A/N: So I don't normally reply to guest reviews in a comment like this, but I need to give a shout out to Ashley Barbosa. Ashley, it is a delight to see your comments on this story of late! You may not know this, but your consistent reviews (especially when I first started writing) were some of the best boosts for me! I rarely got much response from readers, but the fact that I could count on yours meant so much to me! And I know I'm not the only writer to be buoyed up by you — I've noticed your reviews on nearly every kataang fic out there! So thanks for being awesome and for lifting the humble authors of kataang XD
Okay, now on with the story!…
….
When Katara entered the training arena the next day, Aang looked her way and a bright smile—one that put the noon-day sun positively to shame—lit up his face! The joy he emitted made Katara smile shyly, her heart jolting at the sight of it, of him.
"Good morning, Master Katara," he greeted somewhat cheekily, an ironic emphasis on the title he no longer used in private with her.
"Avatar," she intoned, a bit of the same tease in her own voice.
Today everything between them felt different. And no matter how her fear of this new thing protested, she knew they could never go back to how it had been before.
After embracing last night—an embrace that was so much more than just a hug—the two of them had eventually found their way onto Appa's furry back, and laid side by side watching the night sky. Katara's hand had no longer felt empty as it nestled warmly in Aang's. Sometimes they spoke, sometimes they didn't; the air between them feeling both electric and inexplicably at ease. Aang's face was a myriad of shy smiles and blushes; Katara had never seen him look happier.
And she felt it too. Happiness. She let herself fill up with it!
Eventually the two had became aware of Otōto, Appa's stable boy, who stood watching them in a stunned silence.
"Oh, hey Otōto," Aang fumbled, sitting up and releasing Katara's hand. He looked horribly guilty. "I didn't see you there."
Otōto looked from Aang to Katara, and then back to Aang. He raised a silent eyebrow, a cheeky grin spreading across his face, the tease in his eyes undeniable.
Aang chuckled. "Okay, enough! You've made your point already!" He then floated down from Appa's back and extended a hand to help Katara slide down to the ground.
Aang gave Appa an affectionate rub, then took Katara's hand to lead her back towards the palace. He'd turned back towards Otōto and waved, "I'll bring you another baozi soon!"
Otōto just smirked and held up two—then thinking better of it—no, three fingers.
"Three?! Oh you drive a hard bargain," Aang laughed heartily. "Fine. Three. I'll bring you three baozi. Catch you later, Otōto!"
With that Aang and Katara had snuck back into the palace.
After returning to Aang's room, the pair had sat close together on the chaise lounge, talking, touching, drinking in this new magic between them. Eventually, Katara had fallen asleep leaning against Aang, her head resting in the crook of his shoulder and neck, his arm draped around her.
Aang's eyes sparkled with goodnatured mischief. "Did you sleep well?"
"My sleep was… enlightening," Katara teased back. Katara had expected to wake that morning riddled with regrets. But to her tremendous surprise, she hadn't. Her logical mind kept protesting, banging on the back door, demanding to be heard—telling her this was reckless and stupid and doomed—but her heart couldn't seem to muster enough care to listen. Her heart was just too busy being happy.
"And you? How did you sleep?"
Aang moved his left arm in an exaggerated circle, as though working out a kink. "A dead arm like that has never been more worth it!"
Katara laughed, but then covered her mouth quickly with her hand, glancing up towards the second story balcony and the ever-watchful archers. She needed to be careful. Despite whatever changes took place between her and Aang in private, it was dangerous to let those changes become visible in their public student-master relationship.
It had only gotten harder for her to put on her professional facade each day with Aang, and Katara knew it would only get more difficult. Especially with Aang's natural flirtatiousness; Aang had a knack for doing or saying something that, to anyone else would seem harmless, but would manage to make Katara's face blush furiously. Once he relaxed, goofy Aang became surprisingly charming.
"Well Sifu, do you have anything special for me today?" The glittering smile in Aang's eye was unmistakably flirtatious. It made Katara's stomach flip. She was annoyed that he could so easily do that to her now!
"Squats," she replied with a vindictively arched eyebrow. "All day. That's all I have planned. Three hours of squats now, and three more this evening. That should teach you not to get cheeky with your Waterbending Master." Katara kept her face impassive while she gave him a sorry/not sorry shrug. But she knew her eyes teased.
