Azula had suffered from headaches many times before, but she had never experienced one quite like this one. Not only did her head hurt, but her stomach seemed to be upset, and her surroundings felt unreal, as though she were still unconscious.

She had just woken up, and she couldn't remember falling asleep in the first place. She couldn't remember much of anything, she realized, though she didn't want to make the mental effort to remember either way. She had the suspicion that trying to think would worsen the headache. Yet not trying to think would worsen it too, it seemed, because the pain only increased with each passing moment. Perhaps she ought to figure out where she was, first of all, since, due to how uncomfortable her body felt, it didn't seem that she had slept on a bed.

The first attempt to open her eyes failed when the rays of light blinded her, intensifying her headache. She groaned, finding her throat was sore and dry. As her awareness of her surroundings became sharper, she sensed that whatever she was using as a mattress was soft, warm and breathing. So, it would seem she had fallen asleep atop someone else. Well, it wouldn't be the first time that had happened.

She let her hands touch whoever was underneath her, and what she found was bare skin with traces of many scars upon it. She frowned, and the gesture only intensified the headache. She cursed the universe internally as she reached the inevitable conclusion regarding who was lying underneath her…

"S-Sokka…?" she whispered, her voice husky, her mouth filled with a taste that made her grimace. This was already the worst morning of her life, and she dreaded to realize it was only bound to get worse.

A low hum was all that came as a reply, but she felt an arm surround her shoulders as the man beneath her moved. Sokka had reacted upon hearing her call his name… at least, she hoped it really was Sokka. The last thing she needed was to discover that she had fallen asleep atop anyone other than him.

"A… Azula?" he said, and while his voice sounded rusty, its tone was all that was needed to give away that it was really him. She sighed in relief, her eyes still closed as she cowered from the daylight by pressing her face to his chest. Hadn't she been feeling as badly as she was, she probably would have pulled away from him altogether, but for she was convinced that staying close to him could help on some level. Being near him had always been a source of comfort for her.

"What the hell… happened to us last night?" she whispered, making staggering efforts to utter each word.

Sokka only groaned again as a response, his hand sliding through her hair as he shifted underneath her. When he moved, Azula noticed her legs' movements were restrained for reasons she couldn't quite understand. Her throbbing head kept her from conjuring an explanation for anything about their weird circumstances, though.

"I don't know…" Sokka replied, gritting his teeth as he braced himself before opening his eyes.

He forced himself to keep them open, even if only a little bit, because he knew he'd grow used to the brightness of daylight if he made himself face it. Through the small openings of his eyes, he noticed they were currently splayed on the back of the ship. There were several wooden crates around them, and the sky was covered with a film of white clouds that, despite covering the sun, were bright enough to make Sokka wince when he looked at them.

He lowered his gaze to find Azula atop him, her hair disorderly, her face buried on his chest, her belt cast aside next to his and the empty bottle of baijiu…

He jumped, and Azula groaned in complaint upon his brusque movement as she slid down his body slightly… his uncovered body. Sokka opened his mouth and closed it, his eyes widening despite the pain the brightness still caused him. She had been lying atop him, and his shirt was open, and…

"C-could you not move, damn it…?" Azula whispered, against the top of his abdomen.

"A-A-Azula…" he said, shivering nervously. The tone of his voice worried her.

"What's… what's wrong?" she asked, forcing herself to open her eyes.

It took her a moment to grow adjusted to the light, even if through her eyelashes, but when her eyes came to focus she noticed the panicked look on Sokka's face. Confused, she pulled away from him slightly and dropped her gaze, for staring at him only seemed to make her head hurt more…

And it was then that she saw it.

It was her turn to jump now, pushing herself away from him brusquely. She dropped back on her forearm, the impact against the wood hard enough to make her wince, but her eyes, wide as well now, were set on just one thing…

Sokka gritted his teeth and looked down to his groin. His cock was protruding through his pants, and Azula was staring at it as though it were the most terrifying sight she had ever laid eyes upon. He was quick to tuck it in place, moving urgently as though hiding it would diminish the impact of the situation on Azula, but while it might make her less uncomfortable, it wouldn't change the look of utter horror on her face.

"A-Azula…" he said, and she tried to move away from him by reflex… to find her pants, which had been dragged down to the level of her knees, were restraining her movements.

Both her and Sokka stared at her legs, panicked silence rising between them. Her breathing became heavy and difficult, for her brain had made the connection immediately, regardless of the powerful headache. She couldn't remember what had happened, but she was staring straight at the evidence right now. It was done. What they had been trying to avoid, what they had resisted for over a year… they had done it. She had no idea why it had happened, but she was afraid she didn't want to know anyways. This was bad enough as it was.

She noticed he was staring at her and struggled to pull her pants up again, her eyes darting across the wooden floorboards nervously. How had she let this happen? Why on earth had she? She had kept control over her urges towards Sokka for all this time, and whenever she slipped, it was Sokka himself who would hold them back… but this time neither of them had stopped it. And all it took was one slip for everything to be ruined beyond repair…

As her eyes darted around the deck, she noticed something she had overlooked so far. And now she frowned, her headache be damned, when she noticed the empty bottle of baijiu. She gritted her teeth and glared at Sokka, who could only look at her apologetically.

"Azula…"

"N-no, damn it, don't you… d-don't you dare say anything, you… you idiot…" she said, though she felt the actual idiot was herself.

Some of last night was coming back to her now, and she had agreed to sit beside him while he drank… she shouldn't have done it, curse everything! She had known nothing good could come from keeping him company, and yet because of her stupid feelings, because of her inconvenient and inappropriate infatuation with him, she had decided to stay with him. She cursed herself internally, wondering why she hadn't remembered that nothing good had ever come from being around Sokka while he was drunk. And it would only turn out worse if she ended up drunk too, for she wouldn't be feeling as badly as she was, and she would probably remember last night's events much more vividly, if she hadn't taken to drinking along with him. She couldn't even remember drinking with him, but given her condition, and the awkward situation they were in, it was pretty clear that, whether she liked it or not, she had gotten drunk as well.

"Now, calm down, this… t-this might not be so bad," he said, grimacing, and Azula snorted and looked at him in disbelief.

"Calm down? You're really asking me to calm down and saying that this isn't as bad as it looks?!" she exclaimed, and Sokka grimaced before inching away, pressing his back to the crate behind him. "Are you insane, or did the wretched drink affect your intelligence?!"

"Okay, I'm sorry, it's really bad and I'm aware of it," he said, lifting his hands defensively. "B-but… reacting like this isn't going to help anyone, okay? I… I can't remember what happened last night, so I'm just saying, m-maybe we didn't really… maybe we didn't have sex?"

"Oh, because I just chose to push down my pants and underwear out of nowhere, and you pulled your… t-thing out of yours because that's just something you thrive in!" Azula exclaimed sarcastically, holding her pounding head with a hand. "And sure, we didn't do it, hence why we fell asleep together as we did! It makes perfect sense, doesn't it?!"

"I agree it looks bad, Azula but please, calm down," Sokka said, stressing the last two words. "If you keep shouting someone's going to hear and this is only going to get worse!"

"Calm down, you say. Calm down…" she said, shaking her head and closing her eyes. "We're dead. We're not yet but we will be. This is it. Everything's… everything's ruined. Thanks to that revolting, good-for-nothing drink that I can't even remember drinking…"

"We're not dead yet, Azula," said Sokka, breathing deeply. "We can… we can sort this out. We've dealt with worse things before, right?"

"Oh, really?" Azula asked, sarcastically again. Sokka grimaced. He sure didn't like it when she was as acid as she currently was being.

"R-really. I mean, no matter how you look at it, we could be worse off. I mean, we were wearing some clothes still, and… wait! Hey, there was no trace of…!"

Footsteps walking towards them silenced Sokka immediately. He froze halfway through his sentence and raised his head just as Azula did the same to find they weren't alone on the deck anymore.

The blood drained from Azula's face upon realizing they were about to have company, and she impulsively started contemplating throwing herself overboard. The shame and the embarrassment she had been feeling regarding this situation were already unparalleled: she had felt bad enough as it was without having someone else intrude upon them right now.

But someone had intruded indeed, and now she stood in place, staring at them with her narrow eyes and her hands on her hips. She raised a judgmental eyebrow as she analyzed the situation carefully, taking notice of Sokka's loose shirt, the empty bottle of liquor and the two belts that had been discarded at some point through the night as well.

"I'm genuinely afraid to ask what the hell happened here," Mai said, and Azula stared at her desperately.

"W-well… then don't ask," she said. "M-Mai, please, this isn't… it's not like I genuinely…"

"A-Azula is trying to say this isn't what it looks like…" Sokka said, even though they both knew that lying to Mai would be pointless. Nevertheless, they weren't quite lying, not when neither of them could remember what had transpired between them last night.

