When Love Grows (Zukka)

Chapter 4

TW: Child abuse

Azula's POV:

I was in a pit of darkness. I could hear the emptiness. There was nothing until...

"Az-ula," my brother croaked, "Azula."

His whispers echoed all around, skewing my sense of direction.

"Azula."

He said clearly louder.

"Azula... Azula... Azula..."

All I heard was a labyrinth of his pleads. The lack of anything but black and his pitiful pitch were making me go insane. I wanted to escape this torture. I was quickly granted this when all the voices in my head–around me, silenced.

The stillness of nothing surely was a better trade than his nagging and begging...

"Azula!" Zuko cried.

Along with his cries, an image appeared. It was one of my father and brother...

Nothing really startled me, but the way my father held my brother was needlessly cruel. He was treated as nothing more than a ragdoll, dangling on my father's grip. A grip that dug into his fair skin.

When I examined my brothers face, it was one of total fear. He trembled and cried. He chirped my name whenever he could, it was too pitiful to even look, yet I was so entranced. So, trapped. Why did he say my name?

After a while, he couldn't talk. No, he was just gasping for air that would never come. Although, his miserable whines were accompanied with new found strength. He was clawing at my father's hands. It was futile. He was far too weak to start fighting now. If he truly wanted to escape, he should have acted way before. Zuko has no one but himself to blame, even if he had those sorrowful eyes. The same expression mother bore all those years ago.

My vision contorted before my eyes. They were unreliable... father was not father, but he was me? Now, I was the one choking Zuko, yet they were not Zuko. His scarred face warped into my mother's perfect image. She trembled and cried just like my brother had. Her reactions and her eyes mirrored my brothers. Nothing was different, yet everything was different. Now, I was the one squeezing her neck. Now, I was the one in uncontrollable control.

As if she noticed, her eyes changed. Those eyes were one of total contempt. Despite what I thought, she no longer reminded me of my brother. Where brother pleaded, my mother chanted. She began chanting, 'Monster... monster... monster...'. Her chants turned into screams and then silence. Dreadful silence, but I knew better. Her eyes told a different story...

'MONSTER!'

I jolted awake. I panted heavily in my crouched form. I felt weak. It was unacceptable. Why am I so sensitive? I simply walked in while father was disciplining Zuko. He was owed what he lied. Simple as that.

Anyways that happened far too long ago. I should be over it ... 'than why did you dream about it'

Knock, knock

I wonder who is disturbing my chambers unannounced. There better be a good reason.

I tugged my cover off and proceeded to shuffle towards the door. As I opened the creaky door, the person who stood in front of me was none other than my brother. A mocking coincidence, I would say.

"May I come in?" He asked. His voice was notably raw and hoarse. It wouldn't be presumptuous of me to fault either his newlywed endeavors or the bruised ring around his neck.