Sokka and Yee Li had ended up returning to the Palace on time for dinner. The Air Acolyte seemed disappointed, but Sokka didn't seem bothered by their failed date, worried about Azula as he was. Where was she? Zuko had claimed she was undisposed, and thus wouldn't join them for dinner, but Sokka had a hard time believing that. He ate, but not with his usual appetite, only worrying about her. What was the matter all of sudden? Why had she sent him to Yee Li, and why was she apparently avoiding him now? He would have assumed the first was just one of her typical pranks, but when she was noticeably missing from dinner he realized there had to be something seriously wrong, despite he was at a loss as for what it was…
"Okay, so… what's going on?" Katara asked him, after everyone else had taken off after dinner and Sokka was still left with a half-full plate, a worried frown on his face.
Sokka jumped when he noticed his sister had approached him. He swallowed hard and shrugged.
"I'm just… worried about her," he said. Katara frowned.
"Why, exactly…?" said Katara. "I mean, she sent you and Yee Li on a date because she's your love adviser, right?"
"Yeah, but you know, she set us to a meat-exclusive restaurant," said Sokka, with a crooked grin. "Which is, of course, typical Azula… but the thing is, I figured when I came back she'd be here looking all smug and pleased with herself for what she'd done. Yet… she's nowhere around?"
"Maybe she's feeling guilty for being so childish," said Katara, shrugging. "I mean, you have to admit it's pretty childish of her to send you guys to a place where Yee Li wouldn't have anything to eat…"
"I guess, but… I don't know, I get the feeling that's not what this is," said Sokka. "I mean, well… thing is, I thought I'd be eating with her, you know? So I thought…"
"Wait, what? You thought you'd go on a date with her?" Katara asked, her eyes wide. Sokka shook his head.
"N-not a… well, I don't know if it would have been a date, but you know, she mentioned we could go eat someplace, and I thought…"
"So a date."
"W-well, I don't know! Maybe!" Sokka exclaimed, blushing. Katara frowned.
"Did she set this up to get close to you?" she asked. "Becoming your love adviser just to get to you…?"
"What? No!" Sokka exclaimed. "I pretty much forced her to it. She didn't want anything to do with it, and I was stubborn and annoying, so she had to do it."
"Really? So it's not her scheme?" Katara asked. Sokka shook his head.
"She was really trying to help at first," he said. "She even suggested I could try to ask Toph out, since we've always gotten along, but when I got there…"
"She's with Satoru now," said Katara, grimacing. "Please tell me you didn't do anything stupid."
"Fortunately no," said Sokka, smiling. "She was sticking her tongue down his throat before I could so much as try to do something stupid."
"Good to know," said Katara, sighing in relief.
"After that, she warned me away from Ty Lee because she thinks she's too dishonest to risk getting involved with," said Sokka. "Then she sent me to Mai, but that was just to mock me, really…"
He was smiling as he remembered the terrifying event, but mostly because of how wonderful her laughter had been. He had rather enjoyed tickling her as he had, and what had come next…
"And then Yee Li?" asked Katara. Sokka nodded. "So she basically started out doing what she was supposed to, but then started to push girls away from you, in a sense."
"Wait, what?"
"I mean, she kept you away from Ty Lee, then sent you with Mai with whom things wouldn't possibly have paid off, and after that she set you up in what could only end up as a lousy date with Yee Li…" said Katara. "Don't you think it's weird?"
"Weird how?" Sokka asked.
"Well, maybe she's actually trying to chase them away from you so she can keep you to herself. That's how," said Katara.
It stunned Sokka to realize the idea actually pleased him. If that was what she wanted, she didn't have to keep trying at all: he'd gladly be all hers if that was what she was after. But why didn't she take a more logical approach to it by just keeping him to herself indeed? She didn't have to set him up on a failed date to do that. If she'd showed up instead of sending Yee Li, he would have more than happily spent the night with her, eating and reading stories, and then… ah, all the things they could have done afterwards…
"But if she wants me for herself, why isn't she actually trying to keep me to herself, huh?" Sokka asked, raising his eyebrows. "Why would she…?"
"Well, women can be complicated," said Katara, sighing. "And Azula is probably amongst the most complicated ones. But I guess you just really need to think about what you want. I get that maybe you're still upset over your break-up with Suki, but…"
Sokka frowned. Actually, the matter of the break-up had gone fully forgotten by now.
"You need to know that sometimes romance isn't the answer. I know it must sound awful coming from me, since I'm in a relationship," said Katara. "But maybe you're not in the right place for that right now. Maybe you could use a bit of time to soothe your pain and put yourself together before trying to find a new girl."
He tapped his chin. Katara was right, mostly, for he should have waited a bit longer before looking for a new girlfriend… the real problem was that he didn't want to find a new girl anymore. He didn't want anyone else. The one he really wanted had been right there, from the start, standing by him as his attempts to court others failed time after time. After some time, heck, perhaps even from the start, the entire idea of dating new girls had ended up being about going to Azula to ask for her opinion. The more girls he had met, the less he cared about his potential new love interests, and the more invested he was in his relationship with the Princess. The more he flirted with her, the more he enjoyed his time with her, the more physical contact he craved with her…
"Okay. I, uh, won't go find any girls," he said, with a smile. "Nope. Done trying to find new ones."
"Alright. Just know I'm here for you, okay?" said Katara, smiling too and patting her brother's back. "And really, I know I've said I'll be nicer to Azula, but… but if you think she was trying to screw you over with this weird friendship of yours, please put an end to it before she can hurt you, okay? I don't want that to happen to you."
"You're too kind to your dumb brother, you know that?" said Sokka, smiling. "Alright, alright. I'll make sure her intentions were always pure."
"Heh, good luck with that," said Katara, smiling sarcastically before patting his shoulder. She had the feeling Azula's intentions could have started out pure, but surely they weren't anymore. "Good night."
"Night, sis," he said, sighing as he stared at his plate. He would do it. He'd go talk to Azula right now, after he finished his food, and get all facts straight. She owed him an explanation, after all.
He ate quickly and scrammed to her room, hoping she'd be awake. If she wasn't, though, he would sneak into her bed, caution be damned, and hold her through the night. If she didn't understand that he wanted her yet, then he'd make her understand.
"Azula…!" he exclaimed, pushing the door open brusquely, only remembering he should have knocked after he had already opened it. Damn. She would be so mad if he had woken her up…
But to his surprise, he found her sitting up on her bed, her gaze on the door, her hair falling in a dark curtain around her face. He swallowed hard when he noticed she did not seem amused or happy in the slightest. If she had set him up with Yee Li for her amusement, why wasn't she pleased with the result? Why did she seem to be upset…? Sokka swallowed hard. He had the bad feeling he was missing an important clue regarding this strange mystery between them.
"Azula," he said, breathing deeply as she climbed off the bed. "Why did you…? I mean, I thought we'd agreed on going out to dinner together. I thought…"
"I got cold feet, you could say," she said, climbing off the bed. Sokka smiled.
"Well, even if you did you didn't have to send someone else in your stead," he said. "Especially not someone who wasn't going to have anything to eat in that restaurant."
