highschool [ zukaang ]

24 ; false memory

oh boy

♡

"You have a visitor."

"Who?" Ozai looked up from the dark corner of his cell.

"I dunno," The correctional officer said. "He got a nasty scar, if that helps."

Ozai stood up and stared at the c.o through the window of his door. He looked at the handle, and the officer stared right back at him.

She pressed her radio talk button, and then moment later his cell door buzzed and she swung it open.

"Hands," She said.

Ozai held them out and waited for the handcuffs to click. "It's my son. The visitor."

"Why hasn't he visited before?" She said, sounding uninterested.

"Because I'm the one who gave him the scar," Ozai chuckled, looking back at the officer.

She pushed him forward, towards the visitor center.

♡

1 month prior

Aang heard the crunch of the cough drop from Zuko's mouth and turned to glare at him.

"You're not supposed to chew them," He said.

"I can just eat another one," Zuko said, his voice was scratchy.

"You know, you aren't supposed to eat those like candy," Aang said.

"They taste like candy," Zuko looked at Aang with tired eyes. "I haven't had candy in so long."

"I can just buy you some," Aang kneeled at the side of his bed.

Zuko stared at him for a minute before responding. "I hate gum..."

"Maybe you should go to sleep," He frowned. "You spent two days at the hospital with no sleep."

"I should be there," He said. "I'm not that sick."

Aang just rolled his eyes. "Go to sleep or I'll knock you out."

Zuko scoffed a laugh and rolled over on his side. "Whatever."

Aang closed the door behind him and met Toph at the bottom of the stairs. She was staring at the ground like usual. 

"He's sleeping, I think," He said. 

"He's being annoying," Toph frowned. "I know it's hard for him because his uncle is in the hospital. But he shouldn't be putting Iroh's health before his own when it's not needed."

"I've tried telling him that," Aang sighed. "It's not getting through his sleep deprived brain. Just give him a few hours, he'll get his senses back."

And Aang was right, kind of,  after five hours of sleep, Zuko wasn't blabbering about how much he hated gum or how he was (he wasn't) allergic to cats. Instead, he was talking about how he had to visit his father. 

"I have to see him," Zuko said. "You don't understand, okay? I just gotta..."

"No, you told me weeks ago you never wanted to see him again," Aang said. "You can't tell me you changed your mind that quickly."