a ba sing se headcanon
I just realized that this outfit he’s wearing here and all of his looks in ba sing se, had to have been bought from somewhere. He has at least 3 different ones!
His uncle probably wouldn’t have just gone without him and gotten him clothes. Since even if youre getting readymade clothes you still have to try stuff on. So there had to have been one day, and I do think Zuko would have insisted on condensing the activity into just one day. Where he went clothes shopping with his uncle. Probably for the first time? He probably had clothes made for him when he was living in the palace.
Just imagine Iroh looking at things. And telling zuko what he thinks would look good on him. Zuko reluctantly going and trying stuff on. Standing in front of any mirrors they might have or just showing his uncle. Iroh would inquire politely about what the latest fashions are from the store owners and Zuko would just insist that he does not care what’s fashionable lets just get out of here.
Iroh is just full of positive comments. Zuko at one point snaps that ‘not everything can look good’. He looks at his own reflection in a mirror maybe for the first time in months. He’s a bit shocked at how different he looks. From both what he remembers and what he sees himself as in his mind.
Then Zuko is asked to do the same for his Uncle. Help pick stuff out. For him to try on. So he tries his best. And rolls his eyes when Iroh gets something thats just what they got for Zuko in a different size. The storeowner makes friendly smalltalk with Iroh about how difficult kids can be about these things. Which Zuko finds annoying. When Zuko pays, the man waves them off and tells him “I hope you and your father can come again soon!” Neither bother to correct the assumption.
As a reward for being so patient with the shopping. Iroh asks him if he wants something from the food stand on the way home. Which he denies, since 'rewards’ like that are for kids. But his stomach is rumbling. So he agrees and happily has a traditional Earth kingdom snack.
I don’t know. Just imagining Zuko having that quintessential parent-child, going clothes shopping together experience with Iroh. A bit of normalcy like that. And actually enjoying it more than he would admit.
