Author's Note: Get ready for an emotional rollercoaster. And a lemon. Can't forget the lemon.


Chapter 12: Anger (Part 2)

Kiyi was perched on Azula's bed like a kitten waiting to be fed when the princess woke up. "Good morning, Azzie!"

"Good morning, Kiyi." Azula rubbed her eyes, unsure of why her little sister was in her room so early in the morning. "Is everything okay? I'm used to being the first one awake."

"I'm worried about Zuzu," the little firebender frowned. "He has dark bags under his eyes. And he's not acting like himself."

"How so?"

"Like last night, we were playing Pai Sho. He made a bad move and got so angry, he flipped the board and stormed out. He's usually so patient… do you know what's wrong with him?"

Azula couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. "Am I responsible for this?" she wondered. "Sorry, Kiyi. I'm not sure."

"But you can figure it out, right? If anyone can, it's you!"

"Don't you fret. I'll get to the bottom of this," the princess smiled. "How about we get some breakfast?"

"I already ate! But Mommy is at the table waiting for you. She wants to talk to you. Alone."

Anxiety and hopefulness pooled within Azula's stomach. "Mother… wants to have breakfast with me?"

Kiyi nodded. "Mommy says I have to play inside today. Zuzu hired some earthbenders and waterbenders to build a hot spring by the turtle-duck pond!"

"He did? He never consulted me about this," she scowled. "As if he needs more places to hook up with desperate women…"

"Well I think it's a great idea! I can't wait to try it out!"

"Make sure you firebend the water until it boils before use. You never know what kinds of… germs… it can harbor."

"Okay, Azzie!" She hopped down from the princess's bed. "I'm gonna go wake up Daddy. See ya!" She skipped out of the room.

Fresh-faced and pajama-clad Azula got out of bed, brushed her teeth in the bathroom, and then headed to the dining room, where her mother was indeed waiting for her.

"Good morning, Azula," Ursa smiled.

"Hello, Mother." Despite having been home for several months, Azula and her mother were still not quite comfortable around each other.

"I'm delighted you could join me this morning."

"Yes, well you're usually not up early enough to catch me. By the time the rest of the family is ready for breakfast, I'm already out for my morning run." She took a seat across from Ursa.

"You've always risen with the sun, my dear. The rest of us… we like to sleep in a little." She laughed nervously.

A couple of servants brought out some plates along with ham, eggs, and black tea, and set them down on the table.

"So… what exactly would you like to discuss?" Azula served herself some ham and eggs.

"Well, I just thought we hadn't really had a chance to spend much time together since you've returned…"

The princess was skeptical. The most her mother had previously tried to connect with her was asking about University.

"… and well, I suppose this is a bit uncomfortable, but I've heard some troubling news regarding Zuko."

"Oh sweet Spirits! Does she know we're fucking?! I didn't think anyone would be crass enough to tell her." She felt sick. Not because she cared about her mother finding out, in fact, she often daydreamed about her mother walking in on one of their transgressions. But if Ursa found out this early in the game, she could put a serious damper on Azula's long-term plans.

Ursa continued, "He's been having nightmares. You spend the most time with him – did something happen to possibly trigger these bad dreams?"

"And there it is. She still doesn't care about me – only Zuko. Always Zuko." Azula picked at her eggs with her chopsticks, trying to keep calm. "Yes, I've heard about the nightmares. I comforted him a few nights ago but was unaware he was still suffering."

"He's been incredibly short-tempered lately, probably due to lack of quality sleep, and…"

"No need to thank me for taking care of him or anything…"

"… I think he's been hallucinating."

Azula raised an eyebrow.

"Last night, he walked into Noren's and my bedroom thinking it was his. He got confused and belligerent when I corrected him, insisting that we were playing a cruel joke on him. The poor thing. Do you think his role as Fire Lord has him overextended?"

"Considering I've been doing almost all of his work for him, I highly doubt – "

"That must be it," she interrupted without listening to her daughter. "All the stress is getting to him."

