#zuko!!!!

So I had been reading this Zuko x reader fic and like a dumbass I didn’t like it or save it and now it’s been swept up and I can’t find it.

It’s was a multi chapter fanfiction and I only got to chapter two but here’s what I remember. (Y/n) was an earth bender who worked at the jasmine Dragon part time and fell for zuko. She helped iroh in the end of season tow and joined team avatar after zuko joined azula. Then he shows up for redemption and she’s still and hurt. Last I read he was trying to apologize to her.

This scene alone affected Zuko’s character development so much.

When Zuko’s sitting on the porch, mulling over what was said at dinner, and Song reaches out to him, that was so powerful and compelling.

[ID: an image of song, a young earth kingdom girl with brown hair dressed in a korean hanbok, and zuko, with extremely short hair and a scar on one side of his face. zuko sits in profile, with the scarred side of his face prominent. song has her arm reached towards his scar, but Zuko’s hand is holding her wrist away from it. END ID]

When she initially reaches out to Zuko, he rejects it. But, she continues. She reaches out to him.

[ID: zuko and song are still sitting side by side, but the shot is focused on her leg. song is rolling up her pant leg to reveal a burn scar. END ID]

In this moment, she says, “I know what you’ve been through. We’ve all been through it. The Fire Nation has hurt you… it’s okay. They’ve hurt me too.” She saw how hopeless and hurt he seemed, and tried to reach out.

[ID: a closeup of zuko’s face at seeing song’s scar. He has an upset and horrified expression on his face. END ID]

Look at his face when he sees her scar!! He looks horrified! To me, this really jumpstarts how he is beginning to view the Fire Nation. This is one of the first times he sees how the war has hurt others. He’s been immersed by the Fire Nation propaganda his whole life, Song was one of the first few regular earth kingdom citizens he’s met... and she says “don’t worry, they’ve hurt me too”

When Zuko and Iroh leave, she even tells him ‘not to give up hope, the Avatar is back!’ but, unbeknownst to her, that wasn’t the words of encouragement he needed.

One of the most common complaints about this part of the episode is when he steals the ostrich-horse. I know, I was also upset when he did that. But I think it was needed (not only for when he’s traveling in Zuko Alone) but it actually does help in his character arc. there’s so many moments in book 2 (might even start in book 1 actually) where you just DESPERATELY want Zuko to do the right thing and even though he doesn’t and disappoints you you’re still rooting for him to be good. I think him stealing the ostrich horse could represent that he doesn’t want to fact that maybe the Fire Nation isn’t as good as he thought it was. It could have been him trying to convince himself that he was still on the Fire Nation’s side, that the Earth Kingdom citizens are worthless to him. There are so many times in book 2 where he has the option to change for the better, but every single time he tries to compensate and deny it, culminating in the end of the season betrayal.

[ID: song, peeking out from behind a door, with a downtrodden look on her face.]