He couldn't believe it yet. His mind was still a complete blur after what had happened a few hours earlier. He ran his tongue over his lips; trying to taste her on him again… he shook his head and returned to his noodle bowl. He shouldn't think about her anymore, he should forget what had gone down between them altogether. But the ghostly feel of her mouth pressed against his was still driving him mad with desire…

The chopstick on his hand snapped when his grip grew fiercer as he remembered his last meeting with the Princess. He blinked a few times, looking at the stick on his hand as if he had never seen anything like it in his life. He couldn't cope with reality while his mind was in such disarray.

"Are you alright?" asked his date, looking at him with concern.

Sokka blinked a few times and gave her a guilty smile, showing her the broken stick.

"I just… grabbed it a bit too hard, that's all" he said, smiling sideways.

Suki raised an inquisitive eyebrow but smiled back, asking the store keeper for another set of chopsticks. Sokka sighed, feeling like an utter fool, and he thanked the store clerk when he received his new chopsticks.

He had stayed in the waiting room for longer than he could tell, trying to make sense out of what had occurred between him and Azula. She had attacked him when he had his guard down, when he had been convinced that, with what he'd done by asking another girl out, she would understand they shouldn't be together. Heck, she should have even grown to hate him for doing what he did, if she was actually interested in him! But instead… instead she had stuck her tongue down his throat. And he still couldn't believe he had been stupid enough to let her do it.

With those words she told him before leaving the room, Azula had proven her cruelty for the millionth time. Sokka could have believed that kiss had meant she didn't want him to be with another woman, that she cared for him… but her words had proved otherwise. They had proved she knew he was trying to get away from her charms, they proved she would go to any ends to make sure his life remained as miserable as possible. She knew he couldn't get her out of his mind, because as soon as he had tried to push her away, she had pulled him back to her with the force of a fully formed cyclone.

And he hated to accept she had won. He had dressed up and gone to the noodle shop Kyoshi's Heir had mentioned, and he had been quite surprised to discover the gladiator waiting for him, looking nothing like woman he had met in the Arena earlier now that she was wearing a dress instead of an armor, and that her face was completely clean. He was pleased to discover that, underneath her face paint, she had been pretty indeed…

But none of that mattered. Even if he tried to smile as Suki talked to him, his head was elsewhere. He couldn't listen to what she said even if he forced himself to focus on her. His mind had been completely poisoned by that heartless and beautiful firebender, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't focus on reality when he was still being haunted by that kiss.

"Is everything okay, Sokka?" asked Suki, after finishing her noodle bowl. He was sitting across her on the table and she could see how his clear eyes gained a dark quality every now and then. Ever since he had arrived at the store he had looked somewhat different from the man she had met earlier in the sand pit. She had figured he was simply nervous, since it wasn't likely he went out on dates too often. She had tried to talk casually to help him relax, but even if he smiled and agreed with what she said, she could tell he was distraught for some reason.

"Uh? Y-yeah, why do you ask?" he replied, smiling guiltily.

"Well… you don't seem to be okay if you're breaking chopsticks," said Suki, smiling a little as well. "Don't you like these noodles?"

"What? No! I love them!" said Sokka, lifting his plate and gulping down lots of noodles savagely. Suki raised an eyebrow at his exaggerated reaction, and her suspicions grew further.

"You do? Really?" she asked. "Look, if you wanted to go someplace else you could have said…"

"N-no… there's nowhere else I would have gone," said Sokka, interrupting her. "I don't even know any other places! So yeah, this was fine. A good place for a good date!"

Suki raised an eyebrow, still insecure about what he was saying. In her humble opinion, this wasn't that much of a good date: she had only been on one date before, quite a long time ago, and even though it had been disastrous, it hadn't been as strange as this one. At least back then she had been sure the guy was interested in her.

"Well… good, then," she muttered, still looking at him with uncertainty. "Then, if that's not what bothers you, what's the matter?"

"W-why would you think something bothers me?" asked Sokka, trying to shake the matter off with a laugh, but his words came off as sarcastic instead.

"Because you were way more enthusiastic about this when we were at the Arena," said Suki "Did something happen to you, or… is it I'm not what you expected?"

"W-what? No! You're... you're perfect as you are," said Sokka, shaking his head frantically at first before sighing and placing his elbows on the table, his hands going to his hair. "Okay, I suppose there's no point in denying something weird happened to me… but I really don't feel comfortable talking about it. Not here, not now…"

Suki blinked a few times, surprised by his confession. So there was something bothering him indeed…

"So… is that why you're acting like this?" she asked.

"Yeah, and I'm sorry about it," Sokka muttered. "I didn't mean to be such a lousy date…"

Suki giggled slightly and shook her head, shrugging the matter off.

"Truth to be told, it was all too good to last," she said, still smiling at him. "A strong, handsome gladiator, witty and interesting…? There had to be something about you that wouldn't let this work out properly."

"W-what do you mean by that?" asked Sokka, aghast.

"It's hard to explain," admitted Suki. "I've been in the gladiator business for almost seven years, and never had I faced an opponent like you. Granted, I've handled some men who are much stronger than you, but none had been witty and flirty as well."

"Huh, I'll try to take that as a compliment," said Sokka, smiling a little.

"But there's the thing… we are gladiators," said Suki, her eyes darkening a little. "Even if it's fun to think we can have a life like the one honorary citizens have, we'd be kidding ourselves. We're supposed to put our necks in the line, fight to our best in that sand pit, and we don't even know if we'll come out alive. Romance seems ridiculous when that's the life you've lived for seven years…"

"Huh… I see now," muttered Sokka, pursing his lips a little. He had never thought about the matter under that light. Truthfully, his life was way too simple because Azula had granted him every little thing he could have asked for. Most gladiators didn't have the same luck. "In that case, why did you accept to go out with me?"