"I need to get out of here." The princess scarfed down the rest of her food. "Well, if that's all you wanted to talk about, then I think it's about time for my run." She stood from the table. "Don't worry about your precious Zuko. I know just how to help him unwind," she smirked. "Good day, Mother." And with that, she left the dining room.

Ursa hardly noticed her daughter's absence. "Poor Zuko…"


"Zuko, a letter just came in for you. Zuko?" Suki stepped into the Fire Lord's office to find that he had dozed off on his desk. "Lazy jerk," she muttered under her breath, setting down the letter in front of him.

His eyes fluttered open while Suki was dropping off the letter. "Azula," he growled, firmly grabbing Suki's wrist.

"Zuko, stop. It's me, Suki."

He released his grip.

"What's wrong with you?" she scorned, massaging her wrist.

"I'm sorry… I don't know." He paused. "Where am I?"

"Are you serious?" She sighed, genuinely concerned. "You're in your study. You fell asleep."

He blinked a few times.

"Your hot spring is almost finished being built. Maybe soaking in it will do you some good." She gave him a half-smile. "Oh and you've received a letter."

"Thanks, Suki. Sorry I hurt you."

"No damage done, Zuko. Just… try to feel better, okay?"

He nodded.

Suki exited his office and rushed to find Ty Lee and Azula to figure out a plan to help the Fire Lord.

Meanwhile, Zuko opened the letter. Written in frilly, perfect penmanship was a note from a "secret admirer". It read, "Dear Fire Lord Zuko, I am a loyal Fire Nation citizen and would like to serve my Fire Lord in any way possible. I would be honored if you would meet me tonight. I'll be waiting directly outside the outer Palace wall. If I've failed to make myself clear, I would do anything to serve you. Love, Your secret admirer." Zuko groaned and tossed the letter aside. "Nice try, Azula, but do you seriously think I'm dumb enough to fall for this?" He hemmed and hawed at his desk. "Guess I'm going to have to teach you another lesson, dear sister."


Later that night, Suki, Ty Lee, and Azula decided to take a leisurely stroll along the wall encircling the estate to discuss Zuko's wellbeing.

"So let me get this straight… Zuko's been having nightmares for over a week now?"

"That or he's not sleeping at all," Ty Lee informed. "Sometimes he wanders the halls in the middle of the night whispering to himself. It's… frightening."

"Has there been some kind of change to his lifestyle about which I don't know?" asked the princess.

The girls shook their heads in unison.

Azula looked down at her feet. "Do you… think this is my fault? Did I do this to him?"

They looked at each other and sighed.

"I think it's a good possibility," Suki relayed.

"I don't know," Ty Lee said doubtfully. "You and Zuko have been going at each other for several months now. And his change of temperament is fairly recent. Why would this start now?"

"Maybe it's because he's finally realized that he's into it," Suki thought with resentment and disgust.

All of a sudden, Azula froze in place. "Shhhh, do you hear that?"

The girls could make out what sounded like a woman screaming in agony and immediately sprinted toward the action.


Minutes earlier…

"I'm so pleased you were willing to meet with me tonight, your highness," the young lady smiled flirtatiously.

"Her makeup is very convincing. Ty Lee did a great job. She doesn't look a thing like Azula," Zuko thought. "Tonight is your lucky night. I just had this hot spring built today – would you like to be the first to test the waters?"

"I'd be honored! But… I didn't think to bring a swimsuit," she blushed.

"That's okay – I'm not wearing one either," he grinned, removing his shirt. "But somehow, I think there are ways to get around this problem. Wouldn't you agree?" He stripped down to his underwear and stepped into the hot spring.

She ogled him up and down. "Yes, my Lord," she leered, unbuttoning her blouse. She stripped down to her breast bindings and light pink panties and followed him in. The heat from the hot water easily combatted the brisk, cold air. "Ahhh, this is exquisite."

