"Azula, I'm begging you to shut up," Zuko says from her right. Left knee bent, and perched against a tree, his eyes run down a long scroll. He wordlessly mouths the text, the golden orbs of his drifting from each direction. His sister merely stares at him. She was always the one to read, but really? Another reread of Love Amongst the Dragons? She huffs in the air with disbelief but says nothing. Instead, Azula sinks into her chair, raising her eyes to watch Zuko closely.
He raises his eyebrows before returning back to his story. A silence engulfs the two. The fountain sings it's water, the loose sounds of turtle-ducks squeaking in the distance. Instinctively, Azula sits up and drags her body to the animals. She drops them bread, just like her brother taught her to. The ducks trust her now too, no longer scared of her looming appearance. They happily eat up the food. Her eyes twinkle in glee when she recognizes the shell pattern of one of them. The princess pats the duck's head, recalling her first memory with it.
"This one," Zuko said, pointing his finger towards a small turtle-duck. "He's a bit too small for his family. I try to feed him the most bread." He seized her hand gently and moved it to touch it's shell.
"Remember this pattern, that's how you will know it's him," he said softly. "Do you want to feed him?"
"Sure," she replied, forcing herself to sound bored.
"Come on," he said, relieving food onto her palm. He guided her as she let the food sit in the unruffled waters. The duck laid hesitantly for a second, its head cocking from one side to another. She frowned in impatience, but Zuko nodded for her to wait. A minute passes, and finally, the water ripples as the small duck runs its mouth through her palm, gripping the bread before bolting back into safety.
"You're getting good at it," he said with a grin.
"You did everything."
"Well," he said sheepishly scratching the back of his head. "Ok fine yeah."
"Getting big aren't you?" Azula mumbles to the duck, holding her head up. She pats it with a beam. It squeaks proudly, something she could only guess as its eagerness to be petted. So she does it again, and before she knows it, she is plucking the fellow from it's home and laying it on the grass. Inhaling a breath of fresh air, the princess let's the breeze pleasant her face. Zuko watches afar with an eerie expression as if he doesn't know what's going on. She turns to him, cocking her head to one side to gesture him to come.
"Um, what?" He asks.
"Dum-dum, you total buffoon. Come on, it needs our attention."
"You mean the duck?"
"No, I actually meant the sky. Come on! Let's go and fly there right now," she said snidely.
"You're a comedian," he mutters, putting down his scroll to get a full view of the scene playing before his eyes. Azula, Princess of the Fire Nation, prodigious firebender, is throwing grass, at a duck.
"Do you have a name for him?" He asks as he kneels down besides her.
She shakes her head. "No, but we can name him right now."
"Uh..."
"Grassbender!" Her eyes pop up with the sound of the name.
He furrows his brows in pure disbelief. "You're joking right?"
"Fine, you come up with one."
"Good luck."
"What?"
"Good luck," he repeats more slowly this time. "That's the name."
"Are you hit?"
"No!" He replies a little too defensively. She covers her mouth as the giggles come out.
"Good luck! Like, so when we're calling him, we say good luck. You know?"
"Wow, that sounds awesome. You are truly too smart."
His eyes crinkle as he watches his sister guffawing over his stupid name. He pats his knees on the grass and leans toward the duck.
"Okay, fine. Good luck it is." She pats Good Luck's head, causing the clueless duck to squeak again.
"That's nice. He likes you," Zuko says with a wry grin.
"Oh, please. Everyone likes me Zuzu."
"Huh."
(X)
Zuko smiles awkwardly at Mai. He doesn't know why, but he does. She doesn't return it. Her eyes may light up, twinkle in obscure glee, but she never smiles at him.
He strides off to where his sister is. He grimaces inwardly, struggling to understand what he was doing wrong. Is he really that bad at flirting?
Probably, a voice says from a corner in his mind. He curses at it through his teeth. He buries his face into his palms, and heaves a heavy sigh.
Zuko's feet set off for his room.
(X)
On a cold morning, the palace woke up to find themselves covered in heaps of snow. The siblings, heaved in heavy wraps of scarves and coats, strode off to Master Hogoa's classroom. As they reached the entrance, Azula inhaled the warm and chalky air. Ignoring a icy breeze that slid through a window, Zuko pushed open the door.