"I suppose I was intrigued," Suki said, shrugging. "I wondered what it would be like for me to attempt to have a normal life, as if I wasn't actually a slave."

"And I guess I've let you down after this," said Sokka, grimacing. "I'm sorry…"

Suki laughed and shook her head, patting his hand over the table.

"You're not to blame, Sokka…"

"Yeah, I am," he said, looking up at her. "This date was a mess because of me… maybe I could have given you the life you wanted to try out if I wasn't a total mess."

"Stop being so hard on yourself," she said, smiling at him again. "It's fine. I'm okay with this. It wasn't like I was expecting anything huge… but I won't deny it was a nice change of pace from the life I'd been leading so far. It's nice to make a friend in the Arena for once."

Sokka smiled back weakly and nodded, still feeling like a fool. This was an amazing girl, truly… and he had ruined everything he could have had with her.

Yet he could drop the blame for that on Azula's shoulders. Fact was, he felt like she was more at fault for this failure than he was. In other circumstances, in another world, he might have had a chance with a girl like Suki… but Azula had destroyed all those possibilities with that accursed kiss. So long as he was still enticed by her, he would be completely unable to have the normal life Suki had just talked about.

Truth to be told, he would be completely unable to have a normal life so long as Azula was in it. He gritted his teeth at the thought, knowing now that he wouldn't find a way to get rid of his problems until Azula was out of his life. And she wouldn't be out of it until he became the top gladiator in the ranking. He would have to bear with this situation for longer than he wanted to…

"So… I guess that's that?" asked Suki, bringing Sokka back to reality once again. Sokka jumped and shook his head before giving her another guilty smile.

"Yeah, I suppose. I'm so sorry," he muttered, with a sigh.

Suki squeezed his fingers for a moment before giving him another smile and getting up from the table. Sokka sighed again and pulled out some money, leaving the payment for their meals on the table before following Suki out of the store.

They walked down the Capital's crowded streets in silence. The Fire Nation's largest city was a sight to behold at night, with colorful lanterns and excited people roaming the streets. The pair walked amongst them all, both amazed by the sights and sounds. Sokka looked down at Suki every now and then, feeling guiltier by the minute. Their date had been no use… it only made him feel even worse about himself. Suki was a good girl, and he had been trying to use her to get Azula out of his mind. Jumping into a relationship with such a lowly intention was the most dishonorable thing he could have done to a woman like her. In a way, he had deserved what Azula had done to him.

But, regardless, he wished he could have another chance to make things right with Suki. He could be a better man than he had been today, a better man for her… if only his life didn't revolve around a completely different woman.

They arrived to a small building unknown to Sokka. Suki had been the one leading the way, and the Blue Wolf had only followed fit, thinking that, at the very least, he could walk her home without making the date any worse.

"Well, this is my place," said Suki, turning around and giving him another smile. "Thanks for the meal, and for the date…"

"Even if it sucked?" asked Sokka, raising an eyebrow. Suki giggled and shrugged.

"It didn't suck… but I won't deny it was a little dull."

Sokka smiled too and tilted his head down, his hands in his pockets.

"I'm sorry… it's all my fault. I'm a mess right now and I didn't even know it. I shouldn't have asked you out as thoughtlessly as I did, I wasn't ready for something like this."

"Truth to be told, I don't think I was ready for it either," said Suki, shrugging. "It was a nice idea, regardless. I look forward to seeing you around the Arena again sometime."

"Yeah… same," said Sokka, smiling at her. "Sorry again."

"It's fine," Suki replied, chuckling before standing on the tips of her toes to peck his cheek.

Her kiss was soft and kind, most unlike the wild exchange Sokka had enjoyed with the Fire Nation Princess earlier. He clenched his fists at that thought. Nothing could prove enough to pull his mind away from Azula.

"Good night, Sokka. Thanks for everything," said Suki, smiling at him and walking into the house without another word.

Sokka gritted his teeth and shook his head, completely ashamed of himself. He'd had an amazing girl in his grasp and he had blown it… all because of another girl, a girl he could never be with. It didn't matter if Azula wanted him too, not really. Because they wouldn't be together, no matter how desperate they both were to be locked in the other's embrace.

Even if he currently wanted to hate Azula, he couldn't deny that what he wanted the most was to push her down and make her his. He had wanted that for a while now, but after that kiss he had grown more desperate to feel her body against him. It was probably because he had gotten a taste of what was supposed to be unattainable… and she should have always remained unattainable. She should have never tried to close the gap between them in that way… why had she wanted to close it, anyways? Why had she climbed down from her world of luxury and royalty to tease a lowly slave like himself? Was it that much fun to play with his feelings? He shook his head, unable to understand what pleasure Azula could find in making his life more miserable than it already was.

As he walked down the streets he recalled how he had claimed his life was great now… what a pile of nonsense. Certainly, Azula had given him many things, but they had an expiration date. Just as she had granted him so many benefits, she could rip them away from him with the blink of an eye. And with that kiss, she had proved it to him once again: he was under her control. He wasn't enjoying a happy life, he was enjoying the life she felt like granting him… and if he dared displease her, he would pay dearly.

His head ached and his chest felt as if he had taken an arrow to the heart. He had been a fool all along, letting himself feel anything for the Princess. He should have known he had been playing too dangerous a game. Azula was as cold and deadly as her merciless fire, and he would never get away from her without getting burned. Even back when they had first met she had left a burn on him as a souvenir so he wouldn't forget she wasn't someone to fool around with. And he had been stupid enough not to learn the lesson until now.

Sokka didn't feel like going home yet. He knew Song would ask him about his date, since he had dropped by at home to change into comfortable clothing before meeting with Kyoshi's Heir, and he really didn't want to answer anything regarding Suki or Azula as he was. He needed to give his mind a break, to forget all of which had happened to him on such a messed up day.

