When Love Hurts

It took another week until Azula noticed the sound of the locks at the door, which was separating the complex from the rest of the institution. She was sure that it had to be linked with Sokka, cause Ching only showed up in a perfect timed schedule. Azula was reading in her new private library and her hand instantly checked the fans at her side. The Firebender has taken care that the fans were always at her side.

She was unsure if it was really Sokka until she recognized his steps in the hall and she released a little sigh but the Princess also noticed her heart beating a bit faster. The man passed the hall and disappeared in her old cell.

The silence was heavy and Azula noticed her blood rushing in her ears.

"AZULA…!"

Hate was in Sokka's voice and she heard him running out of his room. The Firebender returned her focus to the book she was reading. The door of the former cell got ripped open only a moment later and Sokka stormed the room with rage and hate in his face.

"Give them back!"

Azula looked up from her book with a judging annoyed face.

"Manners peasant. We're not in one of your lousy…"

Sokka ripped the book out of her hands faster than she had anticipated his action. It elicited a surprised and angry gasp from Azula. The blue eyes of the man were burning in rage.

"Give. Them. Back."

A dangerous smirk came to Azula's lips as she took one of the fans from her belt and it grew as she noticed the fire in Sokka's eyes running wilder. He was about to rip the fan out of her hand but this time she was faster and jumped off from her chair with an elegant move. She opened the fan and started to wave it, enjoying the cooling movement of the air in an provocative way.

"Oh you're talking about the fans."

Her smile got sinister.

"Sorry, but I thought these were meant to be your parting gift for me. A little piece of kindness for all the good times we had together."

Sokka ripped the table out of the way and the object crashed into a shelf. Azula dodged his attack but this time it was much harder to avoid his grip. Sokka was determent to get the fans and he didn't seem to have second thoughts about hurting her or not. Azula wasn't sure if he had seen a Waterbender or if his anger was pushing the pains aside, but the warrior didn't seem to be limited by his injury anymore. The Firebender was about to retreat towards the hall, but the warrior was faster and a painful strike threw her back. She lost the fan but tried to recover it instantly. Both met each other in the middle of the room, each one with a hand on the fan and a dangerous fire in their eyes. Sokka didn't hesitate to strike against her and this fact really caught Azula off guard. The Princess got thrown back into another shelf and Sokka successfully claimed the fan. He was above her before she got a chance to get up, the sharp edge of the opened fan against her throat.

Shock and surprise about the harsh reaction rushed over her face for a second, but then she started to chuckle. For a moment she had hope it would break Sokka's concentration, but a new cold was in his face which let her laughter die. She scrutinized him as his hands loosened the second fan from her belt and he remained ready to strike as he finally retreated slowly.

"You've learned your lesson well, peasant."

The new respect seem to mock Sokka cause he only huffed a bit while he was retreating towards the door. Her face fell and the Firebender's voice got weak.

"This was the last one I got for you. When someone tries to use your pain against you, strike back harder."

Sokka didn't show any reaction and Azula felt her heart drop. She had expected a little flicker in his eyes, but the look was so cold and distant. Maybe she had miscalculated this time. She was still sitting at the shelf, surrounded by the books and scrolls which have fallen out of it at her impact. Maybe she had to try a different approach. She started to light up a little flame and observed the blue light dancing on her palm.

"They won't bring you peace, Sokka."

He kept retreating. The warrior had almost reach the door and Azula could feel her heart beating faster. Tears started to glitter in her eyes.

"Only pain."

His hand searched for the door.

"Like you said. I deserve all of it."

The Firebender looked up and she could feel the tears running down her cheeks. He looked so ice-cold at her. So unlike the man who has dared to show up down here weeks ago.

"No you don't"

It was a whisper and it only earned a sarcastic huff from Sokka while he pushed the door open.

"You taught me better, Azula. These are only lies."

Azula shook her head.

"I don't think so."

She faced his cold blue with her golden orbs.

"You don't seem to be the one who would kill someone you love."

Sokka stumbled. The pure shock and pain seemed to take away the floor under his feet and he fell on his butt, staring in shock at Azula. He seemed to expect a smirk or victorious smile, but all he was facing was sadness.

"Tell me Sokka."

Her look returned to her flickering flame on her palm.

"Tell me why you think you're responsible, cause I don't get it. The man who showed up here isn't a monster who would hurt persons he loves."

