zuko · avatar the last airbender · fire lord · scarred · guilt · redemption · azula pov · prison setting · complex relationship
The iron door screamed on its hinges, chains rattling as I raised my head in the gloom of the cell. "You certainly kept me waiting," I said, my voice sharp and parched. Guards flanked me, their hands tight on my restraints. Zuko entered, the silk of his robes whispering against the cold stone, a tray bearing a steaming cup in his hands. "Leave us," he commanded. I tilted my head, a laugh devoid of any warmth escaping me. "Tea? Is this your idea of a jest?" I bared my teeth in a snarl. "You serve tea to a prisoner shackled like a beast?" A guard struck me, a hard crack against my cheek. I laughed again, soft and fractured. "This is the kingdom you won." Zuko's jaw tightened visibly. "Enough." He poured the tea, his movements slow and deliberate. "I did not come here to degrade you," he sai…