An establishment nearby caught his eye. The men who were entering it looked quite excited, and the ones who were leaving had red noses and were laughing loudly. Apparently, not all noblemen in the fanciest circles of the Fire Nation behaved with dignity…

But the tavern lured Sokka in. He had only drunk alcohol twice in his life, and he had never been too enthusiastic about alcoholic beverages. Still, he would welcome any form of liquor gladly right now. He wanted to forget all of what had happened, to close his eyes and pretend he was back home again, that there was no war to worry about, no Fire Nation taking over the world and no Princess to lust after fruitlessly…

The wheel of fire was powerful and steady, to her satisfaction. Azula blasted it with full force, casting it towards the scorched wall at the other end of the Agni Kai chamber.

Azula stood alone in the platform, her golden eyes fixed upon the fire that was fading away now. She should have felt proud to see the blackened marking on the wall had grown more intense after her attack, but it wasn't pride she felt right now. She hadn't come down to the Agni Kai chamber hoping to singe the walls.

She had resolved to return to the Palace right after her legs had regained their strength and she could walk properly. She had ordered the palanquin bearers to take her back home immediately, and they had obeyed her without a second thought. Yet, as ever, the Royal Guard's Captain had inquired as to why they wouldn't wait for the gladiator. Azula's glare had let him know he'd do best to stick to her orders, and he decided to spare himself from her wrath by leaving her be.

The Princess had stormed off to her room at first, but after hyperventilating for a moment she decided to work out her frustrations through firebending. Back during her childhood she had resorted to practicing her bending whenever something upset her. She hadn't trained in some time, so she could do with the exercise… and she was beyond angry at the moment, so it didn't take long for her to make up her mind about what she wanted to do. She headed to the Agni Kai chamber, the only place in the Palace where she could bend without damaging her surroundings, and she began bending to the best of her ability.

She stood on the platform, panting, her head tilted down slightly after spending an hour or two bending her flames. She still couldn't believe what she had done… why did she kiss him like that? He was a jerk, an insolent savage! He had deserved being burned to cinders, not kissed!

But what bothered her most was that he had kissed her back. Did it mean he actually wanted her…? Did it mean she hadn't misinterpreted the signs he had sent her earlier?

She gritted her teeth and sent an array of fire into the air with her legs, kicking her azure flames at invisible enemies. Yes, she probably had seen things for what they were. Sokka had wanted her, Sokka had been interested in her since the day they had met. That comment on her 'blue fire' had been enough to betray the fact that he was attracted to her even when they were enemies. And now they weren't enemies, but there was still a wall between them they weren't supposed to climb over. Therefore, even though she was appealing to him, he would run off to find women who could provide him the fun that she couldn't give him.

Well, if that was the case, fine! She didn't need him or his rough hands, or his forceful lips, or his dazzling blue eyes…

She screamed in rage when her thoughts made her long for him again. Blue fire erupted from her mouth, spreading upwards as she held her hands balled in fists, releasing fire through them as well. The frustration within her seemed endless: frustration at Sokka, for being such a simpleton, but also frustration towards herself for letting her heart waver because of him. Feelings and emotions were useless, her father had always said so. And she believed in his words. She had meant to cast away all emotional attachments she felt towards anyone and anything… but she couldn't. She wasn't strong enough to discard her feelings. She couldn't be like Fire Lord Ozai, no matter how hard she tried to be.

Azula panted after she was done screaming, her lungs in dire need for air. Why? Why did she feel so hollow inside? Why couldn't she stop longing for something she would never have? And why should she even long for him? He was a lowly, pathetic slave. There was nothing about him she should desire! But yet, she desired him. She needed to have him with her, his hands fondling her body, their tongues twirling together in a lustful dance once more…

"What are you up to?" asked someone from the stands at the sides of the Agni Kai chamber. "It sounded like someone was getting killed in here…"

Azula turned around at the sound of that voice. The black-haired earthbender didn't look back at her for obvious reasons, but it seemed she didn't need her eyesight to figure out where Azula was. For the first time ever since she had met the Blind Bandit, Azula found herself wishing the girl had killed Sokka when she'd had the chance.

"Get out of here," Azula snapped. "You have no business with me."

"You sounded really mad for some reason. I sensed your screams when I walked down the hall, and I couldn't help but wonder what was eating you," said Toph, shrugging. "Did the Dog lose today?"

"H-he… he didn't lose," Azula muttered before she could hold her tongue. Sokka's victories shouldn't be the Blind Bandit's concern.

"Then what's the matter, Jewel?" asked Toph. "Seems like you're damn annoyed by something…"

"Don't call me that," Azula retorted, her eyes flaring at the sound of the nickname. "And, as I said, whatever annoys me is no business of a petty slave like yourself. Get out of here if you don't want me to burn you to ashes."

"Huh," said Toph, smirking. "Burn me to ashes, you said? Sounds like fun."

"What?" muttered Azula, surprised.

"To me, it sounds like you're pissed as hell," said Toph, chuckling. "And I've heard a few things about your skills. Word is your firebending is astonishing. So… why don't you show me what you've got? I'd like to know how strong you are, exactly."

Azula frowned and eyed the earthbender with curiosity. That wasn't such a bad idea… well, there was the chance they would destroy the Palace in its entirety with their bending, but it was a risk she was willing to take, for her anger never failed to make her reckless as well. She had secretly wanted to have a good fight with Toph ever since she had watched her in the Arena all those months ago; the girl seemed really powerful for her age, just like Azula herself. A match between them was likely to be legendary…

"I won't deny it's an appealing proposal," said Azula, her voice coated with arrogance. "Yet I'm afraid that, in my current mindset, I'll end up killing you by mistake."

