I could have left you with a cliff hanger…but I didn't
Thank you for everyone who's still with me on this! And for those who are just reading now
Chapter 10: Desires Reunited
"Sokka, get away from her! She could kill you!"
Azula's head shot up in indignation at Hakoda's demand. Still pinned against the wall, it was the best she could do.
How dare he! I pulled his ass out of prison! What, does he think I'm not good enough for Sokka?!
As she moved to give Hakoda a piece of her mind, she was frozen in shock as Sokka did it for her.
"What the hell Dad! Azula's on our side now! She's no more likely to kill me now than she would…well a few weeks ago!" Sokka yelled back, turning from Azula his body blocking her from his father.
He's protecting me?! Azula's body warmed at the thought.
No one had ever stood up for her before. She had never needed anyone to stand up for her. Yet Sokka was, without any hesitation, and against his father. A happy thrill ran through Azula's body.
"Seriously, she PULLED you out of prison! What…why would she turn around and kill me now?! "
"Son, calm down," Hakoda raised his hands as a sign of surrender.
"You just insulted my girlfriend!"
Azula smiled at his possessive tone. She could get used to that tone.
"I didn't mean that she's going to intentionally kill you. I meant she could do it without actually meaning too."
Azula and Sokka shared confused looks.
"I assure you Hakoda I can't accidently kill Sokka. I have more control than that," Azula stated moving to stand besides Sokka.
Hakoda rubbed his hands over his face. With a frustrated sigh he looked over at them.
"You won't kill him with your bending Azula. I didn't mean it like that…damn this is difficult…fire benders are having…added…things happening to them as the comet gets closer," Hakoda said quietly. He looked directly at them he continued, "Although I am finding it odd that you're standing next to him as calmly as you are."
"She has that under control dad. Azula and Zuko have been training all day. And they succeeded a while ago."
Azula added with a smirk, "Plus, he's already survived the added affects…twice. So I'm thinking we're good." To emphasize her comment, she put her arms around Sokka's waist while leaning into him.
When Sokka put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer, Azula cuddled in with a smile.
"So you two have…" Hakoda's voice trailed off as he gave Azula and Sokka a questioning look.
"Oh yeah, we…,"Azula put her hand over Sokka's mouth, cutting him off.
He doesn't need the details savage!
Sure she had pulled him out of prison, but that didn't mean he was going to approve of his son in a relationship with her. Giving him the details of what they had been doing together wasn't going to be a good idea either.
Sending a small smile towards Hakoda, she finished Sokka's statement, "We did give in to the effects of the comet…but it's under control now. I'm no longer…ummm" think of a delicate word for it…think think… "Struggling with my….issue." Azula grimaced. She probably could have worded that better.
"I see," Hakoda stated quietly. "Well…that's good. I suppose…although" Azula smiled at Hakoda's slight awkwardness, "umm Sokka didn't umm take advantage of your…situation….did he?"
Azula chuckled softly.
"No he didn't take advantage. We started spending time together and realized that we just…clicked," at least Azula assumed that was the word for what she and Sokka had.
"Exactly," Sokka continued, pulling Azula closer.
"Well, that's good. I'm glad, but still it was dangerous. You better have taken precautions," Hakoda's pointed look had Azula and Sokka nodding their heads in agreement, "but I'm glad you're both okay."
Well this is going well…
"Did you get the information you needed from your contact?" Azula asked, breaking up the awkward silence.
"Yes…yes I did. In fact I got more than I was expecting," Hakoda responded looking behind him as two people emerged from a hidden area by the trees.
Azula inhaled deeply at who was revealed.
"Hello Azula, it's good to see you've taken a better path," Uncle Iroh said moving to stand next to Hakoda. However, his words barely registered to Azula. Her focus was on the woman who was moving towards Hakoda's other side.
"Well jeez Dad! Here you are yelling at Azula and I for having comet desired filled fire bending sex and yet you have a woman yourself! That doesn't seem very…."
"I'm not a fire bender," the woman said softly, watching Azula carefully.
"Oh….well..."
Gripping Sokka's arm tightly, Azula whispered, "She's my mother."
"Look how much you've grown…and changed," Ursa said quietly.
"I couldn't and didn't want to deal with Father's need for war and destruction," Azula responded just as quietly. Ursa hadn't changed much from the years she had been away. She was still as thin as Azula remembered years ago, her amber eyes kind yet shadowed as they watched Azula. Her hair was long with upper portion being tied in a top knot. Her red dress was fashion for a civilian versus the grand Fire Lady dresses she used to favor.
Not sure what to do, Azula held Sokka's arm tighter. The last time she had seen her mother, she had been being yelled at for doing something wrong. When Ursa had left the castle, Azula couldn't have been happier. They never had gotten along. Now, being faced to face with her again, all Azula could think about what if it was possible to make it right again...and how to go about doing so.
