Azula couldn't sleep and it was well in the night. The dark silhouette of her room felt, for an inexplicable reason, colder than usual. Lying in her bed, she was alternating between rolling around restlessly, staring at the ceiling of her canopy bed or meditating on her breathing. But to no use, she was simply not tired.

She regretted the decision of cutting training and exercise down on her schedule, even if it was just a little bit. But if there was something the trip to Ember Island taught her, then that she was severely lacking in the necessary skills for a non-military, non-combative setting, specifically in the art of seduction. So she thought, she'd do some research on the matter and took some time away from her daily fire bending. A mistake, so it seems, since the energy she'd normally spend in training was now haunting her.

Also there were things trying to occupy her mind all day. Distractions, which she successfully had pushed aside, since there had been work to do. But now there was nothing she could focus on and her mind became unhinged.

Azula thought about Zuko and what they did that night. She doubted, he would tell anyone. Why would he? It would doom him just as much as her.

Mai might had an idea, what had happened. Azula had come back with different clothing that night, shortly before Zuko had come back in different clothing as well. But for all Mai might knew, they could've ruined their clothes in a number of ways, including with a fight.

The moment Zuko walked into the hut, he right away walked up to Mai and after what felt for an annoying half an hour of stupid baseless arguing they reconciled. Zuko spoke of how he didn't know what was right and wrong anymore, as if it mattered. And Azula could just not grasp, why the Prince of the Fire Nation, future Fire Lord, was wasting his time and energy on such idiotic questions.

And Azula couldn't hold back and told him how pathetic he was. She didn't know if he actually meant any of it, or just played on Mai's sympathy. But Mai fell for it nonetheless, and now they're a couple again.

But that wasn't what was bothering her. What was bothering her was what she had wrung out of him earlier that night.

Mom..., she remembered him whispering.

And Azula thought more thoroughly about what it could mean; What her brother was on about, how she could exploit it, and how to extract more information.

Does it even matter?, Azula pondered. No, it really does not!

So why couldn't she sleep? Why did she had this weird feeling in her stomach?

Firstly, she needed more information. Whatever happened between Zuko and their mother, would have been probably not observed by anyone, if it truly had a sexual nature. Which means the only person she could reliably ask on what happened was Zuko, which she decided, she would do in the morning.

Azula turned on her side and closed her eyes.

Or now! Yes! Now would be better!, she convinced herself. She wouldn't get any rest otherwise!

Azula moved and got out of her bed. She silently exited her room. The near absolut darkness was more than sufficient to camouflage her. And as she moved towards Zukos room, she created a plan on how to make him talk. And as she planned she caught herself getting a little excited. It felt like they were children again, and she was about to prank him.

She slowly opened his door, entered and closed it behind her. She stood there silently, watching her prey. She then lit an azure flame in her hand and tip toed to the side of his bed.

Last time she did this, he nearly shat himself from fear as he suddenly woke up and saw her in the eerie light. Her flame was orange then. She wondered if the ghastly blue and her more mature form could scare him even more.

Zuko opened his eyes halfway and was blended by her flame. He looked at her once, before he decided to turn around.

"What do you want, Azula?", he asked very tired.

Azula didn't anticipate such a cold response.

"I... I had a nightmare!", she lied at his back. He didn't respond.

"May I... sleep with you tonight?", Azula asked and tried to sound embarrassed.

"No.", Zuko flatly said.

Azula didn't bother with his answer. She put her flame out and put herself into his sheets. He moved away and grunted in annoyance. Azula closed in on him and hugged him from behind. He could complain all he wanted, she wasn't about to leave this into the open.

Zuko grunted. "You conquered Ba Sing Se, but you can't sleep on your own?!", he turned his head and hotly remarked.

"Don't you want to know, what the nightmare was about?", Azula asked in a whisper.

"No! I'm trying to sleep!", Zuko bit out. "Get out!", he barked and let his head fall back.

"Zuko... I saw you dying in my dream.", Azula whispered and pressed her cheek on his back.

Zuko didn't respond. He went silent. Did he buy it?, Azula wondered.

She just now realized, that he might understand it like she's threatening him. She lifted her head to get a better glimpse of his face. She couldn't read him, it was just a little too dark. But in order to ease any doubt...

"I love you, Zuko. I do.", she said.

Azula thought about pretending to cry, and quickly dismissed the notion. He wouldn't believe it. That would be to unusual, anyway. When did she ever cry in front of him?

"When... What we did that night on Ember Island...", Azula begun. "When we did that... I felt such a strong connection to you!", she made up.

"I'd do anything to feel that again!", she said in a silky voice into his ear.

"Azula...", Zuko said.

