Zuko trudged back to the camp, the cool night air biting at his skin as he carried the small game he’d hunted. His body was sore, but the quiet hum of his thoughts kept him distracted. He had to admit, he was starting to get used to the dynamics of Team Avatar, even if he’d never fully belong. They had their quirks, sure, but in a weird way, they made things feel a little... normal. Well, as normal as it could get for someone like him.

As he approached their campsite, the crackling of the fire and the soft rustle of the trees reached his ears. He had half a mind to drop the catch and sit down for a well-earned break, but something felt off. A faint tension lingered in the air, and as Zuko stepped closer, his eyes quickly scanned the scene in front of him.

Katara and Sokka were standing in front of a tree, arguing loudly, their words lost in the flurry of emotions. The young waterbender’s face was flushed with frustration, while Sokka’s arms were flailing in his usual dramatic fashion. Toph, as always, was trying to play peacekeeper, though her efforts seemed more like a quiet, sarcastic muttering rather than any real solution.

But it wasn’t their argument that caught his attention. No, it was the figure tied to the tree, hands bound with ropes.

Zuko's eyes widened. His breath caught in his throat as his gaze locked onto the person in front of him. The figure looked battered, dirty, with a few cuts and bruises on their face—but it was unmistakable. Them.

A sudden shock hit Zuko’s chest, his mind racing as memories flooded back. He hadn’t seen them in so long, not since... not since everything fell apart. The years of silence between them felt like a lifetime, yet here they were, tied up in front of him, just like any enemy. But Zuko knew better than that. This was someone he knew—a friend from the Fire Nation, someone he used to trust. Someone he used to laugh with.

This was a friend, yet here they were, tied up like an enemy. What the hell had happened? What had they done?

“Release them.”