Loyalty

"Jet," Sokka said with a commanding tone, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder as he followed him down the hallway.

"Hm?"

Azula came up to Jet's other side, linking arms with him so he'd have nowhere to run. "We need to talk."

"Am I in trouble?" Jet asked uneasily.

"You tell me." Azula led them into Jet's room, slamming the door shut behind them.

"What did I do this time?" he chuckled.

Azula crossed her arms. "Did you hook up with Sokka last night?"

"If by 'hook up' you mean unreciprocated hand stuff, then yeah…"

"And then did you and Azula kiss right afterward?" Sokka questioned.

"Well that wasn't the intent when I went to her room, but yeah, that happened."

"And what exactly was your intent?"

Jet shrugged. "I just wanted to introduce myself before it got too late. I thought it was the polite thing to do since we were going to be spending some time together. The kiss was just an added bonus."

Azula fought a smile, but she couldn't hide the flushing of her cheeks.

Sokka frowned.

"I'm getting the impression you think I did something wrong… what would that be exactly?" Jet continued.

"You don't think it was, I don't know, misleading to hook up with both of us on the same night?!" Sokka demanded.

"No."

Azula and Sokka shared a look and then glared back at Jet.

"We're all single here. None of us are in committed relationships, right?"

"Right…" Sokka answered while Azula narrowed her eyes.

"So what's the big deal? Is it my fault I find you both very attractive?"

"N-No, but who's to say there weren't others?" Azula questioned.

"There weren't, I swear! It was just you two. And it's not like I planned on any of that happening. Look…" Jet sighed. "I like you both, and I'd like to get to know both of you better. It's just human nature to be attracted to more than one person at the same time, isn't it?" He smirked. "I mean, Azula, don't you find Sokka attractive? I mean, come on, look at him."

Flustered, Azula stole a quick glance at Sokka. "I, well, um – "

"And Sokka, I know you're not really into girls, but you can't deny Azula's beauty, can you?"

"Yes, she's very beautiful," Sokka muttered.

"See? So can you really blame me? Besides…" Jet took a step closer, placing an arm around each of them. "…I was kinda hoping the three of us could get together sometime…"

Azula and Sokka exchanged panicked looks, both red in the face while trying to read the other's mind.

"I mean I-I guess, that's something to, um, well you see, I don't know – " Sokka stuttered.

"N-No. I don't think that's a good idea," Azula whispered, her mind spinning.

"Yeah, y-you're right. We can't do that," Sokka reluctantly agreed.

"Aw, that's a shame," Jet purred. "The way you two kept looking at each other at brunch, I thought this was a sure thing."

"W-What?! We weren't looking at each other!" Azula denied.

"Yeah, what are you talking about?" Sokka asked, exasperated.

"You guys just have some sort of strange… energy or something," Jet laughed. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you two already hooked up."

Azula and Sokka laughed nervously.

"Anyway, I can't say I'm not disappointed, but I'm not here to make anyone feel uncomfortable. I like you both, I'm pretty sure I've made that clear, and I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. So… if you're still interested in me, I hate to say it but you're gonna have to choose between yourselves."

"You're joking, right?" Sokka asked derisively, knowing full-well Jet was loving this attention.

"I'm afraid not. Seems like the only fair way to move forward."

"Let me tell you something, Azula and I are not going to – "

"Make a decision right now," Azula cut in. "Sokka and I need to discuss. Right, Sokka?"

Sokka exhaled sharply through his nose. "Fine."

And with that, Azula and Sokka went to Sokka's room to carry on their conversation.

The door was not even fully shut before Azula spoke up. "So, obviously I get to keep seeing Jet, right? We're in agreement?"

"What?! No, I don't agree to that!" Sokka disputed. "I was gonna say that neither of us should get him."

"Hm." Azula cocked her head to the side. "Well that seems like a lose-lose situation to me. Actually, it's more of a lose-lose-lose situation because Jet would be missing out too."

"Okay, well if that's how you want to play it, then I think I should get Jet."

"And why's that?" she challenged.

"Because he was my first crush. My gay awakening, my agaykening if you will."

Azula rolled her eyes.

"It would be romantic, wouldn't it? Like everything came back full circle. Besides… I kinda owe him one…"

"Handjobs aside… I think I'm the more deserving party here."

"Why? Because you're the girl? Because if that's the case, then that's pretty – "

"No, you idiot. Get off your high horse," she scoffed. "I think I deserve Jet because… these opportunities are few and far between for me." She grew pensive. "Boys don't… typically like me."

