Forged In Fire || ATLA

Emotionless

The Runaway

"I remember the days you were a hero in my eyes, but those are just a long lost memory of mine. I spent so many years learning how to survive, now I'm writing just to let you know I'm still alive." - Good Charlotte

🌊⛰️🔥🌪

If looks could kill, Zuko would've already dropped dead. The look was justified of course, because Aelita knew about his suspicions regarding Aang. More than that, she had confirmed them because if she thought any differently than him, she wouldn't be nearly as angry.

"Zetzu told you, didn't he?"

"That doesn't matter," Aelita hissed. "What matters is the fact that you didn't, Prince Zuko."

Every one of the burned benders walls went up at the casual use of his title. "We're back to that now?" He asked.

"Don't change the subject."

"Fine," Zuko growled in a low whisper, stomping towards the Akira and snatching the basket from her hands lest she chuck the entire thing at his head. "What was I supposed to say? 'Oh hey, by the way, Aelita, you're blaming yourself for the wrong death.'"

She stepped away from him and Zuko felt as if he watched the spark inside of her sputter out before his very eyes. "Thank you for the reminder."

The boy cursed himself and exhaled steam. He took three, long slow breaths before looking at her again. "What do you remember?"

Aelita shook her head. "Don't make me say it."

"You weren't in control of yourself," Zuko insisted. "It's not your fault."

"That's easy for you to say," she snapped. "You've never killed someone Zuko, by accident or otherwise. You've never felt your hand pierce through someone's flesh. You've never felt their organs wrapped around your skin. You've never...you've never felt the flow of their blood slow in time with the beating of their heart." Aelita blinked back her tears, determined to not let them fall, but she stepped closer to the Prince so he could see all the damage that had transpired. "Because I have, and I can't even put a face to those awful moments. I can remember exactly how it felt when I realized what I had done, but I can't force my memory to produce a name, and somehow I think that's worse because no matter how much you try to swear to me that it's not my fault, I will never be able to forgive myself if I don't know. And maybe that's what I deserve. Maybe this is what I get. I don't..." she trailed off, her voice cracking. "I don't think Aang ever really wanted to kill you, or your father, or anyone else. And I think I didn't understand back then, but I do now."

Aelita almost convinced herself that she had him when Zuko reached for her. She stilled despite everything in her that wanted to run. He brushed away the tears that had trickled down her face. "You have to pull yourself together or Zetzu will know something is wrong."

Aelita scoffed and batted his hand away. She away because as callous as it seemed, Zuko was right.

He laid out what damn well could've been the same blanket used by Sozin and Tulan as she flicked away any remaining sign of distress from her eyes.

"This used to be my favorite spot in the palace," she admitted as she tried to focus on the sounds of the splashing turtle duck family or the smell of the surrounding blooms.

"I know," Zuko said while he pulled out the plate of sesame balls, the soft footfalls of an approaching Zetzu sounding in the distance. "Mom's too."

"Zuko, I'm -"

"Not my Mother?" He asked with a raised brow when she turned back to him. "I know you aren't. Does Zetzu?"

It was all the warning that Zuko could give before his brother stepped back into the gardens with a teacup and saucer in hand.