"I hear you broke Hakoda and Sokka's friend out of prison. That was nice of you," Ursa spoke.
"Yeah…I needed proof that I changed sides," Azula responded bluntly. This was harder than she ever expected. Emotions filled her head and heart, making it difficult for her to breathe or think.
"Well it was a great start. And you mentioned you've controlled your desire with the comet?"
"Yes…Zuko did to. We've…been practicing all day."
"I'm so proud of you Azula. I know…I know we haven't always gotten along, but I am so so happy for you." Ursa's eyes, filled with love though Azula didn't understand how, glistened with unshed tears.
What do I do? What do I say….? Azula looked towards Sokka totally uncertain how to proceed. Standing before her was the one thing she had always secretly wanted, but had no idea how to obtain.
Everyone stood in silence, no one knowing how to proceed.
"Well," Uncle Iroh broke the silence, "Where's everyone while you've been training? Where's Zuko?"
"They're in the court yard or scattered around the house," Sokka answered. Azula could feel his eyes watching her, waiting for her to do something. All she could do was stare at her mother.
"We'll go look for them then. We should get together and discuss strategy," Iroh stated moving down the path towards the courtyard.
"That would be best. Are you two coming?" Ursa asked quietly, her gaze never leaving Azula.
"We'll be there in a bit, I'd like to talk to Azula," Sokka said. Azula watched as the three adults nodded and started walking towards the courtyard.
"It's okay to be vulnerable Azula," Sokka whispered softly, cupping Azula's face in his palm turning it up towards his.
Sniffling Azula whispered, "What if she turns me away? What if she still hates me? What then?"
"She doesn't hate you Azula. There's nothing but love in her eyes for you."
Maybe he's right…maybe I could. I can do this, I'm strong enough. So what if she hates me…I don't need her…I don't…
"Mother," Azula called loudly, breaking from Sokka's hold. Ursa stopped immediately turning towards Azula's call.
"Yes Azula?"
"I'm sorry mother," Azula broke out, standing stiff, holding back the tears she felt forming.
"I know you hate me. I know I was a difficult child and I'm not…I'm not the greatest person yet either. But I'm working on it. And I…I just want you to know that…"
Azula broke off as Ursa grabbed Azula into a hug.
Ursa pulled back, cupping Azula's face within her palms, saying softly, "Azula, I could never hate you! You are my child, my lovely child."
"But I was so evil and controlling and hateful, how could you not hate me?" Azula asked just as quietly, the tears she held back falling from her eyes.
"Because you are my daughter and you are human. You made choices that I did not agree with and I did not like but that doesn't mean that I don't and didn't love you. I've always loved you." As her mother's lips brushed her forehead, Azula closed her eyes in relief. Her mother didn't hate her.
Pulling out of her mother's hold, Azula brushed aside the remaining tears, and looked her mother in the eyes.
"I'm not like that anymore mother. I swear I've changed…even if I'm still a bit…controlling," Azula finished her statement with a backward glance towards Sokka, letting out a laugh at Sokka's thumbs up movement.
"There's nothing wrong with being controlling. I rather you were controlling over being controlled. It's what makes you…you. And there's nothing wrong with you."
Ursa smiled, brightening Azula's spirits, "Not to mention, we can't have just men controlling the world now can we? Look what you fathers done, and his father, and his father's father," Ursa commented, making Azula laugh.
"That's true," Azula replied with a smile.
"Hey, we're not all that bad!" Hakoda and Sokka commented together.
The women rolled their eyes.
"Speaking of men," Iroh broke in with a grin. Azula didn't miss the tears in his eyes, "let's go find the rest of them and the women too of course."
Linking arms with Sokka, and hesitantly with her mother, Azula started walking behind him back to the courtyard.
"I know Zuko's in the courtyard with Katara, at least that's where we left them," Azula commented, surprised at how easy it had been to connect with her mother.
Hakoda smacked his head with his palm then ran his hand down his face in exasperation, "Please tell me those two didn't…."
"What can I say, we water tribe really enjoy our fire benders," Sokka's comment was rewarded with Azula's elbow to the stomach.
"Or the fire benders just didn't have any better options," she smirked, laughing out loud as Sokka pulled her into his arms.
The other three continued on the path, laughing lightly. With his lips, Sokka silenced Azula's laughter.
This is what I've been waiting for.
But it ended too soon for Azula's taste. Taking a deep breath she conceded, "Okay…maybe the water tribe has some skills."
"Damn right! Now let's go watch my dad freak out over Katara and Zuko!" Grabbing Azula's hand they ran off to catch up with the others.
Some skill indeed.