"Azula…"

"I've never had a real boyfriend before… and you've already had like a million so – "

"One-night stands," he interjected. "Not boyfriends. And not a million!"

"The point still stands."

He sighed. "I guess I can understand that. But Zuko would never allow it."

"What makes you say that?"

"Ehhh…" He froze for a moment, thinking of how Zuko had forbade him from potentially starting something up with Azula. "Just older sibling intuition."

She eyed him with suspicion.

"Well… it seems we're at an impasse, milady."

"Yes, it appears so…"

"So what do we do now?" he asked.

"Let's… sleep on it. Maybe we'll have some more clarity in the morning."

"But it's only like mid-afternoon…"

"Well I didn't say we had to sleep on it this very second, ugh! You're infuriating sometimes, you know that?"

"So I've been told."

"I'm going to go train for a bit," she muttered, turning toward the door.

"Azula, wait." He gently grabbed her arm, turning her back toward him.

"What?"

Slowly he reached for her face, trailing his fingers through her hair.

She swallowed, her heart racing in her chest.

"You had something in your hair." He pulled back his arm and flicked something onto the floor. "It was just a fuzzie."

"Ugh." Azula crossed to leave his room.

"You're welcome!"

Sokka had only been sulking on the edge of his bed for about five minutes before his door was unexpectedly thrown open.

"There you are, Snoozles!"

"Oh, hey Toph."

"See, I told you he was hiding from us," she said to Aang and Katara, who followed in after her.

"I wasn't hiding!"

"We were just about to go for a walk in the royal gardens," Aang said. "Do you want to come with us?"

"I don't know…"

"Sokka, why have you been acting so strange?" Katara asked, concerned.

"W-What?! I haven't!"

"Yes, you have. At the ball you were acting all aloof and grumpy up until you did a complete switch out of nowhere and then danced like a maniac. And you and Azula were acting weird at brunch, like you're hiding something."

"He is hiding something," Toph sneered. "I can feel it. He's sweating bullets."

"I, uhhhh, well…"

"What's going on, Sokka?" the waterbender questioned.

"You can talk to us." Aang looked worried. "About anything."

"Fiiiiine, I'll tell you," Sokka groaned. "But let's go outside first. Away from prying ears."

The four stepped out into the sunshine, making their way over to the royal gardens.

Sokka took a quick look around to make sure they were alone.

Aang was first to break the ice. "So, what's going on?"

"I, ummm, I seem to have gotten myself into quite the pickle." Sokka scowled.

"What did you do this time?" Katara asked with a know-it-all tone.

"I can't wait to hear this!" Toph grinned.

"Well you know how I've been serving as Azula's bodyguard?"

Katara scoffed. "Yeah, that must be a nightmare."

Sokka ignored her. "Well… we've actually gotten quite close."

"That's great!" Aang smiled. "Azula sure could use a friend like you."

"Yeah… that's, uh, true." Sokka swallowed. "But the thing is… we sort of did something that crossed the friendship line."

"Oh no, Sokka, you didn't!" Toph was beaming, rejoicing in the chaos about to ensue.

Katara clenched her jaw, her blue eyes nearly bulging out of her head.

"Yeah, we may have hooked up. Please don't hate me!"

"Busted!" Toph cheered.

Aang looked confused. "But… I thought you were – "

"YOU IDIOT!" Katara shouted, smacking his arm. "YOU COLOSSAL IDIOT!"

"Why is everyone calling me that today?!" Sokka cried.

"Because sometimes you act like one. Sokka, how could you do this?! With her of all people?! After everything she's done! Don't you remember what she did to Aang?!"

"Of course I do! But…" Sokka shrugged. "She's changed – "

"And how could you do this to Suki?!" Katara continued, shaking her head with anger. "If she found out…"

"She already knows."

Katara stared at him, dumbfounded.

"Azula told Ty Lee. Ty Lee told Suki. I'm actually surprised Suki didn't tell you…"

"I guess someone had the common courtesy not to ruin our visit," Katara muttered.

"Sweetie," Aang comforted, putting his arm around her.

"You've been awfully quiet about this," Katara snapped at her fiancé. "What do you think?"

Aang sighed. "I know this isn't what you want to hear, but… I've forgiven Azula. And I think it's about time you do too."

"Are you serious?!"

