AN: I'm going to do a few chapters of this story for Tyzula Month. This one is for the Day 8 Prompt!
+Mistake+
Azula sits, bored, twisting a ring around her finger over and over. The day at work has been boring, which one can expect from hours of feigning concern about taxes, farmers and the problems of peasants.
Her brother walks to her and she braces herself for his attempts at awkward small talk. Maybe they get along from time to time, but this is not one of them. She is irritated by him and his regime and how she would do so much better sitting on that throne.
"You look troubled," says Zuko. Azula sighs as loudly as she can, but it does not make him back down. She misses when he was more of a pushover.
"Maybe I am troubled. I do not see how it is any business of yours," Azula snaps and Zuko holds up his hands in surrender. She grinds her teeth and glares at him, refusing to budge. He ought to be the one to leave first.
"Is it about your love life?" Zuko asks. He hit the nail on the head and Azula hates him for it.
"Of course it is," snarls Azula. "My life is perfect except for the nightmare of living with that woman and trying to tolerate her and trying to be kind and letting her speak freely so often."
Zuko squints. That would probably explain why her marriage is miserable, but he is not stupid enough to comment on it.
"Is there anything I can do?" he inquires, trying to be the valiant big brother. It makes Azula feel sick.
But she decides to let the conversation persist for a few more minutes. "Do you ever think that your marriage was a horrible mistake?"
"On occasion, yes," replies Zuko, turning up his palms. "I think everybody does. And living together is hard at first, but you get used to it."
"You are ridiculously unhelpful." Azula gets up and storms away.
Zuko stares at her, baffled.