"So, you two didn't finish that bottle together for some reason beyond my understanding, seeing how you both were against the idea of drinking altogether, then threw your belts away, and then you, fell asleep here on deck?" Mai asked, closing her eyes and looking at them inquisitively.

"Uh… y-yeah, well, maybe that's what happened," Sokka said, looking at Azula warily. The Princess stared back at him, her eyes full of worry and disbelief. She suspected that Mai's simple description of the events wasn't accurate in the slightest.

"Maybe?" Mai asked, looking at Azula now. "You two don't remember anything, then? Did you end up that drunk?"

"Going by the blasted headache I have right now, I think we did," Azula muttered, gritting her teeth. "M-Mai…"

"You really ought to know better than to drink so recklessly, the two of you," Mai said, moving towards Azula and extending her hand towards her. Azula frowned a little before clasping it with her own and allowing Mai to pull her to her feet. The movement was so brusque that she felt as though her brain was bouncing inside her skull. "It would seem you only took off your belts this time, but you might do something worse if you do this again. Won't you?"

"M-Mai…" Sokka said, looking at her in confusion as she offered him her hand now.

Once the two of them were standing, she picked up both their belts and handed them to their respective owners. Azula took hers and fastened it around her waist slowly, as though she were a child repenting for an unforgivable misdeed she feared she would be reprimanded for sooner than later. It was weird enough that Mai hadn't taken it upon herself to lecture her for what she'd done, but Azula guessed it would happen eventually anyways. Mai could act ignorant all she wanted, but the evidence of what had taken place through the night spoke for itself. Sokka's neck was covered with red marks, and Azula was sure hers bore its own set to match.

"The other drunkards are down having breakfast," Mai said, and the mere mention of food made Azula want to retch. "I figured I'd come find you both, seeing how you were nowhere around…"

"How did you know where to find us?" Sokka asked, frowning.

"I only had to follow the harmonious sounds of a heated argument to come across the pair of you," Mai said, with a dry smirk. Sokka grimaced. "In any case, are you two going to join the rest of us, or…?"

"No, thank you," said Azula, grimacing and moving a hand towards her mouth. "I… I don't think I want any food. If anything… I need the exact opposite of that."

"No surprises there," said Mai, sighing and nodding. "I'll help you to your room, then. Stay there and rest, it looks like you need it. What about you, Sokka?"

"I… I guess I could get some food," he said, though he figured he was bound to throw it up later anyways.

"Good, then," said Mai, and Sokka frowned as he watched her walk with Azula towards the ship's superstructure.

It wasn't bad for Mai to act ignorant about what she had found… if anything, she presented herself as an ally for the pair of them. Yet her behavior confused Sokka all the same. She could have mocked them, or she could have berated them… she could have done anything, and yet she chose to do nothing. He feared they would owe Mai a lot if she truly kept her silence regarding what had happened last night.

Azula cast one last glance towards Sokka as she turned around the corner, finding he was frowning and staring at the floorboards with confusion. It was clear that he hadn't meant for this to be the result of their encounter the previous night, but intentions didn't matter either way. If she had lost her virginity to him, then she could kiss her life, her hopes and dreams goodbye. And she probably could kiss him goodbye as well, for the one who would pay the ultimate price for such a crime was Sokka.

She wanted to believe nothing so serious had happened last night, but she was afraid of the truth regardless. Mostly, she was afraid of the consequences of said truth… consequences she wasn't ready to face yet, and she feared she never would be. She wasn't ready to give up everything she had fought for. But most of all, she wasn't ready to give him up.

Still, as she dropped on the bed in her cabin, all she could do was blame him for last night's outcome, regardless if it had been his fault or not. Some of what had happened was coming back to her, and she was certain she had only started drinking because of him…

She groaned into the pillow as the headache intensified. She briefly hoped to wake up to find this entire morning, and most of last night, had been nothing but a hallucination… but deep down she knew whatever had happened couldn't be taken back anymore. And she wasn't entirely sure of what that meant to her just yet.

It relieved Sokka to find that all their traveling companions, except for Mai, seemed to be suffering from hangovers as well. Breakfast was awfully quiet, most unlike dinner last night, since nobody felt like talking while their heads throbbed as they did. Ty Lee was the one in better shape, yet she wasn't as upbeat as her usual self. Haru, on the other hand, looked both exhausted and in pain. He barely ate, despite Ty Lee's insistence that he needed to replenish his energies. Zuko was eating slowly, a somber look on his face given the headache he had, but he was very attentive towards Suki, who held her head with a hand as though keeping it upright without support was too difficult a feat. Whenever Zuko offered her any food she smiled a little at him, though, and the somber look on Zuko's eyes would dissipate slowly… before the effects of the hangover returned at full force again.

Had they all been in good shape, chances were they could have heard what went down between Sokka and Azula the previous night, or at least they would have noticed the bite marks on his neck now… but since they weren't, they remained oblivious to all evidence of their apparent crime. And since Mai didn't seem to be about to reveal it, then maybe their escapade could be kept quiet… the escapade Sokka was still having some trouble remembering. Some things had come back to him, mainly about their conversation, but slowly he seemed to recall a few of the more daring things they'd done…

"Say… is Azula okay?" Ty Lee asked suddenly, and Sokka looked up at her with a start.

"Why do you ask?" Mai said, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, it's just a bit odd for her to miss breakfast… is she seasick or something?" she asked.

"She might be," Mai replied, shrugging. "She simply didn't want to eat yet. She might have slept badly last night or so."

"You know…? I think I… I heard something strange last night," Ty Lee said now, and Sokka felt the blood draining his face. He tried to focus on the rice he had been eating, but his heart was racing, and he was starting to feel sicker.

"Really? Strange how?" Mai asked.

"Well, maybe the drink was messing with me more than I realized," said Ty Lee, playing with a strand of her hair. "But when Haru and I were… uh…"

"No need for details, I can fill the blanks," Mai said, raising a hand and Ty Lee giggled softly.

"Right. W-well, thing is, while we were at it, I thought I'd heard… a scream, maybe. And… it sounded a bit like Azula."

Sokka frowned and looked at Ty Lee warily, and with confusion. A scream…?

The mere suggestion of Azula screaming unleashed more memories for Sokka. She was atop him, wasn't she? And she had… she had punched the crate his back was resting against. And yes, she had screamed… but Sokka couldn't bring himself to remember why entirely.

"Are you sure it wasn't the drink?" Mai asked innocently, and Sokka gulped. Ty Lee pouted.

"Not really, but I don't think I was imagining things," she said. "Why would I imagine Azula screaming, huh?"

"Perhaps the drink had some properties you weren't aware of," said Mai, shrugging. "Inducing hallucinations and the sort…"

"H-hey! I wasn't… hallucinating," she said, though she couldn't raise her voice as she normally would, for her head ached all the more by it. "Whatever I heard, it was real."

"Or so you say," said Mai, and Ty Lee scowled.

"Well, what is it? Do you know why Azula was screaming and you're trying to hide it from me, huh?" Ty Lee asked, pouting.

"C-could you not bicker…?" Zuko asked, rubbing his forehead with his fingers, but his petition was ignored.

"How would I know?" Mai asked. "I went to bed early, put in my earplugs and forgot all about you six until I woke up. I didn't even know she had screamed at all, to begin with."

"You say that now, but I don't buy it…" said Ty Lee, pouting.

"Might be that… that she was having nightmares."

Ty Lee's eyes widened and she looked at Sokka in surprise. He swallowed under her gaze and shrugged.

"I mean… if she's still sleeping because she didn't rest well last night, maybe she couldn't sleep well because she was having bad dreams. It's just… logical, right?"

He knew the lie was plain obvious on his face, and he was certain that Mai was looking at him with amusement and disbelief. He didn't expect Ty Lee to actually believe him, but he had to do whatever he could to keep the insidious girl off the trail of what had taken place last night. No matter if it wouldn't work.

"Huh… you really think so?" said Ty Lee, frowning. "It sounds a bit strange. I'd never known Azula would scream over nightmares…"

Sokka could feel the sweat rolling down the side of his face. Surely Ty Lee would ask Azula, on the first chance she got, if she was really having nightmares… his attempt to help probably would backfire on them both in the end.

"But I guess that's the only thing that makes sense, huh?" said Ty Lee, shrugging, and Sokka had to make incredible efforts to keep his jaw from dropping at her naivety. "Poor Azula… I wonder what she was dreaming about."

"I wouldn't ask her if I were you," said Mai. "It might be something she won't want to think about."

