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Zuko fluffed the pillows atop of the bed for what felt like the millionth time that day. Azula was coming home from the mental institution and while her living conditions there were more than modest and comfortable, it wasn’t the luxury of palace life. Her old room was renovated, and he even had some items from her childhood restored to their original quality to make it feel like home.
He took a deep breath to steady his nerves and sighed. He didn’t know why he was so nervous. Azula was doing fine. Obviously, she was well enough to be released to be into his care.
But she was still in a fragile enough mental state that anyone or anything – could be a trigger. Her rehabilitation was one of his most important projects, carrying the same amount of weight, if not more, as repairing the Fire Nation’s relationship with the other countries.
He reasoned that he couldn’t truly fix the damage that was done if he excluded his sister and left her to rot. After all, as much as he spent his childhood butting heads with her, she experienced her own fair share of trauma.
When he was younger, he saw Azula as this perfect person, the prodigal daughter that had everything he wanted.
Now, all he sees is a scorned kid that reminds him so much of himself. And he’d do anything to make sure that she doesn’t hurt again.
“You okay?” Katara’s voice breaks him out of his trance. She just arrived from the South Pole a week ago to help him Azula's first few weeks back. Although her healing capabilities were mostly limited to physical ailments, she had a calming presence and could cure the inevitable migraines that always inflicted both of them. And if all else failed, having her there would help ease his nerves.
“I’m nervous.” He shakes his head, a soft smile pulling at the corners of his lips. “You know, Uncle always told me I never thought things through. Now, I am thinking something through…and it’s terrifying.”
“Because you care.” She offers, walking towards him. “This isn’t just about you anymore and what you want. It’s about helping her heal, and that’s a huge burden to carry.”
Zuko swallows. “Yeah, if you told me years ago that a part of my destiny would be taking care of my little sister, I would’ve laughed in your face, and back then, I wasn’t laughing very much.”
Katara rolls her eyes. “You barely laugh now.”
He feigns mock offense. “Hey, that’s not true. I do laugh. It’s just…few things about being Fire Lord are funny.”
“Then maybe you need to relax more.”
Zuko snorts. “I’m 18 years old with a country to run and a plethora of people depending on me. I’ll relax when I’m dead.”
“And you’ll die soon if you don’t relax.”
“I asked you to come here to help me with Azula, not because I need a babysitter.”
“If you think I’m not going to harass you about taking breaks, which are much-needed by the way, and getting enough sleep, then you don’t know me very well.”
He smiles, nudging her with his shoulder. “I do know you. I guess I kind of missed your nagging, overbearingness.”
She looks at him, mouth agape. “Oh, so you’re saying I’m bossy!?”
“No, I said you’re overbearing.”
“Different word, same meaning.” Then she turns to look at him earnestly, placing a hand on his scarred cheek.
Zuko didn’t want to admit that he actually liked Katara touching his scar, too afraid of confronting the feeling that surged through him whenever she touched and looked at him. It was so innocent and friendly, but set his heart on fire in a way no one ever really has.
She made him feel soft and vulnerable, yet strong and brave.
He was always nervous around Mai for he never quite knew what to say or do. But around her, he was completely comfortable.
Katara begins to speak softly. “You are not your father. You’re giving your sister a chance to live again and be a regular 16-year-old girl and not some war machine." Azula was older than her by a few months, so she was already in the process of planning her 17th birthday party to help her regain some normalcy. "That is more than enough, Zuko, and I believe in you. That’s why I’m here with you.”
Zuko leans into her touch, lips lightly grazing her wrist and for a moment, he feels like everything will be okay.
***
Azula doesn’t know how to feel.
It’s been 2 and a half years since she stepped foot in the palace. It was almost the same length of her brother’s banishment and just like him, today, she was returning as a new person- her own person, and not a prisoner, patient, or the mind-controlled, manipulated person her father made her out to be.
She still had a lot of work to do. The nightmares and hallucinations were no longer a frequent, daily occurrence, and reduced in severity, but as her therapist told her, healing was not linear, and neither was growth. She would take a step forward, only to get knocked three steps back sometimes, and that was okay. It was all a part of the progress.
That, however, was the least nerving of the whole ordeal.
She was being released into the care of her brother and a part of her thought he was a fool for it. Granted, she was still a minor, and with her mental history, they were certain rules and regulations that had to be followed, regardless of her status as royalty. It makes her laugh because there was a time when being a Princess meant that the laws of the land didn’t apply to her and yet, here she was obeying them.
