Chapter 17: Full Moon

"Azula! Wake up."

"No, no, it's cool. Let her sleep. She looks so happy and peaceful, doesn't she."

Groaning with annoyance from being woken up, Azula stirred, letting the morning light slowly filter through her eyelids. Just realizing that she had fallen asleep on her friends' couch after a long night of videogames and eating way too many snacks, she instantly bolted upright.

"Good morning!" Sokka greeted, grinning over her with his stupid bleached blond hair.

"Sokka! Jet!" she panicked, not wanting the boys to see her fresh-faced and with her hair all disheveled from sleep. "Oh spirits, were you watching me sleep?!"

"Yep! Busted."

"Oh no!" Feeling self-conscious, she grabbed the blanket that covered her and pulled it up over her head.

"Would you calm down?" Jet griped.

Sokka laughed.

"Ugh!" Azula heard the front door open and close. "W-Who's that?" she mumbled from beneath the blanket.

"It's Zuko," Sokka explained. "He just walked Mai out."

"Mai left?! Why – What time is it?!"

"Almost 11:00 AM."

"WHAT?!" She couldn't remember the last time she had slept in so late.

"She booked the art studio today to start working on a final project. Ty Lee graciously agreed to model for her."

"I'm hungry," Zuko said, strolling into the living room. "Hey, is that Azula under there?"

"Go away, Zuzu!"

"Well that answers my question," he snickered.

"I'll go make breakfast," Jet sighed before unexpectedly yanking the blanket off Azula's head.

"Give that back!"

"You're being ridiculous. You look fine."

"You look like hell," Zuko taunted.

She glared at him.

"Ignore him," Jet huffed. "Are you hungry?"

"Yeah…"

"Hey, after breakfast, let's go do something fun!" Sokka eagerly suggested.

Jet raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"

"Man, between the talent show and fencing practice, I've been crazy busy. I can't remember the last time I spent a day just chilling. That's it!" he gasped. "I know the perfect place for us to go hang! That is…" He cast his gaze over at Zuko. "…if you're up for a little road trip."

Zuko stared at him blankly for a moment but eventually acquiesced. "Fine," he exhaled. "But this time you guys need to pitch in for gas."

This "little" road trip of Sokka's was actually close to a three-hour drive one-way. The four of them were headed to a place called Lake Laogai, a vacation spot in eastern Ba Sing Se. Rumor had it that one look in the lake had a way of forcing the truth to come out of someone. Jet had no rational explanation for it, but he had an uneasy feeling about this lake, like something tragic happened there or was about to happen.

Nevertheless, the car ride was fairly uneventful. Just the occasional patch of traffic and annoying left lane drivers. Even though Azula had called shotgun, Zuko gave the front seat to Sokka, claiming that Sokka was better at navigating and that the driver got the final say anyway. So Jet and Azula were stuck in the back with the cooler of food and drinks, but it wasn't so bad, not when they were all having fun singing loudly to an old playlist of Zuko's from the 2000s. My Chemical Cabbages had never sounded so… enthusiastic.

Jet felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and went to check it. It was a text from Azula.

Princess: Don't panic. Act normal.

Jet: Ok weirdo. What's up?

Princess: SOKKA TRIED TO KISS ME LAST NIGHT!

Jet looked over at Azula with wide eyes, which she acknowledged with a slight nod and an expression that read "I know, right?!" but she kept on singing.

Jet: What? When?

Princess: When you and Mai were cooking dinner.

Jet: But you didn't let him?

Princess: No I was going to. But then Zuzu had to come home from the store and ruin it.

Jet: Bad timing.

Princess: Yeah but I'm glad he did. It wouldn't have been right to kiss him. Not when he's like THIS.

Jet: Yeah it's probably a good thing you didn't. But it's still a good sign right?

Princess: I have no idea. What do you think?

Jet honestly had no clue what was going on in Sokka's head. If he initiated a kiss, that probably meant he was at least attracted to Azula – Jet would be very surprised if Sokka weren't attracted to Azula – but after what Zuko suggested about Sokka liking Suki, Jet didn't want to give her any false hope.

Jet: No idea.

Princess: Some help you are.

There was something hauntingly beautiful about the water during the off-season. The vast lake, which looked as big as the ocean from where they were standing, was usually crowded with tourists, but with winter lurking around the corner, there was barely anyone in sight. The air was brisk, the sun was low in the sky, and the trees were already starting to shed their leaves.

Azula lay a blanket on the cold sand, which Jet weighed down with the cooler of food.

Zuko, tired from the long drive, was the first to lie down, with Sokka flopping down next to him.

