Bending Memories

"Got you!" His baby sister shouted jumping out of the bushes, her hands spread wide. The soon-to-be-six-year-old boy staggered, exaggeratedly grabbed his chest and fell to the ground with a moan.

Zula's giggles filled the air as she approached him and jumped. The ground was uneven and as she landed, her feet were caught. Quickly, he shot up and grabbed her before she hurt herself.

"No, Zuzu!" the bright-eyed girl exclaimed. "You're supposed stay down! I hit you with a big fireball, you can't just get up!"

"How big was it?" he asked, a smile adorning his pale features.

"This big." She jumped into the air as she demonstrated just how powerful her imaginative fireball was. "And you didn't have a chance."

"Of course I didn't, Zula," Zuko laughed. "I never do."

"Don't call me that!" his little sister cried indignantly. "I'm Azula. A-Zula, not Zula."

"Yes, well, you need grow at least this tall," his hand touched his nose, "before you're big enough to be called Azula."

"But that'll take so long," she wailed. Her face displayed a bright smile only seconds later. "And you're Zuzu until you grow as tall as Father."

Zuko didn't mind her calling him 'Zuzu' at all. I had been her first word after all. But he knew it would indulge her to hear his indignant response, so he complied of course…

Couldn't she at least say 'Uncle' because the crown prince was a good head shorter than their father…

That he wouldn't be allowed to call her 'Zula' as long as she would be able to call him 'Zuzu'…

"Stop complaining, Zuzu," she exclaimed, another giggle escaping her. "You can't catch me!" And she started running.

Zuko followed her, carefully controlling his speed, so he wouldn't actually catch her. Then, all of a sudden she lost footage and fell. Startled, she looked at him and her eyes filled with tears.

"No, hush, Zula, don't cry! It's alright, come here!" he said softly, carefully imitating his mother who was so good at calming Azula. She hid her head in his chest, letting him wrap his arms around her.

Her sobs slowly stopped, and her ragged breath became more regular, but her head was still hidden away. Therefore, her voice was muffled as she said, "Sorry."

Zuko let go off her so she would look at him, "What for?"

"Crying."

Puzzled, he said, "Mom said that it's okay to cry sometimes."

"But… Dad said… Only little girls cry."

"You are a little girl." Her eyes blazed angrily and he added, "Well, you are! Zula, as long as you're Zula, you're a tiny little girl and little girls are allowed to cry."

"I'm not a tiny, little girl!" she said, pouting. All tears forgotten. "I'm not weak."

"No, you're not weak," he agreed. "I mean, you're tiny and little and sometimes annoying, but any earthbender would tremble under the terrifying power of your claws!" His voice was deep and dramatic as he spoke the last part and Zula giggled. It mixed with an unreleased sob and what came out was a hiccup. Gingerly, he started rubbing her back until that stopped.

"But…" she said after a moment, big amber-coloured eyes looking into gold. "What about little boys?"

"Tiny, little boys shouldn't cry," Zuko answered severely. His father had told him that over and over again. "But they do sometimes. Big boys mustn't cry and Father says I'm a big boy."

"But… Shouldn't you have the spark to be a big boy?" her expression was so open and curious, he would have disappointed his father by crying right then and there hadn't he just reminded himself that he was a big boy.

"Yes. Yes, I should…" he muttered and looked away. A tiny hand enveloped his and he forced a smile as she looked at him so serenely.

Like a big girl.

"Maybe… Maybe, you aren't a big boy just yet. Not a little boy anymore, but not… Oh, I know! You are a middle boy and middle boys can do whateverthey want to and they can cry and they can laugh and they don't have to be big boys just yet."

Impulsively, he pulled her into a hug and bit his lips to keep them from trembling. He was the luckiest middle boy in the world.

"Zuko! Zuko! Zuzu! Zuzu! Zuzuzu!"

A whirlwind of a young princess rushed through the castle and into Zuko's room.

"What happened?" Zuko asked, deeply worried.

"I've got it! I've got it, Zuko!" she smiled at him.

"What? Did Mother really buy…"

"No, no! Look, I've got the spark!" Excited, she spread her hands the way they'd been taught since either of them could remember.

Zuko felt cold, his eyes widened.

'No…' he thought. 'No,that'snotfair.'

The smile died on her lips and her eyes filled with tears. Had he said that aloud?

"No, Agni, no! Don't cry, Azula!" he strode forward and caught her before she was able to storm out. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, I didn't mean. It's wonderful you can bend. It's… Show me again. It's…" Helplessly, he made a senseless gesture, unable to voice what he felt. He felt miserable, but she didn't deserve that.

Hesitantly, she showed her spark again and this time, he did right by smiling. Carefully, she returned it.

"Zuko? Am I Azula now? A big girl?"

The dark-haired boy instantly remembered what conversation his sharp-minded sister was talking about and shook his head, "No, I mean… Yes, but you're my li… You'll always be allowed to be a little girl around me."

For once, she didn't protest. She just muttered, "Good."

He hadn't reacted right, but at least, he'd said the right thing. Other than that, he just wanted to curl up and cry.

It was his sister's brightest day and he felt as if someone had shoved him into darkness.

Father's pride and his tender affection for Zula were almost impossible to bear.

"No, Azula!" Zuko said sharply. "You mustn't hurt the cat owls! They're not toys."

