I Will Possess Your Heart
By Nikkel
(c) Nickelodeon, Michael Dante DiMartino, and Bryan Konietzko
The hardest part about going out on a night was what to wear . . . even if it was just the school play. But, it was taking place at the city amphitheatre, and called for an air of formality. School uniforms didn't count.
The weather had let up since school let out, and thus Azula decided on something cooler and more summer-oriented. She dressed in a maroon gown fashioned with a light scarlet top and flared bottom, gold bangles adorning her neck and arms. The outfit was complete with a pair of sharp heels. She could easily relax while simultaneously looking alert and proper. It was the perfect thing.
"Well, you're pretty dressed up," Zuko commented when she came down the stairs. She glanced at him. He was sitting there, in the living, admist dozens of multicolored flowers.
"And you say I have a secret admirer?" she snickered.
"Hey, these are for Uncle's shop! He's having a grand opening tomorrow, and I said I'd help," Zuko replied indignantly, brow furrowed. "Besides, I thought Chan was your secret lover. What's the deal?"
"None of your business."
"Just asking. He was complaining ever since lunch, you know."
"He's only complaining because I refused to watch his stupid football game." Azula rolled her eyes and headed out the door. "Why aren't you there?"
"Because I'm doing this!" Zuko exclaimed, and threw a bunch of flowers in the air. Obviously, what he was doing was not the most entertaining experience. "I mean heck! I would light them all on fire if I could!"
"Don't hurt yourself, Zuzu."
Thunder rumbled in the distance when she stepped outside. Azula tilted her head up at the black sky, eyes narrowed. It was not going to rain. For one thing, the dress she was wearing was Ember Island Flair, and for another, she hated the rain. She was not going to get caught in it.
As she put the cover to the convertible on, she noticed a single rose sitting in the front passenger seat. How interesting—it even had a note attached; most of the roses that Chan had been sending (if any at all) no longer came with these expensive little stationary cards. That was only one more reason that he was not the real secret admirer. Azula wondered what "he" had to say this time.
I've run out of cards. I'm running out of roses. And I really want to give up right now.
Azula blinked. Give up? What was that supposed to mean?
She wouldn't think about it now. She needed to get to the play, and before it rained. If Katara was there as the main actress, then it was no doubt Sokka was there—meaning she could confront him about the note. She figured that it would sort things out rather easily.
Azula sped over to the city's amphitheatre, easing into a parking space and heading inside. Though the rain was still a ways off, she quickened her pace up the cement staircase and headed into the lobby. As she stood on the plush lavender carpet and among other individuals dressed in a similar semi-formal fashion, her iPhone rang. It was Mai.
"So, having fun at the play?" Mai drawled. Azula huffed, waiting in line.
"I haven't even gotten a ticket yet."
"I would have come, you know."
"I told you that I needed to do this alone. Oh, and he sent me a message."
"Oh really? He hasn't done that in a while."
"I know. He's running out of cards, so I need you and Ty Lee to go to the Hallmark store downtown and stake him out. Tonight."
"How do you even know he's there?"
"I've been keeping track of how often he orders the cards. I can tell by their manufacturing date and time periods he's been sending them. This last one he sent said he was running low, so he's going to need more."
"What about Sokka?"
"I'm questioning it. One of Sokka's associates may be picking up the cards. I'm going to assume it's Jet."
"Why Jet?"
"Because he was the one that told me the sender was Sokka."
". . . And you believe him."
"I don't have all that many clues, Mai," Azula turned to the ticket woman. "One, please."
"Sign here." The woman sitting at the fold-up table indicated to a lined sheet of paper with various names and seat numbers on it. Azula spied Sokka Whitman, and to her annoyance, the seats around him were already taken. She looked back at the ticket women, and purposely kicked her foot hard against the leg of the table so the money box toppled to the floor. "Oh!"
The ticket woman bent down to pick the objects up, and with a pencil in hand Azula erased the name next to Sokka's and replaced it with her own, so she would be sitting next to him. The ticket woman did not notice as she sat back up, returning to see Azula scrawl her "name". She handed Azula her ticket, hardly acknowledging the switch.
"What did you just do?" Mai asked over the phone.
"Made things much more convenient," Azula replied shortly, entering the theatre and searching like a hawk for her target. She spotted him in a crisp, button-downed suit, and talking to Professor Piandao. "I've got to go. Don't forget to go to Hallmark."
"Whatever you say, your highness."
Azula hung up, and the preshow announcement sounded over the speakers. She kept her eyes locked on Sokka as the lights dimmed, swiftly sliding into the row before the original occupant of the seat to his right arrived.
"Hello, Sokka."
Sokka jumped. "A-Azula?! What are you doing here?!"