"Indeed." He inched himself closer to her to study her face and body more closely. "How did the girls pull this off?!" Frustration and wrath coursed through his veins as he struggled to figure it out. But tonight, he had no patience for this type of shenanigans. "So tell me… why would you have your friend do your makeup in a way to make you less attractive?"

Her eyes filled with hurt. "Ex – excuse me?"

"Don't play innocent with me, Azula. I know it's you."

"Your sister? Why would I be – "

"I'M NOT STUPID!" he screamed, making the girl flinch.

"Please, your highness, I'm not – "

He grabbed her hair at the top of her head and began to pull.

"STOP IT! STOP IT PLEASE!"

"WHY WON'T THIS DAMN WIG COME OFF?!" He continued to pull.

"AAAAAAH AAAAAAAAAAH SOMEONE HELP!" she wailed with tears streaming down her face.

"Goodness!" Suki shouted while Ty Lee gasped in horror.

"Spirits, what have I done?" Azula wondered as she ran over to her brother. "Zuko! Let go of her! LET GO!"

He looked into his sister's vexed yellow eyes and then back at the girl. "Oh fuck." He let go.

The girl ran out crying.

The princess had never seen her brother look so unhinged – he was like a rabid animal ready to attack. "Suki, Ty Lee, take care of her. I've got Zuko."

They nodded. On their way out, they offered the frazzled woman excuses for Zuko's behavior, but nothing seemed to console her.

Azula walked behind her brother and wrapped her arms around his hyperventilating chest, resting her head on his head. "Breathe, Zuko. Nice and easy."

But he was too panicked and shocked to calm down.

"Okay, let's try breathing together. Inhale slowly. One… two… three… four." She felt his chest rise. "Good. Hold that. One… two… three… four. Now exhale slowly. One… two… three… four." She felt his heartrate begin to slow down. "You're doing great. Now hold that. One… two… three… four."

"Azula… I'm so sorry. I – I don't know what came over me."

"It's okay. She'll be fine. You're okay."

"No. I'm not. Something's wrong with me. Something's not right."

"I know, brother, I know. We're going to figure this out – "

"I thought she was you. I… I wanted to hurt you."

"Zuko," she whispered, hugging him tighter. "I'm so sorry. I… I'm done messing with you. I won't pull any tricks again. You have my word. I never meant for any of this to happen." To her surprise, his body language only conveyed more despair. "If… if you want to hurt me, you have every right. I won't fight back."

"Az," he exhaled. "I don't want to hurt you. I did… sometimes I do, but… UGH! What the fuck is wrong with me?!" He reached up and grabbed her hands. "I can't believe I'm saying this but… I… I don't want you to stop."

Her heart stopped beating for a moment. "You – you don't?"

"No." He chuckled. "I must seriously be ill."

She blushed. "Hey, why don't we talk about this later? Let's get you inside. You need to get a good night's rest. How about I draw you a bath?" She helped him out of the hot spring.

"Yeah sure. That sounds lovely," he affirmed as they started to walk back into the Palace. "So… where did you learn that breathing thing?"

"It's called square breathing. It's supposed to be good for anxiety," she explained. "Shyu taught me during his meditation class. It's surprisingly worthwhile…"

"Azula… do you have anxiety?"

She smiled and changed the subject. "Hey, why don't you have a seat on your bed while I prepare your bath?"

He nodded and then fell face down onto his bed, closing his eyes and trying to forget about how he just beat up a random girl.


"All ready!" Azula announced, attempting to pull her brother off the bed by his arm.

The scent of lavender and vanilla flooded his senses as he stepped into the bathroom. He dipped his toes into the tub to test the temperature. It was steamy and hot, just how he liked it.

"You, uh, may want to remove your underwear," Azula suggested.

"Heh, well, I suppose it's nothing you haven't seen before." He began to take off his underwear, which were still wet from the hot spring.