"But…" she lowered her hands and the sparks disappeared. Only then, Zuko was able to draw nearer. He hated that.

Whenever a member of his family bended, he had to stay away because of the insufferable heat.

"No buts!" he said sharply, "They're living creatures and they feel pain just like you do. So, don't hurt them."

"But… My fire doesn't hurt me," she said, confused.

"It hurts me," he whispered softly.

"No, it doesn't!" she denied sharply. "You are not hurt by my spark. You aren't!"

"Only because I step away when you bend, Zula." He explained calmly, inwardly begging her to understand. "Fire burns. If you're not careful with it, you'll harm someone…"

"No!" she shouted and angrily pushed him away. Searing-hot sparks escaped her hands as her fingers touched her brother's chest thereby scourging clothing and skin. Zuko lost balance and fell. The pain was bad enough for the little boy to cry out.

Azula stared at her crying brother then at her hands and her lips started to quiver. Big tears fell down her cheek.

"I didn't mean to…" she whispered, but Zuko didn't hear. Too blinding was the pain and when their mother found her children in tears, she scolded Azula for hurting her brother.

"I didn't mean to…"

Later that evening, she was lying in her bed, her mind filled with how she'd upset her big brother. She was lost in thought which was why she almost missed her father's entrance.

He sat down beside her and smiled. Looking into the only friendly face she'd seen all afternoon, she jumped into his arms and cried until all tears were shed.

"Hush, Azula," he said mildly. "Big girls don't cry."

"I hurt Zuzu," she answered miserably. Just thinking of it almost caused another sob.

"You were wielding the flame. It means you are stronger than him. He should have known better than to upset you," he said calmly. "You did right, Azula. Don't worry about your brother. He'll be fine."

"But…" He'd told her that flames hurt. She hadn't listened.

"No, Azula." Not quite an order, but she was silenced immediately, "Sleep! You've done so well today. I'm proud of you…"

She'd hurt Zuzu. Father shouldn't be proud.

Few hours later, she heard someone whispering her name and she almost screamed for the guards.

"It's me, Zula," Zuko whispered. "Be quiet. Don't alert the guards."

"How did you get here?" she matched his tone. "If Mom or Dad find you…"

"Kira and Kaoru are the only ones on watch tonight," he murmured back. "They've been on duty all day, so they don't pay as much attention… Nobody will know I was here."

"Why are you…?"

"I just wanted to tell you that I'm not… It doesn't hurt anymore, Zula. I'm alright."

"So sorry…" her head hid in his chest in order to muffle the sobs. She heard him hiss in pain and it distressed her even more.

"Hush… It's alright. We're both fine… Don't cry, it's okay…"

Her brother's murmurs slowly rocked her back to sleep. Zuzu was fine. Nothing bad happened. He would always be there…

"Sorry, Zuzu, I didn't mean to…"

The words were right but her tone wasn't. Zuko looked at his sister as he gingerly held his wrist. They'd been playing 'catching the earthbender' again, but something changed. Normally, she didn't really use her fire, even though she could. But since she'd almost died by the hands of those (he couldn't think of a word to name that terror), she used her fire a lot. Outside of training.

To be better.

She said.

"It's okay," he said quietly, biting his lips so he wouldn't hiss in pain.

She looked at him and nodded. Then she walked away without another word.

"Sorry, Zuzu, I didn't mean to."

As she said that, she smiled. Zuko stared at her then looked at the pitiful pile of ashes that had once been his toy. He'd built the ship himself. Mother had told him it was done wonderfully.

"You did that on purpose!" he shouted angrily. For the first time, he didn't believe her to be sincere.

The six-year-old girl's silence spoke volumes. Losing temper, he rushed forward.

"Dad!" Azula shouted, "Dad! Zuko wants to hurt me. Dad, help me!"

Petrified, the boy stopped. Her lips formed a cold smile.

"Oops. Sorry, Zuko!" the seven-year-old said, not even trying to hide her smile. They were alone, it was safe.

Zuko was on the ground, panting heavily. A fireball had nearly severely harmed him, hadn't he jumped aside.

"What would Father say if he knew you interrupted my training, Zuzu?"

"Don't call me that!" he hissed and ran out of his bedroom. Very well aware that some of his toys wouldn't survive her visit.

"It's okay… Hush, Zula, it's alright," six-year-old Zuko whispered.

"You betrayed me…" his baby sister whimpered. "You betrayed Father…"

"I'm sorry, Zula, but the world's going to die if I don't help the Avatar. Our people would die right along with the other nations. We are of the royal family, it is our duty to protect the Fire Nation, not to let it destroy the world."

"So sorry, I didn't mean to…" she said quietly.

"Do what, Zula? What did you do?" the little boy asked softly and screamed when he looked into the face of his fifteen-year-old sister.

"Guess..." she smirked as blue fire flew at him.

With a muffled scream, Zuko shot up.

"Sparky! Are you alright?" Toph asked, her voice displayed unconcealed worry.

"Yes," he answered. "Yeah, I'm okay. Just a bad… Just a dream."

A/N: In one episode we see Zuko thinking of two children playing a game on an island (presumely Ember Island). We hear children's laughter and the kids seem almost the same age. This thought made me write this one-shot.

It's also a tag to "Trusting the Enemy" and "Don't Ever Play With Fire".

Thanks for reading.