" 'Master Hogoa, history teacher,' " Zuko reads from his parchment. He looks up at the giant wooden door in front of them. "Where is he?"

"Why are you asking me?" Azula says with a frown. Her brother gently opens the door, emerging the two into an exotic-looking room.

Aside from the silvery shelves that lay on each of their sides, it did not look like a classroom at all. It resembled more of a restaurant, with the crammed squarish tables that stood in the middle.

In front of the tables, was a bright fire, dancing with each second. Everything was dimly lit with it's crimson light; the windows were draped with red coats, presumably Fire Nation armor, and a burning smell of perfume engulfed the room.

Zuko pinches his nose as he sits down to unpack his things.

"We're not spending three hours here right?" Azula asks with a tone expressing her disbelief.

"It's not that bad."

"Not for you," she groans, sinking herself into the chair behind him. "Where is this Hogoa anyway?"

He shrugs lightly and pulls out his book. It's dirty and wears the look of an ancient human. He grunts in annoyance as he watches Azula pull her book out. Despite them being the same, it's bright, clean, and barely recognizable from his.

Zuko rips through the pages, scouting for his assignment. Fire Lord Sozin had many great accomplishments, but his greatest was his ability to spread love and peace through the world. Even in his last few years, he-"You're joking!" The prince shouts. Azula turns from her reading to observe what was happening. She has to hold in a smirk as she sees half of his page muddied with dirt.

"Ouch."

"Where did Father find this book?" The prince says before throwing his arms up in exasperation. "It's like he wants me to fail!"

Probably because he does, Azula almost retorts before biting it back. She tilts her head slightly and taps her chin.

"Here," she says, drawing her book over his shoulder. It's shiny cover is distinct from his inky table.

"Thanks," he mutters before continuing his reading. For a while, nothing happens. The crackle of the fire in front of them becomes muffled in the backdrop, only ever noticeable when it blows its breeze into their faces. Azula occasionally turns her head to the door, expecting someone to emerge. No one does.

Three hours pass, and Zuko and Azula take turns sharing her book. They both finish their needed assignments, Zuko taking noticeably more time. They pack up when the clock hits four, yet a strange feeling is burning in their stomachs.

"This guy is probably dead," Azula says as she collects back her book. "How late can you be?"

"I don't know," Zuko replies offhandedly. He wraps his bag behind him and strolls to the door.

"Anyway," she says, doing the same. "Even if he does show up, I have no respect for him."

"Why?"

"What do you mean why? This guy doesn't even show up for his own classes. I think it shows how little he cares about this job."

"What if he's having family problems?" Zuko says with a raise of his head. "Not everyone is rich Azula."

"If he's not rich why isn't he working to be rich? Instead he doesn't even show up to work."

Zuko frowns and shakes his head slightly. "I'm just saying we should give him a chance."

"Hard luck."

He gives her a reproachful gleam with his eyes that she takes to mean "Let's just go."

Azula rolls her eyes but follows him as they both exit the room.

Crack!

She turns around. She blinks to make sure her eyes aren't deceiving her.

The fire is gone.

(X)

Zuko had lost track of time while in the library. He was late. Azula, Ursa, and Ozai were already seated and waiting for him. The old prince did not hide his look of annoyance as Zuko was led to the table by a servant.

"Sorry," he mumbles, submerging himself into his seat.

Ozai's hatred is already boiling. He seethes at his son's lack of talent and competence. Hiding it behind a calm but serious voice, he speaks.

"Where have you been?"

Zuko gulps. "The library Father."

"And what was a prince doing meddling in a library?" He leans closer on the table. The boy's stomach drops.

"I-I was looking for scrolls to read."

Ozai huffs impatiently with the air of someone repeating themselves to a dog. "And so you made us wait for half an hour!"

"I'm sorry Father!" Zuko looks back at him, seeing the tightening of the lines around his jaw and the deepening of the creases near his eyebrows. Ozai sighs loudly, aggressively.

"Come with me," he orders, a powerful flicker of his fingers as he stands up noisily.

"Ozai, I don't really-" Ursa is cut off as the burly man interrupts her.

"No Ursa, Zuko is a pathetic child, and I will treat him as such." He jerks his head back to the shivering prince. "Come, now."

Zuko slowly stands up; his legs feeling as if they were protesting, and his eyes being forced down to avoid his father's cold stare.

