Natural pain killers have the side effect of making one feel fuzzy, or maybe Azula is just lucky that way.
"Would you like some tea?" asks Uncle Iroh and Azula nods because her mouth is dry. He pours her a cup of Jasmine tea. Azula thanks her Uncle and he looks surprised.
There's a persistent nagging feeling in the back of her mind that Azula wishes she could burn away. It's really annoying.
Azula takes a sip and the nagging feeling disappears because wow this tea is so good. It feels as though the tea leaves aren't all concentrated at the bottom but rather in the center, as though they were added and brewed at various times, letting the tea have a much fuller and well-distinguished flavor. She says as much to her Uncle who gets a starry look in his eyes before sitting down next to her and pouring a cup for himself.
They discuss the merits of tea for some time; her Uncle praising the peaceful properties of white tea and Azula responding with the energetic benefits of black tea when Azula wonders why they've never discussed tea before, and the nagging feeling returns in full force.
"Why did you never like me?" asks Azula. She doesn't remember thinking the words, she opened her mouth and the words dropped out, but once they're there she finds herself hoping her Uncle won't avoid her question. It's okay when Aang tries to avoid her questions because he does so in a cute way but her Uncle is not cute at all.
"You reminded me of my father, and of myself before Lu Ten's death," says Uncle Iroh quietly and Azula frowns. She remembers Lu Ten. "I liked Lu Ten," she says.
Uncle Iroh smiles sadly. "Everyone did."
"My father didn't," says Azula, "it was the only difference between you two."
Uncle Iroh's caterpillar eyebrows raise in alarm. "'The only difference'?"
Azula giggles to herself at the thought of caterpillars. She takes a sip of tea, so good, then says, "You both always thought you knew me. I never liked dolls. I never wanted to be Fire Lord."
Uncle Iroh says nothing to that so Azula starts to hum. It's a song that Lu Ten liked but Azula never fully learned the lyrics, something about a soldier boy, and so she trails off. Her Uncle remains silent. He's letting his tea grow cold. Azula tries to reach for his cup but she can't. She looks down at her arm and pouts. "When can this dumb cast come off?"
That seems to snap her Uncle out of his daze.
"Hmm," says Uncle Iroh while stroking his beard, "it depends on how badly it's broken."
Azula rolls her eyes. "I didn't punch the wall that hard."
"You punched a wall?"
"A metal wall," clarifies Azula. "I knew how to metal bend but my body refused to cooperate. Pain is a good persuader."
Uncle Iroh pauses mid-sip. "I see. Can you metal bend now?" he asks, casually.
Azula frowns at her cast. "Only a little bit," she admits and then quickly adds, "it will be easier with two arms."
Uncle Iroh nods. "I'm sure it will be. Hopefully, when Katara returns she'll be able to fix your arm." He refills her cup and smiles. "But until then, we drink tea!"
Azula grumbles in response to her Uncle's merriment but she sips her tea all the same. It is really good.