Aang let out an exaggerated sigh, his shoulders lifting and falling dramatically. His face held an expression of utmost seriousness, his voice sounding grave. "I'm sorry Master Katara, but it would appear I am fresh out of squats…" Aang moved his arm again in repeat of his earlier complaint. "You see, I have this dead arm that you gave me…"
Katara couldn't help it—she laughed. The absolute absurdity of not being able to do squats because of an arm! "Oh shush!" Katara scolded him. "Just get over there are start threading the water to warm up!"
Aang trotted off toward the side water trough to start the warm-up exercises, but not without first shooting her a sassy grin.
Oh, he is becoming insufferable! Katara thought with overwhelming affection.
"Avatar Aang!" a familiar, despised voice called out. Katara looked to see Counselor Zhao walking through the large double doors of the arena. Katara's mood soured. "I'm afraid I'll need to cut your waterbending lesson short. You are needed elsewhere today."
Katara tried to ignore her disappointment. Aang didn't even try to hide his, his face looking almost comically let down.
"Why?" Aang asked.
"Something of greater importance has come up," Zhao said evasively, not wanting Katara to be privy to the information.
"Do we have to go now?" Aang protested. "We were just getting started…"
"Avatar Aang!" Zhao's voice snapped like a whip, the reproof in his voice sudden and unquestionable. "Have you forgotten yourself?! I fear that allowing familiarity between you and your teacher has perhaps made you casual. You do not have permission to talk back to me."
Aang's eyes widened. Katara could tell he purposely did not looking her way. "I'm sorry, Counselor Zhao."
"I suggest that if you want to retain certain privileges," Zhao's eyes gave Katara an insinuating side-long look, "you will remember yourself!"
Aang's expression became immediately contrite; he dropped into a kowtow towards his mentor, his forehead to the ground in surrender. Katara's heart ached to see it, to see Aang's recent happier and more carefree demeanor so quickly stifled into submission. "I apologize Counselor Zhao, it won't happen again! I'm coming now."
Aang rose and followed Counselor Zhao out of the arena, not even giving Katara a backwards glance.
…
Sokka nervously puttered around the lab, double-triple checking that everything was prepared. The Avatar was coming again today. And he needed to be sure that everything was ready.
To be completely honest, Sokka didn't really need the Avatar's help anymore; that first meeting had given him enough calculations and data to adequately do the rest of this project on his own. But he had insisted to his supervisors (and their patrons) that another testing session with the Avatar was essential to assure the success of the war balloon's designs. So money had passed between the necessary hands, and this second meeting had been arranged.
As expected, Sokka had been frisked and refreshed on the terms of the "Protocols for Engagement with the Avatar." However, Sokka was quite sure that what he had in mind for today was definitely outside of Protocol…
Sokka resisted the urge to check the sharpened blade he had hidden under the lip of his work station. The dagger was there, and he knew it. So the last thing he needed right now was to draw attention to it.
Of course his lab had been searched in preparation for the Avatar's visit, but Sokka was no idiot, and he knew this lab better than he knew his own little room in the dormitory above the R&D building. He knew how and where to hide a contraband item in a place unlikely to be discovered by the Avatar's prep squad.
Sokka had learned some things since his last time being with the Avatar. Some things that made him anxious to assure himself the dagger was readily accessible.
The day had thus far been remarkably unremarkable: he'd woken up, gotten dressed, made sure his beard was trimmed, and eaten congee at the cafeteria as always. Funny. Sokka had expected the day he was going to die to feel different somehow.
The laboratory door opened, and in walked the expected four armed guards, who quickly swept through the room, one of them stopping to frisk Sokka perfunctorily. The guards then returned to flank the doorway. Sokka noticed that two of them carried spears, two carried no weapons. Two firebenders then.
The expected Yu Yuan Archer entered, taking his place at the back of the room, his tattooed eyes alert. Sokka's analytical mind decided that the arrow was likely to get him first, before the firebenders, or their spear-carrying companions. Sokka eyed the archer's cocked arrow, wondering how quickly after he acted it would pierce him.
The last time the Avatar had been here, he had casually mentioned Katara's name. But hearing his sister's name had shaken Sokka, to the core. Because it could not be. Sokka knew his sister was dead! Dead along with all the rest of his tribe.
But of course that knowledge didn't stop him from expending a great deal of resources into finding out more about the Avatar's waterbending master.
