Envious enough to stew, jealous enough to imagine toppling her over for their mother’s favor. But never enough to go through with it. Not when she sidles up to him and whispers that she wishes for the owls to go away. As if he wouldn’t kill her to have their attention on him. Like they were on equal footing. Like they were siblings and not competition. It’s enough for him to soften, to see what everyone else sees

So they lean side by side, as siblings for as long as they can convince themselves. They win capture the flag together, her as general and him as advisor. They bicker over little things like who gets the good needles or who has to do cabin checks. Siblings under their god, their mother.

He acts as if he is not bitter when he sees her laughing with the other heroes of their generation. With the Seven, befriended on her 2nd world saving quest; the Roman leaders, both past and present; the lieutenant of the Hunt, who has claimed her as sister; the Lord of the Wild, who is her protector; and Percy, only one to ever be hero of Olympus twice over, as her lover. He does not know them. Not affectionately or intimately. And certainly not enough for them to act like his contribution to the wars was important, respectable, irrefutable.

But he isn’t stupid enough to think that her placement comes without cost. Just not smart enough to stand out. He is there at the start when the nightmares take her. Long before Percy is the only one who can sooth her. He is there when she trembles and cries on whether they’ll ever stop taking from her. When her compromises stop always weighing more on her side.

He is there on the sleepless nights when Percy was taken, because the gods need him. He is there when she comes back with something broken in her eyes. Later he learns that it was from Tartarus. That the long lost Athena Parthenos was found by her. That the Athena cabin’s permanent ax has finally been toppled.

Original

Please R&R!!!!!!!

Zuko said, “When I saw the Dai Li attack you, I didn't think. I just helped.”

And I heard, “When I saw Azula attack you, I didn't think. I just jumped.”

Manifesting the Final Agni Kai in NATLA.

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Sketches + full view of the lightning burn under the cut!