Family lunches are always fun

[iamfirelord]

It had been so long since Azula had a bath and even the ones she had from the mental ward were not indulgent, relaxing things. But Zuko had arranged a morning of pampering and she spent the time in peace from the voices in her mind. Free from her mother and when she finished, she felt better than she had in a while but had been fearful of

Comments

[sifuhonorpants]

Zuko notices again the tension building in the air between the both Azula and Mai. Zuko watches how Azula demeanor changed in a instant, and he starts to wonder if it worth the effort trying to help her. No, he can't think like that anymore. She is family after all.

Zuko walks to Mai side and looks at Azula and gives a Azula warning glare to stop, but he says nothing.

[iamfirelord]

Her look is calm as she glances to Zuko, looking at him innocently. She did nothing wrong and Mai should watch herself. But, she held her tongue, giving the other girl a hard look. Azula tries hard not to let the hurt show. She realizes her best friend is completely lost to her and she really can't trust anyone. It hurts more than the knife that sliced her arm and she flashes back painfully to when Mai chose Zuko over her. Just like her mother

[maixknives]

Mai says nothing. She just stands there, putting her hands in her sleeves, hoping that her expression is as blank as possible.

That one moment, that one shred of vulnerability, that Azula had allowed herself to show in Mai's arms was long gone. Mai now knew that there was no going back. It was done.

Turning her back, she moves to summon the servants to clean up the mess.

[sifuhonorpants]

Zuko frustrated at how this lunch went, but he should have known it would have turned out this way. Zuko decides the best decision is to take Azula back to her cell. He looks at Azula and says, "Your cell should be cleaned by now, and you should have a fresh bed. I will escort you back to your cell."

He sighs and turns to Mai and says, "I'll take Azula back now. I will come see you when I am done with her."

[iamfirelord]

Silently, Azula let Zuko lead her back to her cell. She refused to speak, refused to look at him and let herself become angry and blame both Mai and her brother. For a moment she had shown vunerability and now she was determined to bury it and claw her way back. She wanted things the way they had been.

She wanted...she was confused and fighting the side that wanted to just be with her brother and best friend aain, the side that let her fall weak for a moment and let Mai hug her.

"Keep the servants and guards from entering my room, Zuko." Once again, it was a command but a quiet one. Defeat. She was tired of strugling to keep all she had.