Fics like the art of redirecting lightning

A realization that’s been lapping at the edges of Sokka’s mind all night finally crashes over him in a wave. “You really hate yourself,” he says slowly, as the cold understanding sinks in. Zuko’s glare could melt glaciers. “You wouldn’t, if you’d done all the things I’ve done?” he says, which would be fair, except — it’s not just about the things Zuko’s done, is it? It’s also about the things he hasn’t. Zuko hates himself for things that are his fault, and things that aren’t. For who he is, and who he hasn’t managed to be. And Sokka can see, with sudden, sharp clarity, that if he were to plot the strength of Zuko’s self-hatred alongside the strength of his bending over time, the two lines would hug in almost perfect sync. Which leaves Sokka with only one question: whether someone’s self-loathing could run so deep and unrelenting that it sustains their bending for the better part of a decade. The night before going in search of Sun Warrior ruins, Zuko starts to doubt that hatred is the source of his bending after all. Sokka helps him figure out what it really is.

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