"You're right…"

Sokka blinked blankly and looked at the two girls in disbelief. How had this actually worked, he had no idea… but it was a relief that it had. He returned to his meal, thinking that what had happened last night might actually seem a nightmare for Azula now… though it sure hadn't been one at the time, had it? From what little he could recall, she had been rather eager and enthusiastic about what they were doing. In fact… had she been the one who had started it? He seemed to recall he had kissed her – had he done it for any reason? That seemed to be blocked too – but Azula was the one who had taken things to the next level. And he hadn't had enough willpower to hold back…

The sounds she had uttered through the night started to return to him as well, and he tried to keep himself from blushing, but he couldn't. Every single moan that had escalated into that final scream, all because he had been…

He frowned now, suddenly realizing that what Azula had dreaded actually hadn't happened… not fully, at least. If his memories were accurate he had touched her, but he had done nothing more than that. He hadn't been inside her. She was still, technically, a virgin, despite their reckless escapade.

He breathed out in relief and everyone on the table looked at him in confusion. He froze and smiled at them weakly.

"S-sorry. Just… thought I was going to sneeze, but I didn't. Heh."

"The hell?" Zuko said, raising an eyebrow.

"What?" Sokka asked. "Hasn't that ever happened to you?"

"It has never been a relief to lose a chance to sneeze," said Zuko, rubbing his temples now. "It's annoying because you know it's going to happen sooner than later, and you just get this annoying prickle inside your nose…"

Sokka grimaced, knowing Zuko was right. He had been wondering if he could deliver a fake sneeze that was believable enough when suddenly Haru jumped to his feet and raced out of the room, making everyone forget about the previous conversation topic.

"Haru, dear…?" Ty Lee said, as he raced past the door. "Oh, boy. He really took the baijiu badly last night…"

"Didn't we all," said Suki, sighing.

Sokka grimaced. Yes, they all had. And some had taken it much worse than others…

He left the dining room once he was finished with his meal, hoping that it would stay put in his stomach and that he wouldn't need to vomit any time soon. He took to pacing through the ship, hoping more memories of last night would return, despite the most important one was already back. So long as they hadn't gone all the way, the situation wasn't entirely hopeless just yet…

He returned to the stern, amongst the wooden crates, and he simply stared at the place where they had woken up, hoping it would trigger more memories. He closed his eyes, trying to recall just why everything had started in the first place… he remembered she had flat-out refused to kiss him at first, angry because he had made her drink… oh, he was an idiot, no doubt. He shouldn't have had so much as a sip of the baijiu, let alone should he have coerced her to do it too. How could he be so thoughtless? Had he really expected things to end differently than they had?

No, of course he hadn't. If anything, he had practically hoped for it, regardless if he admitted it or not. He had been thinking of his sponsor in inappropriate ways for over a year now, and while he wasn't actively pursuing a sexual relationship with her, he knew he wanted it. He wanted it more than he could remember wanting anything else in his life. The temptation to take her into his arms and kiss her became harder to resist with every passing day, and with it, the temptations to do much more than just that…

He didn't want to cause her trouble, though, and so he had held back for as long as he had. It was why he had stopped her from doing something she couldn't take back when they were in Ember Island, and also why she had stopped him that day before her birthday. Reality had always caught up with them, stopping them from doing things they couldn't possibly take back. But this time they had let everything run its course… and while his common sense berated him for it, he couldn't bring himself to feel as ashamed as he should be. He had lusted after Azula for far too long to hate himself altogether for what he had done. He wasn't as strong as he had always wanted to be. His willpower was going to falter eventually, regardless of what that might mean for either of them.

He sighed and walked towards the rim of the deck, supporting his weight on the white banister as he gazed down at the foam the ship left in its wake. He could swear to keep his hands to himself forevermore, to keep proper distance from Azula from now on, but what good would it do? As she often said, his promises and his apologies wouldn't make anything better. They wouldn't change the imminent, they wouldn't stop him from doing what he truly wanted to. At this point, he wasn't sure if anything would.

"You're a terrible liar."

Sokka stiffened and looked from the corner of his eyes to find Mai had approached him. He regarded her with a weak nod and a guilty grimace, as she settled right next to him.

"I'm aware," he said. "I don't know if she really bought it…"

"She did, but that doesn't mean you did a good job of it," said Mai. "You're too obvious. One would think you'd learn from Azula, after spending so much time with her."

"You'd be surprised…" he said, resting his forearms on the banister. "She's actually more honest than you'd think."

"Is she?" Mai asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Yeah, she is," he said. "But so long as none of them could tell I was lying, there's not much to worry about… I think."

"Not now, there's not," said Mai. "But how will you come up with a believable excuse next time?"

Sokka closed his eyes and sighed, failing to find the energies to lie yet again and claim there wouldn't be a next time. He already knew there would be.

"You were very lucky I was the one that found you," said Mai. "Had it been any of them, the entire ship would know about the pair of you by now. And that wouldn't be a good thing…"

"Well, there's not… not much to know anyways," said Sokka, and Mai frowned.

"Come again?"

"I mean… yeah, things got heated and crazy," he said, nodding. "But we actually didn't… we didn't do it."

"You didn't?" Mai asked, surprised.

"No. We couldn't quite remember at first, though," said Sokka. "It's why she was panicking as she was, but… but I figured it couldn't have happened for good. I mean, there would have been at least some blood, right?"

"Maybe," said Mai, narrowing her eyes. "Well, if anything that's good news, in a way."

"Yeah, we're not off to our deaths just yet," said Sokka, sighing. "But…"

"But you will be."

"We will be."

Mai looked at him, finding the picture of resignation in his face. He had stood upright again, his hands gripping the metal banister tightly enough to tremble.

"You don't seem too happy about it, though."

"I… How can I be?" he said, gritting his teeth. "I'm going to ruin her life because I'm an idiot who can't keep his impulses in check. If I could just…"

"If you could turn back time, would you stop from doing whatever it is you two did last night?" Mai asked, and Sokka snorted… and shook his head.

"No, I don't think I would. I… I can't take anything back, which shows how much of an idiot I really am. I'm going to ruin her, Mai. I'm going to… and there's no stopping it, not anymore. It doesn't matter what I say or do, as soon as I look at her all I want is… her. She's everything I can think about. I've already tried to fight these feelings before, but I've only hurt her by doing it. And I don't want to hurt her again, never again… but no matter what I do, or don't do, the fact remains that I'm just going to hurt her one way or another! So… there's nothing to be done, you see? I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place… and I just don't know what to do. I wish I could just make up my mind and decide to stay put or to make my move, but I can't."

"The consequences terrify you, don't they?" Mai asked.

"You have no idea," he said, gritting his teeth. "If I was the only one to pay the price for it, I might not even care… but this isn't about me. And I…"

"You?" Mai asked, raising her eyebrows when he stopped talking.

"I just… I love her too much to do this, and too much not to do it, too," he said, with a sarcastic laugh as he shook his head. "I'm a mess, you see. In days like these I feel like I'm just a walking contradiction…"

"You love her," Mai repeated, and Sokka looked at her warily.

"I… I do," he admitted. "I mean, it's pretty damn obvious I do, isn't it? After all…"

"No, it's not that obvious," said Mai, and Sokka frowned. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to undermine your feelings for her… it's just surprising. I'd never heard anyone claiming to love her before."

"Well, I'm glad to be the first," said Sokka, huffing.

"So, you're proud of your feelings?" Mai asked, surprised. "You're not ashamed of feeling like this towards a woman you shouldn't love?"

"I'm ashamed of many things, Mai," he said. "But loving Azula isn't one of them. No matter everything that has happened in the past between the two of us, I know I love her. And she knows it, too. To be perfectly honest, I feel like I've become a better man since I accepted my feelings for her. By no means am I good enough for her, but that doesn't mean my feelings will change. The thing is… the peasant can love the princess as much as he wants, but the princess isn't supposed to reciprocate. The peasant is lowly, unworthy, beneath her…"

Or underneath her, as it was the previous night… he gritted his teeth and shook his head. That wasn't the point of what he was saying anyhow.

"So, she shouldn't even look at him," he continued. "She shouldn't… she shouldn't feel anything for him. But what's the peasant supposed to do if she does? What am I supposed to do when I know that she…?"

"That she wants this as much as you do?" Mai asked, and Sokka swallowed hard.

It wasn't only that she wanted him as much as he wanted her, though. After admitting his feelings for Azula to Mai, the last piece of this puzzle had been coming back to him, and only now did it find its proper place in his head…

"It's not a very good idea to tell people I'm in love with you, is it?"

He shivered, a smile breaking on his face despite he didn't feel worthy of such feelings at all. That was what had started it all, of course…

"She does," he muttered. "If she didn't want me in any way, I'd leave her alone. I swear I would, but… how can I? I just… I don't know how to hold back anymore, even if I'm terrified of the consequences. It's just…"

"It's complicated, I understand," said Mai. "But for as clever a guy as you are, you don't seem to be all that smart when it comes to this."