Zuko dug into his chicken duck as Azula and Sokka walked off together. His head was pounding from the training and all he wanted to eat cuddle up with Katara and sleep it off.
"You know, I really don't know how that's going to work out. I mean, they're so…opposite," Katara said quietly beside him.
Shrugging Zuko replied, "Maybe that's why they'll make it work. Sokka adds humor where Azula lacks it, and Azula adds some control which Sokka is limited on."
Swallowing another bite he continued, "She was laughing and no one was getting hurt. That's pretty rare."
"Well yeah but she was laughing at someone being horrified. That's not exactly funny."
Sighing Zuko set his plate down, "I wanted to laugh at his expression. Sokka is growing from her too. He's been taking on more of a leadership, less of a goof ball. It'll work out. And if it doesn't…well they live on opposite sides of the world. Not like they'll have to see each other every day."
Zuko looked towards Katara as she turned her head away from him.
"Opposite sides of the world…like us?"
Zuko took Katara's hands, "we'll figure this out Katara. Once the war is over and balance brought back to the world, we'll have only us to think about. And we will make it work; I refuse not to let it."
He kissed her deeply, relief coursing through him when she put her arms around his neck to pull him closer. As she moved to straddle him, his head hit the well he had been leaning against, bringing his headache back into focus.
"Ouch!"
"Are you alright? You didn't hit it that hard did you?"
Closing his eyes and pinching his nose Zuko replied, "No no I didn't. I just have this massive headache from the training. It was going away but now it's…."
Even as he spoke, his headache started to slowly dissipate. Opening his eyes his cock jumped at finding his view full of Katara's breast softly lit by a familiar blue light.
"How does that feel?"
Zuko looked up towards her face, smiling gently.
"It's gone. Thank you Katara," Zuko pulled her slowly down on his lap. He captured her lips kissing her deeply, touched that she would heal him without even being asked.
Beautiful giving Katara.
"What the hell is going on here?!" A deep male's voice yelled out.
Zuko saw stars as his head shot back against the wall in surprise.
"Dad! You're back!" Without a second thought to his state, Katara jumped off Zuko and ran to Hakoda.
Shit…Zuko closed his eyes. This wasn't going to be good.
"Are you okay? Where have you been? What happened? Who's she? Uncle Iroh you're here too?"
Zuko's head shot up at his uncle's name, than inhaled deeply at the person standing next to him.
"Mother?" Zuko shot to his feet, walking slowly towards the woman as if in a dream. He hadn't seen his mother in so many years.
"Zuko, look at you. What a handsome man you've become."
"Mother," without a second hesitation Zuko ran into his mother's open arms. They felt just the same as they did years ago. Comforting, safe, loving.
"Mother…how…when…where?" Zuko pulled back, tears starting to stream silently down his cheeks. He noticed that very little had changed about his mother.
"That's all for later. For now we need to focus on defeating your father," Ursa ran her hands up and down Zuko's arms, "Look how tall you've gotten. I'm so proud of you Zuko. So very proud."
Zuko pulled away slowly, looking down in shame. "You shouldn't be Mother. I've made so many mistakes. Done so many terrible things…Uncle…I've hurt you and I'm soo soo –"Zuko was cut off as Iroh grabbed him into one of his bear hugs.
"No Zuko, we are proud of you. You've taken your own path, and have found your way! Do not be ashamed. Look at where we are, what we are doing," Iroh pulled Zuko back looking him straight in the eyes. "You are the master of your destiny. And I am so very proud."
"As touching as this is, shouldn't we be discussing what Katara was doing when we showed up?" Sokka's voice broke into the silence.
"I mean really, to be caught in such a state. Shouldn't we be more shocked?" Azula tapped on. Zuko looked towards the smirking pair, vowing vengeance.
"Yes because you two weren't in any kind of shocking state when we first arrived either," Iroh's stern voice broke in.
"Well least I wasn't sitting in his lap," Zuko heard Azula mutter.
Zuko looked towards Hakoda, "Sir. Know that I never took advantage of Katara during this…the…um comet. And it's not just a one night…or week type…thing. Umm.." Shit shit shit…
"Dad, I took advantage of Zuko. Stop glaring at him like that. I'm a grown woman and can make my own decisions." Zuko felt his jaw drop at Katara's matter of fact tone. When she wrapped her arms around him, he immediately put his around her. It was the truth after all.
He turned towards Hakoda, not quite knowing what to say, when Hakoda sighed.
"I leave you alone for a couple of days and you both find yourself in relationships with fire benders…great. Just great."
"Well sir, you have an amazing daughter. It would be difficult not to fall for her," Zuko spoke up, pulling Katara closer, knowing that he was falling and falling fast.
But what would happen after the war?
Woot woot! Two new chapters. More to come. Again give me like a week…please…