"How can you be okay with this?" Azula heard the waterbender say. Or rather, scream. The princess had used a secret passage that led to the chamber Zuko's friends were staying at, hiding right behind a secret door in one of the room's walls so she could hear what they would say and try to do now that they knew about the incest, but considering how heated the argument was getting, she could have just stayed in her own room and would probably still be able to hear it without a problem.
"I'm not saying I like this situation, I'm just saying we have to try and see it from Zuko's point of view if we're going to talk to him about it."
"What is there to see? Azula found a new way to manipulate him and have power over the Fire Nation, and Zuko is gladly going along with it because he suddenly thinks being in a relationship with his sister is normal."
"Well, maybe it's normal to them" the Avatar said, making the princess wonder if he did have a brain after all.
"Aang, I know you're accepting of 'other people's culture' and all that, but this is something else entirely."
"That's not what I meant. Look, I'm as afraid for him as you are, but freaking out isn't going to help us at all. Obviously there's something about Azula that made Zuko fall in love with her, and go as far as wanting to marry her, and until we find out what it is, we can't know for sure that this relationship is dangerous, or how to save him from it. And we have to remember who we're talking about here. Zuko made mistakes before he joined us, but he still decided for himself to do the right thing when we all assumed he was a lost cause.
Everything went quiet for a moment.
"You're right" she sounded calmer now "I suppose we have to give him some credit."
"And who knows, maybe Azula did change."
I see why Zuko likes this kid. He is too hopeful for his own good, just like him.
Katara sighed "Fine. But I still don't understand why are you trying so hard to make me give a chance to the girl who killed you."
That makes two of us.
Azula came out from her hiding place, startling both of them.
"You were spying on us?" the waterbender sounded angry, but not at all surprised.
"This my home. I can do as I please... and so can Zuko" the girl understood the barely hidden meaning in Azula's words, making a disgusted face "I suppose it's only polite i thank you both for giving me and Zuko a chance. And I will admit, in your place I'd never trust me" Azula considered joking about still being able to kill the Avatar just to get on Katara's nerves, but she knew that would only make things even more difficult for her brother, so she bit her tongue.
You try to pretend you're still as powerful and fearless as ever, but you won't even speak your mind anymore. Zuko should have just let your insanity destroy you. At least you'd have an excuse to for being so pathetic.
"At least you're not going to act like we have any reason to go along with this" Katara said, looking less angry and more focused "How long have you and Zuko been together?"
"Officially? Only a few days. But our behavior the past months has been pretty questionable, to put it mildly" Azula smirked as she saw both of them cringing in disgust and discomfort. It didn't matter that it wasn't completely truth - they were not having sex then, but had become far too attached to each other for it to be just a normal sibling bond, so it didn't really make a difference when it came to 'morality'.
"Why him?" Aang asked.
"Why should it be anyone else? He knows me better than anyone else, and he was by my side when no one else was. And before everything my father did to our family, we were actually pretty close."
"You expect us to believe you really are in love with him?" Katara's tone was serious and calm. Azula couldn't tell if the girl was changing her approach to try and get to her after she had failed with Zuko, or if she was simply being more rational now that the initial shock was over. Either way, the princess didn't like the implication that she was the one who needed to prove she was worthy of her brother's love.
"I don't expect anything from either of you, and I don't care if no one else ever understands what we have. We are meant to be together, and I won't let anyone come between us or hurt him. You two can try to stand in our way and be crushed, or you can actually prove to me that Zuko was right when he told me his friends would never let any harm come to him. Your choice."
Azula left the room, hoping her words would be enough to at least make them feel obligated to try and talk it out with her brother. His friendships were important to him, and she wouldn't let him lose anything because of her. Not again.