"Move Peasant," Azula voice made its way into Sokka's ears, and he grimaced at the sound. The princess brushed past him, and he groaned, feeling his skin burn where her shoulder touched him. Sokka didn't dwell on it on and Azula continued to make her way to the deck. She looked out with a parka on, watching as the waves crashed against the boat. The fur on the parka made her itch and she had never felt more disgusting in her life. She had been stuck, sitting in the back of the dining room of the ship watching everyone interact with each other. Watching Zuko as he was all lovey-dovey with the painted freak, the Avatar and the peasant were nearly attached at the hip. Toph wasn't the worst but her manners were despicable, Mai and Ty Lee were still very strange around her, and she didn't think it would really make a difference if they weren't.

They were finally heading back to the Fire Nation after what was practically a world tour, the Fire Lord showing her off as his newly trained lapdog. They used her new title as the Fire Lord's Advisor. Zuko and his friends wanted to prove that they could tame the insane Princess of Fire, like that was the only way they could keep the other nations from asking for her head on a stick. She stayed quiet as she sat in the back of the room, at least three feet away from the table, and smiled as softly as she possibly could fake as Zuko had meetings with the leaders of the other nations. She'd give her notes to Zuko, and he'd pretend like he was going to read them as they rushed off to their next meeting.

Azula was exhausted.

Living like this, pretending like this. It was unbearable for her. Of course, she had tried her best, she tried her hardest to at least be cordial with Zuko and his friends, but it was every road she took was a dead end. She was too mean, too sarcastic, nothing she said or did was good enough for his group of heroes. She'd wake up, she'd do her Katas, act like her mother and her new family aren't just down the hall. Azula would eat dinner at the opposite end of the table, always excusing herself way before everyone else. She'd sit in her room or the library until bed, and she would repeat it all the next day.

And the next day.

It would probably be the same until they got tired of her and shipped her away to Ember Island.

"Is this what you wanted mother," the whisper was faint but still it left her lips, "is this the perfect daughter that you've always asked for? Quiet and never seen?" Azula continues as she kept her stare focused on the wave that seemed to grow taller by the minute. The crack of thunder clapped through the sky, and she prepared herself for the onslaught of rain that was preparing to pour down from the sky.

She was taking back her control over her life.

Even if that meant ending it.

Sokka quickly downed another drink before standing up from his seat. He was beyond ready to get back on land. He was ready to be left alone. It was hard enough to watch his ex make out with his best friend. He had tried drinking, but they had cut him off an hour ago, and he had since sobered up. He watched as Zuko and Aang called him over. Sokka put on the biggest smile he could and ran over to play the game with his friends. His joy only lasted five minutes before Suki was attached to Zuko's hip and Katara was practically in Aang's lap. Sokka's stomach curled, and he felt sick as he sat at the edge of the circle, as he felt as out of place as he ever had.

He waited agonizingly as the group winded down and people began saying their good nights. He smiled as Toph was the last one to go into her room and she left him alone at the table. His breath fell from his lips as relief washed over him. Relief that only lasted a few moments until the pit in his stomach returned, and he quickly threw on his parka before heading out onto the deck.

The weather was always bad in this area of the sea. Sokka could remember the several times he's been thrown into the ice water that tipped over his boat when he would fish as a child. He'd shiver as his father hoisted him back up into the boat and his mother would hover over him as soon as he got home. He'd cozy up to the fire and his mother would give him a warm cup of tea. It was like it didn't matter that he couldn't feel his fingers or his teeth chattered as loud as they could.

This was not one of those times.

The boat shook violently as the waves crashed against it, and he regretted coming out to the deck immediately. He needed the fresh air, he was tired of looking at Suki and Zuko fondling each other. He only felt worse when he noticed Azula in the corner of his eye. They had argued earlier during dinner, her usual insults irritating him more and more as this trip progressed. He was just happy they'd be back on land soon, and he wouldn't have to deal with her anymore. He didn't interact with her as she stood a couple feet away from him at the edge of the deck.

Sokka tried hard to ignore the princess but the sounds she was making seemed to get louder. It was as if she didn't even know he was there. The sound was too similar to sobbing, but that didn't make sense. He didn't even think the princess could cry, she didn't look capable. But that's didn't stop the sound from infiltrating his ears. He groaned before turning to look at her. What he saw wasn't what he expected to see. He thought he was gonna see a crying Azula, which to some degree he did, but her sitting on the edge of the deck was not something he thought he'd see.

"Azula! What are you doing?" He shouted as he sped over to her side. She turned and looked startled at him. Tears were sitting on her cheeks and her fingers were gripping the side of the deck for dear life. The princess opened her eyes and looked at him, her amber meeting his icy blues.

"Go back inside," her voice was soft, softer than he had ever heard it. He knew what she was planning on doing, and he didn't understand why.

"Azula, I don't think you know what you're doing," he looked at her and watched as her grip seemed to lessen.

"I know what I am doing!" she hissed at him as he took steps closer to her.

"Okay, okay," he said calmly as he moved to touch her hand, but she snatched her hand away, nearly slipping off the edge. "What are you doing then?" He asks her and she shakes her head.

"I'm solving everyone's problem. Taking myself out of the equation, it's simple really." Azula's answer was so sure that it gave Sokka chills. Sure he wanted

"Azula, I don't think that's going to fix any problems. Just get down, and we can talk or just sit." Sokka pleaded with the princess, but her fingers slowly seemed to let go of the edge of the deck. Before he could hear her answer, a wave hits the side of the ship knocking them both overboard. The cold water shocked both of them, and he could hear Azula's shrieks muffled by the water that had to be filling her lungs.

Could she even swim?

That didn't matter at this point, he just needed to get her above water and calm. He managed to get close enough and grab her waist as she flailed around, sputtering as coughed up water. He held her closer as he looked around for anything they could float on. He watched as the ship continued to sail away from where they had been thrown over. Sokka had forgotten how cold the water could actually get, but he was already feeling like his fingers were frost bitten.

"HELP," the scream sounded hoarse and probably wouldn't wake anyone up. There was no one near them and Azula was barely conscious as he held onto her waist. The only way he knew she was still alive was the soft whimpers that left her mouth. He saw a crate, and it looked heavy enough to withstand some weight. He swam as fast as he could with one arm and used the rest of his strength to hoist Azula onto the flat surface of the crate. Sokka allowed his upper body to rest on the side and tried his best to keep them both afloat.

"Fuck," it was spluttered out through the salt water in his mouth.

In weather like this...he wasn't sure how they'd make it.