Siblings
Summary: A three-parter story about Zuko, Azula, their thoughts about each other, and their last conversation during the Final Battle
Disclaimer: I own nothing. ...not yet. :snickers evilly:
A/N: Ehm... nothing to say... for once... um, have fun reading?
Chapter 1: Protection, Salvation
Zuko's POV
Azula... my "dear" sister.
I'll skip the pleasantries and get right down to business.
Big brothers. You know why they're born first? To protect the little ones who come after them. You're not so little now, are you? In fact, if you cared at all, it would probably be you protecting me now.
Nevertheless, I should have been able to protect you when you were younger. When you were innocent. When you didn't even know the difference between Firebenders, Waterbenders, Earchbenders, and even nonbenders – and when Airbenders were mere stories told for amusement. When you could barely control the flame on a candle.
When you were still my little sister.
When I first saw you, I thought that you were just a little, pudgy, thing/ I didn't really understand what was going on. Yet as time went on, I understood more and more. I understood that you were younger than me. I learned that you knew less than me. I learned that you were my sister. As I learned this, I also learned that I was the older brother, and it was my duty to help you. So I made my resolve to protect you.
And I did for the most part. When you could barely bend, I stopped boys from laughing at you. I protected you from them. When you practiced bending, I didn't let you over exert yourself. I protected you from training. When you lost control of the flames, I contained them. I protected you from the fire. When I trained, I usually lost myself in it. I didn't want to hurt you, so I shooed you away.
I protected you from myself.
But the one thing you needed protection from the most, I couldn't protect you from.
Father.
I'll never forget that day. You were only four. You were practicing Firebending in the courtyard, under the watchful gazes of Li and Lo, with me watching as well. We created your first fireball then. I can still remember the look of bliss on your face as you cupped the small but usable fire in your hands.
I turned to Li and Lo to see their reaction, surprised to see that they barely had smirks on their faces. That was when a scream captured my attention. I turned around, to try to fine the source, and I was absolutely horrified to see that it was you. I cried out, horrified and scared for you.
You had lost control of the fire; it had irrupted from your hands, and it had begun to surround you. I was so scared for you, but I couldn't move.
I was surprised when you suddenly started to move all on your own. But your eyes were glazed over. Your moves were jerky at first, and slow. Then you started moving faster and smoother. Your eyes were still glazed over, though, and I knew at once that you didn't know what you were ding. But you were moving so beautifully, and I couldn't help but watch you in fascination as the fire all around you shrank. And then, it was gone.
You had just firebended at a level that was years ahead of you. I couldn't believe it, and I didn't want to. Suddenly, guilt was not the only emotion I was feeling.
I was jealous.
I was jealous of you, and how I worked so hard to steadily reach the level that I am at today, while you could barely bend until now, and then suddenly move so beautifully and bend so much fire so skillfully. But, I can rest easy, knowing that my jealousy did not last long when I realized that you had had no idea what you were doing.
Suddenly, I realized what had just happened, but when I ran to see if you were okay, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked over my shoulder and saw that it was Mother. She shook her head and motioned towards you. I looked back in front of me and watched the scene unfold.
Father had come.
Father had come, and he took you by the hand and led you away. You were gone for months. I had missed you. When you finally came back, after what seemed like years, I was so happy. I ran to give you a hug, expecting you to return it warmly, or at least accept it, both of which were what you used to do.
But you were different. You were cold. You were cruel.
You just calmly stepped out of the way. I was so surprised that I tripped and fell. I expected you to help me up, or at least ask if I was okay. But you didn't. You just laughed.
It... hurt me.
What had he done to you?
After that, I was lonely. You never did anything with me anymore. You didn't even talk to me. (I even missed your name for me... Zuzu. And before I had even hated that name). But instead you spent all your time with the "friends" you had found at the Royal Fire Academy for Girls.
So I spent all my time either training of with Mom. I loved her – still do; she's my mother after all – and I loved spending time with her, but it didn't make up for all the cruel things you had said and did.
And she certainly was no you.
I'm older now. I know what I want, and how I want it. I'm stronger now, as well. I know I'm stronger – physically – but, also, I have a stronger will. But I'm not the only one. You're stronger. I bet Father is, too. But still want to defeat him, to show you that he is not all that. I can protect you again.
Of course, I was furious at you when you shot Uncle, but I'm over it. He's fine now, and it's been months since it happened.
I forgive you.
I remember that, in your eyes, was true fear when we had you cornered. You did it because you couldn't think of anything else to do. You were scared. And that's why you follow Fater; you don't really want to, but you will anyways, because…
You're scared.
You're scared of what will happen to you if you disobey. And so all I want to do is take you into my arms and hug away your fear, like I did your nightmares when you were three. Then I will go fight father, and defeat him, once we are hopefully on the same side.
But I don't know if I can. If I am strong enough.
Because if I couldn't protect you from Father back then, how can I possibly save you from yourself now?
To be continued...
A/N: So, how did you like that? A lot of the fanfiction that I have read about these two talk about how much they hate each other, and this just kinda came into my head as a 'what if they didn't hate each other'?
This is going to be a 3-shot. This was Zuko's POV. Next is going to be Azula's POV, then it's going to be the Final Battle between them, and then this will be over.
So, who wants the next chapter?
I accept constructive criticism, and I know that some of this was awkward 'cuz I didn't really know how to make it flow really nicely. And also, my friend was bugging me to post this quickly, so I only edited it once and corrected what I could find (But me, having to be me, usually edits something, like, three times Haha). Any other errors that you may see, please tell me.
Preferably with any other comments you might want to make. Good comments. Not bad. :hint hint:
