#but until then. zuko is in fact being a self sacrificing and self hating idiot

[ljesaw]

it’s with depression that i fear i have to say, i think for a long time (too long really), zuko doesn’t reach out to his uncle during his retirement in ba sing se, not even for the much needed guidance he could use, because he considers it part of the exhaustive list of reparations the fire nation (and he himself) owes

#zuko: he deserves peace too that’s what this is all for #and you zuko? your peace? (he doesn’t know the meaning of the word in relation to himself) #i’m sure iroh reaches out often. lots of letters #but for one zuko’s swamped and pushing himself past his own limits with his responsibilities besides #and for two he’s just as guilty about his treatment of his uncle as his treatment of the gaang if not probably moreso really #it is of course horribly misguided and i expect iroh would eventually show up on his doorstep like you IDIOT boy of mine—! #but until then. zuko is in fact being a self sacrificing and self hating idiot #i also think this is largely true to his character because he has no idea how to uphold normal and healthy relationships #obvi particularly familial #and zuko always deals in extremes when it comes to everything he does #so rather than outright cruelty and insults….he swings in the opposite direction and overcompensates…. #by shutting iroh out completely #and justifying it as ‘he deserves peace and i do not’ #which is completely incorrect of course on all levels #but he’s still learning and his development arc doesn’t end at the finale of book 3 #ebb and flow. like water one might even say teehee #idk if this is canon to the comics i’m not super familiar with them except for a few plot points and quotes #it just breaks my heart that zuko still doesn’t understand that it is harmful to withhold himself from people who care about him #than it is to supposedly protect them from knowing him and being close to him #he makes me so emo hes so emo i love him so much