A/N:

Team: Fire Nation

Round: 1

Category: Themed

Prompt: (Action) Crying

Word count: 2037

I can't stop writing Azula fluff. Her story was the best/worst in the entire series, so sad. I've tried to give her kind of a happy ending with this story. Enjoy!

There had been a time, when Azula was happy. Not the normal happy, not the happy 'that made your aura turn pink', as Ty Lee often put it. It was a darker kind of happy, laced with fear and the desire to make her father proud. To show him that she was his one and true heir, his only loyal child.

But she had been happy.

And then everything had gone wrong. In the moment she had been about to win it al, the moment she had been about about to kill the only thing that stood between her and the throne, the person that kept leaving her again and again, the person that her mother had loved more than she had loved her… she had been stabbed in the back by the only person she had trusted.

Azula had never believed in trust. She had known it made her weak. And she had been proven right when she had started to trust someone – almost without wanting to.

First her mother. Than Zuko. Ty Lee. Even her own father. She had no one to trust left.

And people wondered why she went crazy?

Azula remember the moment her whole life fell apart. Mai – her friend. She was supposed to be her friend, more than Zuko's girlfriend. That's what they said, right? Best fiends were better than boyfriends. Had they ever been friends? Had Azula ever had friends? Had there ever been someone that truly loved her?

Mai had told her she loved Zuko more than she feared her.

It had been two years since Sozin's comet. Two lonely years, locked away in an insane asylum. At first, they had tied her up, afraid of her blue flames. They had talked to her – for days, for weeks, for months… Azula had refused to respond. No one cared about her, why would she?

Until – one day – her psychiatrist had crossed his arms. 'I guess you're a hopeless case,' he had said. 'I want to help you, but I can't help someone who doesn't want any help.' Azula had thought it were a trick to get her to open up, so she had stayed silent. She hadn't expected the man to stand up. 'I'll tell them to stop coming,' he had said. 'You don't want the help, so…'

And Azula had broken. Again. 'Stop,' she had muttered. She had been ashamed, but she didn't want to lose the only company she had.

The man had looked at her. 'Do you want to get out of this place?' he had asked. 'You're only sixteen… do you want to get of here, to get your life back?'

Azula had nodded, but it hadn't been enough for the man. 'Yes,' she had said softly. Her voice had lost its once threatening and harsh toon.

'Than work with me,' he had said. 'Talk to me, let me help you.'

Azula had stared at him, a look of despair in her eyes. 'I...'

'What are you thinking?' the man had asked. 'What can I do to help you?'

'What you can do to help me?' Azula had repeated. She had smiled, but it hadn't been a happy smile. 'You could…' Get my father back on the throne. Get him to love me again. Get me my friends back. Get my out of this prison. Get me the respect I once held back. Get Zuko to think of me as more than his pathetic little sister. Get my mother to see me as more than just a monster. Get me the last two years of my life back.

Give me the chance to do it all over.

Azula had started crying. She cried for hours, until her body felt empty. The man had stayed with her. He didn't try to comfort her, but at least he hadn't left her alone.

Now, three months later, Azula still felt alone. All the time. Sometimes it felt if she was battling the world by herself, trying to regain everything she had once lost – and more.

'Azula,' Ursa said, looking at her daughter. 'You look beautiful.'

'You only say that because everyone thinks I look like you,' Azula said. It was a joke, but she was happy that her voice sounded smooth and strong – as it was supposed to. Her mother smiled and stroke her long hair. 'I like it when you wear it down. It suits you.'

Azula wanted to say that her golden hairpiece suited her even better – but she didn't. Instead she smiled. 'I do miss my armor, though.'

'I'm sure Zuko'll give it back to you when you have left this place,' Ursa said.

Azula nodded and sighed. Leaving this place… she wasn't there yet, but that day came closer with every session. Today was yet another test – one of the hardest she had had to face.

'Are you ready?' Ursa asked, seeing the worry in her daughter's eyes. Azula swallowed heavily and nodded. She wanted to bow her head, to hide her face with a curtain of her – but she didn't. She held her head high.

'I'm ready,' she said.

Ursa seemed to hesitate before touching Azula's hand. Azula didn't pull her hand away. 'I'll be fine,' she said.

'I know you're nervous…'

'I'm not nervous,' Azula snapped. She pulled her hand away and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

'I'm sorry,' Ursa said after a few seconds of silence. Azula didn't look at her – instead, she watched the door opening.

She heard the footsteps before she could see the people they belonged to. Azula raised her chin, forcing herself to look strong. She was no longer broken or beaten down. No matter what had happened to her, she still was Princess Azula of the Fire Nation.

Zuko came first. He smiled at her, gently though insecure. Azula still hadn't completely forgiven him for leaving her alone – twice – but she had tried to repair their broken relationship. She knew that Zuko wanted the best for the Fire Nation. The problem was they didn't agree on what 'the best' was. If she got better, she might be able to help him. To help her nation. To build a life for herself.

'Azula,' he said.

'Zuko,' Azula said. She was proud to say that her she sounded regal. Azula stayed outwardly calm as Ty Lee and Mai entered the room.