"W-what…?" said Sokka, looking at her inquisitively.

"Whatever happens between you and her should be kept between you and her," Mai said, simply. "The only risk is for the secret to be given away, isn't it? And so long as her father doesn't hear of it…"

"But what if he does?" said Sokka, and Mai shrugged.

"If he does then you two will be the most careless idiots in the world. But really, do you think you two are the first people to ever get engaged in a secret relationship?" Mai asked, and Sokka blushed. "It's not a new concept. Indeed, heads could roll but that's exactly why you're supposed to keep it a secret, isn't it?"

"S-still…" said Sokka, frowning.

"If you can't hold back anymore, then don't do it," said Mai. "If she's not going to hold back either then she might as well just let herself go with it. The question to be asked is whether you think the risk will be worth it in the end or not. You only have one life to live, Sokka, and it could end tomorrow for all you know. Literally."

Sokka froze at that. At this point in time he had practically forgotten about the Slate, worried about Azula as he was.

"So, it's up to you to decide what you'll do with it," said Mai, simply. "Whether you'll take the risk or not, whether you'll do it today or in ten years… it's up to you."

Sokka looked at Mai in astonishment, having expected her advice to be anything but supportive. He had thought she would tell him to hold back, to leave Azula alone, to forget any hopes of having an actual relationship with her… but instead she was nearly encouraging him. At the very least, she was pushing him towards making a decision… a decision he had already made without meaning to.

"Just be careful with whatever you do," said Mai, stepping away from the banister. "You may have been able to fool everyone in the room because they had hangovers, but that doesn't mean you'll be able to do it every time. Don't be reckless. Not everyone will be your ally upon discovering whatever you're up to with Azula."

"I know that," said Sokka, as Mai started to walk away. "But still… thanks."

Mai had no response for his gratefulness, and she merely made her way into the ship again. Sokka frowned as he stared at the sea once more, his resolve building up yet crumbling down with ease whenever he thought about the potential consequences… but he wanted her, and she wanted him. And he would much rather they gave themselves to one another willingly, and consciously, than for it to happen again while they were drunk. He didn't want her to regret it, because he knew that deep down he wouldn't feel actual remorse for it. He couldn't feel guilty for loving her, for desiring her. It was wrong, surely, but it was as good as inevitable and he was done fighting against it. He didn't have the willpower to continue resisting the forces that were more powerful than he was.

The sound of a gurgling groan at the other side of the ship surprised him. He frowned and turned around, staring at the prow now to find that he wasn't the only person on deck right now, despite he had thought he was.

He almost felt his insides turning into jelly as he glimpsed Azula's silhouette even from a distance. Despite his determination, he wasn't ready to face her yet. Last night's events, now fresh in his mind, had been rather enjoyable while they were taking place… but if Azula had already recalled what had happened, she would be likely to disagree with that notion.

Unbeknownst to Sokka, Azula had yet to remember the events from the previous night fully. She had rested more, vomited a few times, to her utter revulsion, and she had eaten a very light breakfast just before climbing up to the deck. All the while, she had made sure to avoid the rest of the members of their group. She had tried to fix her appearance until she seemed presentable enough if she bumped into anyone, but she was still too shaken up to even try to act natural. She meant to gather herself once she knew for certain what had happened last night, regardless of how terrible the knowledge might be.

And there was only one way for her to recall the memories her mind kept blocking from her.

"I need your help. Again. Desperately," she said, staring at the dragon before her, who seemed very uneasy as he returned his rider's gaze. He already knew what she was going to ask of him, and Azula took his reluctance to share her own memories with her as a bad omen. "Xin? Please, you… you have to do this. I can't go on with this uncertainty. I have to know…"

Xin Long groaned and shrugged as he waved his head in circles. No, she didn't have to know, fact was she probably didn't want to know half as much as she thought she did. Even Xin Long was embarrassed by what she'd done, and he would much rather keep her in the dark about it all…

"You… blast it," she said, gritting her teeth and rubbing the bridge of her nose. "You said… you're embarrassed? Is it really that bad?"

Xin Long sighed heavily, a puff of smoke pouring out of his nostrils as he nodded. Azula looked at him, aghast.

"Well… if it is, all the more reason I need to know," she said, and Xin Long asked her if she was really sure of that. "At this point I can't be sure of anything, but… but for better or for worse, I need to know what happened."

Xin Long shrugged again, his mane shaking with the movement as he settled in place and allowed the memories of what had happened between his rider and her gladiator to return to his mind. And he simply braced himself for the breakdown he was certain the Princess would have once she had remembered it all.

As expected, her eyes widened as the memories unfolded, and she covered her mouth with her hand when she saw herself telling Sokka the truth behind the golden fire. Why the blazes had she said it? And…

"Oh, no… oh, no, please… I didn't. I couldn't have… oh, curse it…" she said, her hand going to her forehead now. She had admitted to being in love with him, for good. It was obvious enough, but she had actually said the words now… no clothes had been shed yet, and the situation was already much worse than she had expected it to be.

Azula paced slowly as the rest of the memories unfolded in her mind. She was sure a prominent blush was coloring her cheeks from the start, and it only got darker as she witnessed the way she had touched him, and how she had been the one in control, the one who had made their exchange much wilder…

Despite the shame she felt, though, there was a small sense of amazement growing within her as well. She had touched his torso and his hair, kissed him fully and even devoured his neck… how wrong was it for her to be amazed about having taken things this far? Surely it was extremely wrong, but she couldn't bring herself to think she shouldn't have done it altogether.

Yet as the exchange became more heated, she started to panic slightly. She knew what was coming as Sokka removed her belt, and she was absolutely terrified to watch it unfold. But if it had happened she had to witness it and be done with it…

She shivered as she watched the way his hand had explored her. The sensations were returning to her, and she felt her legs weren't strong enough to support her weight. She had to place a hand on the dragon's back to keep herself standing upright. The sounds she had uttered were absolutely embarrassing, yes, but how could anyone expect her to hold them in when he had touched her as he had?

Her eyes were wide as the memory of the climax came back. That explosion was nothing like anything she had experienced before in her life. She couldn't equate it to anything, not even to the thrill of figuring out new forms of bending… it was terrifying, and she wasn't entirely sure if in a good way or a bad one.

Xin Long prodded her shoulder with his snout and she gave him an ironic smile, her eyes still wide as she stared into space in disbelief.

"Okay. You were right," she said, paralyzed where she stood despite how the dragon nudged her shoulder. "Maybe I would have been better off if I hadn't remembered all that. But… wait. Wait a moment. That's it?"

Xin Long raised a bushy eyebrow and nodded. She had told him she was drunk after he admitted his love again, and then she had collapsed. Xin Long hadn't seen anything else happen between them through the night. Azula looked at him in amazement before releasing her breath heavily, again relying on Xin Long's body for support.

"Then we didn't actually do it," she said, staring at the wooden planks on the deck with a small smile, yet the smile waned nearly as quickly as it had appeared on her face. "We didn't do it… we didn't."

Xin Long frowned and groaned, startling her out of her daze. How come was she disappointed? If they hadn't done whatever it was she hadn't wanted them to do, then she should be happy instead. Azula's blush intensified and she shook her head.

"I'm not disappointed, Xin Long, I'm relieved. I mean… even if it had happened, I'd much rather have it happen without forgetting about it the next morning. W-well, I don't want it to happen altogether! It wasn't supposed to, so it's great to know that it didn't. It's great, yes. It is."

Xin Long looked at her skeptically before rolling his eyes. Azula slapped him on the shoulder and he huffed.

"Stop it. I'm serious," she snapped. "I'm not disappointed about anything at all!"

The dragon smirked and said she should keep telling herself that until she believed it. Azula scowled at him and rolled her eyes, stepping away from him and towards the rim of the ship. Yes, she had told Sokka she loved him, and admitted his part in her discovery of golden fire… but she was still a virgin, technically. What they'd had wasn't what people would consider sex, or was it? Well, perhaps it was… but there was no intercourse! Not really…

She huffed and shook her head, hating to admit that Xin Long was right. She was, on some level, disappointed, even though they had gone further than ever before. It was a relief, undeniably, but… but she wanted more. She was aware of how reckless such wishes were, but she couldn't control them. She hadn't been in full control of anything ever since Sokka had showed up in her life.

And while they hadn't gone the whole way, they had gone far enough for something to change deep inside her. It was as though a dam inside her had broken, and with it, the sexual desires she hadn't experienced to the fullest until now had been unleashed. She had thought of Sokka as a potential sexual partner before, of course she had… but not like this. Never like this.

Because this was no longer a simple fantasy. She wasn't thinking about what might happen… no. Now she truly wanted him, and every bit of pleasure he could provide her with. Now she was sure she wouldn't be able to shake off the very idea of making him hers completely until it actually happened. The desire, which had always been somewhat dormant inside her, was potent and wild and it rushed freely through her body, begging her to find him and finish what they'd started the previous night.

