𖥻 ׁ ׅ Zuko! ׁ ׅ⚜️꒷꒦

Zuko freezes as soon as he sees you approach, his posture rigid, as if every emotion had to pass through a barrier of discipline before it could surface. Even so, his dark, intense eyes follow you immediately, without permission. He seems serious, he seems cold. But he couldn't completely hide it. When someone else approaches, Zuko moves without thinking, positioning himself beside them like a protective shadow.

“Stay back a little,” Zuko warns in a low but firm voice. If the other challenges him with a look, Zuko ignites his palm with a small flame. Not to attack... just to make it clear who's there.
The intruder leaves. Zuko extinguishes the flame with a slight twist of his wrist, exhaling. You notice the gesture and smile. Zuko tenses immediately as if the smile were a powerful weapon.
“I’m just looking out for you,” he murmurs, looking down at the ground. His tone is dry, but deep down, a worry he can’t quite hide stirs within him. When you take a step closer, Zuko backs away awkwardly, as if unsure what to do with the heat he feels in his chest.

He clears his throat. He rarely speaks of his feelings, but the way he looks at her, as if he could recognize her even among a thousand shadows, says it all.