Azula shrugged and sat, her bare arm brushing against his maroon-colored shoulder. "I came to see the show, of course. Love Amongst the Dragons is a classic."
"Yeah, well, you're in Suki's seat."
"Who?"
"Suki Kwan. My date."
"I thought you were single," Azula chirped, clicking her tongue. "And she's not here, so I suppose you'll have to do with me."
"Yes she is, she's right there at the end of the row!" Sokka pointed, and Azula turned to see that Suki was, in fact, standing there. She had a mixture of fury and hurt on her face. Obviously, seeing Sokka with another girl did not please her. She clenched her fists and turned away. Sokka rose from his seat, desperate to chase after her, but Azula stuck her arm out. "Let me through!"
"Forget it," Azula shot back, sticking her leg out and preventing him from passing. He struggled, kicking the chairs around him and causing quite the obnoxious scene.
"What's your problem? I have to talk to her!"
"No you don't. Leave her alone."
"How about you leave me alone?!"
"I will if you just sit down!"
"HEY!" One of the ushers had spotted their disruption. Sokka and Azula froze. "Sit down, you two, and watch the show!"
Sokka grudgingly sank into his seat, arms crossed and lower lip jutting out, while Azula coolly lowered herself back into hers. They silenced, watching the play unfold, the stage set a brilliant array of red and blue. The actors and actresses milled about, but a girl dressed entirely in blue stood out, walking up to the front of the stage to deliver a lengthy monologue. Azula instantly recognized the face of Katara Whitman, Sokka's little sister. What a perfect moment. Azula leaned into Sokka. He grunted.
"Can't you wait until the scene is over?" he grumbled.
"No," Azula whispered back.
"What do you want with me?"
"You know what I want. Jet told me it was you."
"Well whatever he told you, he lied. I didn't do anything."
"Oh, I think you did."
"What are you talking about?" Sokka asked, his voice rising.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about."
"No, I don't!" Sokka said loudly, causing several people around him to shush him. "Just leave me alone! I don't want to talk to you!"
People complained and the usher that had yelled at them before returned at the end of the row, glaring at them through the darkness. They fell quiet again.
"Can't you wait until intermission?" Sokka whispered. Azula rolled her eyes.
"Fine. Even though you can answer what I want you to right now."
"Hmph."
They remained silent for the rest of the act. The usher kept glancing at them, hoping that they were causing another scene so he had a reason to kick them out. But Sokka stayed slouching and Azula stayed composed. Her foot tapped impatiently. Sokka glared at her, seeing her knee shake distractingly out of the corner of his eye. He squirmed in his seat, purposely elbowing her and propping his own knee up. She snorted and pushed his knee down, his foot accidentally kicking the man in front of them, who gave a very irritated snort. The usher hovered back to them and Azula clapped her hand onto Sokka's, digging her nails into his skin to get him to shut up, jerking him forward as if intently watching the show (it was currently a deadly battle scene), fooling the usher. Sokka whimpered, the usher went away, and intermission began. The lights came up.
"Damn!" Sokka cried when Azula released his hand, cradling it painfully. He had small, bloody indentations from where her nails had been. "What is wrong with you?! Don't you ever cut those?!"
"They're manicured," Azula corrected. "We need to find some place private."
She started to walk away, but Sokka lunged out and grabbed her arm. "No! We talk about this here, and now!"
"Would you rather have this conversation in front of your girlfrie—" Azula stopped. It had now occurred to her that that was why Suki had been so upset. Sokka didn't notice.
"In front of my girlfriend? You know, that doesn't really matter anymore, because you already stole her seat!"
Azula dismissed the issue. "We're not discussing this here," she stated primly, turning around so Sokka had no other choice but to follow. They went out into the lobby again and veered down an empty hallway, standing next to a water fountain.
"Okay," Sokka said, crossing his arms importantly. "I've sacrificed the first act of my sister's play for you, and Suki hates me. Tell me what you want."
"You know what I want."
"I'm not playing games!" Sokka shouted, slamming his fist on the fountain.
"Calm down," Azula harked; his actions were reminding her of Zuko.
"Then just tell me what you want."
"I know you're the sender, Sokka."
Sokka halted, blinking rapidly, trying to understand what she had just said. "What?" he sputtered in disbelief.
Azula smirked. "You heard me—I know you're the sender."
"You—You. . . You mean the roses thing?"
"Precisely."
"You've got to be kidding me! Who told you that?!" Sokka reared back and slapped his forehead. "This is crazy!"
"Jet told me."
"Spirits! Why in the world would you believe him?!"
"He seemed like a reliable source."
Sokka took a deep breath, calming himself down. People that had been in the lobby were turning their heads to look down their hallway. "Jet's a liar."
"Excuse me?"