"Oh, I'm so scared," said Toph, rolling her eyes. "I would have thought that, after what I did to your Dog, you'd know better than to underestimate me like that. You'll end up becoming a Princess puree after getting squashed between two rocks…"

"Ah, will I, now?" asked Azula, her lips forming a dangerous smirk. "How about we settle, for once and for all, which one of us should be cowering in fear, then…?"

Toph chuckled and raised her hands, ready to boost herself all the way to where Azula was standing with the help of her earthbending…

"What are you doing, Toph?" sounded another voice on the entrance to the chamber, startling the two girls.

"Iroh?" asked the earthbender, turning around and looking at her sponsor in surprise. She had been so focused on her squabble with Azula that she hadn't noticed his presence until just now. "Oh, nothing. We're just going to have a friendly fight."

"A friendly…?" asked Iroh, eying his niece with distrust.

Azula delivered a fierce glare at her uncle, and he merely gulped, wondering what had ticked her off this time. He was no stranger to Azula's tradition of locking herself up in the Agni Kai chamber to work out her anger whenever someone displeased her. He didn't know she still resorted to it nowadays.

"You told me she's a pretty tough bender," said Toph, enthusiastically. "You said she might be stronger than her father already, so I wanted to try her out for myself!"

Iroh continued staring at Azula, a frown growing prominent on his brow. He didn't doubt Azula might be stronger than her father at this point… but that only made him less willing to allow Toph to battle her. Yes, Toph was an amazing earthbender, but Azula looked mad enough to wreck the whole city with the strength of her blue fire. He wouldn't let his gladiator take the risk of fighting such a fearsome opponent unless there was something to gain from it… and there was nothing to gain from fighting Azula as she was right now.

"You're not going to try anyone out today, Toph," said the man, clasping her shoulder. "I think Azula needs some time alone."

Azula was glad for once that her uncle had managed to see through her. She would have likely ended up killing Toph indeed, and doing that wouldn't be any use to her right now. The only person she felt like hurting at the moment was a blue-eyed Water Tribe man, and, against her better judgment, she wanted to kiss him far more than she wanted to hurt him.

"But she was okay with it!" Toph whined. "C'mon, Spicy Princess! You know you want to fight me!"

Azula cringed at the new nickname. She couldn't tell if it was better or worse than the one before.

"Truth to be told, Bandit… I'll be siding with my Uncle for once," muttered Azula. "You and I will have a chance to fight one day, when I'm not as displeased as I am. That way you might survive the battle."

Toph pouted in displeasure and shook her head, irritated.

"We'll see who'll survive when we clash, Jewel…" she grunted, leaving the room while stomping angrily on the ground. Azula couldn't help but feel a little pleased to see she wasn't the only frustrated person anymore.

Iroh looked at his niece one more time before leaving. He had no idea what had irked her so much, but her bad mood didn't bode well for anyone. He took pride in being perfectly able to understand his niece… but that didn't mean he didn't fear her. He had been away from her bad temper for ten years, and back then she had already been quite dangerous. He didn't even want to imagine how deadly she was now.

Without another word, he walked away. Azula sighed in relief once both the sponsor and the gladiator were gone. She looked down at the ground, a nasty feeling of loneliness making its way through her. Suddenly, she didn't feel like training anymore.

She left the Agni Kai chamber and resolved to take a bath, hoping the warm water would rid her of the unpleasant feelings that dwelled within her. She closed her eyes once she was inside the tub, trying to relax… but her mind began feeding her with illusions of Sokka's hands trailing down her body. He had even groped her… no man had ever touched her like that before. She had never thought she would enjoy being caressed in such a manner. She had lacked physical contact with people during her entire life; it was a little hard to take during her childhood, seeing how the other kids she knew didn't have the same problem. But she had grown used to hardly ever being touched by anyone, and she had convinced herself it was better that way…

Until now. She had been touched, kissed and held by the man that kept taking her breath away. By the man who had flirted with her for months now. The man who was at the core of most her thoughts and desires.

And then he had jumped straight into the arms of the next woman he had seen.

She sank in the water at that dreadful thought, leaving only her nose and mouth out in the surface. She wanted to disappear, to fade away into oblivion… why had she been so stupid? She really didn't mean anything to him, she was only a girl he could look at and tease, yet she'd never be more than that. She didn't deserve more than that, likely…

She sighed and got out of the bath, feeling even worse than before. Her chest burned, but not with excitement… with disappointment. With sadness. With anger. And it was all directed at herself, because she had deluded herself into believing they could be something more. Because, indeed, she hadn't given much thought to the matter, but, subconsciously, she had thought something else would be born between them. And discovering otherwise had been heart-wrenching.

She clothed herself before hearing a knock on her bedroom door. She stared at it, her heart filling her with hopes that, perchance, Sokka might have come to her…

The door opened, and, to her dismay, a pair of old ladies stood behind it. How many times could she make a fool of herself in one day? Of course Sokka wouldn't come. He was likely having the time of his life on his date, kissing and touching Kyoshi's Heir, and hell knew if they would end up going further than that… she grimaced at the thought and faced Lo and Li, her features slightly contorted with rage.

"What do you want?" she grunted, her fists balling.

"We heard you were distraught, Azula…" said Lo, looking at her with concerned eyes.

"We are here to ask about what troubles you" Li spoke.

Azula couldn't help to let out a bark of disbelieving laughter.

"Please! I haven't seen either of you in weeks! Months, even! And all of sudden you give a damn about what I'm going through?!" she asked, glaring at them angrily.

"There's no need to be so angry at us, we are only trying to help," said Li.

"You might need advice and counsel, and that's what we came to provide," muttered Lo.

"Oh, really? So now you're going to give me advice, are you?" Azula shouted angrily. "Where the hell were you when I needed real advice? What sort of advice could you give me now when I've already made a mess of everything?!"