Immediately, Azula took off her cherry coat. She grimaced as the bloated tunic refused to release it's sweaty grip on her neck. She wiggled it frantically until Zuko had to do it for her. Even with his help, it took her body five minutes before it was completely free of the cursed attire.
Once that was over, and their bodies finally warmed up, they started their normal routine. Or, at least, that was what they thought they would do. Azula, with a sly grin, revealed a Pai Sho board from her baggage, and Zuko hastily threw away whatever remained of his attention.
The fire roared in it's brightness, contrasting with the heavy snow falling outside their windows. The siblings shimmered in the firelight as they played Pai Sho, Zuko placing down the first tile. The morning will be cold and long, but at least this can speed it up.
(X)
"Good play," Zuko says from his thoughtful brooding. He raises his head slightly.
The air is tense, only filled with Zuko's occasional 'hmmm' and Azula's scoffs. Their books lay untouched behind them, letting the room color it with dust.
Azula scrunches her nose. "I don't see how you'll get out of this." She slams a tile on the Pai Sho board. Zuko almost snorts, his sister was smart, but in Pai Sho? Well, she was as good as Good Luck on that game.
"I don't know, Uncle taught me a lot of tricks." They both smile as they recall the last time he said that.
"Go on then. Or are you too scared?"
"Oh, watch this," he says with a tone making her frown. He slams down a tile and leans back as if victory had already been declared.
Her eyes fall down to the tile. The winter sunlight graces her face as she realizes what happened. "That's cheating!"
"How?"
"You keep using the White Lotus!"
"Maybe don't let me take them next time," he replies. He turns around to the clock and gives a cheeky smile. "Looks like we wasted our time. Let's go."
He stands up from the ragged chair and moves to put on his coat. It had a much slicker design, and it looked like it was actually made to move around in. Azula looks down on her blood-red attire, and screams internally.
"I hate winter," she mutters. Snot threatens to fall out of her nose and she blows it away with a red fabric.
(X)
They run through the streets of Capital City. Zuko holds Azula by the hand as he plows up to where the firecrackers are. The crowd is thick with excitement.
"What is this?" Azula asks. She and Zuko squeeze through the crowd and see a cluster of neatly tied rolls.
"It's going to go up and explode!" He shouts. His voice becomes a whisper in all the commotion: kids flocking to stores, mothers eagerly checking the next fashion designs, and old men playing Pai Sho in alleys. Before he can say anything more, a hand seizes them both by the shoulder.
"You shouldn't run off like that," Ursa says briskly from behind them. However, her face spoke a different story. "I see you guys have been getting along."
Oh. Azula pulls her hood up and sticks a tongue out. It goes cold, and her cheeks flush with numb red at her stupidity. "When's this going to be over?"
"They haven't even started yet," Zuko says. He moves forward until the floor of the firecrackers touch his temple. In clear daylight, a bundle of strung rolls beams on the blazing sunlight. Azula fidgets with her nails until a gasp emerges behind them.
"P-Prince Zuko?" A kid says. Zuko turns back with a slight smile that seemed to teeter from a chuckle. "You're prince Zuko!"
"Of course he is," Azula interjects curtly. She crosses her arms and her eyes scrutinizes the boy with mild venom.
"Uh, ignore her," Zuko says with a wave. His sister nudges him hard in the ribs, his cheerful face twitching into slight creases.
"Oh, and you're Princess Azula!" The kid's eyes widened with amazement as if he had just spotted gold.
Ursa laughs gently. "Yes, we're just here to watch the firecrackers."
"Father told me all about it! He's going to hold me up high in the air so I can feel it!" The kid threw his arm up to show. Azula rolls her golden eyes.
"I'm sure your father is looking for you," she says bitterly. A fire lights casually in her palm. If it was meant to be a threat, the kid did not see it as such. Rather, his face lit up with an idiotic smile.
"Woah! Aren't you a bit too young for firebending? My dad learned it when he was ten."
Azula shoots him a dirty glare that Zuko knows all too well from when he accidentally ruined her favorite book. "Listen peasa-"
"Azula! There is no need to be so rude." Ursa puts her hand on her daughter with a scolding look. After an uncomfortable silence: the royal siblings standing around as their mother scolds Azula, Ursa finally raises her head at the boy. "We will go now."