"I really ought to throw myself overboard," she grunted, her head in her hands now as she breathed heavily. What on earth had she been thinking…? Oh, well, she hadn't been thinking altogether. That was all the truth of it.

"I'd much rather you didn't do that…" someone said next to her. "Or I'd have to jump right after you and it'd be a hassle to get aboard the ship again."

Azula tried not to act surprised, despite the sound of his voice had caught her unawares. She breathed deeply, knowing her luck was such that the very man she didn't want to see would have to show up just now… because maybe she did want to see him. But she would have appreciated having some time to think about what she'd tell him the next time they met, at the very least.

"It would be a hassle indeed," she muttered, curtly. "Did you consider that perhaps the purpose of jumping off the ship would be getting away from it altogether, and that I wouldn't want to climb aboard it again?"

"So… it's the ship you want to get away from? Or is it me?"

"Both" Azula said outright, and Sokka smiled sadly before sighing. "And things are weird enough as it is for you to make them worse by jumping right after me into the ocean, in case you haven't noticed."

"I just don't think it's a good idea to let a firebender to jump into open waters like that," he said. "Can you blame me for worrying?"

"I think I can, considering the only one to be blamed for all this in the first place is you," Azula said, finally daring to look at him in the eye. Sokka's mouth opened, as he was about to retort somehow, but he closed it soon enough as she continued to glare at him.

"Well, I admit I did get you to drink the first cup. But the other six cups you had weren't my fault, now, were they?" he asked, and Azula sighed and shook her head.

"No, I guess not. But I feel so much better about life when I can blame you for my misfortunes…" she said, resting her elbows on the railing and running her hands through her hair.

"How are you feeling?" Sokka asked, after she fell silent for a moment. "Any better yet?"

"Somewhat," she whispered. "The headache still lingers, and the brightness is a bother, though. I really don't know why I let you get away with making me drink… or why I let myself get drunk, to make matters worse. To think I'd been hoping to stop you from taking things too far, and in the end all I managed was to get myself involved in… well, whatever that was."

"Still, if… if it's any consolation," said Sokka, swallowing hard. "It appears that we didn't actually… well, we didn't quite…"

"No, we didn't have sex," Azula said, and he blushed. "You only stuck your hand inside my underwear and I pretty much did the same to you. That was all."

"Y-yeah, that was…"

"That was all," she repeated, releasing her breath heavily and glaring at Sokka. "And that alone is more than enough to condemn both of us, as you might have realized."

"W-well, maybe it would be, but you know? It might just be that…"

"You know, I really don't think I want to hear excuses this time," she said, shaking her head and rubbing her forehead with her fingertips. Sokka grimaced. "It's going to make no difference whether you apologize or not, things aren't going to get any better no matter what you say, so…"

"Well, I wasn't going to apologize, so don't worry about…"

"Wait, you weren't going to apologize?" Azula asked, looking at him with a mixture of surprise and indignation. Sokka inched away from her.

"W-well, when has apologizing ever helped me make up for my mistakes when it comes to you, huh?" he said, and Azula raised an eyebrow.

"That's not the point. You're not sorry? You're… are you proud of what happened last night, by any chance?"

"Proud? How the hell would I be proud?" said Sokka, staring at her in disbelief.

"Well, considering you almost deflowered a Princess, you just might be," Azula said, with a dry grin. Sokka scowled.

"I could be proud of that if we hadn't been drunk, if anything, but given our situation the last thing I felt was pride, whether you believe it or not," he said, scowling, and Azula froze.

"C-come again? You could be proud of it, you said?"

"You heard me," he said, stubbornly. When her jaw dropped he grimaced. "I mean… I know I have no right to do it, but I mean… if we'd really done it, I'd rather it had happened while we were both fully conscious of what was going on."

"Oh, because that would make it all adequate somehow, now, wouldn't it?" Azula asked, sarcastically, and Sokka pouted.

"I didn't think it'd be adequate, I just don't think something like that should happen without our awareness, is all," he said.

"Something like that shouldn't happen at all, simple as that," Azula snapped before sighing heavily.

"I know, I know," he said. "And whether I meant to apologize or not, I really am sorry for getting you to drink. I shouldn't have done that."

"No, you shouldn't have," Azula agreed. "But there's nothing to be done about it anymore, now, is there?"

"Not really," said Sokka. "Other than swearing we will never ever do this again, but considering how every single one of our vows have gone up to date, I'd rather not even bother…"

"You seem to be the epitome of resignation today, huh?" Azula asked, frowning. "So you're not going to be sorry for anything, regardless if it was wrong or right, because there's no point in regretting things that already happened, and no point in trying to prevent anything from happening in the future because you're certain it'll happen either way?"

"Uh… in short, I guess that's about it," Sokka said, shrugging and Azula glared at him. "Oh, come on, what else do you want from me?"

"At least you could have the decency to try and fight against this, you know?" she said, raising her eyebrows, and Sokka huffed.

"Oh, sure, so that I end up hurting you again? Because that's the only thing I've ever accomplished when trying to fight my feelings for you. That's how you want me to deal with this, really?"

"I don't mean you should fight it that way," Azula said, gritting her teeth. "Just… don't act so nonchalant about this. It makes me feel like… like you don't give a damn about what happens between us anymore."

"You know that's not true," said Sokka, sighing and leaning on the ship's railing. "You know… you know that I actually do care, far too much. But as it happens, I may have reached a conclusion at last. And maybe… maybe you won't like it, but I thought you should know either way that I'm going to…"

"To fight," Azula said, and Sokka frowned. "In the Slate. Tomorrow."

His mouth opened a little as he stared at the Princess in utter confusion. She returned the look with determination.

"Yes, that's what you're going to do," Azula said, turning towards him and staring at him defiantly. "And you're going to do us both a favor and keep all thoughts of what happened between us last night as far from your mind as possible. Alright?"

"Uh… no? Azula, it was a big deal and not just for you," he said, and Azula rolled her eyes.

"It was, undeniably so, but I don't think we're going to reach any actual conclusions by discussing this right now," she said, stubbornly. "Because for some reason I'm getting the feeling that you're going to say everything I don't want to hear you say, so I'd rather spare myself the trouble…"

"Heh, maybe you actually do want to hear it, though," Sokka said, pouting a little, but she ignored him. "You won't know unless you do…"

"And just give us both at least the space of two days to think things through," she said. "Because it just might be that the alcohol is still affecting you, and you're not thinking properly at the moment. So, I'll be postponing this conversation until after your fight is done, got it?"

"B-but…"

"No buts, Sokka," she said, determined. "I'm serious. I'm not having you lose your focus and waste all your training just because of… well, of what happened last night. So you're going to…"

"You're actively trying to avoid this, then?" Sokka asked, and Azula glared at him. "You're just… letting it go?"

"I am postponing it, I said," Azula growled. "So don't misunderstand things. I'm not leaving this as it is, I'm just… going to need more time to ponder it. And so will you, but you're going to do it after the fight. Alright?"

"Meh. Even if I don't agree it's not like you'll care," Sokka said, pouting again.

"That's right, I won't," Azula said, with a sarcastic smile. "So run along, get more rest, overcome your hangover and get ready for the fight. It's all you need to do, and all we came here for anyways. You can't mess this up."

"I won't, I won't," said Sokka, sighing deeply. Having a few days to change his mind wouldn't make a difference, he was certain of it. But perhaps it was Azula who needed the time, after all. Yet he dreaded that this could only result in the Princess deciding something that he wouldn't possibly agree with…

"I'm serious, Sokka," she said. "I'm only saying this for your own good. We know you're a mess in the battlefield when your mind is troubled…"

"Cutting me off like this isn't going to make me any less troubled, though," Sokka said, and Azula looked at him skeptically.

"And telling me whatever you have in mind right now will help?" she asked.

"Maybe… maybe not," said Sokka, sighing.

Azula rolled her eyes, completely certain that whatever he told her would only make her all the more uneasy. But she looked at him sternly and waited for him to speak his mind. Upon noticing she would actually let him talk, Sokka swallowed hard and looked at her almost shyly.

"Thing is, I… I don't think I need a couple of days to think things through. If you do need that, I'll leave you to it, but… but I think I've already made up my mind, for better or for worse"

"Oh? Have you really?" Azula asked.

Sokka breathed deeply and looked at her, not a hint of mockery in his clear eyes. Azula's heart was drumming in her chest even before he spoke, and it only quickened its pace once he did.

"I can keep holding back," he said. "I know that by now you might think my willpower is no good, and yeah, maybe it's not… but I think I could resist this, despite what happened last night. I could. But… but I don't want to."