"I'll go get you a robe." She started for the door.

"Wait. Don't go."

"I'm coming right back. Don't worry." She fetched him a robe and, as promised, returned to the bathroom to hang it up. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"You could give me some company," he grinned, shifting his weight to accommodate her.

"Zuko," she laughed. "This is supposed to relax you, not excite you."

"Oh come on. We'll just sit here."

She looked at him with a healthy dose of skepticism.

"We used to bathe together all the time as children – "

"I wonder what's different now?" she asked sarcastically.

"Fine," he grumbled. "Guess I'll just enjoy the tranquility all by myself." He let his head rest against the back wall. "But there's soooooo much extra room…"

The tub was starting to look rather serene. "Well… I suppose I could use some relaxation myself." She turned her back toward him as she shed her clothes.

His eyes were glued to her lithe form as she stripped. Her beauty was truly unrivaled.

She turned around and dipped one foot in the tub, but then she recoiled. "Really, Zuko? You're already hard."

"Just ignore it," he smirked. "If you can that is. I know it's monstrous."

She rolled her eyes and stepped in. Then she submerged herself, resting with her back against Zuko's chest. "Ahhhh," she exhaled. "You were right, brother. This is quite tranquil." She closed her eyes. "Despite your erection poking me in the back…"

It didn't take long for him to wrap his arms around her waist and pull her close.

"Zuko…" she groused as she felt his hands wander up her chest.

He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. Then he began to leave a trail of hungry, sloppy kisses down her jawline.

Her heartrate picked up. "I thought you said we were just going to sit here…"

"But then I thought…" He kissed her neck. "If you really wanted to help me relax…" He kissed her shoulder. "There's a better way to do that." He licked her shoulder up her neck to behind her ear, causing her to shudder with pleasure.

"I suppose you have a valid point," she smirked impishly. Then she turned her upper half around and brought her lips to meet his.

He kissed her back, this time forcing his tongue into her mouth, grabbing her hips and turning them around so she'd have to straddle him.

She placed her hands on his cheeks as their tongues danced inside each other's mouths. As they kissed, it felt like the temperature of the bath was defying the laws of thermodynamics and actually increasing. Finally, she pulled back, placing her cheek next to his. "Y – you haven't been feeling well. This is such a bad idea," she whispered into his ear.

"I don't care." He kissed her neck, licking and sucking on her flawless pale skin.

"Ohhhhh," she moaned, thrusting her hips forward against his erection.

Still sucking on her neck, his hands crept up to her chest, where they groped each soft breast, pinching and pulling her erect nipples between his index and middle fingers.

She inched herself forward and pushed down on his shoulders to prop herself up, sitting up such that her breasts were level with his eyes.

He buried his face in those delightful mounds, smooshing them to both sides of his cheeks and running his tongue voraciously along her cleavage.

She gasped with delight as she felt him take one of her breasts into his hot mouth and start to suck.

As he traded off between right and left breasts, he couldn't control his urge to jerk himself. He stroked himself up and down, up and down, pushing his length into his hand and gently grazing his teeth over his sister's nipples.

But feeling as guilty as she was for potentially causing her brother such grief, she was not going to allow him to touch himself. To make it up to him, she knew she had to take matters into her own hands. She submerged back into the water, straddling his lap and taking his erect member into her dominant hand. "Just relax and let me do all the work, big brother," she purred, pumping him slowly and teasingly.

"It's like you can read my mind," he grinned, letting his head fall back and rest against the rim of the tub.

"Let's hope not. Your troubled mind may be a scarier place than mine," she joked, stroking him faster.

He groaned and thrust himself into her skilled hand. "Azzzz, more. I need more."

She had enough experience under her belt to understand that water did not make for the best lubricant, so this comment didn't come as a surprise. Again, she inched herself forward, allowing his thick cock to brush between her wet folds.

"Ohhhhh yeah," he moaned. "So good." The more he rubbed himself against her, the wetter she became.