"Oh, okay," he nods down his head in what only could be assumed as a poor attempt to bow. The princess' scowl deepens, anger boiling at how disrespectful he was acting. She contemplates burning his stupid face before a hand punches her in the ribs. She turns to see Zuko in happy satisfaction. She tries to step on his toes in return, but he was already prepared for he leapt off the concrete. Ursa shoves them off before it can escalate.
"Behave!" She says at them once they were out of view. The mother seizes them both by the ear.
"Ow!" Zuko says in a grimace.
"We did nothing wrong," Azula says, cringing in discomfort. Amused eyes fall upon the family as they are dragged into chairs.
"Nothing wrong?" Ursa says sternly. "Trying to harm each other in public isn't wrong?"
"We're sorry," Zuko admits. Azula huffs at how easily he gave up. "Please?"
"Looks like you need help," a man says, emerging with heavy footsteps and a hearty grin. Ursa growls under her breath before jerking her head around.
"What do you want?" She says, and Zuko can feel her grip tightening on his gloves.
"Nothing m'am, just wonderin' what a pretty lady is doing here with two beautiful children," he winks and chugs a long drink down his throat. Azula clicks her tongue with narrowed eyes.
Ursa clears her throat and stands up, holding both of her children with grips strong enough to numb them. The man stops her in her tracks and curls his lips. His face is close enough for Ursa to smell his fishy breath. She closes her eyes before collecting her voice.
"What do you want?" She repeats more firmly.
"You know," he says, touching her chin. "With your looks, you could make a good wife."
That was it. A blade of fire burst into his pants, and he recoils back with a yelp. Ursa turns to it's origin and finds Azula with a devilish expression.
"You grimy woman!" He bellows, his nostrils flaring.
"Woman? I'm a girl," Azula says. For the first time, he stares at the raven-haired girl, her smug look and superior face making his mind boil.
"You did this?" He demands. "Y-You pathetic!" He speeds toward the princess with the speed of a bird. But suddenly, a flame springs again, burning his face. It isn't the sure and stable flames that hit him before. It is a anxious yet determined one, it was-
"Get away from my family!" Zuko shouts with a fighting stance. The man is now squirming on the icy floor, his hand holding onto the right side of his face. The crowd stare at the children, a look of fear and intimidation.
"Your highness!" A voice shouts. They look around at each other before their faces finally realize that royalty was really standing right in front of them. Bows follow each other, and Azula smirks, finally getting the respect she deserves. The man gazes at Ursa as if he was reexamining the family.
"Y-Your highness! Please don't kill me!" He begs with a voice edging on tears.
Ursa pauses for a moment, and sighs, her misty breath visible in the cold air. She looks at him with a sharp glare. "Do not come near me or my children again."
His head jolts down in shaking tears, and Zuko's stomach drops. The man's once stricken face now wears a burnt mask on his right half, and a involuntary gasp makes it's way out. Ursa notices her son's discomfort and pulls them away from the bar. Azula is smiling the whole way.
"You did him good," she says with a friendly hit on her brother's shoulder as they walk out onto the streets. He looks up with a sick look.
"I burnt his face..."
"Served him right," she says with no hint of sympathy.
Zuko arches a brow. "You're not even disturbed?"
"Why should I be?"
"I destroyed that man's face! I put a scar on him!" Zuko says thickly.
"Well? What's the point of firebending if you don't want to burn them?"
He closes his eyes in annoyance. "Of course you don't understand. You never understand!"
"For Agni's sake." She crosses her arms. "All you do is ramble about pity and mercy! I'm Prince Zuko! I love everyone! Servant! Let me bow down to you!"
"Ooh, I'm Princess Azula! Peasant that, peasant there! I don't like this food, must be peasant!"
"Zuko," Ursa warns. She kneels down to her conflicted son, who is now the same color as his clothes. A soft look spreads across her face, and Zuko feels a warm body wrap it's hands around him.
Azula watches from a distance. A strange feeling gurgles inside. She tries to snuff it out, but it doesn't go away. What was it?
(X)
Shots of light soar into the web of stars; sounds of crackling roar through the streets. The siblings stare up in amazement, their eyes glinting in the colors. A loud crack booms in their face as sparks fly up and flash in front of the golden moon.
Red flashes from their right, blue flashes from their left, green reaches the middle of their face, yellow hits their eyes with the brightness of the sun, spirals hit the dark curtain, scattering their glowing embers until it fades away. It is truly beautiful, and Zuko wonders why he never had a urge to go outside the palace.
