Hello everybody. As I promissed I have published some more chapters today. The story is about to reach its end within the next days. I case the question might have moved a readers mind about the placement of this AU, either you can consider a completely different AU starting right after the comics where Zuko would have searched for Ursa without Azula's help and where she has spend years within the institution or you could place this one after the events of The Search and consider Azula has been recaptured soon after her flight within the valley with a followed stay in the asylum for years again. I hope all of you have some fun with the published chapters of today.

When Lessons Fail

Azula watched at the sleeping man at her side. The light of the candles outlined the warm and peaceful look on his face. She could still taste him on her lips, could still feel his strong hands on her sweaty skin. She could smell him and hear their moans and heavy breaths as they have moved together in a passionate rhythm, while her heart has beaten as fast as the one of Sokka.

Now he was sleeping beside her and it seemed a weight has been moved away from his chest. Azula smiled warm at him and dared to brush away a strain of his hair out of his face. Her hand got caught by Sokka's and he placed a gentle kiss at her palm which was sending a shiver down her spine in a most pleasant but also confusing way. His blue eyes were glowing in the dark room with a new found warmth. It was strange and comfortable and at the same time it felt confusing.

Azula turned away from Sokka but the man pulled her closer laying an arm around her shoulder and taking her hand again which he had kissed moments ago.

He showed patience.

A silence offer to talk and Azula chewed on her cheek for some time until she finally decided to speak.

"I lied to you."

Her voice was shaky but she felt Sokka interlocking his fingers with her.

"It wasn't the last lesson. I skipped another one. A shameful one."

A little break followed which Sokka used to place a kiss on her bare shoulder snuggling himself even closer at Azula.

"Or two, it depends on how you like to see it."

The man started to stroke the back of her hand with his thumb. It was a soothing and pleasant tickle. Azula had to admit that she was impressed by his patience. Azula took a deep breath and dared to turn back to Sokka. She could see his tears running down in silence and he carefully brushed her dark hair out of her face. A brushing kiss on her lips send a warm and comforting tingle through her whole body and she returned it with an more passionate one but broke it after a little time with a bitter face.

"You've asked me why I'm thinking I deserve it."

Azula noticed that Sokka was suddenly holding his breath and her eyes wandered back to the covered mirror. Her change of subject only seem to encourage him to hold her close.

"It's simple. Because I'm a monster and a failure."

Her head got turned back from Sokka instantly and a deep kiss was the first answer. She had seen the anger and protest in his face and finally after he ended the kiss Sokka dared to speak up.

"Wrong Azula. You're no monster and no failure."

Azula gave him a bitter smile and cupped his cheek with her hand.

"History would like to disagree at this point. My father…"

Sokka shook his head almost violently as he interrupted Azula.

"Your father has used you, Azula. He has tried to make a monster out of you, but luckily he failed. He may have cared for you, but only as long as he had a use for you. His plans and demands were wrong. He was a failure. He has failed to be a loving father. He…"

Sokka stopped and frowned at Azula, who has started to laugh in bitterness. She gifted Sokka an almost pitied smile.

"You don't see it?"

Sokka's confusion was growing and Azula sighed in resignation while her face darkened.

"Your point of view only outlines my conclusion."

Azula faced the shocked look of the warrior with a shameful face.

"If father was right, then I failed to be strong enough to defend my crown. I failed to defend my Nation before the Avatar and my brother. I failed the expectations he had in me and I failed to fight with honor and dignity for our glorious Nation. I have allowed myself to behave like a wild mad animal and got chained down and thrown away like the feral beast I dared to become in an act of shame and weakness."

She could hear Sokka taking a sob but blocked his hands which tried to pull her into a soothing kiss. Azula wasn't finish yet.

"And if you're right, then I failed to see the lies and the wrongs my father has done. I failed to see the strength in unconditional love, care and compassion, I failed to see the shame my father and my family has brought to the Nation. I failed to show these aspects and failed to stand up against him. I failed to protect my honor, the honor of my family and my Nation. If you're right, then my mother has been so as well. I have only been a monster. Like father."

Her golden eyes locked with Sokka's teary blue ones.

"In both cases I deserve all of this, Sokka."

She could feel his shock radiating from him in hot waves and they were only increasing her shame. Azula was about to turn away again when Sokka pulled her close, kissing her desperately over and over again. The Princess was taken off guard by his sudden desperation and tried to push him back, but the man rested his head on her shoulder while he was stroking her hair.

"But that's not true, Azula."

Azula huffed in bitterness.

"Now you try to sound like mother."

The Firebender's jaw dropped at the angry glare she received from Sokka as he finally released her out of his hold.

"I hope not, cause I don't like her."

The baffled face of Azula managed to bring back his warm smile.

"Your mother. She really tries to do it better this time yes, still I don't like her."

He sighed a bit and sat up in bed facing the end of it.

"Of course not as bad as I don't like your father but still I don't like her."

He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. His voice was much quieter as he continued speaking.

"My parents loved us both, Azula. Katara and I have been lucky to have such good parents. None of them has ever favored one of us and I am sure that none of them would have backed down before the other in a case of mistreatment. But your mother did. She has favored Zuko and hasn't fought for you as she has done for Zuko in my opinion and I do blame her for that."

He turned back to Azula, who was still staring with open moth at Sokka.

"She does blame herself as well but this fact won't change my anger."

He struggled a bit but finally he dared to take her hand again.

"I don't know if things have been easier for you in case she would have fought for you the same way she did for Zuko but I am sure it would have spared you this misery."

Azula felt tears coming to her eyes and she let her fall free this time. Sokka was holding her left hand with both of his ones and the honesty in his look was striking her hard and deep.

It was a warm feeling.

A hopeful one.

It was a fire in this look she has seen at his first visit before she has dared to teach him her lessons.

Azula got closer and started to kiss him. Their tongues started to dance again with more and more passion while she buried her hand in his hair again. She let her hand running to his cheek and pushed his face back a bit to fix this warm shine in his blue eyes.

"You really believe in that, don't you?"

Sokka was smiling so warm at her. It was all she needed to see and it brought a smile to her lips. Azula placed a soft kiss at his nose and hugged him tight to whisper in his ear.

"Thank you."

Her voice fell even quitter as she kept facing the covered mirror.

"I still owe you the last lessons. Sometimes all former lessons will fail. Sometimes you won't be strong enough to handle your faults and your pain."

She could feel his protective grip around her tighten carefully.

"When this happens you have to forget all the lessons for a while and you'll cling at a lie to take a break until you realize again that you should never forget lesson one."

Sokka didn't saw the candelabra coming Azula had grabbed with her other hand. It was an awful dull thump as the metal object hit his head and the warrior's body got limp in Azula's arms.