Tale of Lu Ten

A Different Perspective

Lu Ten woke up groggily, his aching body struggling as he woke up.

I guess I'm not healthy enough to wake up at sunrise yet...

He felt the sun a little higher in the sky than he expected it to be, his natural alarm clock signaling he missed sunrise by about an hour.

Agh! Stupid fucking body!

He groaned as he stood up shakily, his muscles straining from atrophy and fatigue.

Lu Ten hated feeling this weak, he used to be one of the strongest in the Fire Nation. He was Piandao's best disciple and among the top 5 Firebenders in the country.

Now I can barely stand upright.

He grits his teeth as he walked to the bathroom, washing his face and seeing the scars that lined his body.

Dammit...

He traced some of the older ones on his stomach, his light touches turning into harsh scratches as he tried to get rid of them. Tried to get rid of the remainder of his time in that hellish cell.

Just go away! Why won't you go away? Why won't you...

He winced as he hit one of the newer cuts, a thin trail of blood trailing down his stomach as he bit his lip to silence his scream.

Just go away...

He collapsed in the bathroom, his knees buckling under his weight.

He broke down silently, the pain of his memories stabbing into his brain. The pain of his helplessness felt like a burning knife in his skull.

He flinched as a knock came on the door, "...Son? Are you okay? I heard something fall."

Lu Ten calmed himself down, his breathless cries become steady so quickly that even he was surprised by it.

"I'm fine."

Iroh felt his shoulders sag at his son's icy tone.

"...All right. Breakfast's ready when you want it."

Iroh waited in bated breath, his hopes to see his son crushed as the same icy voice answered him, "I'm not hungry."

Iroh gulped, feeling despair sitting in at the reminder that his son hated him. That his son wanted him gone and he deserved it.

Iroh sighed as he spoke softly, "You need to eat son... I'll leave it in front of your door."

Iroh took a bowl from the kitchen with heavy footsteps, leaving it in front of Lu Ten's door as silence remained his only answer.

"It's Komodo Chicken... It used to be your favorite..."

Lu Ten flinched as the old memories of his favorite dish came back to him. The times he ate Komodo Chicken back in the palace. How he would sneak some extra to Azula and Zuko when he could find them.

He lifted his arm to the door, stopping as he spotted the scars along his arms. The memories of his childhood faded. The rage he felt at being abandoned came back to the forefront of his mind.

He lowered his hand, not saying a word as he heard his father slowly walk back to the kitchen.

.............

Iroh sat at the empty table in the new apartment, feeling his heart break as he heard Lu Ten's door open and then quickly close with a soft click.

Son...

It hurt more than he had ever known to hear his son's hatred for him. To hear his revulsion toward him and know he couldn't do anything about it.

He ate his food, feeling extraordinarily lonely as he looked toward the empty seats around him.