Zuko was beginning to think that dark green suited his sister. Which was utterly bizarre, but there it was. Sitting there on the throne, still dressed in earth kingdom clothes with that smirk on her face, she just looked so right. And apparently everyone else thought so too.
Azula had ordered her Dai Li to bring in the nobles and the wealthiest members of the city, anyone with influence. They had been come in groups, surprised, confused and expecting the earth King. They left terrified for their lives and positions, and eager to obey their new ruler lest she turn her ruthless gaze on them. The already intimidating Dai Li didn't hurt, and neither did he, standing by her side like that.
It was almost funny how it had taken til now for him to think that had things been different, it would be him sitting on that throne. But this was her prize. She had taken the city with nothing but two companions and her own skills. Before he would have been jealous. Now...
He didn't know what he felt. But he wasn't jealous. Patriotic? He was certainly proud of her and what she had done for their nation... But that was it. He was pretty sure there should be more, sure there was more. But he just couldn't feel it. Uncle was a traitor from the start and never meant for him to succeed.
...Maybe that had something to do with it. He almost sighed. Then he remembered they were finished with the nobles for the day, and let his sigh escape.
Azula must have noticed because she gave a speech about how they had finally conquered Ba Sing Se after a hundred years, how father would welcome them home as war heroes. But he didn't have the Avatar.
"It doesn't matter, Zuko. Today, you restored your own honour."
He tried to bite back the snarl in his reply but some still escaped. "How can you just say that? the Avatar is still out there with a water and earth bending masters, learning more each day... Why are you smiling?!"
She actually laughed at that. "Because I blew him out of the sky once, and I can do it again, Dum-dum. And you were only a second behind me with that spear-bolt of yours. The waterbender caught me off guard but you have experience with her and her type, and I won't underestimate her again. And the earth brat is blind. One quiet long ranged attack and she's down. Even if we didn't have scores of Dai Li, we can both use blue fire." She paused for a moment, timing perfect as always.
"Zuko, together we will be unstoppable. Once I train you up a bit." She added with a soft smile. "Why not a trade? You tell me everything new you learnt, and I'll help you master blue fire."
An uneven trade if ever he heard one. He just needed practice to fine-tune his new ability. She could speed things along, but he would get there regardless. Or close enough. Whereas he would teach her entirely new techniques, and everything he had picked up on the other bending arts. And their enemies in particular.
But they were working together now.
Still.
"I want to learn lightning as well." She nodded after a small pause and he had the sudden thought that she had left that out just so he had something extra to demand. Something she would be able to defend herself against after he taught her to redirect it, so it didn't matter.
Always a step ahead. Typical Azula.
He smiled.