The silence hung heavy between them. Azula refused to face the man again but she could feel her breath being shaky. It was her last chance and with every passing second her worries grew that she has miscalculated to solve the riddle by taking the fans. She may have shoved him over the edge, but might have chosen the wrong one. Maybe he has fallen too deep this time.

"But I do."

His voice was a whisper. Azula dared to look up only to feel her heart cramping. Sokka's look was resting painfully at the fans. Azula suppressed the urge to push him further.

"My love hurts other. My care hurts other."

Tears were running free at him and Azula stood up carefully to walk over to him. She hesitated but finally she took place beside him.

"Sokka, this…"

He looked up and Azula fell quiet. The pain in his face was so intense.

"Mom got killed. I loved her and cared for her and she got killed. Yue died. I fell in love with her and she died. I was ordered to protect her and I failed. She had to sacrifice herself to save the world cause I failed. And Suki…"

His face became a tortured one and he carefully brushed over one of the fans. Azula noticed her chest tightening.

"I love her. She is… she was the love of my life. My fire. We… she got pregnant."

Azula felt her heart cramping and an most uncomfortable twist in her guts. The pain at Sokka's face got more intense.

"Everything seemed to be perfect, but I felt something was wrong. Pregnancy was complicated but Katara and Suki have hidden this fact from me. I felt it but I trusted them. And then…"

He started to sob uncontrollably and closed one hand to a fist around one fan.

"They told me everything was fine. Katara was on a trip with Aang when Suki broke down. Labor has started too early. I tried to help her. I tried to contact Katara, but… but… it was too late."

Azula's eyes shot wide open as she felt Sokka letting himself fall against her. Her mind was blank and she stiffened at the unexpected touch of the man but Sokka clawed himself at her robe and pressed his face against her shoulder.

"They… They died, Azula. My child…Suki…"

He was sobbing hard and pushed her back to face the firebender's shocked look.

"My love killed both, Azula. If I haven't loved her she still could be alive. Again… My care brings only pain, like to you. They have forced you down as I visited you, remember? I…"

He finally noticed the raw shock in her look and stopped crying aloud. Tears were still streaming down his face, but he fell silent. He carefully released her out of his grip and corrected her robe in shame.

"See, every time I care someone gets hurt. And now you."

He took a look around.

"I meant what I told you. I do not apologize for winning, but for ignoring my instinct to help. I care because I wanted to prove myself that I can ease someone's misery. I wanted to prove myself that I can undo a damage, that I can help at least anyone I have let down by ignoring my instincts. But today I see the irony. I only hurt people when I care, Azula."

His hand reached out for hers but stopped halfway. He struggled for a moment but finally decided not to take her hand.

"I am sorry for all the misery, the old one and the new one. I'll leave to keep you safe from me and my care. I've cause enough misery with it."

He stood up slowly taking the fans in one hand and bowed before Azula, who was still staring in shock and confusion at Sokka.

"My deepest apologize for my disturbance Princess Azula. I can assure this won't happen again. Thank you for teaching me how to deal with this pain. I assure you, that you haven't waste your time."

He left the room after a last bow, wiping away his tears in haste. Azula stared at the open doorway for a second… and the next moment she found herself rushing after Sokka.

He has heard her running behind him but he wasn't prepared that she crashed in him as he was turning around. He had no time to wince in pain as he felt her lips at his own. His eyes jumped wide but the Firebender had already buried her hands in his hair pulling him closer. He stumbled back at the wall while Azula placed heated kisses at his lips and cheeks, kissing away the tears with an unknown desperation. He recognized his hands on her cheeks pushing her back a bit staring at her in surprise and confusion. He could feel her hot breath at his face and see this glow in her eyes.

"Azula…? Haven't you listen? I only hurt people I care…"

The Firebender tightened her grip in his hair. Tears were running down her cheeks and her voice hushed whisper.

"You freed me peasant, so I can hurt anyone down here. Including myself."

Sokka's eyes widened even more as he faced the begging fire in Azula's golden ones. She understood his pain.

All of it.

And then he pulled her face closer for an desperate kiss. Sokka could hear his blood rushing through his veins as Azula dared to open her mouth, her tongue searching for Sokka's with a ragged moan. He pulled her even closer, feeling her heart beating fast in her chest as he started to lay kisses along her neck. Hands running along her petit frame as she pressed herself at him as close as possible while her lips started to wander along his face.

And so they dragged each other down the corridor, tangled in each other, while hands and lips kept searching for the heated skin of the other and desperate breaths got mixed with moans and begging whimpers as they tried to feel skin on skin to ease a pain both of them knew all too well.