"Oops," said Azula, curtly. Sokka chuckled.
"Really, though, you could have told me," he said. "You could have let me know, and we could have both eaten here or…"
"What exactly do you think I got cold feet on?" she asked, looking at him with stern eyes. Sokka swallowed hard, his smile fading.
"I… wait, what?" he said. "You don't mean you actually regret what we…?"
"I… I don't regret it," Azula said. Sokka huffed in relief. "But I don't think we should carry on with it. I've… I've proven unfit for it."
"You what?" Sokka asked. "How have you? I mean… huh?"
"I… I'm sorry, Sokka. Things got out of control. I just assumed things, acted like a fool, thought you'd betrayed my trust somehow, and…"
"Betrayed your trust how?" Sokka asked. Azula lowered her gaze.
"I thought you'd told them about the books. You shouted it wasn't yours, so I just assumed…"
"No! I didn't tell them the truth, I said I got it from a library!" Sokka exclaimed. "They all bought it, they thought I was just trying to educate myself on love, and I kind of am, right?"
"Sure," said Azula, sighing. "But that… that doesn't make this any better."
"What? Why not? I mean, you know I didn't betray you, so…"
"And yet I betrayed you by sending you to dinner with someone else in a spiteful, foolish rage!" Azula replied. "I… I assumed you couldn't have done anything but betray me, because I think everyone I care about will just stab me on the back eventually! It hasn't happened in forever, but I keep expecting it anyways, and I finally realized it's not the rest of the world that's fucked up, it's me! I'm… I'm the one with a problem!"
Sokka froze as he stared at her in disbelief. She swallowed hard as she looked at him.
"I'm the problem," she said. "And I… I care enough about you to know that it's not me you should be with. I'm… I'm not what you deserve. I could never be even if I…"
"That's absurd," Sokka said, making his way towards her. Azula shook her head as he clasped her shoulders. "Come on, Azula! You're amazing, you're beautiful, you're hilarious, you're…! I'm out of my depth with you, and yet all I want to do is keep swimming because that's how great you are! I never realized it until the past few days because I'm an idiot, but seriously, Azula…!"
"Stop it," said Azula, shaking her head still before shoving him away. "You really think what's happening between us should be happening at all?! It shouldn't! You… you never realized it, you didn't want me until what happened in the carriage, so…!"
"Not true!" Sokka retorted. "Actually, call me a masochist all you want, but I actually started feeling like this after that first night on the airship! And the next one, and today…! Azula, I get that it's scary, that you think the worst case scenario is the only thing that can unfold, but that's not true! Not if we work to make sure that won't happen!"
"Yeah, well, guess what?" said Azula. "You're not the only person the world hates, alright?! So just stop for a moment and consider how well things would go for two people who keep getting screwed over, who never get anything right, if they thought getting together would pay off!"
"That… that's got nothing to do with anything," said Sokka, looking at her sternly. "I mean, if I went through life assuming nothing will ever go right for me, I'd never do anything at all! Sometimes you need to open yourself up to the risk of failure to succeed, Azula…!"
"Well, I'm sorry if I'd rather spare us the trouble!" she exclaimed. "But I just… this isn't going to work. There's no way it will, and I won't have you wasting your life away with me in the hopeless gamble that I won't destroy you by mistake one day!"
"You won't destroy me at all, just how weak do you think I am?!" said Sokka. Azula shook her head.
"You don't understand. You don't…"
"You know what I do understand? That you're scared, and because you're scared…!"
"Because I'm scared, I'm pushing you away now before it's too late!" Azula shouted. "I'm doing what you keep doing for all the girls you care about, I'm letting you find your happiness instead of acting like a selfish asshole who'll demand that you stay with her forever! So if you do it for all the girls you care about, and it's the right thing to do, how is it so wrong when I'm doing it for you?!"
"It's wrong because I did it with Suki and Toph, who had guys they cared about more!" Sokka shouted. "They loved them! How was I supposed to get in the way of that? But you're trying to act the way I did, when I don't have anyone else in my life! It makes no sense…!"
"Maybe I'm acting as I am because I'm sure you'll find someone eventually, and you won't be able to see it because I'll be in the way," Azula growled. "And I'm just… I'm too compromised. I'm too invested in this, and all I'll do is harm you in the end. You deserve better than me, Sokka, why can't you understand that?!"
"Because I don't want better than you!" he exclaimed. "You've been telling me forever that all I want in my relationships is stability, and that's why they keep going to hell! So for once I want someone who's not the safe choice, someone who's everything I never knew I wanted, and yet you…!"
"I was an idiot all along, okay? I said… I said nonsense. I told you stability was pointless, well, it's not," she said, clenching her fists. "You deserve a stable person. Someone who will give you a family, a good life, who won't be a burden or a hindrance to you! Someone… someone who isn't me."
"You know what? I'm getting two things out of this conversation and I'm not sure which one is really going on here," Sokka said. "Either you really are as badly compromised with this as you say, and you're terrified of falling in love, or you actually hate this, or hate me, or hate the idea of being involved with me…"
"I don't…! Stop twisting things that way!"
"I could say the same to you!" Sokka shouted. "Nothing you say makes any sense to me! You're not going to tell me now that you deserve to be alone, or are you? Because if you seriously think so…!"
"I think… I think I'm no good at this, is what I'm saying," Azula said. "I can't be with you. And I can't be your love adviser anymore. It hurts, and I… I can't take it anymore."
"You can't take it?" said Sokka. "Curses, Azula, but if it hurts then you know that this is not the way it should be! You should realize…!"
"No?" she asked, stepping away from him. "You think that's not the way things always go with me? Loneliness… heartbreak? They're no strangers to me, alright? I'm well used to losing what I want. It's been happening non-stop to me for ten years now, and somehow it's always for the best for everyone else. So this time I'm blowing this up before I get more attached than I should be. Before I… before I lose my bearings and stop being able to let go."
Sokka stared at her in disbelief, and she returned his gaze fiercely, defiantly. Her mind was made up, Sokka thought… she wouldn't take no for an answer. He couldn't sway her, not as they were.
"So that's it?" he asked. "This is… all we were? An attempt that ended before it even began?"
Azula lowered her gaze, closing her eyes tightly, trying to hold back the tears. Sokka shook his head.
"You're as bad as I am, you know? You're just so used to everything going wrong that you can't even imagine it'll go right one day," he said, repeating words she'd told him a month ago. "But you know what? Maybe one day you'll realize how wrong you were indeed. Maybe one day… one day you'll see things for what they really are and you'll stop being so afraid. But I… I guess I'm not going to be the one to show you that. Not if you are so against it anyways."
"You deserve better," she muttered, her voice cracking. "You deserve better."
"So do you," said Sokka. "You don't deserve to be alone. But I don't know how to help you if you won't let me. I…"
"You can't help me," she said. "You shouldn't bother. Just… just go. Go back to your room, stay there, forget about me."
"You're being so…" Sokka said, gritting his teeth in a snarl. But he shook his head and walked back to the door, placing his hand on the doorknob. "So this is really what you want, then? Really?"