Azula could remember the last time she had seen them. She had told the soldiers to put them in prison. To let them rot.

They hadn't changed. Mai still wore black clothes, still seemed gloomy, although Azula had to admit that there was something she couldn't quite put her finger on. It seemed as if Mai… if she was happy. Ty Lee still wore pink clothes, still wore her hair in a braided ponytail. She didn't smile, though. It ruined the memory Azula had of her.

This Ty Lee seemed more careful, more composed. She eyed Azula for a few seconds, before allowing a small nod..

Silence had been one of Azula's favourite interrogation techniques. Right now the silence seemed to materialise, to become visible, hanging between her and the two girls who had betrayed her. The two girls Azula had one considered to be her friends.

'Good day,' Azula said politely.

'Hello,' Ty Lee responded. Mai kept silent, looking at Azula. Sceptically.

'I asked to see you,' Azula said. 'I wanted to apologise.'

She bit her lip, suddenly feeling tears clouding her vision. She could feel the fast, rhythmic punches Ty Lee had used to block her. She had fallen after that moment.

'We're waiting,' Mai said.

Azula saw that Ursa sent her a reproachful glare. Zuko looked at Azula worriedly and Ty Lee softly said 'Mai!'

'Ty Lee… I should not have forced you to leave the circus,' Azula said. 'And I shouldn't have forced you to come with me. I'm sorry.' She swallowed.

I love Zuko more than I fear you.

'Mai, I used fear to let you do my bidding. That was wrong. I'm sorry.'

She hadn't cried. She had apologised. Azula took a deep breath. She had survived it.

'That's all you've got?' Mai said.

There was a shocked silence. 'Mai…' Zuko started.

'No,' Azula said, startling everyone. 'Let her talk.' She looked at the girl that was shooting daggers at her.

'You've dragged us over the entire world… you tried to kill me,' Mai said. 'And we're supposed to forgive you like that?'

'Correct me if I'm wrong, but I didn't ask for your forgiveness,' Azula said. 'I said I'm sorry.'

Ursa placed a hand on her forearm, but Azula ignored her. 'I've said that what I did was wrong. I think I've been punished enough.'

'You think you've been punished enough?' Mai retorted. 'You've been here – they say it's an insane asylum, but it almost looks like a palace! How is that punishment?'

'Azula has only been in this part since…'

'I've been locked away from the real world for two years,' Azula snapped. 'And why? Because I did what my father told me.' She stood up quite forcefully. Her chair was shoved behind and toppled over.

'I'm sure you don't remember this – but he was the only family member I had left. My mother had left me. My uncle always hated me. My brother had left me as well – to side with my enemy. You two had left me. I only had him left – so excuse me if I didn't want to anger him… if I wanted to everything to please him… what would I have had left if he abandoned me as well?'

Azula realised she was crying. She wiped away the tears angrily, not sure at whom she was angry though. Her voice was shaky but clear. 'And then he did abandoned me… so I went mad. I went mad and then I lost everything.' The last word was muffled with tears. She looked at Mai. 'So forgive me if I think I've been punished enough.'

Azula wished she could leave the room, but she couldn't. So instead she just put her chair back up and sat down, not looking at anyone. She tried to silence her sobs.

There was a shocked silence. Azula felt a reassuring hand on her shoulder – it was her brother's.

'This is not meant to be a punishment,' Zuko said. 'And the doctors have told me you'll be ready to leave soon. Before summer.' He smiled at her, but Azula could see that he was shaken up by her confession. Her mother placed a hand on her back as well. 'We'll finally be a family again,' she said. 'You're old room in the palace… it's next to mine, remember?'

Azula nodded, afraid that her voice would break if she started speaking again. Instead she looked at Mai and Ty Lee. Her downfall had begun with their betrayal – or before that, when Zuko left her? Or when her mother left her? Did she ever even had a chance?

Azula realised that she wasn't the only one that should be forgiven. Everyone in this room had played a role in her downfall – and Azula should forgive them. Not because of them – they didn't even know what they had done wrong – but for herself.

Ty Lee walked towards her. 'I forgive you,' Ty Lee said. 'And I hope we can start over… as normal friends?'

She smiled. Azula nodded. 'I would like that very much,' she said softly.

'We all care about you, Azula,' Ursa said. 'And we'll never leave you – not again.'

Azula nodded once more. She felt something glow within her as she thought about their words. She could go back to the palace… to her old room. She tried to smile, but started crying again.

Azula heard a sigh. Mai still looked bored, but Azula saw that she seemed startled by Azula's confession. 'I forgive you as well,' she muttered. 'But I'm not sure if we can be friends right now. Maybe in the future.'

That was good enough for her. A future… it meant that she had a future. A future outside of this prison. Outside of the prison her very own mind had once been.

I forgive you as well, Azula thought, although she didn't say it out loud. I forgive you all for betraying me.

The future looked bright.

A/N: This is my first official story for Avatar: The Last Writer. There'll be 10 prompts and since I believe that there should be more Azula stories, I'm dedicated to writing them all about our favourite Princess. If you want to participate, there might still be places for the next season!