ultraviolence | avatar, the last airbender

19

*flashback, 4 years prior*

SLEEPING OVER AT THE ROYAL PALACE was a little more anxiety inducing than thirteen year old Kiara would have liked to admit. Kiara used to fret about what clothes to bring and how to act around Azula, as she could be temperamental. However, Kiara did like how extravagant Azula's slumber parties were. The girls would try on brand new outfits and get to keep them, servants would paint their nails, and there was always a vast array of desserts their kitchen staff would make the girls.

Kiara hadn't been feeling herself though, lately. Her mother disappeared about a month prior. No note, no warning. Just vanished. Kiara felt like she was going utterly insane. Her father visited for a few days before going back to the stronghold at the Earth Kingdom to continue fighting in the war. It was almost as if he didn't care that his wife mysteriously vanished. Kiara wasn't sure if her father was behind it or if he just didn't know how to express his feelings. Her mother practically consumed all of her thoughts.

By now it was grown late and the girls had all gone to sleep. Kiara, however, was awake. She tossed and turned but she couldn't seem to fall asleep. She stood up and decided to take a walk around the palace to aid her insomnia.

As she rounded the corner, she was met with a hallway full of paintings. A lot of the paintings, she didn't recognize who was in them. That was, until, she stumbled across one of the royal family. It was when Zuko and Azula were much younger, and Ursa was still in the picture. Her arm was draped around Zuko and he looked...happy. Lately, it hadn't seemed that way.

"I was about eight years old in that painting," A voice said.

Kiara jumped. She whipped around. It took a couple seconds for her eyes to adjust. When they did, she saw Zuko, standing behind her and looking at her. She placed a hand to her chest to calm her racing heartbeat. Her cheeks started to heat up, as she was in her pajamas in front of her crush. She was wearing a simple black tank top and black silky shorts. "You startled me."

"I didn't mean to," Zuko stated. He walked up to the painting and traced his finger across the bottom of it. "Your mother painted this for us a long time ago."

Kiara stared at the painting's bottom right corner. Sure enough, in the corner, was a signature that read, "Chihiro." She felt a pit at the bottom of her stomach. She didn't want to talk about her mother, especially in front of Zuko.

"I should be going back to bed now," Kiara said weakly.

"Stay," Zuko said. Kiara's heart skipped a beat. Zuko wanted her to stay? It made her feel light headed. "I mean...only if you want to."

"Okay," Kiara mumbled. Suddenly, a bright flash of lightning shines through the windows, followed by a loud thunderclap. Chills instantly went down Kiara's spine as she jumped slightly.

"Are you scared of the storm?" Zuko asked.

Kiara nodded. "I'm usually not scared of anything. But...there was a huge storm like this the night my mother disappeared. Ever since I've been kind of spooked by rainstorms."

"I see," Zuko said. "Do you miss her?"

Kiara sighed. "More than anything."

"You don't have to talk about it," Zuko said softly.

"Do you miss your mother?" Kiara asked.

"Yeah," Zuko nodded. "I felt like she was the only one who understood me, aside from my uncle."

"I totally get that," Kiara said, crossing her arms over her chest. "My mother was the only one who looked out for me. But now...she's gone. I guess I should get used to looking out for myself now."