Oh Zuzu, you look like crap.
Who: Zuko and Azula What: Welcoming Home When: 4/5 Where: Zuko's place Status: complete Rating: PG-13
It had been a long time since Zuko had been home. He scarcely recognized the place. The tea house had been completely redone while he was in the Navy, but his room had been left untouched. His mother seemed to be thriving - she even told him that she'd been doing plays with a local troop. It made him positively warm to know she was happy.
Because that's what mattered to him. Making his mother smile. Making his father proud. He could do both at the same time. Right? Right.
"Oh Zuzu, you look like crap."
The sound of his sister's voice made his spine twitch. He turned to look at her, and didn't take her bait. "Hey. How'd you know I was back?"
"Daddy told me." Something dark crossed Azula's eyes, but the moment passed. "He also told me what he wants you to do. He doesn't think you'll be able to do it. So I'm going to help you."
Zuko glanced around, not wanting their mother to here. "Come here." He grabbed Azula's arm and dragged her into his bedroom. She swatted at his hand, and he felt a kind of warmth come off of her. He gave her an odd look, then felt something warm on his sleeve. He looked down to see it was on fire and flailed his arm in his panic trying to put it out. "What the hell?!"
"Don't look at me." Azula smiled sweetly, and plopped onto the bed. "So do you have a plan or are you going to muddle through it like a fool?"
Arm safe, Zuko ran his fingers through his hair. "We need to rebuild contacts and suppliers first. Come in strong and kick out the people who've taken over. Convert them to our side. If we show we’re strong they’ll join us.”
“Sounds like fun.” Azula had been so bored. She never had much to do and her dreams were repeats of her successes with Ba Sing Se and other places. She had power and she had experience and she wanted to be able to use it. “I’ll take care of intimidation.”
“You?” Zuko laughed. “Like they’d be scared of a little girl?”
Azula just smiled sweetly, and Zuko had the sudden impression of a snake just about to strike. He could swear he saw fire in her eyes, and it was just a little frightening. “Dear Brother. I’m the one that should scare them the most.”
He didn’t want to see her hurt, no matter how much she could piss him off. “Fine, but I’m sending one of father’s guys with you.” She was so small, someone could hurt her!
“Fine.” She waved a hand dismissively, then dropped it into her lap. She weighed telling him about Priss, then decided that it wasn’t worth it yet. Priss was her...secret. Sort of. Okay not really and he’d find out eventually online. She made a face.
“What?”
“What, what?”
“You’re making a face.”
“Fuck you, I do not make faces.”
Zuko pointed at her face. “You’re making one right now.”
Azula balled up her fist, fighting the urge to ignite flame. She wanted to show off, but she wanted to save it for the right moment. The right time. “There’s something I need to tell you. But father can’t find out. Mother can’t find out.”
The older sibling shrugged his shoulders. “Fine. What is it?”
She clasped her hands in her lap, hunching her shoulders in an uncharacteristic display of anxiety. “I’m seeing someone.”
“Really?” He looked surprised. “Did you bribe someone?”
Azula shot him a glare before she regained control of her temper. She sniffed once, to prove she was still above him. “She’s a rock star, she’s on my level.”
“Of course you’d date a wait what?”
He looked at her. Azula was still hunched a bit, but was looking at him dangerously, as though daring him to say anything about it.
“A rockstar. Good for you,” he said, diplomatically. Then there was silence, and he looked down at the floor.
“Don’t tell father. He’ll kill me.”
“I know.” Zuko gave off a sigh, and turned back towards his sister. “You’re a little shit but you’re still my sister. We definitely can’t tell dad.”
Azula’s shoulder’s straighened, and she lifted her head again, her moment of vulnerability passed. She glanced at him, and he decided he couldn’t breathe a word about that part either. He was pretty sure she’d kill him if he did. “So when do I get to meet her?”
“Never.” Azula hopped off the bed. “Tell your guy to meet me at eight. This is going to be fun.”