An Avatar's Hearts: The Right Woman

Azula had never known these feelings before. Her rehabilitation in the mental asylum was over and she was now free to wander the palace as an Advisor to her brother, the Fire Lord. As such, she dealt often with his friends including the Avatar. He was getting older, definitely hitting puberty at least. She was finding herself thinking about him more and more often now. She began to feel her old, bad feelings, wanting to capture him. But strangely enough, she didn't want to turn him over to her father for the sake of the Fire Nation. No, she wanted to capture him for… other reasons. She wanted to lock him in her bedroom and never let him leave.

No, she thought, I can't think these things. They'll send me back to the Asylum for sure!

It'd be worth it, a little voice in her head whispered evilly.

She thought of the absurd liquid gelatin that they called pudding in the Asylum. How they spoon fed it to her. The image changed, the Avatar was spoon feeding her. He had done that before. His visits were the reason Azula was allowed out of the Asylum. As it turned out the Avatar's word carried a lot of sway in all nations and he made them release Azula. Her illness would not be cured by the treatments offered at the Asylum, he had argued. It would be cured by closure. The illness wasn't just an illness, it was a way of thinking for Azula, a way that had since been abandoned. She now had a different reason to live. It had arrow tattoos and was able to bend the four elements. But she didn't want to kill him. No, just to have him in her grasp would be just fine.

And from the way he stared at her whenever she was around was a good indication that he was interested in her as well. She had caught the glances and looks he gave her from across the table at meal times, and passing in the halls. He had a filthy mind for a monk. She loved it. The way his eye's seemed drawn to her, the way he stared at her chest and body, hungrily taking in her looks. As such, she could never resist wearing low-cut robes and dresses that clung to her form whenever she got word of his arrival in the capital. She would bend over the table and reach for the seasonings, giving him a spectacular view of her cleavage. She would resist the urge to laugh as bright red patches appeared on his cheeks and he would look away hastily, sneaking glances for the rest of the meal. When they met in the hallways and corridors Azula would walk by him slowly and they would lock eyes for a moment before looking away and passing each other. She would continue to walk slowly feeling his eyes on her back and she would flaunt her shapely body, walking with her hips and swinging them back and forth. She would hear him trip as he looked back at her and walked forward. She loved to be able to control the Avatar from a distance, and soon they had a mutual agreement. No touching, no strings. Just displays and performances, carefully woven into their daily routines. She would walk and find him bathing in a fountain with only his loincloth, or training without his shirt and she would stop and admire the toned and fit form of the Avatar. He was no longer a scrawny runt, he was now a fully-fledged Avatar and had grown quite spectacularly. Azula wanted to creep up and pounce upon him, but she resisted the urge. Aang couldn't help but notice the way Azula led him on and displayed her body whenever he was around. Apparently he wasn't the only one, because Zuko had asked if there was something between Azula and Aang as he had noticed their peculiar behavior toward each other at the evening meals.

Aang, being a tricky young man simply blamed their strangeness on the fact that they had been enemies for such a long time. When Zuko persisted Aang told him that Azula had almost killed him and that the scar would never leave his body, nor his mind. Zuko understood and bought the story that Aang used to explain his and Azula's raunchy and outrageous actions toward each other. Zuko dropped the subject and just accepted the fact that things would never be normal between the pair. Of course, no one knew of their sordid scandal but most noted their stiffness towards each other and the carefully chosen words. Little did they realize that when they spoke they were subtly flirting with each other and creating many dirty images in each other's minds. Katara and Aang were together, but they were not married and they fought each night. Katara suspected something strange was occurring, but never knew the truth. Whenever Aang and Katara saw each other they tried to make it a formal meeting in civilized company.

As such, Aang was walking through the Fire Nation palace one day, fuming from an argument with Katara. She had told him to leave and he had. He wondered if leaving was a mistake, but he was far too late to change his actions. He walked without thinking, his footsteps taking him all about the castle. He passed the armory twice and found himself in a peaceful courtyard. His meaningful strides had set him right for it and he almost hit his head on a low hanging branch. It was a large cherry blossom tree, with a small pond for turtle ducks. It had a small lawn as well, large enough for children to play without getting in anyone else's way. Aang cast himself down on the bench that sat in the shade of the tree.

"Good afternoon, Avatar."

"Azula."

The very same, and she placed herself on the bench right next to him. She wore a beautiful dress that depicted dragons in gold stitching on maroon silk. She also wore a robe that matched the dress, but hung loosely on her shoulders, as if it were an accessory, not a piece of the outfit.

"So, what are you up to now, Avatar? Surely Zuko's court hasn't bored you out of your pants just yet?"

Aang smiled. He found Azula's statement both quirky and strangely arousing. It stirred his gut and made him want to float away. It was a familiar feeling. One that he couldn't quite remember how or why he had felt it. Azula rearranged her breasts, pulling the collar of her dress even lower. Aang side-glanced and his lips curled at the edges. Then he remembered. The feeling had been felt whenever Katara pecked him on the cheek. He no longer felt that around her now, instead he felt a deep set anger that made him irritable and cranky. Perhaps if Azula made him feel this way….

Aang turned to look at Azula and she looked back at him, the golden eyes meeting the grey. Aang whispered in her ear.

"Now?"

"Please, I need to be sure of this."

"I am a well-respected lady of the courts, and if I reported this to the Fire Lord-"

"Do you really think he would take your word over mine Azula?"