However, it turned out that finding "casual information" about anything surrounding the Avatar was next to impossible. It appeared that either no one knew anything, or else no one was willing to share what they knew for the price of a hard drink. Apparently the Firelord liked to keep any information about his chosen son tightly sealed.
But Sokka was a resourceful man. Though it was true that slavery wasn't the highest paying job out there… it was also true that Sokka was only a slave in name these days. He had long since worked out how to exact "compensation" from the right kind of people if he was able to deliver the right kind of products.
(And then there were all the secrets he'd sold to the Rebellion on the side too. Yeah. That lined his pocket pretty well these days…)
Sokka's investigation had lead him to the conclusion that Katara was in fact his sister. She was alive! So, of course, he'd probed deeper, trying to learn anything he could about her without drawing unwanted attention to himself.
Pulling on a certain lead—bought with favors and not-a-few red envelopes—brought Sokka to having drinks with a guy called Li, a Captain in the palace royal guard. Sokka immediately disliked the Captain; but no one would know that by the overly friendly shmooze Sokka laid on heavily whenever dealing with self-important ashbags like this guy. An hour into lubricating and ego-boosting the guy, Sokka paid for another round of drinks and then discretely slipped the Captain an envelope. It wasn't red (too obvious), but its contents held the same.
"Whadda you wanna know?" the Captain asked while he counted the money in the pouch.
"Gah, just interested in a little phoenix you might now something about," Sokka joked, leaning back in his chair, trying to make his inquiry look as casual as he could.
"A girl?" the captain asked confusedly. "I'm not a pimp, dude. But I can hook you up with one if you—"
"Naw," Sokka cut him off with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I just wanna know about a girl. Someone by the name of Katara."
Captain Li looked at him again, seeming to notice his skin, his eyes for the first time. "You a Tribal, huh?"
Sokka tried not to bristle at the derogatory term, as he side-stepped the question. "I just heard you might know something about her."
The Captain's eyes glimmered wickedly. "Maybe I do. But this," he tossed the pocket of money up and down in his hand, "ain't nearly enough to make my tongue wag about her. You new around here or what? Talking about the Avatar's girl comes at way too high a risk for this kind of pittance." The pouch landed with a clink on the table in front of Sokka.
The Avatar's girl. Sokka didn't like the sound of that.
Sokka laughed lightly, and pushed the pouch back across the table towards the Captain. "I see. No worries, my friend." Sokka brought his other hand down flat on the table surface, "I'm sure that if you really have anything worthwhile to tell me," Sokka lifted his hand to reveal a stack of shining gold coins—Captain Li's greedy gaze opening wide at the sight—before Sokka carefully covered it again, "then you won't walk away without it being worth your time."
A moment passed while the captain's tipsy brain seemed to struggle calculating something. Then a foul smile spread across his mouth. "I guess there's not too much harm in telling you a little something, eh?"
"No harm at all."
Captain Li told Sokka that Katara was a young woman, early twenties, from the Southern Water Tribe. She's a good waterbender, Master level, obviously. No one seemed to know much about her except that she had been brought in a couple months ago to teach the Avatar to waterbend.
The Captain reached for the money under Sokka's hand, but Sokka shook his head and tsked. "Uh, uh, uh. I knew that much already. I was told that you might know more."
The Captain looked at Sokka steadily before stating flatly. "Okay, fine. The Avatar is also screwing her. The water-whore is real pretty, you see. Guess he's taken a liking to her. She goes to the Avatar's private quarters about three or four times a week. She usually stays all night. She goes in in chains; she comes out in chains. That's all I know."
Sokka's heart had dropped with a thunk, like a stone dropped into deep water. His smile had remained plastered unnaturally on his face, but Sokka had sat back stunned. The Captain had looked at him warily for a moment or two more, before snatching the gold Sokka had left uncovered on the table and leaving hastily, a look of trepidation on his face.
Sokka had sat there at the bar for a long time, his only movement the beating of his heart like the solemn, hollow sound of his father's giant drum. He'd wanted information about Katara. But he hadn't expected…
He didn't know what was worse. Thinking her dead had at least meant that her suffering was ended. Now… Sokka had swallowed bile thinking of what she must be going through; thinking of how he had failed her.
Sokka hadn't been able to protect her back at the village. Hadn't been able to prevent this from happening to her.