"You don't want to?" Azula asked, raising her eyebrows. "You don't… alright, so you just want us to throw ourselves into this, never mind the consequences, because you just don't want to resist anymore?"

"I didn't mean… well, the consequences will always be there," said Sokka, frowning. "And they will always be awful, I'm sure of it. But we're getting closer to the edge every day now, and… and I'd be lying if I said I don't want this. If I said I don't want you. The fact is that I do. You know well enough how I feel about you…"

"I do, but that doesn't mean…!" Azula said, scandalized. "For crying out loud, Sokka… you're crazy."

"Yeah," said Sokka, smiling a little. "In any case, I just wanted you to know this. If you don't want it, I'm not going to blame you for it. I know how much you're already risking with our relationship, but…"

"Our relationship, you say. You're… you're crazy," she repeated, shaking her head. "And in case you haven't noticed, you're risking your life with this as well. I'd probably get out of this alive, but you certainly wouldn't."

"Well, can't say I'm a stranger to living with my life on the line," said Sokka, shrugging. "I spent two years expecting to die every day. So this isn't anything new for me…"

"Indeed, you did, and here I thought you wouldn't want to go back to that situation ever again," Azula said, looking at him skeptically. "You're being ridiculous, Sokka."

"Yeah, I guess I am," he said, with a small smile. "And you're not going to get any sense into me, in case you were hoping to do that. I'm too far gone to be helped anymore."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Azula growled, and Sokka chuckled.

"You know what it means," he said. "You're not the only one whose heart is on fire here."

Azula gritted her teeth, the color rushing to her cheeks as Sokka turned around and walked inside the ship again. She clenched her fists and shook her head, unsure if she was infuriated, amazed, embarrassed or everything at the same time.

"I… I hate him. I swear I hate him," she said, walking back to Xin Long.

She draped her arms around the dragon's neck and buried her face into his hair, wondering how a man could be as reckless and stupid as Sokka was. Now he had given her the last nudge, letting her know that he was open for something she didn't know if she was ready for… but something she knew she wanted all the same. He had left things in her hands: it was up to Azula to make the next move… and she had no idea if she dared. She was terrified of the consequences indeed, but perhaps what she was most afraid of was Sokka himself.

Never before had she felt anything remotely similar to the love she felt for the man. She wasn't sure what these feelings would drive her to do, but now more than ever she understood why her father always had advised her against feelings. Love was wild, uncontrollable and unreliable… and also rather addictive. Her wishes to get away from Sokka were only surpassed by her desire to remain beside him. And she feared that soon enough, the battle between her purity and her lust would end with a victory for the latter.

She wasn't entirely ready for it, she knew it. She couldn't convince herself to forsake the consequences and throw herself at this wholeheartedly. But it was going to happen either way: there was no stopping it anymore and both of them knew it. They were on free fall, with no means to break their descent into nothingness. At this point, the only decision left for her to make was to either despise the thrill of their fall or to enjoy it instead…

The second day of the trip to the Slate was far calmer than the first. The entire group refused to drink again, much to Ty Lee's disappointment, and by the third day, most the effects of their hangovers were gone for good. Azula had kept her distance from Sokka after their conversation, something that hadn't quite surprised him. He knew that she was still trying to figure out where she stood in their relationship, and he was willing to give her as much space as she might need.

As Azula had asked him, Sokka tried his hardest to focus on the upcoming fight. He spent some of the morning practicing several of his moves on deck by himself, warming up for the fight that would happen in a few hours. He only stopped when the others came on deck, and he chatted with them as they waited for the Slate's island to finally come into view.

Azula had taken her time getting ready for today's combat. She had never been particularly good at fixing her own appearance, but she was worse at it than usual this time around due to how nervous she was. She had barely finished when Mai and Ty Lee came to her cabin to tell her they were near the Slate already. She swallowed hard and nodded before following them on deck, trying to stop thinking about what Sokka had told her the previous day.

Setting her eyes upon their destination was enough to snap her out of her daze, though. The island was black, and it seemed to flow into the sea, given the ripples in the dark stone that comprised it. It wasn't a particularly large island, but there were two volcanoes that burst from it. They were quite daunting, standing as tall, dark peaks in the middle of the ocean. Azula narrowed her eyes, feeling a pulsating beat coming from them. The magma underground was still potent and powerful. Who had been the genius who came up with the idea of building an Arena in an island with active volcanoes?

"So that's… that's it?" Sokka was asking, looking at the ominous place with a grimace.

"That's it indeed," Azula said, walking behind him and startling him when she spoke. "The Slate in all its ironic glory, I suppose. It looks anything but amazing from here."

"It looks creepy," said Ty Lee, gulping. "Does anyone live there?"

"Not that I know of," Azula replied. "From what I was told, it has been an uninhabited island for well over a century by now. I have no idea who its last residents were, but I sure hope they didn't die under the power of that volcanic eruption."

"It might make the fight more interesting, though, if the Arena happened to be haunted by the spirits of those who were trapped within the lava…" Mai said eerily, and Sokka scowled at her. She smirked.

"I sure hope otherwise," Azula muttered. "It's going to be a nasty enough fight as it is without spirits involved in it."

"I really don't like the sound of fighting in a haunted Arena…" Sokka said, gulping.

"Well, it's haunted for sure, even if not by spirits of those who were there a hundred years ago…" Suki said, and Sokka scowled at her next.

"Heh? Say what?"

"You know… all the gladiators that have died there?"

"O-okay, that is quite reassuring…" said Sokka, his eyes widening and Azula sighed.

"I think that's enough tormenting the gladiator before the fight, thank you very much," she said sternly. Suki smiled guiltily at her, but Mai didn't seem to regret her words in the slightest. "Go get ready, Sokka. We'll disembark as soon as we reach port."

"Alright," he said, gulping and nodding.

He returned to his cabin, dressing up in his fire-proof outfit and donning his armor. He gathered his weapons quickly, but he stopped to take a few deep breaths before returning to the others. The biggest fight of his career as a gladiator was about to take place now, and he had no idea in which shape he'd return to this cabin, that is, if he returned at all. This might be his last intake of fresh air, for all he knew. He swallowed hard and closed his eyes, feeling unexpectedly calm about the ordeal just now. He doubted he'd continue to feel relaxed once he was inside the Slate, but for the time being, he just wanted to breathe in fresh air, to bask in this moment of solitude before worst came to worst. The moment ended when the ship stopped moving, and he made his way upstairs once more.

The island's port was quite small, and only two other ships had been stationed in its docks. The group descended on them once the ship's ramp was lowered, and they were making their way through the dry lava soon enough. The power of the volcano underneath prompted Azula to frown with unease. The fight could take an unpleasant turn if it erupted right now…

"So, where's the Arena?" Zuko asked as he gazed around himself, frowning. "Shouldn't it be around here somewhere? I can't see any buildings."

"It's not above ground, actually…" Haru said, and he lifted a hand to point at a metallic door not too far from where they were. Two men dressed in the uniform of most employees of the Gladiator Business were standing next to it. The silver door stood out within the masses of blackness in the island, and it looked as though it would lead nowhere larger than into a storage room. But as Haru had said already, the Arena was underground. The door was simply the way to access the enclosure. From what they could see, the situation was about as unsafe as it could get…

"Welcome to the Slate, Princess Azula!" exclaimed one of the men at the door, as they both bowed before her. "We hope your voyage was pleasant."

"Oh, indeed," Azula said, trying not to sound too sarcastic. She didn't want any suspicions to arise regarding what she had experienced during that trip. "Thanks for the welcoming committee, I guess. Is the Millennium Dragon here yet?"

"As a matter of fact, he is," said the other man, as they both stood upright. "Everyone is waiting within, by which I mean the other staff members and your opponents. We didn't expect you to bring so many people with you…"

"They're only here to cheer for my gladiator," Azula said. "There won't be a problem with that, now, will there?"

"Oh, of course not," said the first man, smiling and looking at Sokka. "So, I take it this is the Blue Wolf?"

"In the flesh," Azula said, and Sokka grinned awkwardly. "Shall we, then?"

"Of course!" said the same man, ushering the group through the door. He swung it open, revealing a very long metal stairway that led downwards.

"Is this place really safe?" Zuko asked, frowning, as the group began making their way through the stairs. "It's not too smart to make an Arena in a volcanic island…"

"It's perfectly safe, Prince Zuko," said the second man, looking at him with a huge smile on his face: he lagged behind deliberately so he could talk with Zuko. "We have earthbenders stationed in the Arena. They can open a path through the vestibule's ceiling and towards the ships in case the volcanoes were to erupt. But there's no need to worry, there hasn't been any serious volcanic activity here in a very long time."

"Huh… I hope you're right," he said, before frowning with discomfort now. "Uh… why are you smiling at me like that?"