And the more she slid herself up and down his length, the more she could feel his need grow. As soon as he started whimpering and biting down on his lip, she lowered herself down onto him, undulating her hips as she rode him.

He grabbed her waist and let his eyes flutter open to watch her breasts rise and fall with every blissful wave. Then he moved one hand to her front to stroke her clit with his middle finger, causing her movements and breathing to become irregular. But to his surprise, she moved his hand back to her hip.

"This is all about you feeling better," she growled seductively. "I want you to use me."

His face flushed as his heart leapt. "You. Are. Something. Else," he grunted, tightening his grip on her waist.

She felt his fingers dig into her skin as he picked her up and slammed her down onto his length again and again. "Zukoooo," she exhaled, beginning to regret her decision to put his pleasure before hers. She really wanted to cum all over him, and his intensified thrusts only made her want him more.

His heart was pounding as hard as he was nailing her, which was enough to send water flying out of the tub, onto the floor, and fill the entire bathroom up with steam. Her slick, tight heat sliding up and down his erection was almost too euphoric. "Oh Azzz, ohhhh fuck," he panted with his imminent release.

Feeling he was about to burst, she tightened her core even further to intensify his pleasure. "Yesssss Zuko! Cum for me, brother," she cried.

He slammed her up and down a few more times ferociously on his cock and erupted inside of her. "Azulaaaa," he breathed, relaxing deeper into the tub.

"That was hot," she sighed, trying to catch her breath. "Literally. More than half the water has either spilled out or evaporated." She pulled herself off of him, cleaned herself up a bit, and then stepped out of the tub to dry herself off.

"Heh, yeah," he chuckled, wiping sweat from his forehead. He was immobilized in the tub and had no intention of leaving.

"Zuko, you can't fall asleep in there." She reached down and grabbed his arm, yanking him in vain. "Come on. Get up."

"Nooo, don't move me," he griped.

"Stop being a baby." She continued pulling on his arm. "Let's get you ready for bed."

"Fiiiiiine," he grumbled, reluctantly stepping out of the tub.

She wrapped a towel around him, dried him off, and helped him get into his bathrobe. "Shall I tuck you in?" she inquired mockingly.

"Tea first, then bed," he smiled, putting his arm around her shoulder.

She laced her arm around his waist. "Iroh has really rubbed off on you."


When the pair arrived at the dining room, Azula pulled out a chair and ordered her brother to sit down while she heated some water. "What kind of tea would you like?" she yelled from the kitchen.

"Cinnamon apple, please. My favorite."

"You're hilarious. What do you really want?"

"Why is that funny?"

Suddenly, the princess was struck with a revelation. She ran back into the dining room. "Are you telling me that you've been having cinnamon apple tea before bed?"

"Yeah…"

"For how long?!"

"I don't know… about two weeks?"

She smacked him lightly on the back of his head. "When your nightmares began?"

He looked at her, panicked. "It's… it's the tea?! I'm not crazy?!"

"Apples can cause vivid nightmares. Didn't you work in Uncle's tea shop? You should have known better!" she derided.

But all he could say was, "I'm not crazy! I'm not crazy!" He stood and picked his sister up, spinning her around in triumph.

"Shhhh, you're going to wake the whole damn Palace," she laughed.

He placed her back down on her feet. "I'm just so relieved."

"Me too," she smiled, her guilt finally abating. "It wasn't my fault after all." She headed back to the kitchen. "I'm going to make you my special sleepy-time tea." When she came back out, she was carrying two mugs of chamomile tea with a splash of Valerian root. She set one down in front of him.

"Ugh! This smells worse than Toph's feet!"

"It tastes better than it smells, trust me. Drink this and you'll be asleep within a half hour."

"Is this what you drink?" He took a sip. Azula was right – it tasted better than it smelled.

"Sometimes."

"Do you have trouble sleeping?"

She looked down at the kitchen table and shrugged.

