AN: Hello all, this is a project I'll be running in tandem with my other story, "Helping Each Other Through", (in the Legend of Korra section, it's a [Bolin, Korra, Asami] fic). In short, this will be set during the events of the show, I may or may not stick to canon or go off on my own direction, this remains to be seen; the story will cover what I interpret would be Azula and Zuko's relationship if things got a little dramatic, un-intentionally romantic, and more than a bit….sexual.

Yes this is a Zucest fic; I intend to explore some difficult pieces of their relationship, as unusual and tragic it is. If the pairing [Azula, Zuko] is not your cup of tea, then please give this a polite pass.

For those of you who've stuck around, this will get as descriptive as "Helping Each Other Through" with the…. intimate parts of the story, don't say I didn't warn you.

And lastly for the record this is a written work of fiction, and does not reflect my real world values; it is written for entertainment purposes only.

What Passes for Love

A Spark Ignites

A few weeks had passed, the coal pouring from their stacks like storm clouds that heralded the Fire Prince's dark mood. The last time he'd been sailing towards home he had, in hindsight, recklessly run against the Fire Nation blockade in pursuit of the Avatar; the ships dark command towers jutting into the sky over his own vessel like the peaking waves stirring against the hull.

How long ago that had seemed, as he now found himself being ferried instead of trespassing, home.

A reward; his honor and station returned for killing the Avatar.

Unless of course…

"Aren't you cold?" a voice called out. He ignored the urge to turn around, glaring at the waters of his Nation.

"I've got a lot on my mind. It's been so long, over three years since I was home. I wonder what's changed. I wonder how I've changed." He brooded. An exaggerated yawn interrupted his thoughts.

"I just asked if you were cold, I didn't ask for your whole life story," she quipped. The sarcasm irritated him; his brow furrowing as pale hands held his face.

"Stop worrying," Mai warmly insisted. She leaned in turning him towards her. As soft as her lips were he remained stoic, even as she tugged on his mouth with hers like a young polar bear dog. It wasn't that Mai was a bad kisser, but compared to the rock in his gut she was not a priority.

Sensing his non-compliance she pulled away, smiling briefly before she walked back inside the ship's tower.

He couldn't deny the buzz on his lips as he was left alone again. Their relationship had started unexpectedly, its beginning act opened with a bang when Zuko returned to the Palace of the now former Earth King only to be hugged fiercely by Mai, his surprise doubled as she stole his first kiss.

Emotionally turbulent, Zuko kissed her back, hoping his hormones could quell an irritating nagging thought; that something was very wrong with what had happened that night.

Like a war balloon desperate for flight, he fed fire into the furnace of romance during the long trip back to the Fire Nation; allowing her to kiss him publicly, and coping feels privately. But it was all for naught. Nothing could lift the weight that pressed his thoughts to a dark abyss just like the one he stared at over the deck of the ship.

"With what Mai told me, I thought you'd be an icicle stuck to the deck," she witted, her voice mocking him with concern. "Come on in before I have to thaw you out."

"I'll be fine, my fire-bending keeps me warm," he retorted.

"I'm glad you finally mastered that basic skill, dum-dum." Azula moved to stand next to him, her vest flapping in the cold sea breeze. "But heat can't stop you from catching a cold." He glanced at her, eyeing the regal visage of his deadly, calculatingly beautiful sister. Her mood change towards him was also a surprise, she no longer came across as openly hostile; in fact she would offer him basic pleasantries, even going as far as to appear…. friendly?

It befuddled him; his sister was his frankly superior rival in his mission to hunt the Avatar not a few weeks ago. Now she seemed to enjoy his company, in the way their messed up family might attempt to share kinship, at least.

What's she planning?

Azula caught his inquisitive stare, her lip smirking as she turned to face him.

"You've nothing to worry about Zu-Zu, now let's go inside and see what the head chef has prepared; I could kill for a hot meal."

Zuko flinched at the word, grateful that she was already halfway across the deck. Sighing, he looked back for a moment at the shifting waves before following her inside.

His ascension to the capital had all the fanfare of a prosecution. They travelled by palanquin, the silk screens providing a suggestion of privacy. It did not hide the reactions of the citizens of the capital however; curious nobles peeked over the sibling's armed escort in hushed mutterings, scowling at the royal procession until they noticed him. What was he doing here? The banished prince? Either he's returned successful or that's the most gilded cage I've seen. At last Fire Lord Ozai can lock him up where he can no longer embarrass him.

Zuko huffed, his inner doubts berating him as he stared on, statuesque as was expected of him. His eyes wandered in front of him barely making out the veiled forms of Azula and her friends in their own palanquin. The girls were talking about something, Ty Lee's hands waving about like she was a mime, while Mai – his girlfriend sat with her head in her hand, assuming her default position.

Only Azula sat perfectly still, or at least it she was almost perfect; her top knot bobbed with the pace of her palanquin bearers.

What type of ally would she be? In the past Azula had sneaked Zuko away from their father's ire, could she be counted on to do so again?

The fact that he did not kill the Avatar formed a knot in his stomach, a knot that tightened with each step their convoy took to the Palace. His father would already know of this, and disappointing him once cost Zuko half his face. What would a second failure cost him?

AN: Well that was rather dark. At this point in the story Zuko doesn't know of Azula's lie to Ozai, so we'll see how that plays out. I don't know how long this story will be, but I plan on having fun writing it :)