"Oh, it's only that I never thought I'd meet you in person!" he exclaimed, beaming. "I already expected the Princess to come, but the Crown Prince…!"

"Oh, that's… that's what, huh?" said Zuko, blushing a little and looking around himself with slight panic. He wasn't entirely used to people reacting positively upon meeting him. Suki, who was walking down the steps in front of him, turned her head with an amused grin, as the man continued to rave excitedly about Zuko right beside him.

Meanwhile, the first man, who was leading the group, had taken it upon himself to explain the rules of the combat to Azula and her gladiator.

"Your opponent already knows the rules by heart, his fighter has been in the Slate many times before," he started. "So, I'll explain things to you now to save some time. First of all, you won't be setting a time limit for this fight. In the Slate there's a specific time limit of one hour for the combat. As ever, these fights are either resolved by knock-outs, or by the judges if the time has run out, or, in the worst cases, when either of the fighters… eh, dies."

"Gets killed, rather," Sokka said, grimacing. Azula's hand grazed his, in a very subtle but reassuring gesture. He couldn't help but gape at her in appreciation for it.

"Well, it might surprise the gladiator to hear that… t-that not all fighters who have died have been outright murdered here," the man said, at which Azula frowned.

"Did they die because of the temperatures?" she asked. "Or was it… they didn't fall into the pit of lava, now, did they?"

"Oh, you know about that already?" said the man. "Well, good to know you've been warned about the lava pit. You would do well to remember that it opens every five minutes, gladiator. But anyways, yes, a gladiator actually fell in there once…"

"Wait, are you serious about that?" Sokka exclaimed, his eyes widening. "How the hell…?"

"It is no easy feat to fight on the Slate's platform," said the man. "Another of the rules is that the fighters must remain within the platform at all times. If any attacks from your opponent were to knock you out of the platform, you would automatically lose the fight. And if you were to be knocked out of it while the gate to the lava is open… well, simply put, that's how that particular gladiator was lost. So, try not to leave the platform, naturally…"

"Yeah, it should be just that easy to keep from falling, huh?" Sokka said sarcastically, scowling at the guy. "But how can people fall anyways? We were told the ring was a cage, not a platform."

"It used to be a cage, but Combustion Man blew up most the bars with his blasts whenever he fought here," said the employee. "We decided to keep things simpler for now – it's less expensive – and thus we only have a platform now. It's still suspended by chains, and there's a metal railing that encloses it, but it's not tall enough to prevent falls… so, again, I advise the gladiator to be very cautious about that."

"Wrecking the platform in any way would also deduct points from his score, wouldn't it?" Azula asked, and the man nodded.

"As it is in most cases with the Arena's furniture. But seeing how your fighter is a non-bender, I gather there's not much of a risk of him breaking things. So long as he can stay on his two feet for the hour that the fight will span out for, he should be fine."

"That sure sounds simple, now, doesn't it?" Azula said to Sokka, who looked at her with desperate eyes.

"You know, I'm really starting to think we don't know what we got ourselves into here…" he said, as they finally reached the vestibule, after the very long descent into the core of the island.

The vestibule was rather small, comprised only of a small room with the archway they had just come through, and another arch at the opposite wall, through which they would access the corridor that led into the Arena. The vestibule was mainly metallic, just like every other part of the structure they'd seen so far, except for its rocky ceiling. The place was nowhere near as crowded as the Grand Royal Dome, which was visited by hundreds of people on a daily basis. There were, at most, ten people waiting for them when the group finally arrived. Azula recognized no familiar faces, but through their uniforms she could gather that most of them were only employees just like the ones that had welcomed them into the Slate. Yet there were two men who stood out amongst the others, the ones who weren't wearing uniforms. She actually recognized one of them once the studied him more carefully: his hair was of a light shade of brown, and his skin was only slightly paler than his hair. His body was massive, and his muscular build was nowhere short of extraordinary. He wasn't wearing armor, nor was he even wearing a shirt. He turned to look at the group as they arrived, and he was quick to smile when he recognized the man he would be fighting soon enough.

"Aha! There you are, kid!" he exclaimed, laughing. "Neat to see you again!"

"Eh… hey," Sokka said, smiling a little and waving almost shyly as the man stomped his way towards him, a pleased grin on his face.

"You look way better than when we first met, eh, kid?" he said. "I got to watch you in Yu Dao just a couple months back, you're something to behold!"

"Wait, so you've watched me?" Sokka said, his eyes widening. "Well, that's not fair. Now you have an advantage over me, don't you?"

"Ah, come now, don't take things so seriously, kid," he said, laughing and clapping Sokka's shoulder. "Welcome to the big leagues, though! I'd hoped you'd make it this far, and see, here you are, ready to fight this old bloke right here!"

"Okay… do they know each other?" Suki asked, staring at the two gladiators with wide eyes. Haru, next to her, shrugged.

"Looks that way. He never mentioned that, though, did he?" he asked, and Suki shook her head.

"This fight gets weirder and weirder by the minute," said Zuko, grimacing. "I can't wait for this to be over."

"It will be soon enough… for better or for worse," Suki told him, her voice shaking a little as she spoke. Zuko frowned.

"Hey… it's going to be fine," he said, a hand on her shoulder. She blinked and lifted her head to smile at him, but it wasn't hard for Zuko to sense the insincerity in her grin.

"I know. Don't worry about me, Zuko," she said, which, naturally, only served for him to worry even more.

Azula had watched the reencounter between her gladiator and his rival at first, but she had soon turned her attention towards the other distinct man in the room. His brown hair was darker than that of his gladiator, and his skin far paler. He seemed younger than his fighter, but that was quite possibly because he hadn't been forced through the ordeals his slave had undergone. He wasn't much taller than Azula herself, and he looked lanky and thin compared to his burly fighter. He was dressed in black and red clothing, yet, despite the bangs that fell over his eyes, Azula noticed his irises were green. She hardly knew anything about the Millennium Dragon's sponsor, but she hadn't guessed the man would have Earth Kingdom heritage…

"It is quite an honor to meet you at long last, Princess," he said, dryly. It seemed he spoke the words out of obligation rather than because he truly felt them. That was enough for Azula to feel uncomfortable right away. "We have heard much of your gladiator's prowess."

"According to what your fighter just said, you witnessed it, even," she said: the man hadn't bowed towards her, which was uncommon for someone highborn who was addressing her directly for the first time. "Unfortunately, my gladiator has never had the pleasure to watch yours in battle before today, whereas I have…"

"Oh, you have indeed," said the man, his brow furrowing. "You were there during the inaugural fight in the Capital, were you not, Princess?"

"I was. I remember it vividly," she said, folding her arms over her chest. "I find it rather odd that I have heard quite little of you when you sponsor such an important fighter. I don't even know your name…"

"Do excuse me," he said, curtly. "My name is Aonu. I am the second-born son of one of Fire Lord's Azulon's most loyal noblemen. He moved into Yu Dao long before your grandfather's demise, to help with the city's economy…"

"And I gather you were born and raised there?" Azula asked, raising her eyebrows. Aonu's frown deepened. Azula wondered just how much lower his eyebrows could move.

"I was indeed. Is that enough knowledge for you, Princess?"

"More than enough, actually," Azula said, nodding. She could see the resentment in his eyes, how he glared at her as though she were to blame for his misfortunes, whatever they might be. She knew, though, that his spite wasn't personal. He was a man of mixed heritage who surely had suffered much scorn for it by the hands of the Fire Nation's select highborn groups. Most highly-ranked noblemen sought to marry Fire Nation highborn women, and it seemed unlikely that one of Azulon's noblemen would have chosen an Earth Kingdom woman as his wife. Was this man a bastard son, then? If so, his hostility was easy to interpret… "Well, then. Are we going to get this over with?"

"By all means. The sooner it's finished, the better for all of us," he said, gesturing towards the arch at the other end of the vestibule.

"Oh, shall we head to the fighting ring?" asked the man who had accompanied Azula downstairs. "Very well, then. Let's get this battle started! Gladiators, if you would please head to your respective stand-by rooms…"

"Eh, so soon? Meh, fine, fine…" said the Millennium Dragon, sighing in disappointment. "Here we were, just catching up and you had to ruin it for us. Alright, then, Blue Wolf, I'll be seeing you in there in just a bit, okay? We should probably catch up some more during the fight, how about it?"

"If that's all you want to do, I take no issue with it," said Sokka, and his opponent laughed.

"You're a funny man, you know that?" he said, patting his back and walking towards the arch. "I'm taking the stand-by room to the right, kid!"

"Sure thing," said Sokka, with a small grin.

"Well, then, Princess?" said Aonu, gesturing towards the archway once his fighter had passed through.