The blurred lights distract the biting cold, it's bitter and brisk breezes falling into the backdrop. Glimmering lanterns rise into the air, brightening the sky with it's orange light. Azula grins happily as she lights up her candle and releases it up. It flies higher, just like she intended. Zuko has trouble lighting up his, and Ursa has to help him. Her grin fades away when her mother ignores the bright lantern that she released, and her shoulders sag down.
"There now," Ursa was saying, releasing her son's lamp into the air. "That looks amazing Zuko. Well done!"
She smiles and turns to Azula. "Where is yours?"
"I already released it Mother," she says. Her eyes flicker dangerously.
Ursa raises her head at the sky. "Where is it?"
"Forget it."
"What?"
"Forget it!" Azula stomps on a puddle, her flames distinguishing it into humid air.
A mushroom of air exhales out of Ursa. "Azula, I'm sor-"
"No you're not!" Azula explodes. "You're just going to cuddle Zuko like you always have! I've had to do everything by myself!" Her head jerks to her brother. "You didn't see mine either did you?"
"Er - no."
"That's what I thought." She splashes a cold wave of water at him, bursting into his coat. She stomps away on her freezing boots. Zuko is too numb to say anything, but Ursa steps in with a furious stance.
"Young lady!" she says. "Come here right now!"
"No!" Azula snaps, positively spitting in rage. She runs off, her body silhouetted by the moon.
"Get your sister," Ursa says in an exasperated face as she pinches the bridge of her nose. But Zuko was already trailing Azula, his feet following the footsteps planted on the snow.
The icy winds do not deter the boy, neither do the dark and gloomy shadows casting over the wet stone path. They reach the foot of the river when Azula finally stops. She slumps down next to the icy waters. Footsteps are padding behind her.
"Go away," she says with venom.
"Please don't do that Azula," Zuko replies softly.
"I said, go away!"
"I'm not."
She hugs her knees tightly, placing her arms above them to bury her face. A sound comes out, in what Zuko could only make out as strained sobs. He sits besides her and runs his fingers through her hair. More quiet sobs come out, along with uneven intakes of breath, and the brother makes sure to not overstep his boundaries.
Minutes pass as the sound of water plays. Shards of splintering lights fall on the dancing river. Zuko touches the water, the murky liquid depriving his hands of sensation. A look at the sky, it's still sparkling with the loud rumble of firecrackers. He can hear the crowds too, even if they are on the opposite side of the river from him.
A sound of shuffling appears next to him and he dares his eyes to turn.
Azula is peering her eyes out into the moon's golden rays, revealing the red layers plastered on her orbs. He places a hand on hers, and she does not jerk it away.
"Why does mother like you so much?" She asks abruptly, putting her face out of its confinement. Her red cheeks are glistening in tears. She sniffles quietly before her breath stutters.
He lets a sigh out. "Mother loves us both equally Azula."
"T-Then why does she always give you the attention?" She asks. The ocean comes down with salt as her tears bring a tang of bitterness into her trembling lips. "Why?"
Zuko chews down his lower lip. He places an arm around his sister, and after a moment of hesitation, swallows his pride. "Mother does that because I'm weaker than you Azula. I'm not brave enough to stop a charging force of an army, I'm not brave enough to take a adult head on, I'm not brave like you."
"Huh..."
Zuko picks up a pebble. "Watch this." He throws it in the water. It drains into the river within the first skip.
Azula gives a muffled giggle as Zuko grins sheepishly. She grabs a stone and throws it onto the water. It skips for three bounces before falling into the silvery water. She pulls a smug smirk and leans closer to her brother.
"Agni, it's cold," he mutters into the palms of his gloves. He stands up and pads away the snow on his pants. "Come on, let's go. The firecrackers are still on."
Her head looks up at the prince. "Let's just go home."
"But the fire-"
"You heard what I said dum-dum."
His head tilts into a obscure expression. "Well, we might as well use the lanterns we bought."
She grumbles noisily. "Fine."
"See? You're becoming humble."
Her blotchy face creases it's top. "I'll kill you right now if you say that again."
"Yup," he replies nonchalantly. She snickers evilly and he wonders if she was telling the truth.
The firecrackers burst again.