Azula turned her back towards him. The lack of a verbal answer made Sokka angrier yet. He slammed the door behind him, leaving Azula standing in the middle of her room, burying her face into a hand as she cried. Had she just ruined the perfect opportunity to find happiness? That's what it looked like, at least…
She dropped on her bed, knowing she wouldn't sleep at all that night. Not while her chest ached so much she felt she was going to shatter. She was a fool… she really was a fool. She was supposed to be a monster, so why had she been as stupid as to fall in love with a man like him…?
She lay there through the night, the sheet covering her, her eyes on the window. She didn't leave the room, not even when she saw daylight again. She didn't dare move at all, her mind as good as frozen, until she heard the door swinging open. Was it him, again…? Had he cooled down through the night and decided he didn't care about her arguments, and that he wanted her anyways…?
She felt someone sit beside her, and when her gaze flickered towards him she was unsurprisingly disappointed. Of course it wasn't him.
"They've left," said Zuko. Azula nodded.
"Good," she said.
"You'll come out of here one day, right?" he asked. She kept silent. "You don't have to worry. Nobody will ask about whatever happened with you two. We're just worried about you, Azula…"
She remained unresponsive again, and he sighed. He placed a hand on her head, and when she didn't push him off as she normally would have, he guessed she was heartbroken indeed. He still didn't understand any of it, and he doubted he ever would… Sokka had looked depressed, frustrated and angry, his sister was a wreck: what was going on with those two and why did he have the bad feeling that only they could resolve it?
Either way, he meant to be there for Azula if he could. She looked like she'd need all the support he could offer her.
The teacup steamed in front of him, but Sokka only looked at it with irritation. He held his head up with a hand, his elbow on the table, his blue eyes sharply reflected in the liquid. And his friends only looked at him worriedly… except for the one who not only couldn't quite look at him, but the one who also didn't feel the need to be sensitive to his troubles at all.
"So you two didn't have a thing when you dropped by? Really?" said Toph. Sokka groaned. "And then you wanted a thing and she didn't want a thing…"
"Why are you trying to sum it all up to me?" Sokka asked through gritted teeth. "It's not like I need a reminder of how it happened…"
"Just trying to keep my facts straight, nothing else," said Toph, her feet on the table as she rested on Satoru's lap. He was caressing her hair, but staring at Sokka with concern eyes.
They had returned to Republic City, and Katara and Aang had convinced Sokka to visit Toph at her school again, hoping being around her would help Sokka feel better. The three Air Acolytes had stayed behind in the city, since Yee Li didn't seem comfortable around Sokka as she was, and the others wanted to stay with their friend. Toph had welcomed the three visitors gladly, despite Sokka was evidently upset, and Satoru had prepared tea for them all as they rested in the dining room.
"But like… she was trying to be your love adviser? Why did you ask her to be your love adviser if the one you wanted was her?" Aang asked. Sokka groaned again, but this time with defeat.
"Because I didn't realize I wanted her until after I asked her to be my adviser," he grumbled. "I thought I knew what I wanted, but as it turned out, I didn't know, and when I finally knew she was panicking and freaking out and she was sure nothing good could come from our relationship. So… yeah. That's how I wound up here."
"To be honest, I'm not shocked that she thought so, not entirely," said Katara, frowning. "But I am astounded to think that she… that she was so shaken up by it. From what I understood about Azula, she would have been thrilled by the idea of getting involved with someone if nothing good could come from it. I mean…"
"She had fun through unconventional ways," Aang agreed. "The more she teases and mocks everyone, the happier she'll be. I mean, she did pull some seriously nasty pranks on Zuko before…"
"She did," said Katara, "So here I thought that, if she wanted Sokka, she'd stop at nothing until she had him. But instead, she… she pushed him away, thinking it'd be the safest, better thing to do. And that's weird, isn't it?"
"It's not that weird," said Sokka, sighing. "Azula… she's been through a lot. More than any of us can imagine, I'm sure she hasn't even told me half of it. But she seems absolutely sure she's just no good, and… and she doesn't want me unhappy, clearly. So that's why she did it, but I'm just at a loss! I mean, I'm still unhappy, and I'm frustrated, and I just want to run right back to the Fire Nation to shout in her face that I never wanted to leave in the first place. I just… I just don't understand what she thinks she's doing. I mean…"
"Uh, protecting herself? Isn't that obvious?" said Toph. "And protecting you too, actually. That's all there was to it."
"But I don't want protection!" Sokka exclaimed. "I just… I just wanted to be with her. What harm was there in that?"
"Who knows, Sokka, but… but don't worry. You can find someone else," said Katara. Sokka groaned and shook his head.
"Yeah, sure," he said. She frowned.
"Well, that's new."
"What is?" said Sokka. "You think after everything I've been through, I'll still be all happy and hopeful, thinking I'll find love magically one day despite it all? Well, sorry sis, but after all this…!"
"No, no, no. It's perfectly natural that you'd be hopeless," said Katara. "What's weird is that… that you're so angry about it."
"Why would it be weird?" said Sokka, raising his eyebrows. "I mean, she and I had a…! I don't even know what, but it was something pretty new for me, alright? We… we understood each other in a lot of ways. But… but it all went to hell before anything happened anyways. So I'd think I have every right to be mad about it."
"Yeah, but see… this isn't how you got with Yue," said Katara, tapping her chin. Sokka frowned.
"That's true," said Aang, nodding. "I mean, you were mostly grieving in silence, but you just socked it all up and acted like you were fine, mostly. You just dealt with it on your own, even when we were there for you…"
"Well, that was different," said Sokka. "I mean, she sacrificed herself for the greater good. She did what she had to do."
"Still, it was heartbreaking nonetheless, wasn't it?" said Katara. "She really did like you, but you were separated too suddenly… so it was still something worth being upset about."
"Uh-huh…" said Sokka, frowning deeper.
"And then with Suki you had a ten-year relationship," said Toph, wiggling her toes. "And despite that, I can't remember you coming here to cry about it when it ended."
"Because I… I went to talk it through with Azula," said Sokka, sighing.
"Did you cry?" Aang asked. Sokka glared at him.
"What's the big deal if I cried or not, huh?!" he growled. "I'm not really crying right now either, am I?!"
"Just because you're too mad to let yourself be sad," said Toph, smirking.
"W-well, that's just what you think!" Sokka grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Still, he's madder than what he was when he broke up with Suki. At least by the time we saw him," Aang added.
"And let's be real, you had good reason to be mad there," said Katara. "I mean, she was with you and left you for Zuko? That's not easy deal with, and yet you were okay…"
"So maybe Azula just had to dump him to make some cosmic space sacrifice like Yue did, or for another guy like Suki did," said Toph, with a smirk. "Then he'd be okay."
"You just… yeah, I mean! The problem is, none of the reasons she gave me made any sense to me!" said Sokka. "So I'm just sitting here, venting with you guys while wondering what the hell was she thinking!"
"Or maybe the reason her reasons made no sense… is because you actually want her more than you'd ever wanted anyone else?" Satoru said suddenly, surprising them all. Sokka blinked a few times.
"You think?" said Aang, surprised. "I mean… he really liked Yue too."