Something in his voice was oddly neutral. It sounded a little like he was surprised by her resolve. But he has no right to question it. The mere fact she had come here and sought out his intimacy should be proof enough for him of her genuine intention, even though he would be fooled. She was doing this for research.

Azula started kissing his neck, then slowly wrapped her leg around him, and her hand...

Zuko flinched. "Azula, stop! This is wrong!", Zuko's voice was shaking.

"There is nothing wrong in loving your sister, Zuzu!", Azula purred. "Relax!", she breathed in his ear and made him groan.

She viciously kissed his neck to the point of leaving marks. A surprise she laid for Mai, who would probably much appreciate it. The sooner she learned, the better.

And Azula continued and listened to his breaths of pleasure in anticipation of what was to come. He started breathing more intensely with any second and suddenly started grunting like a komodo rhino. He grabbed her ankle hard to make her stop. And as Azula pulled her hand away, she felt something sticky on her palm. She licked what was tasting salty at best, a little disappointed he didn't call for her name... or any name whatsoever.

But she needed to know!

"See... That wasn't so bad!", she whispered as she turned him around to face her.

She saw his eyes glowing in the dark. She couldn't tell how she knew, but he was looking at her like that again. That baleful accusing gaze. And Azula had enough!

"Who's your mommy?", she asked playfully.

Zuko held his breath in silence. "What?", he asked.

"Who is... your mommy?", Azula asked again. She was getting a little aggravated.

"W-what?", Zuko could only bring out.

"Do I look like your mommy?!", Azula asked heated with anger, and grabbed his collar.

How did he dare?! How did he dare putting her in that woman's place?!

"Did Mother like to jerk you off, too?!", her voice was edging hysterically and she had to laugh at the ridiculousness of it.

"What? No!" Zuko shushed her, reminding her to be quiet. "Mom never did anything like that!", he heatedly whispered with genuine anger.

Azula calmed her nerves. "Why did you call me 'Mom'?", she asked him.

"I wasn't calling you- ", Zuko grabbed his head. "I don't know!", he whined in a whisper. "I just... saw her in that moment! But it had nothing to do with... what we did!"

Sure! Azula didn't believe him. "Whatever!", she said. "It doesn't matter!"

It does not matter!

Azula turned around and showed him her back. Her cold shoulder was everything he deserved. She wished her hand off on the sheets. And For all she knew, she still couldn't sleep. Her brother was such a pathetic looser, it pained her. She wished, she wouldn't have come here after.

"Could you... Maybe go back to your own bed?", Zuko asked.

What?

The audacity! The sheer audacity of Zuko, banishing her from his bed after what she just had done for him! If it wasn't for her, he wouldn't be even sleeping in this bed! That ungrateful bastard! She should have let him be locked up along with their obese uncle!

"The servants... might get the wrong idea, when they see us together.", Zuko said.

And Azula laughed. What did he mean with "wrong idea"? It was rather the right idea, which they wanted to conceal. He's right on that! But if he presumed he could get out of this, without having returned the favor...

"Yes, you're right, of course!", Azula said and turned to face him. "But before I go... may I ask you to make me feel good as well, my Love? So much just seems appropriate.", she tried to sound seductive.

"Nothing about that is appropriate!", Zuko bit out and was on the verge of an angry outbreak. "I didn't ask you to jerk me off!"

Poor Zuzu! Thinks, he has a say in this. "But... But I thought you loved me?", Azula said in a hurt voice. "Did you lie to me, to get me into bed?"

"No... I mean... Yes... I mean..." Zuko grunted. "Azula, we're siblings, godsdammit!"

"That didn't stop you the other day!", Azula pointed out. "What changed?"

"That was a mistake!", Zuko said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "And I wasn't myself that night!", he said and buried his face in his palm.

And a strange feeling settled into Azulas stomach upon hearing this. Like splinters piercing through her organs.

"What do you mean?", Azula asked and couldn't hide the hurt in her voice entirely.

"I'm in love with Mai!", Zuko sighed regretfully.

Black flames of a vicious demon were burning her insides.

"C-Can't you be in love with both of us?", her voice shook. "I mean... Fath-"

"No!", Zuko almost yelled. "Azula, please... just go!"

And suddenly she had a hard time breathing. And something stung in her eyes. Azula quickly moved out of his bed and left his room. She never cried in front of him and she wasn't about to start. And as she moved back to her own room, the question stabbed her heart over and over again.

Why?!

Why did he not lo-... not bed her? Where did she go wrong? She did everything right! She did everything right, but he didn't-... Wasn't he supposed to be this gullible, compassionate idiot? If he couldn't-... how could anyone-...?

No... It shouldn't matter! It didn't matter!

It does not matter!