covered in sweat.

Zuko thought of going to his uncle but changed his mind when he saw what time it was. His uncle had been there for him on countless nights when he had been woken by nightmares such as the ones plaguing him tonight. While his uncle always had a way with words, for some reason his words of affirmation never did calm the thoughts racing through Zuko's head after the nightmares.

He lit a candle on his bedside table before making his way towards the window. Zuko looked out over the harbor and saw the full moon shining brightly in the night sky, illuminating the calm waters in a peaceful glow as a few small boats bobbed at sea. He wondered how his friends were sleeping in their far away homes. It was lightly almost sunrise in the Earth Kingdom, and he could imagine the bright smile that would cover Aang's face after he woke up as he got prepared for another day saving the world.

He thought of how Toph would likely punch Aang in the arm when he went to wake her up, and the way the Earth bender would call him twinkletoes. His thoughts drifted to Katara and Sokka and how the non-bender loved to sleep in, much to the dismay of his sister. He thought of Suki, Ty Lee and the other Kyoshi warriors. He was sure Ty Lee was teaching them all how to chi block all while telling embarrassing stories about him and Azula when they were kids. Finally, his thoughts drifted to Mai, whom he had broken up with after being crowned fire lord much to both of their heartbreaks. As much as he tried to ignore it, he just didn't love her the way he thought he did. He couldn't lead her on when she deserved so much better.

Once more his thoughts wandered. The night outside the palace seemed so peaceful, as if none of the problems plaguing the fire nation were real in that moment. Unfortunately for Zuko they were all too real and his mind tried sneaking its way back to all the problems he had yet to resolve. Rather than let his mind win he forced it back to the place it had been before. Only this time his thoughts drifted to one person, the at times immature but also incredibly loyal water tribe boy he had come to befriend.

Zuko wasn't sure why he thought about Sokka, but one thing he knew was that he missed his jokes and the way he would ease the tension of difficult times. Even during the most dire times for team Avatar, Sokka was always there with a plan and plenty of jokes too.

He sat down on the edge of his bed, eyes still gazing out the large window to the right of his bed. Something came over him at that moment and he got up and walked briskly to his desk, illuminating the candles with the snap of his fingers. Zuko pulled out a fresh piece of parchment and began furiously writing. When he was finished, he folded the letter and placed it in an envelope before sealing it with the fire nation emblem and sending it on its way with a messenger hawk. Upon returning to his room, he once more laid down in his comfortable bed. His thoughts once more began racing, only this time they didn't linger on politics or reparations but on whether or not the recipients of the letter would respond in the way he hoped for.

Author's Note:

Sorry if this is terrible it's my first time writing anything like this. To be honest I am just writing this for myself and I doubt anyone will actually read this. Feedback is still welcome nonetheless. Like I said in the description there probably will not be any smut for quite a while if at all and there will be a warning at the beginning of the chapter if there is any.