"He was with Suki for ten years. That's long enough to make a very strong relationship, right?" said Katara.
"And yet he let them all go, but refuses to give up on Azula," said Toph. "I mean, like it or not, the reason he's upset about is because he's still hanging onto it. With the other two he let the matter go easily in time. But this time he's still stuck on it, going over it, wondering where he went wrong."
"And I still can't figure it out," said Sokka, shaking his head as he picked up the teacup. "I still don't know how I messed up. I really don't."
"Maybe you didn't. Maybe it was just… too complicated to work," said Katara, patting his back. Sokka sighed.
"Maybe," he whispered, sipping the tea. It wasn't so hot anymore, so he drank it down in one go.
He sat there for a while longer, until his patience had run out and he got tired of hearing his friends discussing his love life. He took off by himself for a short walk in the area around the building. Appa was eating some hay happily in the middle of uneven terrains, where Toph would send her students to train in earthbending. He paced slowly, his arms crossed behind his back.
Some of what they'd said was true, painfully so. He wasn't sure he wanted to compare his love for Azula to what he'd felt for his two past girlfriends, but the fact that he couldn't give up on his feelings as easily gave away that this situation was different than those he had experienced before. Why couldn't he give up? Was it because indeed he didn't know where he'd gone wrong?
He hadn't gone wrong with Yue either, though. But that had been completely out of his control: she had made her decision, he was left to learn to live with it and learn from her bravery and sacrifice. With Suki, on the other hand, he had gone quite wrong. He had taken her for granted, just as Azula had told him, and assumed their relationship was fine as it was: he had been wrong. He had cared for her, of course he had, but their love couldn't last if he spent six months without seeing her and barely suffered over it. What sense was there in a long-distance, long-term relationship that hardly felt like a relationship at all? So with Suki he had to learn from his mistakes, and realize he had to be more caring, to spend time with the one he loved…
And the more he thought about it, the less he could understand, let alone accept, his falling out with Azula. He realized, though, that her problem wasn't him: she didn't trust herself with a relationship, and didn't want to put him in harm's way because of her own shortcomings. But how was she supposed to learn how to carry a relationship without ever entering one? Who was supposed to help her overcome her troubles, support her in her worst moments, if she insisted on being alone? And who would smile with her, laugh with her, hold her through the night…? Nobody?
The idea made his stomach tighten. The idea of Azula being alone, spending her life alone, just because she was scared of hurting others, frustrated him to no end. He couldn't stand that thought. He needed to do something about it, whether it was to play matchmaker for her as she had with him, or whatever she wanted him to do… he would do anything. He would help her in every way she needed, even if he wasn't the one she needed. Even if it wasn't him she wanted.
But what on earth did she want? Maybe she didn't know, Sokka reasoned. Maybe she was lost on what she wanted, which was why he couldn't figure it out either. But curse it all, she had given up on him so he could have a chance to find happiness.
And as Toph had pointed out, he hadn't given up on her.
He still didn't know where he'd gone wrong… but therein lay the question: had he gone wrong at all?
He realized he had. He had indeed made one wrong call. But it was something he could fix. It was something he meant to fix immediately.
He raced towards Appa, gesturing at him to keep quiet, before jumping on his saddle. Despite how confusing everything had been the past few days, he had finally made up his mind about what he had to do.
"So you think you can handle going to Republic City again?" Zuko asked. "If you can't, I'll have someone else do it…"
"Just who do you think I am?" Azula asked, sighing. "I've been there already, I can go again."
"You know why I'm asking, though."
"I already said I'm fine," said Azula, frowning. "I don't need to be coddled, I only need to do what's best for the Fire Nation. Which might be why I shouldn't do this altogether, since your pet project Republic City has nothing to do with the Fire Nation"
"It has a lot to do with it. It's a place for our people too, Azula," said Zuko. "So we need to make sure it's well defended. You won't have to become the Armed Forces' general or so, though, don't worry about that. You're just the Fire Nation representative for the first meeting, and if everything goes well…"
"Everything will go well. I'll see to it," said Azula, sighing. "But… who am I going to meet with, exactly?"
"Not sure. It's up to Aang in the end," said Zuko. "But keep in mind that he'll try to convince you of backing down on this. He's too much of a pacifist for his own good."
"It's why you shouldn't do business with him," said Azula, with a small smirk. "Anyways, is that all?"
"Yeah, that'd be all, I guess," said Zuko, shrugging. "The meeting would take place at the end of the month. You can be ready by then?"
"Need you ask?" said Azula, rolling her eyes as she stood up and made to leave Zuko's office. He watched her go, a sigh escaping his lips.
His sister had been an emotional wreck the past four days, to the point where she hadn't eaten much, and her sleeping cycle had been completely squandered. It was late at night right now, so Zuko was rather tired, ready to go to bed… and yet his sister was fresh and energetic, having woken up barely a couple of hours earlier. Yet she wasn't quite as upset as before, he noticed, despite the awful turmoil she was facing. Had she gotten over her fall-out with Sokka that easily? Or was she just bottling it all up as she often did? It was hard to say for Zuko. All he could hope for was that his sister would actually get over it in a healthy way, and that she'd open up to him about it, in time.
Azula spent the nightly hours pacing through the Palace halls, bored out of her mind. Normally she would spend her free time reading, but for evident reasons she wasn't all too fond of that idea right now. She still kept the book of the princess and the general in her bed, and too often she stared at it feeling the same sense of loss she had since they first finished it… and somehow that sense of loss translated into her current situation too. Just as it had been with the book's conclusion, she couldn't help but wonder if this was it for her story with Sokka, too. Then again, she had it coming… but maybe it wouldn't end here. Maybe something else could happen still, seeing how she'd have to go to Republic City soon… but she'd be a fool to get her hopes up for that. Meeting him again surely would not go well.
She stopped by the garden, gazing up at the pale moon shining up above. She sighed, feeling somewhat foolish as the urge hit her to speak to that orb in the sky…
"You'd like to slap me if you could, right, Yue?" she asked. "You let him go because you had to save your people, I pushed him away because I was scared. I'm a fool, I'm aware… but surely you also would understand I'm not good enough for him, wouldn't you?"
She wondered if the Moon Spirit could hear her at all. She snorted, doubting it as soon as the idea crossed her mind. Impossible. And even if she could, surely the Moon Spirit would be pleased. Azula had made the right choice by sending Sokka away, seeing how she would be no good for him…
A strange, deep sound made her frown. Had that come from the sky? She lifted her gaze at the moon, confused. That wasn't Yue's response to her, now, was it?
Some strange, dark shape appeared in the already dark sky, barely illuminated by the moon. But as soon as she noticed it, she made a pretty good guess as to what it was.
Her eyes widened. Had something happened to them? Why were they back? Was Sokka alright? It was already midnight: they should have spent the night somewhere safe instead of flying all the way here unless they had an emergency…
Appa landed heavily on the Palace grounds, a gust of wind buffeting Azula as she braced herself, staring at the creature in front of her in surprise. Her gaze immediately went to the saddle…
And when Sokka leapt out of it her jaw dropped. What on earth was he doing here?
