A Song of Ice and Fire

Azula nearly tripped over the man sleeping on the floor outside her bedroom as she left to get some breakfast.

"Yeow!" Sokka yelped. "Oh, good morning, princess."

"Sokka?" she asked, helping him up, "Did you sleep here all night…?"

"I… didn't want to miss you." He looked around nervously. "We should talk. T-There's something I need to tell you."

"Oh?" Azula felt her heartrate pick up in giddy anticipation. "And what would that be?"

"Maybe we can talk in your room?"

She nodded and led Sokka into her bedroom, closing the doors behind them. Butterflies danced in her stomach as she wondered what he was about to tell her. "So…?"

"Yeah, so…" He anxiously bit down on his lip. "Zuko doesn't want me to be your bodyguard anymore."

And just like that, the butterflies flew away. Azula narrowed her eyes at him. "You told Zuko?!"

"Y-Yeah, he kinda caught me off guard – "

"And I'm guessing he didn't take too kindly to the news?" Not waiting for a response, she held up her hand. "You know what, never mind. I really don't care what Zuzu thinks."

"I'm sorry, Azula." He gave her a weak smile.

"So is that all?"

"What do you mean?"

"Is that all you wanted to tell me?"

"Uh, well, yeah?" His brow furrowed. "Why? Is there something you wanted to talk about?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, there is." Frustrated, she took a deep breath. "I… I'm not confused anymore."

He cocked his head to the side. "About what?"

She stared at him blankly. "My feelings." She looked pained, like the word 'feelings' was physically harmful to say.

"Oh." Sokka blinked. "Oh!"

"And I just want to be friends."

He felt as if he had been slapped in the face. "I see." For some reason his hands were shaking at his sides. "So what you're saying is that you don't have feelings for me."

"I…" Her voice was quiet. "I didn't say that."

"You said you aren't confused about your feelings for me and that you just wanted to be friends. It doesn't get much clearer than that!" His tone was harsher than anticipated.

"For someone so intuitive, you're sure failing to read between the lines," she scoffed, getting annoyed that he was annoyed.

"Then explain it to me."

"It's because of the way I feel about you that I… I don't want to lose you!" she blurted. She really didn't want to spell it out for him, and yet here she was spilling her guts. "I can't lose you…"

He stared at her, unsure of how to react.

"W-What if… we continued to hook up or even started some sort of relationship, and then you decided you were bored of me or that I wasn't adequate enough, I – "

"Azula, that wouldn't – "

"You don't know that. Sokka, you were in a relationship with Suki for years, and now you two barely talk! I don't… I don't want that for us."

"I don't want that either," he said softly.

She smiled faintly. "Sokka, you're like my only friend. You're the only one I completely trust. You're the only one who makes me feel comfortable enough to be my true self. You're the only one who makes me smile – "

"You also smile when Zuko's having a bad day."

"Yes, that's true," she laughed. "Anyway, what I'm trying to say is, you're the only reason this imprisonment has been at all bearable."

"Azula, I… I don't know what to say."

"Just say we can keep being friends."

He smiled. "Friends." He extended his hand for a handshake.

She shook his hand. "Friends," she smiled back. "And I mean let's go back to the way things were before two nights ago and not make things awkward – "

"Why would you think I'd make things awkward?!"

She shifted her eyes from left to right. "You're still holding my hand…"

"Oh." He looked down at their hands. "So I am." Slowly he pulled his hand away from hers. Her skin was so soft. "So, um, why don't we get breakfast together, ol' buddy ol' pal?" He grinned at her.

She laughed. "I'd like that."

"But are you sure you made the right choice?"

"Hold still!" Azula grabbed a hold of Ty Lee's chin to keep the acrobat from moving as she applied eyeliner to her face. "And yes. I'm sure."

"But what if he has feelings for you too?!"

The princess rolled her eyes. "He had every opportunity to say as much, and he didn't, thus further proving I made the right decision."

"But maybe he would have if – "

As luck would have it, the man of the hour burst into the princess's bedroom holding a tray of chocolate cake.

"Special delivery!" Sokka announced.

"Hi Sokka!" Ty Lee greeted. "Isn't that funny, we were just talking about – "

"Cake," Azula finished, shooting Ty Lee a dirty look. "We were just talking about cake."

"Well then it must be your lucky day!" Sokka set the cake down on Azula's nightstand. "I stole it from the dessert bar. I couldn't have you missing out on everything, now could I?"

"Thanks, Sokka. That's thoughtful of you." Azula finished applying the winged eyeliner on her friend. "All done!"

"Oooh!" Ty Lee ran over to the mirror check herself out. "It's gorgeous! I love it!"

"Doesn't she look nice, Sokka?"

"Oh, yeah," he shrugged nonchalantly, "Very pretty." He turned his attention back to Azula. "I just wish you were coming to the ball with us too, princess."

"Yeah!" Ty Lee agreed, pouting. "Zuko's being a big meanie."

"Yes, well that's my brother for you."

Sokka and Ty Lee continued to look at her with disappointment in their eyes.

"It's fine," Azula insisted. "Having a quiet night in is just what the doctor ordered. And besides, I'd much rather be here alone than in a room full of people who hate me."

