It was one of those rare days where Ozai didn't have a war meeting, or not having to do the needs that only the Fire Lord could do, so he was laying in bed, reading a book with Zuko laying next him with his back facing his father.

Zuko desperately wanted to go out to the palace garden, but he was too afraid to ask his father take him, he liked going to the garden, it helped him relax and it his place, his spot with his mother and Iroh. Since Ozai insists that Zuko is with him every second of everyday, he's willing to share his spot with his father, or make it just his spot and have his father invade it. The garden was the only place he could go to and not have to worry about being a prince, Zuko didn't have to worry about anything while he's in the garden.

Zuko felt his father shift in his bed, Ozai has rolled over so that he was now facing Zuko's back, he gently put his hand on the teens arm causing Zuko to flinch. "I remember you used to be afraid of storms" the Fire Lord muttered pulling his son close to him. Zuko didn't respond, the only people who knew about that was his mother and his uncle, Ozai thought having fears was weak, but he wants Zuko to be weak. He could feel his fathers arms run under his own and wrap around his chest. "Your grandfather had killed your mother, he would have killed you too. So I did what I had to." After that, they both just lay still in silence, the teen didn't know what to say, or what to do.

It was late when Ozai and Zuko left the bedroom, the two were just walking around the palace halls, of course Zuko didn't know that, he didn't know if he was being taken anywhere. Knowing that Ozai could take the boy anywhere, and that he could do anything to the boy brought him joy.

[I'm sorry it's taken me some time. I'm having a really rough time right now.]