But he could avenge her now.
Maybe it was time for Sokka to play his last hand.
Sokka brought his attention back to the laboratory in time to see the Avatar himself walk through the door, a servant closing the door after him.
Sokka went thought the motions of a deep kowtow on the floor. All the better that he could hide his face for a moment, actually. Because when Sokka saw the Avatar, a feral rage flared in him, breaking his facade. This man was hurting his baby sister!
The Avatar laughed warmly. "Hey Sokka! You don't have to do that. You can stand up now."
Sokka felt anger burn in his gut. But Sokka's gut had been burning for years now. He knew how to fake it better than anyone. So as he stood, he carefully fit his happy mask back in place.
"Hello, Avatar Aang," he said jovially. "Thanks for coming to help me out again!"
"Oh yeah, anytime!" the Avatar smiled back, seeming to feed on Sokka's friendly welcome. "I'd come here everyday if I got to play with all your neat inventions! You've made some pretty amazing stuff, Sokka!"
The praise bounced off Sokka like a paper dart off of armor. Play!? The Avatar thought he could play with more than just his inventions. He thought he could play with the lives of other people, with the life of his sister! And Sokka wasn't going to stand for it.
But he smiled anyway. "Shall we… get started then?" Sokka led Aang to the same model landscape they had worked on last time. The one with the hidden dagger underneath, of course.
Sokka debated about whether to do it now, or if there was any benefit to waiting. Perhaps give the guards a little time to settle in? Let them get bored; get their blood cooled down?
Aang picked up one of the model balloons. "Hey! You did it! This rudder looks perfect! This should maneuver much better in the air."
Sokka glanced at the balloon, remembering that it had been Aang's suggestion to make that modification. "Well, shall we test it out then?"
"Absolutely!" Aang said, taking his place at the end of the table and calling up a gentle breeze with his arms and open palms.
Sokka swallowed for a moment, trying not to think about how this was the last airbender left in the world. And he planned to kill him. There have been worse tragedies in the last 100 years of war, Sokka told himself. Although being frank, Sokka was not quite sure that that was really true.
But justice was justice. And he was tired of getting none of it.
Sokka set the model to float in the air currents Aang was bending. He used a set of small strings to manipulate the rudder to test how the balloon maneuvered.
Aang smiled. "It looks great!"
Sokka agreed dismissively. "Sure, sure."
The two of them worked through a couple more tests, Sokka's hands working mechanically while his mind was engaged elsewhere.
He couldn't help but finger the dagger under the lip of the worktable. The blade was long enough to pierce the Avatar's heart all the way through. The last thing Sokka wanted was to sacrifice his life for a flesh wound. When he made his move, it needed to count.
But instead of grabbing the knife, Sokka found himself asking a question. "So… that waterbender that's teaching you… Katara, did you say her name is? Uh… what's she like?"
Aang looked up at Sokka a little startled, as though no one ever made idle conversation with him (but then again, what Sokka knew of the "Protocols" probably meant no one actually ever did). Aang blushed shyly before answering, "Oh Master Katara, she's really great!" then glancing at the guards at the doors he added more formally, "She's a very accomplished waterbender, and a really excellent teacher."
Sokka nodded, a lump forming in his throat. Katara had always hoped to learn how to waterbend; she'd always wanted to become a Master. Sokka was happy for her. And also devastated to think of where it had brought her.
"Can you… uh… tell me about her?" Sokka knew he might be blowing his chance for revenge by asking these questions, but for some reason he felt a gaping loss at the idea of not being able to see his sister again, of not getting to know who she is now.
Aang smiled broadly, a bit of a dopy sparkle in his eye. "Oh, Katara is amazing! She's… you know, smart, and so talented, and kind…"
"Pretty?" Sokka asked. Probing for evidence of what he already knew.
Aang blushed. "Well, yeah. Yeah. She's really beautiful too."
"Nice on the eyes, huh?" Sokka said lightly, although the words felt heavy on his tongue. "I wonder if she'd be nice on the hands too?"
The war balloon model clattered to the workstation loudly, the air Aang was bending having suddenly halted. Aang glanced at the guards, the archer. "Oh sorry," he said loudly enough for everyone to hear him.
