Fire Queen

Chapter: 7

When we came back, I was almost sober by then it seems like he has that effect on me too, while everyone went to my room for a sleepover, I went to my brother, Katara is right I have to try,

I knocked on his door, hoping he is awake its almost morning, "Come in" he yelled from another side, I took a deep breath and opened the door, he was sitting in his bed, with his knife in his hand, he is sharpening it, he seems to have sobered up, grandma must have made him drink those drinks she made for uncle when he is way too drunk to make him sober,

"I hope that's not to kill me" I joked, "What do you want Ryu" he replied with a cold tone, what could I have expected, Kia was right today I did hurt him,

"I am here to apologize" my words made him look up at me in shock, he didn't think he will ever hear that, well I didn't think I will say them too,

"I am listening," he said pointing his knife at the bed in front of him, asking me to sit, I walked across the room and took a seat next to him,

"I crossed a line today, even though you hurt me before, but it still doesn't justify my behavior, I am sorry for everything I said or did, I hope you can forgive me" I took a deep breath and took his knife out of his hand to admire it, it was given to him by father,

"I will leave tomorrow and I don't know if I will ever see you again, I don't want to leave like this, you and grandma are my only family left, I don't want to leave knowing you hate me, I am sorry for hurting you I truly never wanted to, I hope you forgive me"

I looked back at him and he is staring at his knife in my hand, I put it on the bed next to him, and get up to leave, as I was about to walk out I heard him say something I thought I will never hear too, "I am sorry too"

I turned around, to face him he was looking at me, "I sorry to hurt you too, I am sorry for blaming you for mothers death" he sucked in air like he was chocking,

I came back and sat again, "Why did you do it in the first place?" I asked, I wanted to ask this for a long time,

"I don't know, I just always blamed you for everything, and it was easy too blame you and hate you for it, It helped weirdly, when I focused on hating you it didn't hurt so much"

He sat up straight next to me, both of us are facing the wall now, "I wonder what went wrong between us?" he asked,

"The competition, we were raised to compete, the one who loses will have to live in the shadow of other, we were raised to hate each other" I answered,

"Yeah, I guess that did play a big role, having a sister who is way better than you don't help either" he smiled,

"What are you even talking about, You were my role model growing up, I use to look up to you my older brother, in training mother use to say if I worked hard I will be as good as you" he looked at me "Really?"

"Yes I wanted to be like you, but when mother died you just gave up," I said giving him a little smile,

"Yeah I did, but you never did, I guess I made myself a failure" he replied, "I remember when she died and you were in the hospital, grandma told me you wanted to see me, that you asked for me every day, I am so sorry for not coming, I am sorry for not being there that night of the accident"

Tears slipt out of his eyes, I turned his face toward me and whipped them off, "it's okay, you didn't know, and when I was in hospital you were suffering too, you lost your parents too"

"You know it's not too late," I said, still holding his face in my hands, I let go, "You are a great fire bender it's in your blood you just have to work on it, alcohol and girls are not worth it, turn your life around brother, if not for me, not for the tribe, do it for mother, be the son she always wanted you to be"