Azula absently stared out the window. Though stare was probably the wrong term, she was more or less looking through it, lost in thought. With her arm resting on the table and her chin cupped in her palm, she waited for either the waiter to set out their food or for Sokka to return from the restroom. She was willing to bet that the waiter would turn up first.
With her free hand she tapped her nails against the tabletop, only stopping when the waiter set a cup of steaming hot cinnamon tinged coffee before her. He'd forgotten the whipped cream, but she couldn't be bothered to complain. "I'll be back with your food in a moment."
"Mmm hmm." The girl mumbled and took the cup in her hands feeling its warmth in her palms. A very pleasant feeling in comparison to the brisk outside air. Her eyes fell upon the clusters of fallen leaves scattered about, decorating the ground and window sill. Some of which had been unwittingly dragged into the little coffee shop by uncaring feet. It was just barely mid-autumn and she was already missing those long hot summer nights.
As the waiter retreated to fulfill his task, Sokka dropped himself into the chair across from her. "Your drink is ready." Azula slid the steaming beverage to him—a swift, clean gesture save for the one drop of coffee that dared to drip onto the table. She took a dainty sip of her own cup and set it back down. "Yu picked a good place this time."
"Are you saying our last date wasn't good?" Sokka asked.
With a quick wave of her hand, she replied matter of factly, "It was a bit lackluster."
The waiter set their food before them. Azula wasn't particularly hungry but she picked at it anyhow for no other reason than to keep Sokka from feeling like he disappointed her again. "I simply prefer other activities." She added. And it wasn't a lie. Sokka had taken her to quite a few surprisingly high-end food places, but dinner dates just didn't carry any sort of thrill or amusement for her. They were nice as far as getting to know someone goes, but she already knew Sokka. And he knew her, better than she really wanted him to.
"Do you want to pick the next place?" Sokka offered.
Azula hummed to herself for a moment as she often did when she was in thought, a habit Sokka had told her he was quite fond of. "I believe I have an idea or two." She finished off what was left in her cup and returned it to its place on the table. "Whenever you're ready."
Azula readjusted her brown beanie and tugged her arm-warmers on before taking Sokka's hand and stepping outside. There was a grey overcast, so classically autumn. A slight chill rustled the tree branches and brought false life to the shriveled leaves on the ground. The unexpected gust had Azula wishing she'd bought her scarf along too.
Sokka swiped the beanie from her head. "Come on, it isn't that cold!"
"Not cold? Maybe not for someone from Russia, or Alaska, or wherever you're from."
"I lived in Minnesota." Sokka protested.
"Right." Azula muttered, taking her beanie back.
"So where to?" Sokka questioned.
Azula shrugged, "I was just hoping for a stroll to the park or something." She kicked at a pile of leaves. "But it's a little too chilly for that so maybe we can…"
"Actually I think a nice walk sounds perfect. And if you get cold we could always cuddle up on one of the park benches." Sokka cut her off. The boy was already tugging her across the street. "This park is just the park! It has the best looking trees."
"Well you aren't wrong." Azula shrugged, already feeling goosebumps prickle up on her skin. She had a good feeling that they would be snuggling on the park bench very shortly. But Sokka seemed to have other plans. The boy bunched up a pile of leaves and blew them into her face.
Azula sighed, picking a leaf or two from the strands of her hair left unprotected by the beanie. "Thanks a bunch Sokka."
"Oh come on, lighten up! Aren't you going to throw them back? I love fall, fall is the best." He looked around the park until he found what he was looking for. He grabbed Azula and tugged her in its direction. "Now I'm going to jump into these leaves and I want you to take a picture. And then I can take a picture of you." Before she could protest he handed her his phone. "Alright you ready?"
"Yes, I'm ready." Azula held the camera up, waiting for the right moment to tap the screen. "Got it." She placed the phone in his palm.
"Your turn." Sokka pointed at what remained of the pile. "Okay just a second…" he trailed off and began pushing the leaves back into a pile.
"Whoever raked these leaves is going to kill us." Azula pointed out but fell into the leaves anyhow. Sokka flung himself down beside her, sending another bundle of leaves raining down upon her.
"Really, Sokka?" She tossed the leaves into his face.
"That's the spirit!" Sokka grinned.
She sniffed haughtily and shoved more of the leaf pile on top of him. "I hate autumn." And yet she couldn't keep from smiling, so she turned her head the other way.
"You're having a great time and you know it."
"Only because you're here." Azula declared. It was true, autumn had always been a rather dismal season for her; cold and rainy, and no longer summer. Yet somehow Sokka's enthusiasm was contagious. Only last year—before the boy had moved into the house across the street—Azula would sit inside loathing the change of the seasons until spring came around. With Sokka there, beaming warmly at her, she had a feeling that this year would be different.