Touch

Azula and Sokka had successfully managed to sneak back to the palace from another one of their clandestine outings when the princess suddenly stopped in the corridor near the kitchen.

She inhaled deeply through her nose. "Mmm, do you smell that?"

Sokka took a deep breath. The air smelled sweet. "Yeah, what is that?"

"Mochi," she smiled, "my favorite."

"Oh, I've never had – "

"Of course," she interrupted, her face falling into her usual annoyed state, "the royal chef isn't making them for me. They're for Kiyi." She scowled. "Apparently mochi is her favorite dessert too."

"Well I'm sure the chef wouldn't mind parting with one or two…"

"Except that he's under strict orders from my good-for-nothing brother not to serve me any sweets, since you know, living here is supposed to be a punishment."

"Again, you are under house arrest." Sokka had had to remind the firebender of this many times.

She shot him a dirty look.

"Then again, I don't see why you couldn't have one sweet…"

"Thank you!" Looking up into the corner, she placed a hand under her chin as a mischievous grin spread across her cheeks.

"Uh oh. I recognize that look. What are you thinking?"

"Isn't it obvious?" she asked, staring boldly into his eyes. "Let's take them!"

"Azula," Sokka sighed, "we can't do that."

"Why not? What's the worst that could happen?"

"The chef rats us out to Zuko and we both get in trouble? Also stealing while you're already under house arrest is… probably not good?"

"Please," Azula said dismissively. "The chef knows way better than to rat me out. After all, there could be dire consequences for such actions…"

Sokka raised a finger to interject but failed to get any words out.

"No, let me tell you what's going to happen," the princess continued. "A servant will come to pick up the mochi, and when it's not there, the chef will simply make another tray. Everybody wins."

"Okay, but… how would we steal the mochi undetected?"

"Easy. I'll distract the kitchen staff and you'll grab the tray. Then we'll both meet in my room, okay ready?"

"Azula, no – "

"Three, two, one, GO!"

Azula was confident in Sokka's ability to follow through with her whimsical plan. She could already taste the delicious sweet rice cakes on her lips as she made her way to her room.

"You got the goods?" she sang, closing the bedroom doors behind her.

Sokka was seated on the carpet with the tray of mochi set out in front of him. "What does it look like?"

"Success," she answered, joining her partner in crime on the floor. She grabbed a mochi and bit into the squishy, sugary cake. "Mmmmm."

"Is it as good as you remember?"

"Even better." A satisfied smile lay claim to her face. "You can have one if you'd like."

"Really?" he laughed. "I'm honored you'd share your favorite dessert with me, princess."

"You can't expect me to eat all of these now, can you?"

He shrugged and took a mochi. "Wow," he mumbled through a mouthful of the dessert, "these are good."

"What did I tell you, hm?"

He grinned. "And I managed to snag a little something extra to make our haul just a tad sweeter…"

"Oh?"

He reached behind his back and pulled out a bottle and two shot glasses.

She raised an eyebrow. "Sake?"

"What better to go with rice cakes than some rice wine?" He noticed she didn't look too enthusiastic about the alcohol. "Do you drink?"

"I've had a few tastes here and there, but never to excess…"

"In that case, care to have a little fun?" He poured her a shot. "Don't worry, I'll make sure things don't get too out of hand."

"Why not? It's about time I live a little."

He poured himself a shot and held up his glass. "Cheers to that."

She clinked her glass to his and downed her drink. "Hey… shall we raise the stakes a bit?" she challenged.

"I like the sound of that. Whatchya have in mind?"

"There's this game we used to play back at the Royal Fire Academy for Girls called 'truth or dare'. It's played exactly how it sounds."

"And where does the drinking come in?"

"Let's say you can avoid doing a dare or telling the truth by taking a shot."

"Sounds fun," he smiled. "So how does it start?"

"Ask me 'truth or dare'."

"Okay… truth or dare."

"Dare. Now you get to dare me to do something."

"Anything?" He flashed her a wolfish grin.

"Anything."

"Okay." He paused. "I'll start off easy on you. I dare you to make up a poem about me. A haiku."

"Child's play," she replied confidently. "Let's see…" She cleared her throat. "Blue-eyed bodyguard, appointed to protect me, no good at his job."

"Hey! I haven't gotten you killed or anything!"

"Yet," she laughed. "Okay, it's your turn. Truth or dare?"

"I'm afraid of your dares, so truth."