He glanced about himself, as though he were trying to make out his bearings, but his eyes lit up as soon as he saw her standing in the corridor. His face became a mask of determination as he raced towards her, making his way to the nearest steps that would allow him into the Palace…
"What are you…?!" Azula asked, but she couldn't finish talking before he yelled.
"You know what, Princess?! You forgot about something!"
She grimaced. That didn't sound good. His tone didn't sound good. He was still mad, and with good reason… and what on earth had she forgotten? She frowned as he stomped his way towards her, his blue eyes gleaming in the torchlights.
"When this mess began I said something was wrong with me, you said there were many things wrong with me!" he exclaimed. Azula swallowed hard. "And you know what? That's very much true!"
"How is it…? Come on, Sokka, I only said that to annoy you!" she said.
"Job well done, because I'm damn annoyed!" he exclaimed, breathing heavily. "I'm angry, and frustrated, and I can't stop thinking about everything you said because none of it makes any sense to me!"
"Oh, for crying out loud, Sokka, I already said…!"
"You want to know why it makes no sense?!" he exclaimed. "Because you know I let Suki and Yue go because I wanted them to do what they knew was right! Yue had a duty to her people, and Suki was happier with your brother! But you…!"
"Me…?" Azula asked. Sokka breathed deeply.
"What's your duty?" he asked. Her eyes widened. "Helping Zuko out, right? Well, you're doing that just fine, and I won't get in the way of that. And now comes the real question… what will make you happy, Azula?"
"What?" she said. Sokka clasped her shoulders with his hands.
"Tell me now what will make you happy, and if the answer isn't the one I have in mind, I'll leave you alone," he said. "Tell me, and if your answer doesn't match mine, I'll shut up, get lost, and never bother you with my whining again! But if your answer does match mine… if it does, you're not allowed to back down on me again. You're not allowed to lie, or to tell me you and I shouldn't be together. And you're definitely not allowed to say you're not good enough. Because damn, the only reason you're not good enough is because you're better than just good enough!"
Azula was shivering, tears blinking in the corners of her eyes. Sokka's anger was decreasing as he held her at arms' length, looking at her desperately.
"So tell me now, Azula," he said. "What will give you real happiness?"
"I… I have no idea, I…!" said Azula, shaking her head. Sokka snorted as he let her go, to her chagrin.
"You do have a pretty good idea," he said. "I'm sure you do. Because I'd never seen you laugh as much as you did when we went on that trip to Mai's flower shop…"
"Uh, clearly, seeing how you tickled me like you did?" said Azula. Sokka actually smiled, despite himself. "Was I supposed not to laugh?"
"It wasn't just that. We spent an entire day locked in your airship room, reading a romance book, dreaming of more adventures for the protagonists! We cried together, laughed together, smiled together, flirted like I've never flirted before…! Come on, Azula. You can't deny that you enjoyed it."
"I… maybe, but that doesn't mean…" said Azula, yet the words escaped her. She frowned. What was she supposed to say to counter what he was throwing in her face? Was she supposed to say anything at all?
"See, I think you've had a very rough life, and that's why you think happiness means having the brightest future possible," said Sokka. "You used to think happiness meant pleasing your father, then you thought it was becoming Fire Lord, and in the end you don't know what it means to be happy at all!"
"Well, then, do enlighten me," she said. "What is it you know about happiness that escapes me as it does?"
"Happiness isn't about a goal, it's about the moments you wouldn't trade for anything in the world," said Sokka. "The memories you'll later look back on fondly, the times you spent with those you loved, those you cared about! Happiness isn't about success, but rather, about the sense of elation you'll feel when you succeed! Happiness isn't about the happily ever after in romance books, but about the small moments we're missing out on, the ones the books neglect to show us and that's why we just want to see more! The small moments when… when you realize every fight, every conflict, was worth it if just for that moment. If just for that brief window of happiness where the two people felt like they'd found a place where they belonged. A place where they could be themselves, without fear of being judged, of being found unworthy, lesser, weak…!"
Sokka breathed out heavily, looking at Azula with despair. Her eyes were wide, but as he found with relief, she no longer looked skeptical or angry. She looked surprised, curious… hopeful.
"And when two people are in love?" he said, swallowing hard. "That place can be found in one another. That's… that's the way it works. And what do two people in love do, huh? Well, they just spend time together, and that's already the greatest thing in the world! There's a reason people dream of love that lasts forever, you know? And that's because… because when you feel those brief moments of endless happiness, you just wish you could feel that way forever because it's addictive, it's fascinating, it's…! It's unlike anything else, really. And so they want to be together, in hopes to feel that way again, for the rest of their lives, however long that may be…"
"S-Sokka…" said Azula, covering her mouth with a hand. He stepped forward, his hands on her shoulders again.
"I have never laughed the way I do with you. I have never felt at ease the way I did with you. I have never wanted to share my life, my happiness, everything about me with someone the way I do with you," he said, breathing heavily. "You… you make me feel alive, Azula. You make me feel…! I can't even describe it, I barely even…! Spirits, Azula, you're just… you're everything I never knew I wanted. And you said you wanted me to be free to be with the woman who could give me happiness? Well, guess what? I'm free indeed. And as it turns out, the woman who could give me the most happiness is standing right here, in front of me, and I can see in your face that you're struggling to come up with a reason why I shouldn't be saying the things I am, but guess what? You won't manage!"
"How do you know that I…?"
"Because nothing you say will make me love you any less than I already do!" Sokka exclaimed. Her eyes widened. "Because I know in my heart that I'm doing the right thing right here, right now! Because I… Because I love you, and I can't stop saying it now that I already said it, yeah! I'm that hopeless, that crazy, that… that crazy about you. Azula, I… if you really want me to be free to do what I want, to be with whoever I want, then you need to understand a very simple thing: you are the one I want."
Azula closed her eyes and shook her head, drying her tears with her fingertips, but they escaped her eyelids nonetheless. Sokka sighed.
"Please tell me you're not crying because you've found someone else, and you're feeling sad for me because I'm a loser who keeps baring his heart to the wrong girls…"
"You idiot," she said, laughing through her tears. "You're… you're out of your mind. How could you… love me? Me?"
"How could I not?" said Sokka, smiling and lifting a hand to dry her tears too. "The more I knew you, the more I realized what you meant when you talked about compatibility. Because… because you know what? There's a hell of a lot of that between us. Maybe even too much!"
Azula laughed again, looking at him through her tearful eyes. He smiled.
"Come on. Tell me I'm wrong," he said.
"Just so you can show me why you're right?" she asked. He chuckled.
"Basically, yes."
Her shoulders shook with every laugh. He smiled, caressing her cheek as she moved forward, dropping her head on his shoulder. Sokka sighed, his arms tightening around her at long last. How had he longed to hold her again, damn it all…
"You're crazy," she said. He smiled.
"Maybe," he said.
"I guess that's part of the compatibility too, isn't it?" she asked. Sokka chuckled.
"If you think it is, it might be," he said, kissing the top of her head.
"You're crazy. You're really crazy," she repeated, shaking her head before lifting her gaze to meet his.
"But you just might like that about me, huh?" he said. She smiled and nodded.