That was then and this is now, so she respects that this is how it’s going to work. Even if she doesn’t like it because she thinks Zuko is an idiot for extending such kindness and grace to someone who tried to kill him.
That was a response to Ozai, her father’s, abuse.
It was perfectly normal and natural that she didn’t think she was deserving of good treatment unless she did something for the other person.
Her nurse comes in and the usually stern, somber woman’s face splits into a grin. Azula scowls in response, crossing her arms across her chest. “What are you so happy about? Glad I’m finally leaving and will be out of your hair soon?”
“Yes, but only because you leaving means you’re doing better. And as the woman that has been taking your vitals, administering your meds, and requesting special meals for you when you’ve had a particularly rough day…I’m so happy for you.”
She relaxes, pursing her lips. “Oh. Well, thanks, I guess.” Then in a split second, she’s scowling once again. “I’m sure you treat all of your patients like that though. Or perhaps my status as the Princess of the Fire Nation makes you inclined to be nice to me.”
She was royalty. She was supposed to be worshipped.
“Okay, you got me.” She puts her hands up in surrender. “I do treat all of my patients nicely. But I am proud of you. You’re not the same person you were when you were wheeled in here.”
Azula suddenly feels a lump in her throat.
This feeling was overwhelming, but it felt good and that was confusing. She shakes her head trying to rid herself of it. “Anyway, is my brother here yet?”
“Yes, and he’s brought a friend.”
***
Zuko rubs the back of his neck.
“They know we’re here. So, she should be walking out soon.” He stretches to release some of the tightly coiled tension in his body before sighing heavily. “Ugh, this is so nerve-wracking.”
Katara reaches out and places a hand on his back, rubbing it comfortingly. She did the same motion when she was nursing him back to health days after the Agni Ka when his muscles burned with every little movement he made. “Look at me.” She commands and he turns in her direction to see wide, blue eyes staring back at him softly. “Don’t overthink this so much. You and Azula have already started rebuilding your relationship, so the hard part is done.” She smiles as she tries to remember some wacky analogy she heard from her own brother. “Think of it like building a house. You’ve set the foundation, now you just have to put up the walls, add some furniture, and make it look like a home…I’m sorry if that doesn’t make any sense.”
He chuckles. “It actually makes perfect sense.” He turns towards her fully and grabs her other hand, squeezing it. “Thank you, Katara.”
A ‘blech’ noise startles them and they turn in the direction of the sound, faces suddenly feeling hot. Katara grins, eyes going wide. “Azula! You’re here!”
The princess rolls her eyes resisting the urge to make a snarky comment. Instead, she resorts to another source of comfort – teasing her brother. “I’ve only been out of that hellhole for a few minutes and you’re already making me sick, Zuzu.”
He smiles softly. He knew that they had a long way to go, but Azula wouldn’t be her if she wasn’t sarcastic.
“It’s good to see you too.”
“I didn’t say that.”
Katara releases the breath she didn’t even know she was holding as she watched the two siblings interact with each other. So far, so good. A part of her wanted this for Zuko just as much as he wanted it for himself. Her heart ached to know he hurt so deeply over their broken relationship. She saw the looks of longing whenever she interacted with Sokka and knew that underneath the anger, pain, and frustration that it wasn’t just the throne or his honor he was after, but a sense of belonging and a family. It’s why he's so adamant about finding their mother.
He deserved that.
3 years ago, Zuko was the last person she would ever defend. He was her enemy.
But a lot had changed since then.
He worked to prove himself to her and practically begged for her forgiveness. Katara was so used to putting other people first and she was used to apologizing for being too rash, too emotional, too much, but Zuko put his own pride aside to right his wrongs and more specifically, the wrong he did to her.
He could’ve easily taken the rest of their squad welcoming him into the group with open arms and left it at that – but he didn’t.
And it was the first time she felt like someone really saw her, for her.
He saw her as the hurt, angry girl she was and didn’t judge her for it – but he also saw just how powerful of a bender she was, how threatening and dangerous she could be with just her element in her hands – and wasn’t afraid of her.
She never thought someone could make you feel so vulnerable, yet strong, simultaneously.
“Katara, you ready?” Zuko questions, nodding his head in the direction of the komodo-rhino-drawn carriage, Azula already sitting inside.
She smiles at him. “Yeah, I am.”
***
Azula cannot help but gaze out the window as the carriage traverses through the streets of Caldera.