Azula gives him a good poke in the hem of his shirt, and Zuko realizes how fast he had been shaking. Hesitantly, he approaches his father.

Ozai stalks off, and Zuko follows loosely. Ursa runs off as well.

Azula doesn't see any of them for the rest of the day.

(X)

"Dum-dum," Azula says quietly. She taps Zuko's forehead gently. He wakes from his slumber in startled breaths. He turns to her, a frown deepening on the boy's features. Azula is sitting on his bed. At night.

"Don't scare me like that," he scolds. Zuko wipes the sweat off his face, his breath becoming more relaxed. "So, uh, why are you here?"

"I haven't seen you all day," she replies with a formal tone akin to a mother. She reveals a towel from her hip, causing Zuko to give her a confused expression. She wipes his face and neck with it, the sweat slowly tearing off his skin. "That's better. You still smell awful."

"Wasn't that you a few years ago?" He says with a sleepy grin. A yawn breaks the grin and Azula slaps her hand on his mouth.

"Hey!"

"Cover your mouth next time. Smells as bad as you."

"What th-, okay, I'm the big brother. I do that."

"Not anymore," she says, striding off into the bathroom. She rinses the towel and emerges back with a smirk. "So what did Father do to you?"

Zuko winces at her words, and she rolls her eyes. "I'm sure it was nothing." She fingers a curly strand of hair from him and scoffs. "You seriously need to go to the salon."

"Thanks Mom Junior," He groans.

"I thought you liked mom."

"Yeah, I just don't expect it from you."

She displays him a half-hearted smile that was either meant good-naturedly or intentionally cold. Zuko guesses it's the former. He was always bad at reading Azula.

"So what happened with you and Father?" She repeats again.

"What do you think happened?"

She fidgets with her nails. "That's why I'm asking you."

"I got put in that dark room again," Zuko says with a tone of finality. "That's it."

"You couldn't go through the passageways?"

"Do I look like I want to get in trouble?"

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No!"

Zuko bites his lower lip and twists to the side of the bed. His scowl is visible, even if his face is turned against her. She smiles. Her brother is very easy to anger.

"You don't seem cheery," she says behind his annoyed face. She lays her back on the poles holding the bed's roof.

"Gee, I cant imagine why," Zuko replies with a deadpanned voice. She huffs at his remark. Letting out a heavy sigh, she stands off the bed, and turns to her brother with a gleam.

"You want to sneak out?" She blurts with a mischievous expression.

"What?"

"I said, do you want to sneak out?"

"Where?"

"Mom's garden."

He raises his brow. "You do realize I'm hanging on father's approval by the skin of my teeth right?"

"He won't find us. I know all the entrances and exits above and below this palace."

Zuko rubs his chin, his mind clearly trying to decide. "Agni, I'm going to die today. Okay, let's go."

(X)

"Beautiful isn't it?" Azula says, resting her head on a hand as the silvery moon emits it's soft light. Her brother follows her gaze and nods.

"So, is this what you do everyday?" He asks with a turn to the princess.

"Occasionally," she says before veering her head down to the pond. A quivering path of silver illuminates the water, the turtle-ducks squeaking as they sleep through the black tranquility.

"Don't wake them up, everyone needs sleep." He says warmly.

She dips her head in acknowledgment, but before she can say anything, a loud voice makes its way to their ears.

They both duck under the fountain.

"Agni! Are you crazy?" says a gruff voice from Azula's left. "Where are your clothes you old fool?"

"I'm here to rob the palace!" an ancient voice proclaims proudly. "I will murder everyone!"

The gruff voice chuckles before lifting his sword out. "How about you buy some clothes before invading the heart of the Fire Nation?"

"You're right, good idea."

"Well, I'm not letting you just walk away freely."

"Oh yes, I thought you wouldn't. That's why I brought with me a weapon!" The ancient man clenches his fists into the air, putting Azula into a suppressed laughing fit.

"It's time for you to go down guard!" The old voice says, pulling out a rusty sword. The guard broke down guffawing at the idiot, which was lucky for the siblings as Azula now could no longer contain her laughter.

Zuko covers her mouth with his hand and drags them away back to the underground passages.

When they reach his room, he swears his sister would die of laughing any second now. Eventually, he forces her to drink tea.

It doesn't work.

He has stained clothes to prove it.

(X)