"I agree with Twinkle Toes," Toph cut in. "Besides, Sokka's a grown-ass man. He's allowed to put his dick in whoever he wants."

Katara looked physically ill.

"W-We didn't go that far!" Sokka added.

"Good," Katara spat. "Don't."

"So what does this mean for you?" Aang asked. "Are you still… gay?"

"I don't know!" Sokka threw his hands up with exasperation. "But it doesn't matter anyway… Azula said she just wanted to be friends."

"Wow! Who'd have thought Azula would be the one to have some common sense," Katara said sardonically.

"Too bad, Snoozles. I think you and the fire princess would make a cute couple."

Katara glared at Toph.

Sokka stopped walking and looked at the ground. "It gets a little more complicated than that…"

"Oh no…" Aang grimaced.

"Oh yes," Toph grinned, rubbing her hands together.

"Last night…" Sokka took a deep breath. "I may have spent some alone time with Jet."

"HAH! This is the gift that keeps on giving!" Toph beamed.

"Spirits, Sokka! Don't you know how to keep it in your pants for two seconds?!" Katara judgmentally chastised. "And why Jet?! He's such an asshole."

"A hot asshole, but yes, an asshole nonetheless." Sokka paused. "As soon as Jet was done with me, apparently he went to Azula's room and kissed her."

Toph burst out cackling.

Katara's face scrunched up. "Ew."

"And now Azula and I are in some sort of standoff over who gets Jet. Ugh, I don't even know how we ended up like this!" Sokka sighed dramatically. "Help me, please. What should I do?!"

"Just keep on making bad decisions!" Toph gave him a playful slap on the back. "Your sexcapades always make me feel way better about myself."

"I think you should follow your heart," Aang advised with a light smile.

Sokka looked over at his sister who had been quiet. "Katara?"

"There's a really easy solution to this." Her features softened as she began to let go of her anger. "Come home with us."

"What?"

"Just… leave. Let Azula and Jet have each other and come spend time with your friends and family. We all miss you – "

"It's true," Aang chimed in. "It's not the same without you."

"And Dad… he could really use your help right now," Katara continued. "Plus you and Suki could work on your friendship and maybe make amends…"

"That would make things a lot less awkward," Aang solemnly noted.

"I… I don't know." Sokka shook his head. "I don't know if I could just leave them."

"If you really care about Jet, or Azula," Katara said under her breath, "then wouldn't you want them to find happiness together?"

Sokka was quiet for a moment. "I guess I never really thought about it like that."

"Well consider it, okay? We're leaving in a couple days."

"Okay." Sokka sighed with relief. "Thanks for letting me get all that off my chest, you guys. I feel a lot better now."

"Aw," Toph pouted. "There goes my entertainment."

"You just thrive on my misery, don't you?"

"You know it!"

"Hey there, beautiful," Jet purred, taking a seat across from Azula in the dining room.

"Jet," she smiled, "to what do I owe the pleasure? You know your guard duties don't start until dusk…"

"I know. I just saw you were finishing up dinner and I thought I'd offer you a little dessert." He smirked.

"You bake?"

"Oh no. I meant I come bearing good news."

"Good news pairs well with chocolate, you know…"

"Duly noted," he laughed. "So… I just talked to Sokka."

Azula raised an eyebrow.

"And he said that you and I would make the better match. He's backing out."

"Oh!" Her brow furrowed with confusion. "Oh…"

"Isn't that great?"

"Yeah, that's… that's excellent news." She smiled, though still unsure why Sokka would admit defeat so easily. "Did Sokka have anything else to say?"

"Oh yeah, something about your friendship meaning a lot to him and he just wants to see you happy, blah, blah, blah, I don't know, I wasn't really listening."

"I see…"

"Hey." Jet looked at her with concern. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I… I just got really lightheaded all of a sudden. Probably overdid it with my training today."

"You should lie down. Let me walk you to your room." He offered her his hand. "Just so you don't pass out or anything."

"Thanks." She let Jet escort her to her bedroom.

"I hope you feel better."

"Thank you, me too."

"Let me know if there's anything I can do to help, okay?"

"Actually… if you happen to see Sokka again… can you let him know I'd like to speak with him?"

"Sure thing, princess." He smiled softly before giving her a kiss on the cheek.

Azula returned the soft smile and closed herself inside. With a sharp exhale, she leaned her back up against the door and let herself slide down to the carpet. Shaking her head, she whispered to herself. "What the fuck?"