"Maybe I do. Maybe I…" she said, reaching to touch his face as well.
He didn't let her finish as he leaned down, kissing her rashly, desperately. Her arms were around his neck as she returned his kisses hungrily, happily, her body angling into his. He held her close, hugging her tightly, the brush between their lips making tears sting in his eyes as well. Curses, he had almost lost her, too… but damn it all, he would never lose her again. Never again. He refused to let her demons get the better of her. He would be by her side, day by day, making sure she would stop living in fear, that she would be able to go through life with her head held high, as she always did…
"Maybe I love you, too," she whispered, when they parted. Sokka laughed, pressing his forehead to hers as tears ran down his cheeks.
"Really? Me?" he asked, teasingly. She laughed before kissing him again, hugging him tightly and burying her face in his shoulder.
"You, damn it, you," she answered. "Only you. Only ever you…"
"Well, aren't I a lucky bastard," he said, chuckling as he hugged her tight enough to lift her from the floor. Azula laughed, her arms still around his neck.
Her reservations and insecurities weren't gone altogether, there was no doubt about it, but for some reason he had been convincing enough to compel her to give this a chance. To give them a chance. And maybe, if things went well, those insecurities and reservations would decrease in given time…
He wound up carrying her to her room, despite she told him between laughs she could walk without a hitch. He smiled and refused to let her, claiming he needed all possible physical contact between them to ease their sorrows: their time apart had been painful even though it hadn't been that long. So he knew no better way to make up for it than being as close to her as he was right now.
"I can barely believe you, though…" she sighed, after he had placed her in bed. Sokka raised his eyebrows.
"Why's that?" he asked, hovering inches above her face. "Still think you shouldn't be loved? Because damn it all if I'll prove you wrong tonight about that…"
"No… it's just, you flew all the way here alone, probably didn't sleep at all, just to tell me that you were happy with me and that you loved me," she said, smiling. "What would you have done if I'd just kept fighting you off?"
"Probably lost it and screamed so desperately that I would have woken everyone in the Palace. Yep, that sounds about right," he said. Azula laughed again.
"You're crazy," she said again, caressing his disorderly hair. He smiled.
"I'm in love," he said, leaning close to kiss her lips. "With you."
"Damn you, you smooth asshole," she groaned, pulling him into her bed and kissing him eagerly.
His clothes flew off before he knew it, his boots landing on the floor by the foot of the bed, his every other item scattered out of the mattress. He was amused when he imagined how long it'd take for him to gather his clothes again later. He soon gave Azula the same treatment, removing her clothes too, though taking more time to do it than she had with him.
With every bit of her skin he exposed he felt himself growing all the more thrilled, all the more excited… he kissed everywhere he could reach, her hands sliding over his body, her head thrown back in bliss. If there was a man she wanted to open herself up to completely in every sense, it was him. Granted, she still felt somewhat nervous about it, but she loved it anyways. The touch of his hands, of his lips… she couldn't get enough of it. She wouldn't get enough of it with a single night.
He made love to her, and it was all she could have asked for and more. Their bodies were joined as one, their hearts racing as their love coursed through them, manifested through kisses, through caresses, through thrusts and moans. He whispered he loved her, gasping through each wave of arousal, and she clutched at him, her nails against his skin, his name leaving her lips as she felt herself melt around him, feeling him grow faint atop her as he unleashed his excitement inside her with his desperate thrusts.
Despite Sokka had barely rested at all, he was tireless and relentless through the night as he made her his time after time. She gave in on every occasion, her soul soaring, her heart set ablaze. This was new to her, all of it, and he was making sure she would love everything about it. Eventually he had to take a break, breathing heavily as his head spun after another wonderful climax spent inside her.
"So… now that this is all out of our systems, we can talk like normal people and stop fighting, right?" said Azula, looking at him from the corner of her eyes as he lay next to her, still breathing heavily, his eyes closed. She would have thought he was too tired to answer if it weren't for the smile that spread over his face as she spoke.
"I guess. Here I was thinking you enjoy the fights too much," he said, glancing at her. She laughed.
"Guilty. Though I think I liked this better," she said, turning on her side and surrounding his waist with an arm.
"Same here," he said, closing his eyes again, an arm reaching out so he could caress her hair. Azula sighed in bliss.
"Still, I guess what I wanted to say was… are we really okay? This was a bit of an… explosive beginning for a relationship."
"We could have had an easier one," said Sokka, smirking. "You just…"
"Had to make everything unnecessarily difficult, I know," she said, grimacing. "I'm sorry. I just… I'd never felt this way towards someone before. And I've never… well, happiness hasn't been my strongest suit for as long as I can remember. The only times I've gotten away with any semblance of happiness were when I made someone else miserable. So being happy through someone else's happiness? It's… it's not something I'm used to."
"Then you'd better start getting used to it," said Sokka, smiling at her. "I know it'll take time to wrap your head around big changes like this one, but we'll make it through if we believe in each other. All I'll ask is that you don't set up more dates between us where I end up with someone else…"
"I can't test your resolve that way? Damn…" she said, with a smirk of her own. Sokka groaned before attacking her again, but instead of doing so with loving caresses, it was yet another tickle attack. "No! Oh, damn it, Sokka, don't you dare…!"
He laughed as she started laughing uncontrollably, kicking at him so he'd stop it, but he didn't relent until he'd trapped her lips between his. His fingers stopped teasing her, now only holding her close as he rested atop her. Azula sighed, surrendering to him again as she surrounded his neck with her arms. He was lucky she was in a welcoming mood tonight, but she had in mind to take control of their trysts eventually, whether he liked it or not…
"Alright, so… no more setbacks?" Sokka asked, once he parted from her, brushing strands of her hair out of her face. Azula sighed and nodded.
"I'll try not to lose my mind again," she said. "But I… I just want you to be honest with me, about everything. If you ever feel like this isn't working, like you want to be with someone else or just get tired of me…"
"I'll tell you about it? Sure," said Sokka, smiling. "Still, I'm pretty sure none of that will ever happen. I mean… I mean, you feel this too, don't you? It's just so clear that we're perfect for one another, damn…"
"I guess, but I just want you to be happy, okay?" she said. "So if this loses its spark and no longer makes you happy…"
"I'll just tickle you again and then it'll be fun once more," he said. Azula snorted and shook her head.
"You're an idiot," she said. Sokka grinned.
"Your idiot," he declared, leaning down to kiss her neck and rest with his head on her shoulder. "I'm all yours, Azula. There's no one else I want to be with. Seriously, the more girls you set me up with, the more I just wanted to be with you. I didn't care about getting anything on with them after some time, because being with you was way more fun…"
"You should've said something, then," she said, smiling. Sokka snorted.
"I was planning to, but then Aang and Katara were here, and then you were mad, and… well, things got weird for a while there. But everything was great before that, right?"
"Right," said Azula, stroking his hair. "And everything will be great, from now on?"
"That's the plan," said Sokka, smiling before kissing her lips again. Azula smiled as she returned the kiss gladly.
He closed his eyes as he rested against her, and Azula kissed his forehead, her arms around his neck.