The twins were surprised by Azula's outburst. They knew her quite well, having taken care of her since she had been a toddler… yet they had taken a few steps back on their constant watch on Azula by the Princess's command some years ago. Azula never went to them for guidance anymore; the twins still attempted to support her in any possible way, but they knew Azula didn't want them around anymore, even if they didn't mean any harm to her.

"Azula, we are concerned for your wellbeing," they spoke at the same time. Azula's glare grew fiercer than before as she lost her temper.

"Well, don't be! I don't want either of you around me anymore! I haven't wanted you nearby for ages now! So leave! Get out of this Palace, out of my presence, and leave!"

The two ladies stared at the girl in disbelief before responding, attempting to retain their positions as the Princess's advisors somehow.

"Azula, you are very upset…"

"That decision is something you'll come to regret once you're level-headed…"

Azula laughed again and shook her head, not looking at them anymore.

"No, that decision is something I've been mulling over for too damn long and I hadn't found the willpower to say it out loud," she growled. "But here it is, at last! And you can go beg my father to revoke my words, but my decision is final! Get out of here! I want nothing to do with either of you anymore! I don't need either one of you! So go! Leave!"

The two women stared at the Princess in shock. After all these years they knew better than to oppose Azula whenever she was this frantic… but for her to cast them away like this was unheard of. What had happened to the Princess? Why was she so furious? And had she really wanted them gone for a long time now? They both recalled the way she had pushed them away ever since a certain conversation between them a few years back…

Azula meant it. She had been thinking about throwing them away for a long time, and she had finally found the drive to do it. All those years of advising her and trying to support her had gone to waste.

They had no choice but to obey her. The two women bowed down and walked away, closing the door after they left. Azula gritted her teeth and stabbed her bedding with a fist, slamming her hands down on the mattress in despair until she collapsed, her shoulders shaking brusquely with each sob. Lo and Li… they were no good for her. They had been no good since a few years back, when Azula realized she couldn't count on them for what she planned to accomplish as a Fire Lord.

But deep down, Azula had somewhat hoped they would stay even if she had commanded otherwise. She wished someone would stay, but no one ever did. Not her mother, not Lo and Li, not Lu Ten, not her brother, not Sokka… nobody.

She cringed as she wept in silence, hating how helpless she felt and hating how badly she wished Sokka were with her right now.

Sokka took a deep breath as he stared at the tall glass before him, watching the ripples on the liquid's surface. The tavern was loud and messy: men kept brawling and yelling at all times, and the vibrations made his table and his glass shiver.

He couldn't even remember how many pints he'd had so far. He kept calling for refills, trying to use them to forget his problems. Amusing as it was, he had forgotten how many refills he'd asked for, yet he still couldn't stop thinking about Azula. Would this curse ever disappear? Would things ever return to normal? He doubted it. And because of that, he figured he would be frequenting this tavern quite often…

"You sure you can keep that one down?" asked an unfamiliar feminine voice beside him.

It wasn't surprising that people would approach him. The tavern was very crowded, and the table he had picked in the corner was, apparently, the sole table left in the establishment where people could enjoy their drinks peacefully. Sokka lifted his head and looked at the woman who was taking a seat by him. His eyes snapped wide open and his heart began beating faster when he caught sight of the black, long and straight hair that ran down her back… but he calmed down when he realized the woman by his side wasn't Azula. It couldn't be Azula, really… why would the Princess ever come to such a crude place?

Sokka took notice of the woman's beauty right away. She wore tight, black leather clothes that seemed to mold around her body in all the right ways. There was dark makeup on her eyes and lips, and Sokka caught sight of a snake tattooed on her shoulder. The drink on her hand was even larger than his own.

"I've had more refills than I can remember…" mumbled Sokka. Was his hearing fuzzy, or was his voice somehow faded…? "Pretty sure I can take this one too."

"You seem to think you have good endurance… do you, really?" asked the woman, raising an eyebrow. "You don't look all that resistant to me."

"I haven't thrown up yet, if that's what you want to know," said Sokka, shrugging.

"In that case, you're a man alright," she replied, taking a sip from her glass as she watched the brawl a few tables away. "So… what's the story? Did she dump you?"

Sokka frowned and glared at the woman.

"You think there's a girl in the world that would dump a guy like me?" he asked, raising an eyebrow arrogantly.

"I'm just being logical," said the woman. "You're alone in a bar, with a look on your face that says you've been through hell and back again… if your problem is a girl, it's only natural you'd end up coming here. It's why plenty of men come to places like this."

"And you just drop by this bar and talk to every sulking man you find?" asked Sokka, bitterly.

The woman couldn't help but chuckle and look at him with curiosity.

"Truth is, I'm not from around here. I'm hunting for a job, and since I was nearby, I decided to drop by a pub and enjoy myself some. I normally would rather go brawl…"

"Really?" asked Sokka, surprised.

"But I'm a little late and I have no clue what they're fighting about, so I'll leave them be. Yours was the only empty table around, so I decided to pay you a visit."

"And since you're so cool and tough, you think you're entitled to sit down here, uninvited," Sokka said, grumpily.

"This is a tavern, kid," said the woman. "Nobody is uninvited."

"Huh…?"

"And since you don't know that, I think my previous guess is completely spot-on. You're not the type to frequent taverns," she said. "So… who's the heartbreaker?"

"Y-you… what gives you the right to pry into anyone's business just like that?!" Sokka squeaked, glaring at her.

The woman sighed and looked at him, her brown eyes displaying honesty.

"I've seen lots of men like you, brooding in the corners of pubs, trying to mind their own business and doing their best to be ignored by the rest of the world. They want to drink and forget, but not even the strongest booze will be of any use. Even if you managed to let go of whatever's bothering you, it'll come back at you again when you wake up with a nice hangover to spice up all your problems."

