Slipping - The story of Azula

Chapter 5 - Frozen in Time

Everything in her room was exactly how she left it, as if frozen in time. Azula stepped into her childhood bedroom and she solemnly took in her surroundings; the minimal clutter she had left on her desk still lain askew; her inkwell had long dried up, however. Her bed was haphazardly made, but her clothes were hung perfectly organized; she was very proud of how her servants folded her clothes.

A brush that sat on the floor caught her eye. She hesitantly stepped toward it and gently picked it up as if examining an artifact; it was the brush she threw at her reflection the day of her coronation. Then, she looked up at the mirror which was the only thing that wasn't how she left it; it had been replaced with what looked like an exact replica. Azula remembered that day all too well; she could remember the sound of her mirror shattering into a million pieces, along with her heart. As she reached out to touch the mirror with her hand, tears rolled down her face. She looked up to her reflection, and although it was only her teary eyes that stared back, she couldn't help but see the similarities of her mother's face reflecting her own.

She knew that keeping the mirror in her room would only cause her more pain. "Take this mirror out of my room," she ordered, while blinking back tears. "I have no use for it, take it away now!" The royal servants filed in, and within minutes, the ceiling-length mirror had been removed.

She then looked at Zuko who had been silently watching her. "What are you looking at!" she snapped.

"Nothing," Zuko said calmly.

Azula refrained from rolling her eyes and then went back to looking at her room. The last thing she noticed was that all of their family portraits had been removed from the walls. She understood and didn't question this

In the midst of the silence, Zuko piped up expectantly, "Well..."

"Well, what?"

"Are you happy to be home?"

"I guess." Azula said, slumping into her bedside chair. "I mean, did this ever really feel like home?"

"I suppose you have a point," Zuko said, smiling. He took this opportunity to get Azula to open up a little, "this was the bedroom where you burned down your canopy because you couldn't master the fire bending technique you had been practicing for weeks."

Azula chuckled, thinking back to that day, "It was such an easy technique too!"

"Hey, I mastered that skill 2 years after you! It wasn't that easy. You shouldn't have gotten so fired up."

Azula couldn't hold back her eye roll this time, "that pun was terrible."

"Hey!" Zuko said, defensively, "at least I don't have the flirting skills of a cardboard box."

Azula shot him an evil glare.

"Sorry. I'm sorry!" Zuko said, quickly.

Azula held her gaze for another second before bursting out laughing, "I like how after all these years, that still gets you!"

Zuko lightly chuckled along, "you are still pretty scary."

"I'll take the compliment." she replied. She hadn't spoken to her brother like this since before he was banished almost 6 years ago and it felt so nice to bond at least for this one night. Her heart felt full and her mind felt clear. She laughed and bonded over shared family stories and for a moment, everything felt all right.

"Father was just so demanding, wasn't he?"

"Yeah, tell me about it." Zuko sighed. After a relaxed pause in conversation, Zuko continued, "I had the maids dust your room every week so that it would stay clean for your arrival. I told them not to touch your stuff because I didn't want you to feel so separated from your room when you came back."

Azula felt a warm feeling inside her; it was a feeling she had been yearning for, for so long. She couldn't pinpoint what it was. Maybe it was love. But either way, she couldn't believe what Zuko was telling her.

"You... were waiting for me?" Azula smiled at him. Zuko felt a little taken aback, but he smiled back. She wanted to thank him, but for some reason she couldn't bring herself to, at least, not yet.

"Yes, everyday since our battle. I knew that you were struggling and I couldn't help but worrying for you. You're my little sister, and although we didn't have the best relationship, I missed you everyday." Azula could tell he was being sincere and she was so grateful to him for believing in her all these years, but instead of telling him, she only replied with this:

"Don't get all emotional on me!"

But this was more than a show of gratitude from Azula and Zuko took her thanks to heart. "You're welcome, Azula." Zuko began to get up to leave. "If you need anything, I am in the same room as usual. Don't try any funny business though, there are multiple guards outside your door."

"Did you really have to mention that last part, I got it by now, Zuzu."

Zuko smiled at her, "Good night, Azula."

He left the room, leaving Azula all alone, but she did not feel alone anymore. The buzzing yet lonely feeling in her mind subsided as it was drowned out by joyful thoughts of her brother's words. She slept soundly and peacefully for the first time in years.

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Ok. Rate the pickup line: "That's a sharp outfit Chan. Careful, you could puncture the hull of an empire class fire nation battleship leaving thousands to drown at sea... Because it's so sharp."

If Azula tried that pickup line on me I would be hers lowk.

-V