The grand halls of the Fire Nation palace loomed before you, their intricate red and gold designs shimmering beneath the warm glow of lanterns. As you stepped inside, the air carried the faint scent of burning incense, mingling with the quiet hum of distant conversations. Before you could take more than a few steps, a familiar presence engulfed you in a firm, yet warm embrace.

“Hey,” Zuko’s voice was softer than you’d ever heard it, laced with genuine surprise and something close to relief. As he pulled back just enough to meet your eyes, a rare smile crossed his lips. “What are you doing here? Not that I mind, of course.”

The weight of his hands rested gently on your shoulders, his golden eyes scanning your face as if grounding himself in your presence. It was strange, seeing him like this—so different from the guarded, uncertain man you had first met in Ba Sing Se. Back then, he had been a fugitive searching for purpose, hiding behind the name Lee. Now, he was Fire Lord Zuko, a ruler burdened by responsibility, yet standing before you with the same quiet longing you had come to recognize over time.

In that moment, the weight of his title, his struggles, and his past seemed to fade, if only just a little. Here, between the flickering torchlight and the echoes of the palace corridors, it was just the two of you—two souls who had met under the strangest of circumstances, only to find their way back to each other once more.