Title: Just Like Father

Characters: Azula, Zuko

warning: mention of suicide

Notes: I wrote this for an exchange.

Disclaimer: I do not own avatar.

"Brother, you're pathetic," Azula said mockingly shaking her head in disappointment.

Fire Lord Zuko's body was limp on the ground for nearly an hour. The events that unfolded that lead to his defeat stunned him. He closed it eyes wishing it was just a dream. He wanted his mother to be next to him stroking his hair letting him know it going to be alright and that nightmare is over. But Azula's wicked cackles keep the cold truth there not allowing him to escape.

Slowly Zuko maneuver his head towards his face cringed from the pain from the wounds he endured. He examined Azula's face. She had a sinister expression it was one that he hasn't seen upon her face for many years. The last time he recalled her smirking like that was when he and Sokka were at the boiling rock prison. He knew what was in stored; she was going to put salt upon his wounds.

"I remembered word I heard Mai spoke many times that you would never make the same mistakes that Father made with you." Azula smirked. "I can see in your eyes that your defeat by our own kin has crushed you."

"Allowing him to defeat me in battle is not what I meant by mistakes," Zuko yelled grasping his side in pain.

"Really?" replied Azula sarcastically. "What I see on a daily basis is what you always said what you hated about your relationship with father."

"I don't believe you," Zuko grunted in frustration. "I never punished him for speaking his mind and for showing loyalty to the fire nation."

"I guess you did allow him to speak but you never listened to his opinion," Azula slyly remarked. "If I recall it was one of the major things that irked you when we were young."

"I don't remember ever ignoring him," blurted Zuko.

"You ignored him all the time. He complains to me about how you run off with the Avatar and help the only airbender with his endless tasks." Azula stated, "You've even missed his birthday once because of it."

"That was when he turned two," Zuko clarified. "I never did that ever again."

"Only because Mai got on your case about it," Azula chuckled at the thought of Mai being in charge. "It seems atypical for the Mai I use to know to be pushed anyone around. Even though it's you."

"People do change," Zuko explained to his sister who just didn't understand that. "I did and it was for the better."

"That is another thing that got you defeat," Azula grinned evilly

"What is?" Zuko asked confused.

"You're fascination with people changing," Azula snidely remarked. "You just think giving someone a second chance is going to work for everyone. It's what the Avatar taught you."

"Actually, Uncle taught me that one long before Aang.," Zuko corrected his sister. "I just never realized what he was saying until after my encounter with the Avatar."

"You're still wrong. Not everyone will want to change. Father didn't, he took his own life because he couldn't bear following your authority," Azula stated. "And me obvious you realize now that I never changed."

"You have changed," Zuko replied trying to contradict her words even though he knew she was right to annoy her. "You've changed for the worse. You became better at hiding your hatred towards me."

"Brother it was never an issue of hatred. It's that I always felt ashamed that a pathetic man like yourself was related to me." Azula shocked her head indicating he was wrong. "I was always good at hiding my true intentions to those I wanted. I just never felt a need to do that with you before."

Azula watched Zuko expression get more annoyed then normal. It was quite pleasing and she wanted to torture him more like how she was tortured in the asylum. He put that awful water tribe girl in charge of her treatment.

"You know it wasn't hard for me to figure out to get on your side," Azula bragged. "It just took me a little time because I still bogged from you working with that water tribe girl. But after a few sessions I discovered how to gain your trust. Before you release me from that asylum you needed her word that I was rehabilitated."

"To be honest you should have put your trust in another," Azula smirked. "She started off very stern and stubborn but over time the task got her. I was able to penetrate though her defenses and then slowly gain her respect. She was a fool to think I would change let alone so quickly. You were a fool to think so too."

Zuko jerked he didn't want to hear no more of his sister crap. He screamed as load as he could, "You'll never get away with this."

"Really?" Azula laughed, "Some of your behavior is questionable after the war ended. I'm sure I could twist it up to go in my favor. And with you dead no one would be able to reveal the truth."