Sokka looked away for a moment before glaring at her again.

"S-so…?"

"So, what most those men need is to talk their problems out," she said. "It's not going to solve their issues, but it helps them think clearly. And since I have nothing to do with my spare time, I figured I'd offer to sit here to hear you complain about how your girlfriend dumped you…"

"She isn't my girl-… and she didn't dump… W-will you just stop?!" Sokka yelled, a vein pulsating in his temple as the woman chuckled at his reaction.

"Well, there's a girl, alright," she said, sipping her drink again. "Care to tell me the story now, or do you need me to continue making a fool of you by coaxing the truth out without your awareness?"

Sokka sighed and dropped on the table, holding his head up with his hand as he eyed the woman, feeling defeated.

"I suppose talking this crap out might make me feel better…" he muttered. "But first… Who are you, exactly?"

"You don't ask for people's identities in a pub," said the woman.

"I'll tell you who I am if you tell me who you are," replied Sokka, smiling a little.

"Well, at least there's a smile there," she muttered. "My name is June. I'm a bounty hunter."

Sokka's eyes widened in surprise and he looked at her in awe.

"A… a bounty hunter?! L-like, a real bounty hunter?! That's really cool!"

June raised an eyebrow as she sipped more of her drink. The man had started to look like an over-excited little boy.

"It's not as much fun as you might think," she muttered. "It takes a lot to make a bounty hunter. I have it easier than most because I have a companion who could track a rat a continent away if need be. I finished a mission on the docks today, so I came down here for a few drinks, just as I said earlier."

"I see," said Sokka, nodding.

"And now it's your turn to reveal who you are, Mystery Man," said June, looking at him.

Sokka chuckled and sighed, not even knowing where to start.

"Well… I'm Sokka. And I'm a gladiator."

June raised an eyebrow and looked him up and down, surprised.

"You don't seem as built as most men I've seen in Arenas over at the Earth-… Former Earth Kingdom. So, is that why your girlfriend dumped you? She doesn't like seeing you get beaten up by big guys?"

"Huh? No, no, no!" said Sokka, shaking his head. "And as I said, there's no girlfriend!"

"Fine, fine… what's the story, then?" asked June, smiling again.

Sokka sighed and gulped down most of his drink before beginning to tell his tale. This woman was a stranger, she didn't know who he was exactly… and he would rather keep it that way as he told her about what troubled him. He didn't want her or anyone else to know that his distress had been caused by the Fire Lord's daughter.

"Well, the thing is… there's a girl, yeah," said Sokka, and he rolled his eyes when June smirked at his confession. "The thing with her is that I… I used to hate her, and she hated me as well. And that's the way it should have stayed, always"

"Why?" asked June, raising an eyebrow.

"Because she's… she's completely out of my league," said Sokka, shaking his head. "It's forbidden. I can't dare get close to her."

June seemed considerably surprised. She eyed the Water Tribe man with confusion, wondering what sort of woman could be out of his league.

"Why would she be out of your league?" she asked. "I think you're not giving yourself enough credit …"

"You've got it wrong, it's not because of my looks or hers…" said Sokka, shaking his head. "It's because she's the daughter of…"

He stopped in his tracks before revealing the truth about his predicament. Nobody should know the actual identity of the woman featured in his every thought. Nobody could know.

"Of a nobleman," he finished, thinking it wasn't exactly a lie. The Fire Lord was a nobleman… the highest ranked nobleman in the Fire Nation, but a nobleman nonetheless.

"Oh… she's the daughter of your sponsor or something?" asked June, finishing her drink and eyeing Sokka with curiosity.

"Uh… y-yeah, she is," Sokka muttered, lying blatantly now. If he admitted the girl was his sponsor he would reveal her identity altogether. From what he knew, Azula was still the only female sponsor in the Gladiator League.

"Talk about forbidden," said June, smirking. "Sounds like fun, though."

"Fun?! There's nothing fun about this!" yelled Sokka, grimacing.

"I beg to differ. A high-society girl and a mere slave… it's an interesting combination," she declared. "You're worlds apart, yet you long to be together, is it?"

"N-no," Sokka grunted, placing his drink on the table harshly. "I don't… I don't want to be with her. No, not with her. With anyone but her."

"Okay…" said June, sighing. "I'm completely confused now."

Sokka sighed and shook his head before focusing in explaining the story properly.

"Look, she and I… as I said before, we hated each other. But, somehow, we grew to get by one another. Fact is, she even did a few things for me that I would have never expected her to do. I thought maybe she wasn't as bad as I thought she was. She's just… she's one of a kind, but not in a good way."

"Huh, I see…" she muttered, smirking. This story was starting to sound a lot like a man confessing, unwillingly, that he was completely in love with a woman.

"She's always manipulative, cruel, vicious… she gets away with every little thing she could ask for," said Sokka, shaking his head. "She's a menace most the time. But the problem is, I forgot she was one. One day, I just… I couldn't even remember all those issues about her. I couldn't see them. She suddenly became someone else in my eyes. But she wasn't someone else. She was the same. So… the moron who changed was me. I started looking at her with different eyes…"

"Can I ask why?" muttered June.

"I think it's because… because we began spending way too much time together," he muttered. "Before, we were apart for a long time, and I didn't have to worry about her. But now, with every day that comes and goes, all I do is wonder if I'll see her again. And when she shows up I get stupidly happy, and we start joking and teasing each other… it's been fun hanging out with her, even. But then…"

"Then?" asked June, raising an eyebrow. She thought it was a little odd for Sokka's cheeks to grow redder all of sudden, and not because of the alcohol.

Sokka sighed and tilted his head down, completely embarrassed.