"You need your rest," she said. Sokka smiled and nodded.
"Yeah. Maybe sleep for the rest of the night…"
"It's already morning," Azula said, glancing at the window. Sokka's eyes widened.
"Heh. Well then, sleep halfway through the day, eh?"
She laughed and kissed him again, holding him close as he succumbed to his exhaustion. She as well let her eyes flutter closed, enjoying the amazing feeling of release he had given her. Her anxiety, her depression, her insecurities had been chased away, at least for the time being. And if they came back, she knew she'd be able to fight them off more effectively than ever before. She wasn't alone anymore, after all, and not because she had forced him to stay by her side: he had wanted to be with her out of his own free will. He loved her. He loved her…
Their comfortable sleep lasted way into the afternoon, and by then they were both hungry, albeit well rested. Sokka woke when his stomach grumbled too loudly, but he forgot his hunger when he lifted his gaze to find her sleeping face. A happy sigh shook him as he caressed her hip with a thumb, and he pressed soft kisses to her shoulder. Azula growled before tightening her grip around his neck, making him laugh as she held him against her.
"Morning," he said, still brushing her skin with his lips. Azula hummed.
"I'm pretty sure it's not morning anymore," she said, sliding her fingers through his loose hair.
"Eh, minor details," he replied, and she smiled.
"They are indeed," she whispered, caressing his cheek as she opened her eyes and looked down at him. "Hi."
"Hey there, beautiful," he said.
She laughed and pressed a kiss to his forehead. He pushed himself up so he could kiss her lips comfortably, and Azula sighed into the gesture, keeping him close by wrapping her legs around his waist.
"Want to go get some food?" she asked him. He raised an eyebrow.
"Sounds good, but… I was thinking, how exactly does Zuko feel about the idea of us?" he asked. "I mean, if you were upset while we were apart he might just think I'm bad news for you…"
"I doubt he held it against you," said Azula. "He must have known it was mostly my fault."
"Don't say that," said Sokka, with a small smile, but Azula shook her head.
"I am a Princess, I accept my mistakes," she said, kissing him softly. "And I should avoid making more, so I should feed you before you end up starved in my bed…"
"Maybe we can eat in bed, and then we can get back to doing fun things once we're done eating, right…?" said Sokka, smirking as he caressed her smooth skin, his hand sliding over her chest and down to her navel. Azula's pelvis jolted with pleasure as she smiled under his touch.
"If you keep doing that right now, I'll make it so we only do fun things and forget about eating altogether…"
"Oh? I think I can live with that," said Sokka, touching the tip of her nose with his.
"Really? So that's the one thing in the world you like better than food?" she asked. Sokka chuckled.
"Hey, a man has priorities," he said, kissing her cheek, moving lower towards her neck, and Azula moaned…
And then there was a knock on the door. Sokka jumped, looking at Azula with panic. Her eyes were wide too as she looked at the door.
"I suppose it's some servant checking in on me," she said. "They've been doing it on a daily basis to make sure I'm not doing anything I might re-…"
"Azula? You in there?" came Zuko's voice from the other side of the door. Now Azula's hopefulness vanished.
"Okay, you have to hide, maybe in the closet, or the bathroom…" she said, but before Sokka could jump out of the bed they heard the unequivocal sound of the doorknob turning…
Sokka ducked into the covers, pulling them over his head and curling up into a small ball. Zuko might think Azula had taken any random someone to bed, right…? Or, if they were lucky, maybe he wouldn't even notice he was there?
Azula had to pull what she could of the covers up to her chin, blushing deeply as Zuko stepped into her room, looking at her bed with determined eyes.
"Azula, Aang and the others came back, they say Sokka has to be here, but I don't think he…" he started, but he froze when he took in Azula's room in detail.
"Sokka? Here? Well, I don't know what on earth you're talking about," she said, trying to sound as innocent as she could, but the circumstances weren't quite in her favor. Zuko frowned.
"I… I was going to ask you if you'd seen him at all, because I haven't seen him, and neither did Suki," said Zuko, frowning. "What's with this mess, though? You were throwing your clothes around? Azula…"
"I… was looking for something. Didn't find it," she said. Zuko raised an eyebrow.
"Uh-huh."
"I don't know why you'd think Sokka would be here, really. In fact, it's awfully insensitive of you to come here and ask me that when you know things did not go well between us the last time we saw each other…" Azula started, hoping to up her game before Zuko could catch up with her.
To her surprise, that seemed to work indeed. Zuko gulped and nodded.
"Yeah, sorry. I just thought… well, maybe he'd come to see you, if he had come at all. But then again, why would he when things didn't go well, huh? Anyways, uh…"
"Anyways, you're free to run along, go on now," said Azula, waving him away. "I was sleeping comfortably and then you…"
"Azula?"
"What?"
"Since when do you wear brown boots?"
She froze. No words came to her mind, all ideas and excuses lost as Zuko lifted one of Sokka's boots in confusion.
"I mean… this can't be yours," said Zuko, frowning. "It's too big, and this is…"
He knew well enough this was Water Tribe made, even though his mind had refused to accept it at first. And he also knew that not all the clothes scattered on the marble floors of Azula's room could be hers: most of them were blue and while, whereas Azula's choice for clothes usually was red and black.
He cringed before looking at her in horror. Only now did he find it odd that she'd be covering up to her chin as she was. And the guilty look on her face spoke for itself.
"Azula…?" he said. "Where is Sokka?"
She closed her eyes, a hand covering her face as she blushed brightly. And to Zuko's chagrin, a dark-skinned arm came out of the covers next to Azula, waving at him almost shyly.
"Hey, uh, Zuko…" said Sokka, from underneath the sheet. "How's it going?"
Zuko wasn't sure whether he was more confused, or infuriated, or disgusted by this discovery. He grimaced and covered his mouth with a hand, paling as he stared at Azula in disbelief.
"I'm going to be sick," he said, turning on his heel and leaving the room without another word, slamming the door behind him.
"Well, isn't he overdramatic," said Sokka, pushing the sheet off after hearing Zuko leave. "I don't like that my sister gets laid either but I don't vomit about it!"
Next to him, Azula was in the midst of a fit of laughter, still covering her face with a hand. Sokka smiled as he watched her.
"You know, I've been confusing my brother for as long as I can remember," she said, after she was done laughing. "Whenever he thought he understood something about me, I've turned things around and made a mess out of him."
"Pulled the rug from under his feet just after he finally stands up?" said Sokka, smiling. Azula nodded.
"I think we've done it to him together this time, though," she said, grinning at him. "I mean, the last he knew we were both miserable, mad at each other and whatnot…"
"And now we're both glowing and delighted because we're together!" Sokka exclaimed, throwing his arms around her and kissing her cheek. Azula laughed and pressed against him. "Really though, it's not that hard to understand. We were miserable because we weren't together, we're not miserable anymore because we fixed things. Makes perfect sense to me."
"That it does," Azula agreed, sighing happily as she rested against his chest. "That it does."
"So when things fell apart it was because she'd pushed him away for his sake?" Zuko asked.
"That's what Sokka said, anyways," Katara said.
"And he came back to her because he has no sense of self-preservation."