"You know if it seriously bothers you this much, then I'll tell you who it is. Because at least then you'll leave me alone."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Who?"
"Haru Dow."
Azula's brow furrowed. "You're serious?"
"Yes."
"How do you know?"
"I'm not allowed to say. But it's him."
"Well, thank you for your time, Sokka." Azula walked away and back into the lobby, where she found Suki peering around the corner. Her smirk returned as she tapped the girl on the shoulder. Suki jumped, spinning around. Azula looked at her square in the eye. "Just to let you know, your boyfriend's not a very good kisser."
"What?!" Suki exclaimed, ready to tear Azula's head off, but Azula was already out the lobby doors. It was simply fun to mess with people.
But now, the problem of tracking Haru Dow had come into play. Well, at least Sokka Whitman was another name off the list. Unlike Sokka, Azula recalled that Haru wasn't very-well connected with a wide group of people other than his friends. He was rather reclusive. . . A kanga-rat hiding in its hole. It was just a matter of drawing him out.
She drove straight home, knowing she could use her father's computer to search for whatever activities or classes Haru Dow was in. She would call Mai and Ty Lee later—Haru was probably going to pick up his order of cards tonight, so their stakeout was necessary. Catching a man she didn't know much about (yet) was now her top priority.
Azula pulled into the four-car garage. It hadn't begun to rain yet, with the storm still beyond the city skyline, but Azula could smell it. The hair raised on the back of her neck and thunder growled closer. She went inside.
"You're still not done with those?" she asked as she entered the kitchen. Zuko was sitting at the table, still tying flowers together. He appeared to be struggling with a pair of panda lilies.
"Yes. . ." he grumbled in reply. His finger got stuck in the knot, and he tried yanking it out without harming the flowers. He glanced at her. "What are you doing home? I thought the play didn't end 'till ten."
"There was a change of plans." Azula strolled around the table, leaning against it and nimbly picking up a scarlet rose. She noticed that the thorns had not been cut. She twirled the evergreen stem in her fingers. "Zuko, where did you get these?"
"At the White Lotus Garden downtown."
"Did you pay for all of them?"
"No. Haru works there, and he gave me a discount."
"Is he still there?" Azula asked excitedly.
"Um, yeah. Probably. Why do you ask?"
Before he could say anymore, Azula was out the door and burning rubber out of the driveway, enlightened with a renewed exhilaration and purpose. The tires squealed around the corner and left track marks down Dragon Boulevard, shooting straight for downtown, to the White Lotus Garden. No time could be wasted—without a doubt, Haru Dow would be there, and she wanted to catch him before he closed shop. Blazing through green lights (being born lucky certainly had its advantages right now), the pieces all seemed to fit, like a broken mirror coming together on rewind. Forget all she had claimed that she didn't know about him. These past few weeks had told her more than enough.
She was the sole customer in the parking lot, her eyes fleeting to the illuminated windows of the store. Arranged in front were scarlet roses blooming like there was no tomorrow, peculiarly similar cards dangling from the stems by gold ribbon attached. Yes! It was him! The realization caught her for a moment—what if it was just another ploy? Like the nasty trick Jet had pulled?
Dammit. Now, this called for espionage. Azula snatched a black sweater Mai had left in the back seat and threw it over her shoulders, swiping the hood over her head. There wasn't much she could do about her lower body—she was still in the dress. She didn't have time to cha—
"Enough thinking!" Azula snapped, focusing back on the mission. Going as quickly as she could in heels she snuck up to the window, peering inside. She couldn't spy any movement, but the back door was wide open, revealing the actual nursery, fertilizer and plants and water hoses and all. Haru was probably back there, organizing or watering flowers or something.
Azula slunk to the door and opened it cautiously, wary of the little bell that signaled a customer's entrance. Like an agile cat she slipped in, immediately darting behind a giant flower pot. She searched the upper corners of the room for cameras, and then concluded that the store was too small a business to afford surveillance. At least she wouldn't look like a thief. . . a stalker, maybe, but if they knew what she had been going through. . .
Quick feet led her to peer around the doorway. It was difficult to contain her excitement, twitchy and jumpy and ready to confront the man here, with his back turned and hood over his face to protect him from the rain. Haru was working with something on a wooden bench, and then turned to walk to the other end of the garden, passing right by the doorway.
Azula caught a glimpse of his face beneath the hood and her heartstrings pulled and she leapt from her hiding spot and tackled him from behind.
Author's Note: This chapter was very fun to write. Not only because it's building the climax, but because I've never quite written Sokkla before. Having Azula and Sokka banter back and forth beneath the usher's eye was extremely amusing. However, as you can see, Sokka is not the secret lover. . . and Azula's so headed on her way to get Haru. Yay for cliffies! :D
