A/N: July 13th was declared Azula appreciation day. Here's a little fic for it. Shipping weeks start Sunday and then I'm doing one of the Disney crossovers (Brave) so there's a lot of writing to be done.

Disclaimer: I don't own.

She hates it here. She's not like the others, she's more; she's a princess, she's the rightful Fire Lord-

She stops her thoughts. No, she reminds herself, Zuko is Fire Lord. He visits her and tells her about what is going on in the world, he tells her all about his days, he tells her mundane and extraordinary things.

He's the only one that visits her. He always brings tea.

He tells her about Mai and how he thinks she prefers living in the Capitol and how she's adjusting to being the Fire Lord's girlfriend. She, Azula, thinks this is all silly. Mai complained enough about how her mother groomed her to marry a prince (the heir was the goal and Zuko falling into that position was a bonus).

She wonders about Ty Lee, what Zuko knows is sparse and she's begun almost a hundred letters to her and reduced them all to ash.

She tells the doctors this and they encourage her to keep trying. They encourage her to do everything except bend. That's when she's most free. They let her bend, they have to (Zuko asked for it), but it's monitored. She misses being in control.

She still has secrets, she still plans. She plans to tell them about her mother soon to show them she's made progress. She's even stopped seeing her mother in the mirror.

She hides her letters to her mother under her mattress. She's still not sure why she writes them or why she cries when she does.

She's watched Zuko change. She can tell his more alert, more on edge, waiting to strike. She counts each of his twitches when he visits. Last time the number was 84. She wonders if he'll exceed that today.

He knocks (out of habit, she assumes) and opens the door before she can answer. He balances the tray with their tea on it with ease that reminds her that he lived as a peasant and served others.

He has a horrible dark circle under his good eye and his jaw looks like it hasn't unclenched in days. A part of her purrs with the satisfaction that he's cracked under the pressure. A different part tells her she did the same.

He sets the tray down on the small table in the corner and gestures for her to join him. Usually he speaks but she's waiting him out.

He twitches. One.

She sits across from him as he places a cup in front of her. He's worn his flame today, usually he doesn't.

He flexes his fingers before picking up his cup. Two.

He cradles the cup in his palm. "Mai left," he tells her flatly. She watches his shoulders slump at the admission and quickly right themselves into perfect posture. Three.

"She's mad at me and won't listen. I miss her," he watches her. She knows he's waiting for her answer but she has none. His fingers begin to tap his cup. Four.

"She left because I didn't tell her I talk to Dad." She focuses her attention on him; back suddenly straight and eyes sharp. He looks around the room. Five. "I ask him about being Fire Lord."

"You're a fool," she tells him.

"You can speak," he retorts.

"I haven't had anything important to say," he flinches. Six.

"Then say it."

"You know more about the world than he does. You know how the Fire Nation is viewed around the world; you have the unique advantage of having met almost all the other leaders in person. You know what it's like to be poor and genuinely want to help people. You want to make things better, not conquer," she takes a breath and notes that he's entirely focused on her. "He knows how to control and withhold and cares nothing of what happens to his people, only that they increase in number. He manipulates, just as he's doing now with you. You should be above this, but you always were dense."

"There's the sister I missed."

"Don't miss her. I'm just like him," she says softly. She looks away and plays with her hair. Now she's the one fidgeting.

"You're not like him, not fully." She can't answer. She is completely like him and it scares her. "Ty Lee wants to visit," he tells her.

She hates that she can feel the sting of tears in her eyes. "She's here?"

"The Kyoshi Warriors have become my personal guards. She's worried about you."

"Can you tell her I try to write to her?"

"Of course." He sets his teacup on the table. "Dad wouldn't ask that." She's sure of it, what advantage does friendship have, especially with someone who betrayed you? But she cares and it hurts and she wants her friend back.

They sit in silence for a while, each sipping their tea. "Why do you keep visiting me?" She finally asks.

"Because you're my little sister and when we were really little you wouldn't go to bed until I'd told you good night." She remembers this and remembers how hard it was to break herself of the habit (Dad told her it was weak).

"Sometimes I miss how we were," she tells him softly. She's not lying, she's become a horrible liar recently.

"I've always missed it." He's telling the truth (he never outright lies) and she's not sure she's ever going to be able to be his little sister again.

"I'm trying."

"I know and I'm trying too." They're both relearning how to act around each other. "I have to go but I'll tell Ty Lee to visit. She can't stop talking about Kyoshi Island."

"I can't wait," she says truthfully.

"Good night Azula."

She feels herself smile, really smile, for the first time in awhile. "Goodbye Zuko."

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