"That's what it seems. My brother has no common sense, but that's not news, is it?"
"I guess it could be a little romantic, right? I mean, since they got together despite all odds," Suki said, shrugging.
"I wouldn't mind it at all if only he hadn't taken Appa as he did," said Aang, sighing and shaking his head.
They'd had no choice but to take one of the few available airships in Republic City in order to head to the Fire Nation. They hadn't been far behind Sokka, not really, but they still had taken long enough for Sokka to spend half a day in the Capital ahead of their arrival.
The newly instated happy pair had taken a little time to themselves before leaving Azula's room. By the time they had, they were faced by their respective siblings and several friends, some of whom had been amused by their relationship's progress – namely Toph –, while others were utterly confused by it all – Suki, Aang and Satoru –, and the others were halfway between indignant and disgusted – naturally, Katara and Zuko. Aang hadn't failed to mention how amusing it was that Katara and Zuko finally agreed quickly on something, since they were both aghast by the sight of their siblings holding hands and smiling at each other as they did.
"We've been crossing the world way too many times as of late, haven't we?" said Katara, sighing and shaking her head.
"And it's always Sokka's doing. Or at least, mostly his doing," said Aang, smiling awkwardly.
"Still, he's happy, right? I mean, that's all you could ask for," said Satoru, smiling too.
"I suppose. Though Sokka needs to be miserable, too," said Toph, smirking. "Then again, that's what she'll be good for. She'll keep him on his toes, never cut him any slack…"
"Doesn't sound like such a great thing to me," said Katara, grimacing.
"Still…" said Aang, glancing at the pair at the other end of the long dining table, a small smile on his face. "They do make a good match, right?"
Sokka and Azula were sitting side by side, sharing their food as they spoke in hushed voices, laughing frequently at whatever witticisms they were coming up with. Often Sokka would lean close to kiss her cheek, and Azula's smile would be accompanied by blushes whenever he did. Their hands were frequently linked together too, and they couldn't seem to get their eyes off each other.
"I guess they do," Zuko relented, smiling as well before shaking his head. "But now this is getting really twisted. My girlfriend's ex-boyfriend is sleeping with my sister…"
"You guys have to start meeting new people," said Toph, smirking as she nibbled on a cookie, her head on Satoru's shoulder. He chuckled.
Sokka and Azula were elated by each other's company, but being scrutinized by the others, after having been thoroughly questioned over their intentions towards one another, wasn't quite fun. So as soon as they had a chance they had raced out of the Palace, climbed on the first carriage they found and headed out to the city. Unsurprisingly, they had spent the trip wrapped around one another in an intimate embrace, but once the carriage stopped they got off without much ado. Sokka's hand slid into Azula's, their fingers entwined as they walked together.
"How often do you do this?" he asked her. She shrugged.
"About once a month, more or less," she said. "But right now it's better to be out here than in the Palace with my brother and your friends. They're so nosy…"
"They are, but heck, at least they weren't trying to convince us not to be together," said Sokka, beaming. Azula smiled and placed her head on his shoulder.
"True. Still… Zuko has brought up the matter of the United Forces to me."
"Oh?" said Sokka, raising his eyebrows. Azula smiled.
"He said he wanted me to help on the Fire Nation front of things, and granted I wasn't so thrilled about it at first, but now that we're together…"
"If you became a member of the United Forces you'd be stationed in Republic City, likely," said Sokka, smiling happily as he looked at her. "You could move in there, and so we wouldn't have to go days on end without seeing each other!"
"I thought so too," she said, smiling. "So I'm thinking I could probably tell him I'll do it, permanently…"
"Amazing!" Sokka exclaimed, hugging her and lifting her off the ground before kissing her deeply. She laughed into the kiss, caressing his chest. "That's just wonderful!"
"I know," she said, kissing him again. "It'll be perfect for us."
Sokka laughed again, their foreheads pressed together. The more things progressed between them, the happier he seemed to be…
"But I didn't bring you all the way here just to discuss our future," said Azula, smiling as she pulled him by the hand towards a store. "This is the only place I would visit out in the city. And I think it's time for me to come again…"
"Oh?" said Sokka, smiling as he noticed they were at the city's bookstore. "So we're going to find new books?"
"I think it's a lot more fun to read new books together than for you to settle with reading the ones I've already read," said Azula. "I don't know, it's just… discovering what's in store for the protagonists tends to be more thrilling that way."
"You don't have to be alone in your suffering, that's why you like it better," said Sokka, chuckling. "Alright, then! Let's find new stories!"
The store clerk welcomed Azula, pleased to see her again. She was a frequent customer, and albeit she had scared her the first times she had showed up in her shop, the clerk had already grown used to her presence. In fact, the more she saw Azula, the more comfortable she felt about the Fire Nation Princess. A lot of weird rumors had been spread about her after the war, and people had been wary about the Princess's return to Palace life… but once she had started to frequent the bookstore, the clerk had spread the word that the Princess wasn't quite as crazy and dangerous as everyone thought she was, especially given her choice in books. Hence, Azula's dark reputation, despite not quite gone, had changed a lot in nature now that she was known to read romance books…
The clerk smiled, though, as she watched Azula had someone with her this time. It was good to see her with company.
The pair canvassed the store together, but to Sokka's surprise, most the books he showed Azula she had already read.
"You sure? This one's about a noble girl who's stuck between two guys and…"
"She ends up with the poor one because his love is pure and true. Don't bother, it wasn't that great," said Azula, waving a hand dismissively.
"How about this one, then? A young warrior sets out to find a cure for his father's illness, meets a healer on the road, and as they find the ingredients…"
"They discover a conspiracy to murder the king, they get captured by pirates and end up in a forced marriage arrangement through the magic of some strange creatures that misunderstood their relationship. Which of course results in actual love blooming between them. A fun one, fairly ridiculous but conscious of how ridiculous it is, too."
"Huh. I'll give it a read then," said Sokka, smiling. Azula laughed.
"I'll lend you my copy."
"Okay, so hey, a princess and her beloved are on the run, escaping the pressures of the political turmoil they left behind… wait, what?"
Azula stopped and turned to look at him after hearing those words. Sokka stared at the book with wide eyes.
"And as their love is tested by the princess's inner demon, whose destructive nature is slowly drifting out of her control, they realize they cannot flee fate forever…?"
"S-Sokka?" said Azula, a smile breaking out on her face. Sokka beamed.
"It has a sequel! It does!" he exclaimed. Azula laughed as he hugged her.
"We have to read that! Immediately!" she exclaimed.
"Damn right!" Sokka agreed. "Let's go back right away!"
The store clerk seemed amused by their enthusiasm, and she smiled kindly at them as she sold them the book. Sokka and Azula were out in the streets again in no time, their hands linked as she held the book with utmost care.
"This is going to be amazing," she said. Sokka grinned and nodded.
"And now we've got something great to read on our way to Republic City, eh?"
Azula laughed and kissed him, and Sokka opened the door of the carriage gallantly for her. They set out back to the Palace, holding one another, as they started reading the next part of the story of that other princess and her lover. A story that, like their own, still had a lot in store for its leading couple.