"I'm not… I'm not proud of it, but I… I dreamt about her."

"You… dreamt about her?"

"Yeah, and it wasn't a simple, regular dream," he mumbled. "She was… s-she was… giving me a… well, y-you can fill the blanks, can't you?!"

June raised an inquisitive eyebrow and a playful smirk showed up on her face.

"I don't think I can. There are so many possibilities… giving you a pet? Giving you a bucket of komodo sausages? Giving…?"

"Okay, okay, I get it!" said Sokka, growing slightly impatient. Between gritted teeth, he muttered. "S-she was giving me a blowjob, okay?"

"Oh, my," said June, sarcastically. "Such a dirty-minded fellow…"

"W-what's that supposed to mean?!"

"I'm just amused," she muttered, smiling. "You're a lot more innocent than I figured… being so shy about admitting you had an erotic dream? What's with that?"

"I… It's not like I'd never had erotic dreams," he blurted out. "Just… never with her!"

"Oh, really, now? Who was the previous lucky girl, then?" asked June, raising an eyebrow.

"Just some woman I met back in Hui… what the hell am I talking about now?!" he exclaimed, glaring at June, who couldn't help but cackle at his reaction. "Quit harassing me! If that's what you came for, you can just leave me alone!"

"So dramatic," she said, once she was done laughing. "So, what's so wrong about having an erotic dream about your girl giving you a…?"

"She's not my girl!" yelled Sokka. "She sure as hell will never be mine."

June eyed him with interest at that last phrase, noticing he said it with anger and frustration… but there was also a hint of resignation on his voice. And that hint cleared up how badly he wished his mystery lady would become his, no matter if he tried to cover it up with his displeasure.

"Fine, fine… not your girl. What's the big deal anyway? Men dream about stuff like that all the time… why are you drowning your sorrows in liquor over a dream?"

"I'm not finished," Sokka muttered, his hand going to his forehead. "Ever since I had that dream, I started behaving differently around her. I couldn't help but smile and try to make her laugh, and whenever we looked into each other's eyes I just wanted to…"

"Ask her to make your dream come true?" asked June, chuckling.

"Uh, y-yeah, something like that," said Sokka, sighing. "It went on like that for a week, and I realized I couldn't keep behaving as I did. She was, as you said before, a world away… she would never look at me in the way I was looking at her. She was too far away from me. But then… we had a weird moment. A few of them, really."

"Weird moment…?" asked June.

"Well, we just stared into the other's eyes, I think," said Sokka, sighing. "And, damn, those eyes… I see so many things in them. But that's only the surface, you know? There's so much more underneath… but then as I stared at her I realized she was looking back at me in the same way I was looking at her! As if she were… as if she…"

"Was in love with you?" finished June.

"I… I don't think… I don't think this is love, really," muttered Sokka, narrowing his eyes as his chest pained him.

"Oh, you don't think so…?" asked June, amused. "Well, let's put that aside for now. What happened then?"

"She had to leave me for a moment, and I just stopped to think… and I realized that, even if she liked me back, this could never happen," he muttered. "Maybe we long for each other, but we can't be anything. We can hardly be friends, there's no way we could become something more than that. So I… I made up my mind to get over her."

"And how did you plan to accomplish that?" asked June, suspicious.

"That's… the biggest issue in the story," admitted Sokka. "I met another girl just a little while afterwards… and I asked her out."

"Oh… and then a jealous fiend came to bite you in the rear?" asked June, chuckling.

"Something of the sort," muttered Sokka. "It was even worse than you think, because… I asked the second girl out right in front of the first one."

June's eyes snapped open and she looked at him in shock.

"Okay… either you're really brave, or you're really stupid."

"I'd say it's the latter," Sokka said, sighing as a hand went up to his head. "The second girl said she'd go out with me, and I thought this would work out great. I mean, it would probably be a mess at first, but with this, the first girl would likely realize that I can't be with her! The other girl, she's a slave just like I am. We're on equal standings, so for me to be with her… well, it wouldn't be such a problem."

"Huh… and how exactly did the first girl take this explanation to your actions?" asked June, curious.

"She… well, I didn't get to explain," said Sokka, sighing. "I was trying to act as if the attraction between us wasn't really there, you know? Ignoring it, making it seem like I was far more into the second girl than her. Then I said a lot of stupid things, there's no denying it… b-but that's when she… s-she…"

"She?" asked June, raising an eyebrow.

"She kissed me," Sokka's hands were tugging at his hair now as he muttered the truth with a small voice. "She… she kissed me."

June raised an eyebrow at first, but then she smirked.

"Now that's some girl…" she admitted. "Making you see you belong to her, wasn't she?"

"W-well, yeah! But that's just wrong, okay?!" Sokka retorted. "It was a damn amazing kiss, I won't deny it. But then she pulled away and muttered 'have fun on your date'!"

June couldn't help but stare at Sokka in awe.

"She said that? Really? Damn, she sure sounds like a handful," she declared, her shoulders shaking as she laughed. "You've landed yourself on a very troublesome boat, gladiator. That kind of girl is way too much for you to handle, I'll have you know… but she's going to get you, even if you don't belong with her. Brace yourself. Before you know it, you'll wake up in bed with her."

"Huh… I rather doubt it," Sokka grunted. "I don't want to wake up in bed with her! W-well, okay, I do. But I won't!"

"If she gets her way, no doubt you will," said June. "So… did you have fun on the date?"

Sokka's head fell onto the table as he sighed again.

"No, of course not," he mumbled. "It was a lame date because I could only think about the other girl. I'm a disaster. The worst part is that the second girl is really nice and pretty, and if I had a relationship with her, I'm sure things could work out…"

"But the heart wants what the heart wants…" said June.