"I… I'll be there shortly. Go on ahead," she said, and Aonu didn't need her to say it twice before following the Millennium Dragon. Most the Arena's staff passed through the archway next, and only two of them stayed behind in the vestibule: the earthbenders tasked with bringing everyone to safety in case of any unforeseen emergencies.

Sokka's friends didn't leave yet, for they were wishing him luck before his fight and offering him last minute advice before he charged into battle. Ty Lee had hugged him tightly, and Sokka was smiling awkwardly upon being squeezed by her as the others tried to encourage him for his upcoming match.

"You've worked hard for today. You know you can handle it," Mai said. "Keep your mind clear and you should make it through the fight without a hitch."

"Yeah, you're really strong now, Sokka. Strong enough to take on several of us at the same time," said Haru, beaming. "You'll do great! You'll see!"

"I can only hope so," said Sokka, smiling a little but nodding towards him.

"We'll be cheering for you with all our might!" Ty Lee said, letting go of Sokka and smiling.

"Well, not all of us. I'm inclined to cheer for the other guy," Zuko said, smirking.

"No surprises there," said Sokka, rolling his eyes and punching the Prince's shoulder. "The next time it should be you fighting the big gladiator while I laugh from the stands. How about it?"

Zuko only laughed and Sokka smirked at him. Despite their clashes, things hadn't been as lousy between them as of late. They weren't anywhere close to being best friends, but if nothing else, Sokka was glad he could get along with the Prince these days.

"Be careful out there, okay?" Suki said, looking at Sokka worriedly. "Fighters like… like the Millennium Dragon aren't meant to be taken lightly, as you know. Do your best to make it, regardless if you win or lose."

"No need to say that twice," said Sokka, smiling at her before looking at them all. "Thanks for everything you did for me over the last months, you guys. If I can put up a decent fight against the Millennium Dragon, it's because of you all. So… thanks. I won't let you down."

"Oh, Sokka!" Ty Lee squealed again, hugging him and making him twitch.

"Okay, okay, that's enough of that, Ty Lee" he said, grimacing and looking around himself in despair. His eyes found his sponsor, who was looking at him nigh sympathetically. She gestured towards the archway. Sokka smiled and nodded before making Ty Lee release him "You guys should go get good seats now, don't you think? The Arena is so crowded you're going to lose the best spots, you know…"

"Very funny," said Ty Lee, giggling as she let go of his arm. "Fine, fine, we'll go then. Good luck and kick some butt out there!"

"I'll try to," said Sokka, smiling.

"We believe in you!" said Haru, as the group started to make their way to the same doorway the others had taken.

The archway spread into three different passageways: the one that led forward brought the group to the stands, the one to the right to the stand-by room was where the Millennium Dragon awaited, and the left one led to the stand-by room that was meant for Sokka. Once the rest of the group had headed towards the stands, Azula led the way through the left passageway, and Sokka followed dutifully, wishing he weren't both nervous and eager to be alone with his sponsor right now.

The stand-by room was a closed, metallic room, just as everything else had been. There was yet another door that would lead Sokka to the platform, from what Azula could guess. She took a deep breath and turned towards her gladiator, who was fidgeting behind her.

"Well, this is it," she said. "How are you feeling? Are you ready for the fight?"

"Well, the hangover is well behind me now," said Sokka, smiling. "But I can't say I feel entirely ready. I don't think I ever will be more ready than now, though, so we might as well get this over with, huh?"

"Such a positive attitude," Azula said, raising her eyebrows, and Sokka looked at her guiltily. "If nothing else, at least it's good to know you're not going to vomit in the middle of the battle. Anyways, you have all your weapons, right?"

"Yeah, I'm all stocked up."

"Remember not to lash out with both blades right away, okay? Try to test the grounds, to figure out his weak spots if he has them. If he doesn't, then just focus on surviving the battle. He doesn't look like the type of gladiator who will be out for blood, and he wasn't an aggressive fighter when I watched him all those years ago… granted he might have changed his style by now, but if he's still anything like the Millennium Dragon I saw, he shouldn't be that rough on you."

"Well, he's been friendly so far," said Sokka. "Hopefully he's not going to have a mood swing as soon as we enter the platform, eh?"

"Hopefully," Azula said, breathing out deeply and looking into his eyes. "Just… just be careful, will you?"

"I will be, I promise," he said, and she sighed. "Yeah, I know, you're not fond of promises but it's the best thing I can offer you right now. Well, that and…"

"I'm fine with that, no need to say anything corny and stupid you'll end up regretting later," Azula said, grimacing, and Sokka chuckled.

"You really don't want to hear anything I have to say, now, do you?"

"Do you blame me, after what you said yesterday?" Azula asked, raising her eyebrows. "Sokka, you… no. No, we're not discussing this now. Forget it, I'll scold you for it all later."

"Scold me?" Sokka asked, amused. "Now that sounds scary."

"Oh, yes. It will be scarier than fighting the Millennium Dragon for an hour while suspended above a lava pit, no doubt," Azula said, smiling dryly.

"Wow, alright then," he said, chuckling as her smile waned.

"Just… survive, okay? Don't you dare die out there, or I'll kill you. I mean it."

"Yep, I bet you do," said Sokka, smiling. "I don't plan on dying, even though that threat to scold me kind of makes me think dying here is going to be less painful than whatever you have in store for me…"

"Well, you won't know which one will be more painful unless you survive," Azula said, and he laughed again.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to die. I mean it," he said. "Still… well, there's a chance I might, so…"

"Didn't you just say you won't die?" Azula said, an eyebrow twitching.

"Now, I'll do my best to survive," said Sokka, laughing again softly. "But if… if I didn't, I just want you to know that I…"

"Hush," Azula said, and Sokka froze. "I… I don't want to hear it, alright? If whatever you wanted to say is so important to you, then you can keep it to yourself until after the fight. I don't need to hear it right now, and I'm pretty sure you don't need to say it either. You've already said plenty of stupid things as it is as of late."

"And how do you know this was going to be something stupid, eh?"

"Well, knowing you, it most likely was going to be," Azula said, simply, and Sokka pouted. "So, I'll just assume as much. In any case… I'll see you once this is over. This is your biggest fight up to date, and you can prove yourself above this challenge. I know you can."

"Good to know one of us does," said Sokka, with a grim smile. "But… thanks for trusting me like this. I'll do everything I can not to let you down."

"You'd better," Azula said, sighing.

She looked into his eyes, finding some fear in them regarding this fight. But there was also determination, and a glint of hope. Somehow he looked fragile, but still strong. Still brave enough to head into a battle he didn't believe he could win. For a moment she felt tempted to drag him away, to protect him from a fight that terrified them both… whatever recognition she had expected him to find couldn't possibly be more valuable than keeping him safely with her, so that she could gaze into his eyes as she was doing right now, so that the bond between them would continue to seem the only real thing in the world for her…

She tried to turn to leave, but failed. She couldn't tear her eyes away from his, no matter how hard she tried. And so, her attempt to turn around proved completely useless. She didn't have enough willpower to leave just like this.

Sokka hadn't expected anything more from this conversation, despite having wanted to convey his feelings to her one last time – he didn't know if he'd have a chance to do it again. But before he could register that she was moving to leave, the Princess had surrounded his neck with her arms and pressed her lips to his. His hands moved instinctively to her waist, and as soon as he understood what was happening he responded to her kiss desperately, holding her close again and letting her envelop him completely. She daringly sought his tongue with hers, she angled her body into his, she caressed his face, and she closed her eyes tightly and tried not to think that it could be the last time she ever did this. It wouldn't be. It couldn't be.

"You're going to come back to me. You hear me?" Azula asked, when she drew back after kissing him long and deeply.

"I hear you. I swear I will," he said, pressing his lips to hers again, hoping to keep holding her for a little longer, but after one last peck, she pulled away.

She flicked her thumb over his mouth to wipe away the remnants of her lipstick, the evidence of their forbidden exchange. She nodded at him and tried to give him an encouraging smile, but she knew she had only mustered a sad one instead. With one last caress to his arm, she found enough strength to leave at last, and Sokka remained where he stood, his heart beating wildly.

He wasn't going to let himself drop dead here. He couldn't allow it to happen. He wanted to hear whatever reprimands she meant to give him once this fight was over: he wanted to argue with her, to laugh with her, to love her. And he was going to make sure he'd have a chance to do it. He wasn't going to falter this time, he had struck a deal with her long ago, and he had only just promised he would return to her – and he had every intention of keeping that promise. He wouldn't break her heart, not today, not ever again.

He glared at the door, the familiar thrills of pre-battle energy rushing through him. It had been a very long time since he had fought while dreading he might die, and a very long time since he had faced an opponent who he already knew was a far superior fighter to himself. But the odds had never mattered before: they wouldn't matter now either. He had no hopes to win… but he would fight to his best regardless: he would make it out of the Slate alive, no matter what.