Then he walked back towards Sokka and stood close next to him. He picked up the model. Keeping his eyes straight ahead on the table he whispered angrily to Sokka. "Listen to me! Master Katara is one of the best people I know. She is… special. And I don't want to hear you, or anyone else, talking about her that way. Do you understand?!" The Avatar's voice was low—clearly wanting to keep this conversation between just the two of them—but the rebuke in his tone was unmistakable.
Sokka was surprised by the fervor in Aang's voice. The fervor in his defense of Katara. But whether it came from jealous possessiveness or true respect Sokka couldn't tell.
Sokka reached for the knife under the table, and released it from its strap into his hand. He felt the cold blade tuck closely against his forearm as he gripped the handle in his fist. With Aang standing so close, now would be the perfect time.
He didn't know what he was waiting for.
…Perhaps he didn't want to die after all.
Sokka's mind began to race. Could it be that Aang's feelings for his sister were genuine? And what about hers? How did she feel about him in return?
Suddenly Sokka was filled with an ache to ask her himself. Just to see her, to hold her in his arms. To know for himself that she was okay.
Sokka considered the boy standing next to him. This Weapon in the hands of the Fire Nation. Sokka could eliminate him. Right now. He knew he would never be given a better opportunity.
But Sokka knew how it felt to be used. To be a weapon himself. Sokka hated the fire nation because it had made him hate himself. He wondered if the Avatar ever felt the same kind of helplessness that he felt.
Sokka rotated the dagger in his hand nervously, being sure to keep it out of view.
Then he thought of the other option in his pocket. He put his other hand in his pocket and fingered the bit of paper.
Both objects were dangerous. Neither without risks.
Aang looked at Sokka then, his eyes still heated. "Why do you ask about Katara anyway?"
Katara. So informal. What did that mean?
Sokka smiled, laughing lightly to disperse the tension. "Oh nothing. Just curious—she's a fellow Triber, you know?"
Aang's brows furrowed considering him for a moment, before his forehead relaxed and he breathed easy again. "O-kay. Sure."
Aang turned back toward the table, about to return to work, but Sokka stopped him. "Oh and I think we're done here today. I don't need your help anymore."
Aang nodded carefully. But as he turned to go, Sokka whispered to him, "Hey wait! I've got something for you."
Aang turned towards him and Sokka gripped the object he held tightly…
And placed the paper into Aang's hand, down below the level of the table away from any watching eyes.
"Would you mind passing this on to your Master Katara?" Sokka asked softly. "Just wanted to give a little welcome to a fellow Southern Water Tribe sister, know what I mean?"
Aang nodded, so slightly that it was hard to know if he had. Then he slipped the note into his own pocket as smoothly as a thief.
With that Aang turned towards Sokka and said so all could hear, "Thank you for your service to the Fire Nation, Sokka. I'll take my leave now. I wish you the best."
"The same to you." Sokka replied, not sure if he meant it or not.
….
Aang was just turning to leave the R&D lab when the door opened. And in walked Azula, followed by Ty Lee.
"Oh hey!" Aang said, a little startled. He hadn't expected to see them here.
"So this is where you've been," Azula's regal voice rang out. "Took more effort than it should have to find you." Azula looked around. "I wonder why Zhao would have you wasting your time here instead of doing something more… important."
"I like doing this… I mean, I'm happy to help. Wherever I can."
Azula sneered, "Wonder how much of a kick-back Zhao is getting for you to do such menial tasks?"
Aang cleared his throat uncomfortably. "I uh, I don't know anything about that… they just, needed my help, needed some airbending for some research."
Azula scoffed a laugh and patted Aang on the cheek condescendingly. "I'm sure they did, Aang. I'm sure they did." Her tone was as though she were talking to a small child.
Ty Lee stepped forward, her eyes falling admiringly on Sokka, who had turned toward the model terrain, his hands working under the lip of the worktable. "Hey Aangy! So… who's your friend?" Her eyes traveled appreciatively over Sokka's strong back.
Aang raised his eyebrows at Ty Lee, giving her a significant, playful look. Ty Lee simply shrugged unapologetically at how transparent she was. Aang smiled, shaking his head and made the introductions. "Azula, Ty Lee, this is Sokka. He's one of the head research engineers here. He's invented some pretty incredible things." Aang then turned to Sokka, who seemed to be lost in his own thoughts, hardly paying attention to what was going on around him. Azula's eyes narrowed at his lack of display of reverence.