"Apparently," Sokka replied, distraught. "I was the worst date she could have asked for. And honestly, I had it coming. She was too good for me, and I blew it all… and I just can't stop thinking about the other girl anyway."

"So… explain to me, why did you try another girl in the first place?" asked June.

"I thought maybe I was just sexually frustrated," said Sokka, shrugging. "I figured that was a large part of my problem, and that maybe I just needed to be with a girl, any girl, and my crush on her would fade away eventually. But it didn't work…"

June frowned and looked at him, slightly confused.

"I'm lost. You said your date had been lousy, didn't you?"

"Uh, yeah… so?" asked Sokka, raising his head and looking back at her.

"So, unless that other girl is stupid enough to get it on with you after a bad date, your plan wasn't even executed. Or did you manage to get into her pants anyway…?"

"N-no, I…" said Sokka, shaking his head. "I didn't, no. The most she did was kiss my cheek before parting ways."

"Well, then, your idea of getting your frustrations worked out on another girl wasn't even played out."

"No, it wasn't," sighed Sokka. "But even if it had been, it would be the same thing. I'm too lost to be saved anymore. I just lust after her like a fool… because I know nothing can ever happen. And even if I try going with another girl, all I'll do is think about her…"

June frowned and rested her elbows on the table, thoughtful.

"She's all I can think about," Sokka continued. "It's as if she had poisoned me, and there's no antidote. The one thing I thought would be an antidote probably won't work."

"Well, you wouldn't know unless you actually went all the way with another woman, would you?" asked June, raising an eyebrow.

"No, I'm positive it would be useless," said Sokka, shaking his head. "Even if I kissed someone else, I'd just be thinking about her."

"How can you be so sure?" asked June, skeptical.

"I just am," said Sokka with a sigh.

"Huh," said June, folding her arms over her chest. "It seems I have to break this to you, then, boy. If you really can't get her out of your mind no matter what, then I suppose it means you're in love with her, no matter how you try to deny it."

Sokka clenched his teeth and shook his head.

"No… I can't… No. She's off limits. I can't be with her, I can't be in love with her! Not after all she's done to me! Not after all I've been through because of her!"

June sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Can you make up your mind?" she asked. "Do you love her, or don't you?"

"I don't!" Sokka claimed.

June seemed to grow irritated by his statement and she looked at him with a grimace. Sokka sighed and shook his head, looking at her apologetically.

"I just… don't want to be in love with her, okay?" he muttered. "The whole point of going to Suki was to try and get over… her. But that was no use…"

"I insist, though," said June. "If you made it nowhere with that… Suki, as you just called her, you really don't know for certain if it was any use or not."

Sokka raised an eyebrow, confused.

"You're saying… I should go see Suki again after that horrible date?" he asked, shocked.

"You're not as sharp as I thought you were, Sokka…" she snickered.

"W-well, what are you saying, then?!"

June chuckled and licked her lips, eyeing him with narrowed eyes.

"You really don't need it to be that girl, you know? The only thing you can't change is the fact that you've got a crush on the nobleman's daughter. But the second girl… the second girl is merely a ploy to trick your body and get rid of your sexual frustration. But if sexual frustration isn't the problem, you'd really have a problem. Bottom line is, you can get any woman to fill in for the second girl. It doesn't have to be 'Suki'."

Sokka frowned and looked at his almost empty glass before draining the last remnants of the liquor, wiping his mouth with his hand after he was done.

"So… you think I should just go find another woman?" asked Sokka, frowning. "Just so that I get laid to get rid of my frustration?"

"It's a possibility…"

"Even if it's not bound to work?" said Sokka, skeptical. "And, for starters, what sort of woman would be okay with being used just by a guy like me to work out my sexual frustration on her?"

June couldn't help but smirk widely, shaking her head in disbelief.

"How exactly should I spell this out for you, gladiator?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Sokka frowned first before realizing what the woman was suggesting. He blushed deeply and looked at her in utter shock. No denial, she was quite beautiful… but that had to be the lowest thing he could ever do. He began shaking his head and June looked at him in surprise.

"Why… I'm not your type, I take it?" she asked.

"No, no, no! T-that's not…" said Sokka, his flush growing more prominent. "M-maybe you're way too much of my type, actually…"

June chuckled and looked at him inquisitively.

"Then I suppose I'm the ideal person to try and get that other woman out of your mind," she whispered.

"But… I can't just use you like that!" said Sokka, grimacing. "That's something awful to do to anyone! And after you've put up with my rambling, you're actually going to do me another favor?! J-June… please, spare yourself. I don't think I'm even that good in bed…"

"I'm the one who'll decide if you're any good or not," said June, taking out her purse and dropping a few coins on the table. Sokka's stomach began twisting with anxiety, thinking this couldn't be happening… "Come on, then. I've got a room a few inns away."

"June… y-you can't just… this is… why the hell would you do this?" he asked.

"Maybe you're not the only one who's sexually frustrated," she said, smirking. "I can't even remember the last time I had some…"

"But this is…!"

"You can just shut your mouth now, lover boy," said June. "This is going to be plain, thoughtless sex. There are no strings attached. You only have to do your thing and that's all."

"But… You don't deserve something like this," muttered Sokka.

"Deserve it?" asked June, raising an eyebrow. "I'm not doing this because I think I deserve it. I'm doing this because you look like you'd be a good partner in bed and you need to find out if you're in love with your girl or not. It's a win-win situation for the both of us. I don't see a problem with it. Unless, of course, you're already so devoted to her you refuse to be with another woman…"

"That's… n-no," said Sokka, grimacing. That wasn't the reason why he was refusing… he was refusing because he was certain this would be no use, and he had already bothered the bounty hunter enough as it was.

"Then quit playing hard to get", said June, smirking down at him. "Come on. It's time you find out whether you're in love with your girl or not."