"Okay…" she smirked. "Who would you rather walk in on: Aang and Katara or Hakoda and his girlfriend?"

"Ew! Neither, that's gross!"

"You have to answer. Or take a shot."

"Well, funny story. Katara and I did kind of walk in on our dad and Malina once."

Azula's eyes widened.

"They were just kissing, but still, that was enough for me. Anyway, I guess I'd pick my dad and Malina." He scowled. "Truth or dare?"

"Dare."

"Are you always going to pick dare?"

"No…"

"I'll make sure of that," he teased. "I dare you to go find Zuko, give him a big hug, and tell him you love him."

Azula's face coiled in disgust. "Over my dead body!"

"Then drink up."

The firebender took a shot. "I'm going to need about ten more of those to clear my mind of that thought."

"By all means." He gestured to the bottle of sake.

She gave him a playful glare. "Truth or dare?"

"Dare."

"That wedding speech you're working on for Aang and Katara's upcoming nuptials…" she sneered.

"Oh no…"

"Oh yes. I dare you to throw the word 'diarrhea' somewhere into it."

"That's it?" he laughed. "I hate to break it to you, princess, but it's already in there. I have this hilarious anecdote about Katara and some bad sea prunes I was going to share – "

"I'll have to hear it for myself," she grumbled, "except that, oh right, I'm not invited."

"Sure you are. You can be my plus one." He winked at her.

Her cheeks reddened. "Are you serious? You wouldn't want that, nobody would want that."

"It would be fun," he assured.

"If you say so…"

"I do! And you know what else I say?"

She raised an eyebrow.

"Truth or dare."

"Truth."

"Okay, this one's an easy one. Can't let you drink too much too fast after all."

She waited for him to continue.

"If you could be any other kind of bender, what would it be?" he asked.

"That is easy. I'd be a waterbender."

"No way! I thought for sure you'd say earth. Why water?"

"Bloodbending," she said with a twisted smile.

"Ah. I should have known. And now I'm kinda glad you're not a waterbender…"

"Truth or dare?"

"Dare. Bring it on."

Her twisted smile grew. "I dare you to streak naked through the palace."

"You underestimate me, princess," he snickered, pulling his shirt up over his head.

Azula's eyes instinctively raked up and down his bronze chest. She bit down on her bottom lip until she realized she was staring.

"Wait, you know what?" He frowned. "As fun as that sounds, I don't think I can do that with Kiyi wandering around somewhere. I don't want to end up in prison. Or house arrest."

"Hah, hah. Very funny."

He took a shot of sake instead. "Okay, your turn. Truth or dare?"

The game continued late into the night. With the alcohol progressively filling their veins, decreasing their inhibitions with every shot, the challenges and questions became more and more personal and intimate.

"I dare you to…" Azula slurred with an innocent smile, "…give me a massage."

Sokka laughed. "That sounds more like a favor than a dare."

"Perhaps." She sulked. "But Zuzu prohibited me from the royal spa, and it's been sooo long."

"Fine," he sighed dramatically although he didn't mind giving the firebender a back rub.

"Yay," she cheered, turning her back toward him.

"Why don't you lie down on the bed?"

"Now there's an idea." She stumbled over to her bed and flopped down ungracefully on the mattress on her stomach.

He dragged himself up onto the bed and straddled the small of the princess's back. Then he began to work his magic, firmly kneading her shoulders.

"Ohhh," she groaned. "You're surprisingly good at this."

He smiled. "I… I don't mean to cross any boundaries, but I think you'd feel a lot more comfortable without all these clothes on."

Azula nearly choked. "A-Are you suggesting I disrobe, water boy?"

"N-No, I just meant you could change into your pajamas or something. I won't look, I swear."

She thought for a moment. "Okay…" She rolled out from beneath him and sauntered clumsily to the other side of her room to slip into her sleep robe.

Sokka wasn't sure what was coming over him, perhaps it was the alcohol, but he did feel some temptation to peek. However, he knew far better than to test his luck.

She made her way back over to the bed and retook to her position on her stomach. "You may resume."

He continued applying pressure to her back, getting an odd kick out of the little sighs and moans of pleasure she emitted.

Despite the calming effect of the massage, Azula's mind was racing. How could it not with an attractive shirtless man sitting on top of her, running his warm, strong hands up and down her back? In her head, he was touching her in other places too. Her legs, her chest, her… She knew deep down these unsavory thoughts were useless. She had no delusions of being Sokka's type. Maybe that was why it was easy for her to get carried away in the daydream, knowing full well that her fantasy would never happen.