"So… what should we do first?" Azula asked.

"Nap," Zuko grumbled.

"Yeah, I'm fine doing nothing," Sokka added.

She cocked an eyebrow. "So you're telling me we drove three hours to do nothing?"

"I'm down for some exploring," Jet said, plucking a blade of beach grass and sticking it in his mouth. "Doesn't look like anything's open though."

"Hmm." Azula's eyes scanned the various shops along the perimeter. "That one has lights on. Come on, let's go."

"Do we have to?" Zuko groaned.

"We're going to lose daylight in two or three hours anyway. Then we can sit around doing nothing."

"Azula's right," Sokka said, standing up. "Let's at least see what they're selling. Who knows, maybe it's a store of unique oddities and we'll end up in some sort of mystery!"

"Or teen slasher," Zuko muttered.

Sokka smiled. "Good thing none of us are teenagers then."

Azula shifted her eyes. "I'm still nineteen…"

"I like those odds." Zuko begrudgingly got up.

The shop, as it turned out, was not a store of oddities and intrigue, but rather an old-timey candy shop. The aisles were lined with colorful plastic tubs of "penny candies", which actually cost more like a quarter per piece, as well as little trinkets and souvenirs. The boys immediately started filling their candy baskets with strawberry hard candies, satellite wafers, candy buttons, caramel creams, candy cigarettes, and anything else they could get their hands on. Azula, on the other hand, took her time, only selecting candies that appealed to her.

After they checked out and made their way back to their spot on the sand, Azula watched the boys sprawl out on the blanket and immediately dive into their sugary stashes, while she opted to eat her sandwich from the cooler before getting into the candy. Everyone became noticeably chattier during their sugar highs. It felt like they had only been sitting down gabbing and joking about stupid things for minutes, but eventually the world around them became dark and stars sparkled and flickered all around them.

"Full moon tonight," Sokka sighed contently as he gazed up into the sky.

"It's beautiful in the water," Zuko marveled, staring at the moon's reflection in the lake.

"Oh wow." Sokka got up from the blanket and walked to the water's edge, kneeling on the wet sand.

Zuko tilted his head. "Hey, is he…?"

That's when Azula heard it. Sobbing.

Sokka dropped his face into his hands, weeping uncontrollably.

Unsure of how best to proceed, Azula and Jet exchanged panicked looks, but fortunately Zuko was already up on his feet walking briskly over to the shoreline. Azula and Jet followed.

"Hey, it's okay, it's okay," Zuko comforted, placing his arm around Sokka. "I'm here."

Sokka cried into Zuko's shoulder.

"What's going on?"

Azula sat down next to Sokka, while Jet sat behind the group, Azula presumed to avoid getting his feet wet.

"Talk to me."

"I just feel…" Sokka managed between sobs. "…completely overwhelmed."

Azula tentatively placed her hand on his back.

"I have too many responsibilities, too many commitments, I-I feel like I'm drowning." He tried to take a deep breath but barely managed a normal one. "On top of all my classes, being a TA, fencing, going to the gym, and the fantasy roleplaying group Zuko and I are in – "

"You swore you wouldn't tell!" Zuko cut in.

" – he's a sorcerer and I'm a paladin," he continued to cry.

Jet snickered. Azula mustered a gentle laugh, though she secretly thought it would be fun to join a group like that. She would be a warlock…

"Next semester I'll need to start applying to grad schools, study for the grad school entrance exams, figure out a topic for my senior thesis research project, and now Suki wants me to replace her as captain of the fencing team! It's just too much!"

"Sokka, you can't continue doing everything you're doing. You'll have to give something up," Zuko advised. "You can always tell Suki 'no' – "

"I don't want to disappoint her!"

It was then, in the intensity of Sokka's voice, that Azula realized exactly how important Suki was to him. It made her stomach churn with envy. But this wasn't about her.

"I agree with Zuko that you can't keep doing everything you're doing," Jet said calmly, "but I don't think being team captain would be that much more of a commitment for you, I mean, unless you're thinking of quitting fencing altogether."

"No. I love fencing." Sokka wiped his eyes on Zuko's shirt. "I don't know what I would give up. I-I can't give up my TAship since that's my only source of income – "

"You could cut back on your time in the gym," Azula suggested.

Sokka nodded. "I guess."

"And you could quit the fantasy roleplaying group," Jet added.

"But I'm the DM!"

"Which is a lot of work…" Zuko noted.

"Well how often do you meet?" Azula asked.

"Once a week."

"Well… what if you quit the club and we started our own group that met once or twice a month? And someone else could DM so you wouldn't have to spend time preparing."