"Az... you can talk to me you know."

She sighed. "I… I used to sleep so soundly… in a luxurious bed that I didn't have to nor want to share with anyone… but then Sokka and I started having… sleepovers, and now… it seems I can only sleep peacefully in his arms." She shook her head and laughed under her breath. "Pathetic, I know."

"No, that's not – "

She continued, "And then I think about all the other girls who get to fall asleep in his arms, and it makes me sick, and a bit bloodthirsty, and then I eventually doze off thinking about whether or not he thinks about me at all."

"Azula…"

"I guess I'm really not cut out for relationships. Oh well." She downed a good portion of her tea, which was still steaming hot.

"I'm sure he thinks about you. He'd be crazy not to."

"You're just saying that."

"No. I'm not." He took her hand in his.

"Zuzu…" She blushed.

But then he yawned, completely disrupting the touching moment. "This tea is seriously knocking me out," he chuckled.

She smiled. "Then let's get you to bed."


The princess tucked the Fire Lord into his bed, pulling his covers snugly around him. "Well, good night," she whispered. "Sleep well, okay?"

"Y – you can stay you know," he choked. "If you want to that is..."

"I thought you didn't like to share your bed," she teased, gazing at him affectionately.

"Just get in. Before I change my mind."

She crawled under the covers, lying down next to him but not touching him.

He rolled over to face her. "Hey Azula… why have you been taking care of me?"

She turned to her side, locking eyes with him. "Because you're my brother, Dum-Dum."

"Well you've just never really struck me as the nurturing type."

"I'm not." She rolled her eyes. "And how exactly do I strike you?"

"Usually with lightning. Sometimes with your hands," he joked.

"Ugh. I was just worried about you, okay? Can't I take care of my own brother without scrutiny?"

"Of course," he laughed, inching closer to her. He placed his hand on her lower thigh. "Can I take care of you now?"

She trembled as he his hand crept higher up her thigh. "If you insist," she breathed.

"I do," he grinned, sliding his hand up her robe and down her underpants.

She closed her eyes and bucked her hips toward his hand as he stroked her warmth with his fingers.

He nuzzled his head into her neck, delivering sweet kisses and the occasional lick. He knew just how to drive her crazy. "Does this feel good?"

"Yesssss, so good," she moaned.

"Do you want more?" He stroked her faster.

"Yes, Spirits, yes." She clutched his sheets, gripping so tightly her knuckles blanched.

He slid two fingers into her, using his palm to rub her most sensitive area.

"Ahhh ahhh like that." She repeatedly thrust her hips against his hand, already close to orgasm as she had been close to cumming before in the bathtub.

He pushed and pulled his fingers in and out of her, finger fucking her unbelievably hard and fast.

She felt his breathing grow heavy on her neck. And then she felt him slow down his pace. "Zuko, no, don't tease me. Don't do this to me." But he didn't pick up the tempo, in fact, he got even slower and eventually ceased his ministrations altogether. "Zukoooo," she groaned in distress. "Zuko?" She opened her eyes to find he was fast asleep. "Selfish asshole," she muttered. For a second, she considered using his hand to finish anyway, but ultimately, she decided to go back to her room and finish herself. She removed his hand from inside of her and got out of his bed, looking down at him sleeping so soundly. "You're going to be sorry you did this to me, brother." Then she kissed the top of his forehead and headed to her own bed. Still incredibly turned on, she rubbed herself to climax as thoughts of both Sokka and Zuko crossed her mind. But in the end, it was her brother's name that escaped her lips as she came. Finally satisfied, she turned to her side, becoming face-to-face with her stuffed fire ferret who had witnessed the whole thing. She glared at it. "Don't judge me."


Author's Notes:

(1) My writer's block for Chapter 13 is officially over.

(2) I realized that I have written a lemon in chapters 8-12, and you can also expect one in chapters 13 and 14 : )

(3) Chapter 14 will be another Sokkla chapter!