"And this," Aang clapped Sokka on the shoulder, snapping him out of his despondency, and gesturing importantly to Azula, "is the Crown Princess Azula." Sokka caught the significance in Aang's voice and kneeled on the floor in kowtow. "And her friend, Ty Lee." Aang gave Ty Lee a 'you're welcome' smile and a wink.
"Hmm," Azula hummed dismissively, her previous annoyance seeming to be forgotten once Sokka bowed to her.
But Ty Lee skipped over to his side, pulling his bicep to help him up. "Hi Handsome! Why don't you show me some of your inventions?! I loooooove a man who works with his hands!"
Aang and Azula both rolled their eyes at Ty Lee's typical and completely unsubtle flirtations with the tall Water Tribesman.
"Sure!" Sokka replied, now responding enthusiastically to the beautiful woman throwing herself at him. "Right this way, m'lady! I've got something I think you'll fine pretty fascinating!"
Sokka walked Ty Lee over to another table, and she popped up to sit on it, leaning in towards him and crossing her legs suggestively. Aang turned to Azula. "So… you wanted me?"
Azula had been watching Ty Lee's overt advances, and Sokka's apparent reciprocation. Aang's voice seemed to startle her. "Want… you?" The flustered way she spoke was completely out of character for her. Aang was a bit confused by the subtle pink in her cheeks.
But Azula recovered quickly and stated, "Father wants us to eat dinner all together tonight. You know, a nice family dinner, like the good old days."
Aang's brow furrowed. When he had first arrived at the palace, the three of them (or two of them, if Azula was in the Earth Kingdom), had eaten dinner together almost every night. It had been a ritual that they had gradually grown out of as their responsibilities had taken them in different directions more and more.
But Aang had learned early on that these dinners were always more than just "family dinner" as Azula had just implied. They were a chance for Firelord Ozai to keep tabs on his children, to follow up on their progress, to convey his wishes to them. Aang wondered what tonight's message would be.
Azula led the way towards the door. "Well, we best be on our way then. Mustn't be late and you've got to change your clothes beforehand."
Aang looked down at his clothes and sighed. He didn't like the stuffy formal wear required for having a meal with the Firelord, but he knew the expectation. "I can change quickly."
"Ty Lee, we're going," Azula barked over her shoulder. Ty Lee giggled and waved to them, making no attempt to move from her spot on Sokka's worktable. "I'll catch up with you two later. I'm going to stay here and let Sokka show me his best gadgets!"
Azula scoffed, but surprisingly, didn't protest.
As Aang and Azula walked back towards their palanquins, Azula unexpectedly wrapped her hand around Aang's arm. Aang didn't mind; he really did care for Azula. But the contact was a bit confusing — the Royal Family was not big on affectionate touch.
"You've, uh, gotten… taller, Aang." Azula's voice held a softness that was rare for her.
"Maybe so. It happens, I guess…" he replied offhandedly. He didn't know what she was getting at with the comment. Azula always had an angle, a reason for everything she said or did.
Azula looked a little flustered as she retorted, her usual superior criticism back in her voice. "Because your pants are getting short. You really should have the palace tailor make you a new pair."
"Okay," Aang shrugged, agreeing easily.
Aang looked down at his adoptive sister and smiled. "You always help me stay on track, Azula. Making sure I do things right. Thanks for that!"
Azula's eyes widened, looking into his own like she couldn't look away. "I want to help you…" Her words sounded sincere. As she looked at him, her breath seemed to catch in her chest. But she cleared her throat and tore her eyes away, adding acerbically, "If you weren't so hopeless, you wouldn't need my help so often."
Aang laughed. "Yup. I am hopeless for sure."
Aang noticed Azula reach into her pocket, distractedly fingering something there.
Azula kept her hand linked on Aang's arm, until they reached the palanquins. "Well I guess I'll… see you at dinner," she said. Aang noticed a gentle blush climb up her pale neck. But she quickly stifled it and said in her usual nag, "And do change your clothes. You look like a hobo in that."
Aang looked again at his clothes. He didn't see anything about them that was out of the ordinary from what he always wore. He wondered why Azula kept talking about what he looked like today. "Sure… I'll remember."
Azula let her hand slide down his forearm, studying his tattoos there. She seemed to contemplate them for a long moment, before letting go of his arm and getting crisply into her palanquin.
An unnamed disquiet settled inside of Aang as he watched her go.
…..