For two and a half years, she was limited to the confinement of the facility with supervised visits to the garden for fresh air or the fitness room for a dip in the pool.
A lot had changed about the city she called home in that time. There was a live band playing music in the plaza with people dancing to the beat, the streets were lined with food vendors, and children were laughing and playing with each other.
They looked happy and carefree – a stark contrast to the strict, orderly Fire Nation she grew up in. What stood out to her the most however was the absence of the statue of their father.
She turns to look at Zuko. “Where’s the statue of da- I mean, Fire Lord Ozai?”
Zuko swallows thinking of the right words to say. “I, uh, I had it torn down. My council suggested to have it replaced with a statue of me but honestly, that level of worship and dedication only does more harm than good.” He pauses. “Maybe I’ll reconsider it later, but right now, I think the people should just…be. And not pledge an unwavering oath of loyalty to anything or anyone.”
Katara looks back and forth between the two from where she’s sitting across from them, trying to gauge how Azula was going to react.
“Oh. Yeah, that makes sense.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”
She shakes her head dismissively. “You didn’t have to. You’re the Fire Lord, not me, and... I trust you to do what’s right.” She sighs exasperatedly. “I respect your decision. I know that was hard for you, but if you think it had to be done, then I’m ok with it.”
The coachman brings the carriage to a stop. “We’re here.”
Zuko immediately gets out first and goes around to her side to help her down. As Fire Lord, things like this were considered beneath him but his uncle raised him to be a gentleman and this was his way of showing that despite everything, he still respected her.
Azula looks at him confusedly but takes his hand anyway. She lets out the faintest ‘wow’ as she sees the palace up close for the first time in what felt like forever.
He turns back around to help Katara, and she shares a look with him that reassures him things are going well so far. She always knew what he was thinking, picking up on his moods and feelings without him ever having to say a word.
Out of the corner of her eye, Azula sees this exchange. She noticed that the waterbender and her brother shared a lot of these moments. Sometimes during her trips west to fulfill other duties, Katara accompanied him to visit her, and she always hid sticky, sweet buns in her robe to give to her. Throughout the entire ride over here, she merely pretended not to notice the looks they kept giving each other because they were so intimate that it felt like she was interrupting something.
She knew that he and Mai broke up again a few months after the war. Their happy reunion and "honeymoon" phase quickly wore off when Mai realized that she would never truly be happy until she did her own thing. So, that time, she broke up with him and joined June tracking down war criminals.
Zuko is at her side soon afterward and he turns to look at her, smiling. “Come. I’ll show you to your room.”
***
“You’re housing me in my old room?” She questions, stunned.
He blinks. “You’re the heir to the throne, right?”
With him as Fire Lord, as his only sibling, she was next in the line of succession if something were to happen to him. During his banishment, she became the Crown Princess and thus, moved into the suite that used to belong to him. Upon his return, Zuko never cared to ask for his room back- he didn’t feel comfortable with his reinstated title at the time, anyway.
“I mean, yes…but…”
“But nothing. I don’t have any children and I don’t think I will for a very long time. That makes you, my heir. If I were to say…die, you’d become Fire Lord.”
A younger Azula that was hellbent on making her brother uncomfortable would’ve made a comment about his untimely death and him occasionally looking at Katara like he wanted to procreate, or at least engage in the act of practicing, with her.
But it wasn’t the time nor place for that. Instead, she brings up Uncle Iroh.
“What about your uncle?”
Zuko scoffs. “Our uncle is happily serving tea to hundreds of customers every day in Ba Sing Se.”
Her eyes narrow. “Our uncle?” Then, she rubs her arms shyly. She was never shy, always confident and in your face, so this was completely different from who she used to be. “I doubt he sees me as family anymore.”
“That’s not true. He actually wanted to be here to welcome you back, but I didn’t want it to be too overwhelming. I’d be happy to let him know that you’re willing to see him again though so he can plan to visit. This is all about you, so don’t be afraid to ask for what you want or need.” He pauses. “I mean, as long as it’s reasonable.”
“What, you think I’m going to challenge you to an Agni Kai again?” She teases, a gleam in her eyes. But this time, it wasn’t menacing or evil. In fact, it seemed happy.
She seemed happy.
Zuko pulls her into a hug and to his surprise, she returns it, holding onto him tightly in such a way it reminds him of when she was a toddler following him around. He feels tears pooling in the corner of his eyes at the memory. “Welcome home, little sister.”