"Azula?" he whispered. "Do you want to continue the game?"

The distraction was welcome. She had to get these thoughts out of her head. "S-Sure."

"Okay. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Have you… have you ever had a sex dream about someone I know?"

For a second she thought Sokka could read her mind. "I'm not answering that." Frustrated for several reasons, she slid out from underneath him and rolled onto her back.

"Well I don't think I could in good faith let you drink any more," he chuckled, laying down next to her. "Besides, I think your response already answered my question."

"You can think whatever you'd like."

"Oh, I will," he teased, looking into her yellow eyes.

It was quiet for a moment.

She stared back at him. His face was so close to hers. She never had another boy in her bed before, and even knowing full well that nothing was going to happen, she felt her heartrate steadily climb and her cheeks flush. "I have one more for you. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

She paused. "You're sure you're gay, right?" Azula asked with hopeful skepticism.

"Yeah…" Sokka replied, the upward inflection of his voice betraying his uncertainty.

"Then… why are you staring at me like that?"

His mind was blank and yet words were spilling from his mouth. "I don't think I know what you mean, princess," he lied, his lips just a breath away from hers.

"Oh." She kept her eyes locked on his. "Must be my mistake."

"Yeah," he breathed, his eyes flickering from her lips back to her eyes. "Must be." Without thinking, acting entirely on impulse, he closed his eyes and pressed his lips to hers, kissing her fiercely.

Azula couldn't believe this was actually happening, that perhaps the alcohol was playing some dirty trick on her. But the longer their lips touched and the more aggressive his kisses became, the more she didn't care if this was real or not. Giving in to the moment, she raked her fingers through his hair and pulled him closer.

Sokka's mind was blank. He never felt this spark, this fire before with a woman, but it didn't matter to him. He loved the feeling of her mouth on his, the sweetness of her lips, her scent, the way she made him feel desirable, like he was the only man on earth. Consequences would have to wait for another day. He just wanted to do more and more and more. He rolled on top of her, the animalistic part of his brain completely taking the reins.

She moaned softly into his mouth, loving how vulnerable she felt underneath his full weight. He could do anything he wanted to her and she'd let him. She kissed him feverishly, slipping her tongue into his mouth, her nerve endings ablaze as she felt his excitement grow, pressing into her upper thigh.

He rubbed himself against her leg, greedily pushing his hips into her, his attention solely on the pleasure and the beautiful woman beneath him. As his heartrate climbed and his breaths became more strained, the fabric of his clothes felt progressively more cumbersome. It seemed Azula agreed, as she was tugging urgently on the hem of his pants. He wasted no time, momentarily breaking their connection to shed the burdensome garment before resuming his position on top of her. He groaned as she spread her legs to both sides of him to strengthen their connection.

Her hips jolted up to meet his as his erection slid up and down between her legs over her underwear. She never felt anything like this before, so manic and euphoric, completely out of control. The pleasure building inside of her felt like she was going to lightning bend out of all her extremities. "Harder," she gasped, pressing down on his lower back to drive his hips down even farther.

He thrust himself against her, desperately and hungrily, waves of pleasure building steadily in his groin with every push of his hips. Curiosity soon overtook his body as he explored her curves, bringing a hand up her waistline to her breast where he cupped and squeezed the perfect handful. Feeling her breathing hitch at the sensation, he brought his mouth down to her neck and began lapping at the sensitive skin with his tongue, making sure she was fully inundated with pleasure.

"Oh Spirits, Sokka more," she begged through ragged breaths, digging her nails into his skin. The feeling of his wet tongue against her skin was unraveling her. The thrusts of her hips against his stiffened manhood picked up even faster, becoming more and more erratic as she neared her climax.

Feeling her impending orgasm, he aggressively hiked up her silky sleep robe and drove himself against her mercilessly, forcing her to surrender all control to him. He felt her tense up around him, squeezing him so tightly before she dug her palms into the small of his back and moaned out in sheer ecstasy. With just a few more needy thrusts of his hips, he shot his load into the confines of his underwear and exhaled with relief, his heart pounding in his chest. He collapsed next to her in a dizzy whirl.

Too drunk and exhausted to even clean up, the two lay on their backs panting until their breathing calmed to a peaceful state.

"Azula… should we talk – " Sokka looked over at the firebender, but she was already fast asleep. He laughed to himself with a soft smile on his lips. "Good night, princess."