"Get back to bed" Zuko commanded.
"I'm not sick, I don't need to stay in bed."
"Your doctors said all this stress is bad for you. You're staying here"
"I'm perfectly fine" Azula argued "You're all blowing this way out of proportion."
"Why do you keep lying to me? Something has been bothering you for a long time, and I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong."
"I already told you, it's just those stupid voices. They make me lose focus every now and again" For the first time, his sister sounded like she was tired of keeping up the pretense.
"Azula, please, just tell me what's going on."
"I can still hear father talking to me" she said, looking at the ground "He's still as pleasant and sweet as ever" her sarcastic tone lacked it's usual bite.
Zuko walked up to her and gently pulled her close "What does he say to you?"
"Oh, just basic stuff. Mocking me for being a failure, for how obvious it is that our nation will fall apart because of me, and for the being the disgrace of the family" she went on with her joyless, dry humor "The usual, you know?"
Unfortunately, Zuko did know. He knew it all too well in fact. It had been two years since he had dethroned Ozai and he had spent every single day realizing just how wrong his father had been about literally everything, but he could still see his face in his nightmares - that cruel smile and cold, angry, vicious eyes. He was locked away in prison, with no bending or political power, but his shadow still hanged over them, mercilessly reminding them that they could fail and prove him right...
Or turn into him.
"You're not a failure. You're the world's greatest firebender and you're helping protect our nation from traitors who worship a monster like him. Even before you changed, you were already better than he could ever be. All he did was take credit for the things you achieved, like conquering Ba Sing Se. His opinion shouldn't matter to anyone, but especially not to you."
Zuko could feel that familiar rage burning inside of him. He had gotten better at controlling it, but, as much as he hated to admit it, it still got to him every now and again. And nothing brought it back full force like thinking about his father and what he had done to their family. Not only had he hurt both him and Azula in every way he could, but he had also pitted them against one another, so they couldn't even find comfort in each other's company.
"The second you come back from this insane trip you've planned, we'll find a way to fix this" The young Fire Lord promised, holding her tight.
"You shouldn't promise something like that. You can't control it" his sister said. Even in her current state, she seemed to have more sense than he did.
But it didn't matter. He would find a way to help her. Ozai had already stolen her from him twice before - once when he started raising her to be a perfect weapon while she was just a kid, and then again when he gave the final push that drove her over the edge and nearly destroyed her mind.
There wouldn't be a third time.