Jet gave Azula a look that read, "Are you out of your damned mind?!"

"I guess… we could try something like that."

"See?" she smiled. "We can come up with solutions if we all brainstorm together."

"Yeah. We're all here for you, Sokka." Jet patted his back.

"Thanks guys," Sokka smiled halfheartedly. "You're the best."

"You want to know something that will make you feel better?" Zuko asked with a diabolical gleam in his eye.

"What?" he sniffled.

"Well, buddy. We're not the only ones here who belong to an embarrassing school club…"

Azula's jaw clenched. Mai must have told him, spirits damn it! "Don't you dare – "

"Azula joined an a cappella group!"

"No way!" Jet burst out laughing.

"I will kill you, Zuzu! I will celebrate becoming an only child!"

"Yeah, yeah," Zuko rolled his eyes.

"Thanks," Sokka chuckled. "That does make me feel better!"

Zuko smiled. "So… is there anything else on your mind you want to talk about?"

"Just one last thing," Sokka said, nodding slowly. "HOW THE FUCK COULD YOU GUYS LET ME DO THIS TO MY HAIR?!"

"'Let' you?!" Zuko squeaked. "Y-You did it while Jet and I were at fencing practice!"

"You should have known, and you should have stopped me!"

"We're not mind readers for crying out loud!" Jet shouted.

Azula couldn't help but snicker as the boys continued to argue.

"Just help me fix it, okay?!"

"We'll pick up some dark brown hair dye tomorrow," Zuko assured, placing his hand on Sokka's shoulder. "Okay?"

"Okay," Sokka mumbled. "Thanks."

The car ride back to campus was quiet. Not because of any discomfort with Sokka's meltdown, but because Sokka fell asleep within fifteen minutes of the trip, probably due to emotional exhaustion. Azula fell asleep shortly after. Jet was feeling generous enough to let Azula use his lap as a pillow.

After driving for six hours roundtrip, Zuko was exhausted and just wanted to go home and crash. Therefore Jet was tasked with the responsibility of getting Sokka back to the house safely. Azula offered to help but Jet assured her he could manage just fine on his own, so Azula left for the dorms.

Jet opened the passenger door and sighed at the snoring blond man. "Come on, sleepyhead. Let's get you to bed."

"Huh?" Sokka asked, disoriented. "We're back already?"

"Yep. You slept the entire ride home."

He chuckled. "Where are Zuko and Azula?"

"Zuko was crashing – "

"Figuratively, I presume – "

"– so he already left, and Azula went back to her room."

He nodded.

Jet grabbed the cooler from the back seat and Sokka helped him carry it back to the house. They didn't speak much, but as soon as they reached the front door, Sokka stopped him from going in.

"Hey… can I talk to you about something?"

"Uh, yeah, sure…" Jet set the cooler down on the porch.

"I need to confess something…"

"This sounds important – do you want me to get Zuko?"

"No," Sokka answered quickly. "Just you."

"Okay… if, uhh, this is about Suki, then I think I already know."

"Was I really that obvious?" he laughed. "Yeah… truth is… I'm in love with her."

"In love?!" Jet repeated incredulously. "Since when?!"

"Well, I don't know exactly when I fell in love, but… we've been fucking since my second semester here."

"WHAT?!"

"Yeah… we have a friends-with-benefits sort of arrangement."

"W-Well if you really love her, why didn't you ask her to be your girlfriend or something?"

Sokka shrugged. "She made it clear from the beginning that she would never date a fencer. You know how competitive she gets – she didn't want to mix that with romance. She thought if we were a couple, we'd unintentionally hold each other back."

"Did you ever think about dropping out of fencing?"

"No way! I would never give up playing with swords for a girlfriend. And besides… we still get to have sex, so – "

"Yeah, good point." Jet paused. "But now she's graduating."

"Yeah…" Sokka looked down solemnly. "Do you think I should tell her?"

"Huh?"

"How I really feel."

"I…" He thought for a moment. "I think if you let her leave without her knowing, you'll regret it."

"Yeah," Sokka nodded. "You're probably right. Thanks, Jet."

"Anytime."

He smiled.

"So… was that it or…"

"Well, no. Not exactly…" Sokka averted his gaze, looking apprehensive.

Jet waited for him to elaborate.

"It's not just Suki who's been on my mind – M-Maybe I shouldn't say anything."

"It's okay. I won't tell anyone." His heart was pounding with anticipation.

"Okay." Sokka bit his lip. "I've been… having confusing feelings for someone else…" He met Jet's stare. "Someone in our friend group."