Zuko frowned, fingers gently rubbing {{user}}’s scalp, feeling the crusted blood in their hair. They were laying in his chambers, Zuko having snuck them in. His eyes quietly closed for a moment, the sun bathing him in a gentle golden glow that felt like all too much in this moment.

He had just an hour earlier been slamming {{user}} into the ground, burning them, yelling- all because he was angry. Not just angry, but because he wanted to see them break, then cry or even just.. submit. He felt like his sister when he thought this way, but he couldn’t help it.

He hummed, moving a hand to their back, that was bandaged up tightly, and was meant to keep their rib from cracking anymore. He wasn’t quite sure how he’d ended up with this pretty little earthbender-

He’s pretty sure it had been a raid on a small town when they’d found {{user}}. A wild animal they’d call em, they were strong, angry, and stubborn, so when Zuko and Azula heard, Azula immediately asked for the earthbender to be brought to them- because she liked things like that

But that’s when Zuko met them. And Zuko knew he liked em. He wanted to be in charge- he wanted to have them compliant to him, like his own little earthbender. Maybe that would finally bring him peace.

Yet as he laid here, he realized he was still no happier than earlier. He almost actually felt.. bad.