Beauty in the Beast (Zutara)

Chapter Thirteen

A/N: Whoo-hoo Unlucky number 13~ 

I wanted to apologize for how long this chapter took. It's also a super long chapter as well. I'm trying new things here regarding writing and my chapters are going to be longer. Will they be chapter 13 long every time? I am not sure. But I do want to thank you for being patient and hopefully I'll be better chapter by chapter with both writing and timing. 

I do want to improve on my writing because I am currently writing another book and what better way than to practice on you. Also, its because I owe you that respect, you took your time to read what I had wrote, and for some of you you wait on new chapters of mine to be released so it is purely out of gratitude and appreciation for you that I'm gonna try even harder to make these chapters and all works of writing I do my best. I want your time that you spent here to be worth it. I owe you that and am happy to fulfill it the best I can. Thank you all, again from the bottom of my heart and I do hope you enjoy this and future chapters. 

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Mai was always an intuitive person, which is why she never seemed surprised about anything that had occurred. From the things she asked for holidays and her birthdays to acts of betrayals in Ozai's empire and the swift eradication of them, nothing and no one really shocked her. No one except Ozai's children. They both had their own predictabilities and patterns that she picked up on quickly, but on rare occasions the two would abandon their patterns and preconceived notions about themselves. They were interesting and Mai had loved to watch them earning a couple eyebrow raises and eye widening moments. Azula had once managed to track down and kill one spy who was reporting to authorities about the inner workings of Ozai's mafia which at first wasn't surprising since she suspected foul play, but the fact she did this only to surprise her father with this knowledge is what truly amazed her as they recalled the dirty work done before his feet in the meeting she arranged for them. What surprised Mai is this over ambitious young girl still worshipped the man she constantly planned to usurp like the God he thought he was. She knew then and there, that Azula had truly mastered her emotions, her interactions down to the very tone of her voice. So well to even fool her father. It was at that moment, Azula knew she had broken them both. Any half-baked thoughts of any type of resistance were destroyed with that fated meeting.

Zuko had surprised her in a different way. Usually, he was observant which was often mistaken for weak and silenced. Especially after his punishment for his outburst which lead to the burning of his face. Zuko was always more of a man of action than his words. Which is why she wasn't surprised that he would want to prove his father wrong about him. How he wasn't a mistake like he was constantly deemed. She loved that side of him. She loved his determination and his will. Quiet but powerful. What surprised her were his actions that lead him to the hospital and what happened in them. She watched in silent horror as Katara's eyes fluttered shut as a shy hand clasped in his, as he deepened their kiss. His other hand cradled the side of her face his fingers tangling in her brown hair as he urged her closer. It wasn't that long ago that they couldn't even look at each other without her wanting to jump at their throats. How she walked past them with the fires of hatred in her eyes. How Zuko constantly ranted about the girl. Now, their bodies mashed against each other, as he pulled her upwards on top of him a soft chuckle she thought only she got the pleasure of hearing before the sounds of kissing harmonized with their soft laughter. Mai clutched her chest as she began to walk away from the room, trying to process how this could've happened, her eyes wide and heart broken.

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Waking up in the hospital so calmly had never felt so foreign to Zuko. The sun's rays had nested itself on the floor beside him, making him chuckle at the thought of never experiencing a sting of cold rushing to his feet in the morning due to where the sun hits by his bed. It was the little things that made him so lucky. Comfortably, he placed his feet against the gently warmed tile before slowly stretching very slowly realizing the pain was now becoming dulled with each passing day. He made his way to the bathroom noting the past harsh aches and pains were becoming faded and dull as well. Won't be long until I'm out of here I guess. With a small sigh, he made his way out of the bathroom heading back towards his bed sleepily.