Beauty in the Beast (Zutara)

Chapter Thirty-Two

Azula snarled at herself in the mirror, the memories she sought to repress reforming in the distant familiar humming of her mother, and the gentle lingering touches of her hair that she loved to brush. The rare moments of peace between the two of them as she combed through and brushed her long soft locks. Over the years, she grew to hate her hair, noting the similarity to her mother. Long, brown and flowing like hers. It seemed to be the only thing the two had in common. She watched as her hair fell from her tight and perfect bun that she donned nearly every day, hating how similar she looked to the woman who left her. She growled as the humming began to ring in her head now, the gentle lullabies of the past coming to haunt her once more. Shut up...

"Enough!" She snapped quickly punching the mirror before her, seeing nothing but herself in her shattered reflection, long brown hair splayed over her shoulders as she was hunched over, breathing heavily. Light flashed through the sky grabbing her attention now, before it was cloaked in darkness again, hearing a low rumbling a few moments later. Everything was crashing down it seemed. She thought. Like lightning touching down on the ground. Wrecking where it touches with its immense power. Everything is becoming ruined. My control, our plans. Our dreams, his legacy. She looked back at the mirror flinching at her imperfect form in the reflection. All because of one fool who refused to fall in line like he was supposed to.

~~

He watched the night sky aimlessly, watching the thickening of the clouds; a thunderstorm was coming. He could feel it in the prickle of his skin. He always hated them after seeing the power they exuded up close. Not caring what lightning struck. Only the selfish desire to strike and the groan the sky made in response of it's deadly flash. He gave a long sigh, remembering how he used to think lightning was so beautiful once. Especially from a distance, the raw power dancing across the sky in jagged freeform. But that was before he watched it land. That was before he understood it lands where it desires.

He used to love his father's old bodyguard, Ran. Ran never discarded Zuko even after Ozai started to. Ran on occasion spoiled them both with treats when Ursa wasn't looking. Ran took the time to play with the both of them when he had time. Ran was willing to be pawned off to the children so Ozai could be at peace. He always wanted kids. That's what he confessed to Zuko at least. The life was keeping him away from that dream. So at the very least, he was going to see to it the ones Ozai had were going to be raised well. It was Ran who taught the kids how to see how far away a storm was: count how long it takes to hear thunder after seeing the flash of lightning. As young children, Zuko and Azula both thought Ran could control the storm since he knew so much about it. How he was confident when telling them it was going away. They thought he was chasing it away, keeping it from the kids he loved so dearly. However, Zuko knew of the great flaw in detecting where a thunderstorm is; you have to see the flash first before you can know where the storm is. That is what Zuko, Azula and Ran understood that one faithful night. Zuko flinched as a sudden flash danced through the night. On instinct, he closed his eyes and began counting. After a few moments he heard rumbling. And watched as the door swing open. Azula's flare piercing him faster than lightning ever could.

"You are making a mess of everything!" She snarled. Instantly understanding, Zuko cocked a brow towards his sister.

"No. I'm just not following your commands." He corrected. Her breathing grew heavier as she lunged at him. Thunder roared again as Zuko caught her hands. Azula thrashed in his grip, her teeth grit.

"This is all your fault, Zuko! If you weren't such a goddamn failure, things would've been so much easier!" She spat at him. "You ruined my plans!"

"I ruined father's plans that he had for you." He said quietly. "You never made the plans on your own. Father did it for you. You were just as much of his puppet like you wanted me to be. Like he wanted mom to be." Azula's thrashing became more erratic as she barked out a cold laugh.