Azula knew Zuko would always trust the Avatar before her, but she wasn't really offended. She wanted to fulfill the Avatar's request and so much more, but she held back. With veiled glee she lightly pressed her lips to his. A strange feeling burned inside of her. The passion burned hot with a blue fire and she slowly began to entangle him with her limbs. Aang moaned and pushed her back, not enough to hurt her, but to let her know she had more than fulfilled his wants. Aang felt it again, more sharp and intense this time. The feeling in his stomach was exactly as he had thought. It was the same feeling he had for Katara, yet now it was for Azula, the denounced Fire Princess. Aang smirked at the thought and met Azula's eyes once more. They burned with fiery passion and hunger, yet Aang leaned in and gave her a small peck on the lips. That would have to hold her over for now, Aang had some thinking to do. He savored the feeling he got when Azula and he had kissed and he wanted more of it, a lot more.

Over the next few days he mulled over what had occurred in the small courtyard and how he could make the change permanent. He knew there would be absolutely nothing between Azula and him while Katara was around. Zuko, too, would present a great obstacle. He would have to wait for an opportunity. The days passed and Aang invited Azula to his room. They discussed their motives. Azula hid her relief upon finding that Aang wanted more for them as well.

"But what about the Water Tribe girl?"

A frown lit Aang's features.

"I'm still trying to figure that out. I want her to be happy, but I know that she won't be happy with me. I've seen her, eyeing up Zuko when she thinks I'm not looking. It's maddening. I just wish I knew what to do."

Aang hung his head and Azula placed herself on the bed next to him. She leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder.

"You'll think of something, you always do… Aang."

Aang looked down at her, resting her head on his shoulder. Then he registered the change: she had called him Aang. It was the first time he had heard her call him by his name. And the way she said it made Aang's insides flutter and dance about wildly. He laid his head against hers and their hands met, resting on their touching laps.

Weeks passed and Azula and Aang were getting desperate. They were sitting down to a late lunch when Aang was still pondering the problem created by the two women he cared most about. Katara hadn't been alone with Aang since their fight several weeks before and she looked very upset about something. She exchanged glances with Zuko. Both she and Zuko looked up at Aang, When they noticed him looking back they quickly averted their gazes. Aang suddenly had a jolt of fear shoot through him. They knew. They knew of his and Azula's love and they were going to tear them apart.

Aang stood from the table and threw down his cloth napkin.

"Excuse me, I think I've lost my appetite."

Zuko looked up at him.

"You alright," Sokka asked, stroking his Wang Fire beard.

"Fine, just not hungry. No, I don't need a therapy session."

Aang walked quickly from the table. His first choice was to go to his companion. The one who'd always been there for him, even when he made terrible choices.

"Hey Appa, miss me buddy?"

Appa groaned and laid his enormous head on the ground of the stables. Aang leaped straight up on a column of air and landed on his head. He leaned over the edge and itched the bison's scalp. Appa raised two of his six legs and kicked like a dog.

"So, what was that about?"

Azula stood in the doorway. She wore a particularly showy two piece outfit that showed off her toned abdomen. Aang slowly descended from Appa, hovering with no support until his feet hit the dirt. He walked over to Azula and peered past her. There was no one. He looked both left and right. No one. Aang pulled Azula into the stable's barn and closed the door.

"I think they know."

"Impossible!"

"I know, there's no way, unless-"

"So are you backing out?"

"Huh?"

Azula's eyes were unusually bright and Aang realized she was holding back tears. Unlike most girls, when Azula cried she didn't get worked up, she tended to burn her problem to the ground. And now she was making out Aang to be the problem. He stepped forward and came very close to the Princess, his anger making him reckless and terribly frightening. Azula stepped back, her eye's turning from angry glare to fearful shock. Aang was wondering what she was so afraid of when he noticed a fell bluish glow that seemed to follow his gaze. He raised an arm and pulled back his sleeve. His tattoos were glowing. His eyes must have been too. He calmed himself and felt the needless anger subside. He focused all of his energy on those warm feelings he used to get when he was with Katara. They didn't help like they used to. He felt the power and anger beat against his calm mind, begging to be unleashed. He fought the urge and was about to cave in when he felt something brush his face. It was Azula. He had her pinned against the door of the dark barn. She was leaning away from him looking frightened, yet she was blushing and had a hand on both his cheek and his chest, keeping him at bay. Aang saw the scene from through the veil of spirituality and power the Avatar spirit forced upon him. He felt it recede, like a backwards time lapse of a breaking dam. He felt himself gain control of his muscles and realized he was snarling and scowling at Azula, with a hand raised to smite her with the full might of the Avatar. It dropped to his side and the look of pure hatred focused from thousands of angry beings fell from his face.

Aang dropped to his knees before the princess, holding her waist for support. He held on for dear life, as if she were the only thing keeping him from floating off into space. She reached down and ran her fingers over his bald head, savoring the feeling of having the Avatar in her grasp and so close to her. Azula felt Aang shudder and realized he was silently crying into the bottom half of her outfit. The old Azula would have cast him into the dirt and stormed away, angrily muttering about his weakness. The new Azula still felt this urge, but then something else settled in her chest. It was a warm, fuzzy feeling that she had never felt before. It didn't belong, it was weak and foolish. It was love. She slowly and steadily held Aang's head close to her waist as she comforted the man she loved.