"What?!" the acrobat protested. "Nobody hates you!"

"Katara, Aang, Toph…" She paused for a moment, looking down. "…Suki."

"But Suki doesn't know about – " Ty Lee blurted before realizing her mistake and clasping a hand over her mouth.

Azula groaned.

"Nothing, n-nevermind. I was thinking of something else about someone else." She laughed nervously.

"Yes, good cover, Ty," the princess said sarcastically.

"For what it's worth," Sokka cut in, attempting to diffuse the awkwardness, "Aang doesn't hate you."

"Okay, bad example. Aang is incapable of hating anybody." Azula sighed. "Look, the point is, you guys don't have to worry about me. I'll be fine here on my own. You should go and enjoy the party!"

"Well okay…" Ty Lee smiled. "But just know that if you were coming with us, you'd be the most beautiful girl there!"

"Well, obviously," Azula agreed.

"She's not wrong," Sokka chuckled.

A faint blush filled the princess's cheeks.

"A-Anyway, I guess we should be heading over. Come on, Ty, let's leave Azula alone."

"Have fun!" the princess called after them.

Just as they were about to exit, Ty Lee turned around, shielding her face with her hand so Sokka couldn't see, and mouthed, "He LIKES you!"

Azula shook her head and closed the door after her friends. Then she threw herself prone on her bed and waited for the stupid night to be over.

Sokka was in no mood to dance. Even with the jovial, upbeat atmosphere and being surrounded by his friends, he couldn't get the conversation he had with Azula earlier that day out of his head. For whatever reason he felt like he had just been dumped, and he felt ridiculous for feeling this way. It didn't make any sense. Remaining friends was probably the most reasonable outcome for them. So why was he feeling so blue?

Trying to drown his sorrows with food, he grabbed his fourth meat skewer of the night and went to town on it. He scanned the room as he stuffed his face with the delectable Fire Nation meat. Toph and Iroh were having a drink together, Haru and Kei Lo were foolishly competing for Ty Lee's attention, Aang and Katara were tearing up the dancefloor, even Zuko seemed to have convinced Mai to dance, and Suki was… Suki was… surprisingly nowhere to be found. He thought for a moment that perhaps she had decided not to come, that was until someone loudly cleared their throat directly behind him.

"Ahem."

"AH!" Sokka spun around. "Suki! You startled me."

Her face was unapologetic.

"So… how's it going?"

"We need to have a little chat," she muttered, swirling her drink in her hand.

"Uhhh… about what exactly?" He gave her an uncomfortable grin.

"Why don't you tell me?"

"I, uh, see you've um had a chance to talk to Ty Lee…"

"Azula? Really, Sokka? I mean seriously, what is wrong with you?! How could you – "

"I don't know! I-It was just a one-time thing! We were both really drunk – "

"You told me you were gay!"

"I am gay! Well at least I-I think so anyway. Maybe I just get straight when I drink or something, I don't know!"

"Care to test that hypothesis, science guy?" She offered him her drink.

"I'm, uh, not really in the mood for alcohol tonight…"

"Sokka, you humiliated me. And you know what? I could forgive you, I did forgive you, when I thought you were gay and I realized there was nothing wrong with me, but now that I know what you did with Azula, I, well…" Suki inhaled sharply through her nose. "Now I know the truth. That you just weren't attracted to me."

"N-No, that's not true! Suki, I did really care about you, I still do! And nothing's changed. Azula and I are just friends. I don't know what happened that night. Ugh. I feel horrible about what I did to you. I'm so sorry."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, you keep saying that, but… sometimes being sorry isn't enough." She looked down at her drink.

"What can I do to make it up to you then, hm?"

She looked back up at him with cold eyes. "Well for starters, don't hook up with the girl who imprisoned me in the Boiling Rock!"

"I-It won't happen again!"

"It better not." She stormed off.

Sokka sighed, bringing a hand up to his head. "I need some air," he muttered to himself.

He walked out onto the patio, but unfortunately, he wasn't alone. There was a man leaning against the railing looking up at the stars, his back toward Sokka. He considered sneaking back inside but the doors behind him slammed shut, the unexpectedly loud sound of it nearly sending him into cardiac arrest. "Spirits," he exhaled, "I'm so sorry. I didn't know anyone else was out here – "

The young gentleman turned around. "Hey there, handsome."

"Oh h-hey, Jet. It's, uh, been awhile."

"It certainly has."

Sokka could feel Jet's dark eyes roam up and down his body.

"It's good to see you." Jet smirked.

"Y-Yeah, it's good to see you too." Sokka swallowed. "So… whatcha doing out here all by yourself? Didn't feel like dancing?"

"Parties aren't really my thing," he shrugged. "And besides… it's a beautiful night."

"Sure is," he chuckled nervously.

"The real question is, what are you doing out here? I figured you'd be living it up on the dancefloor."

"Yeah, um, I'm… not really feeling up for dancing tonight."

"What's got you down?" Jet asked, taking a couple steps closer.

Sokka sighed. "My ex-girlfriend just chewed me out. I don't really wanna talk about it."

"Hey, that's okay. I won't pry. We could just stand here in silence if that's what you'd like."

"Oh, t-thanks for understanding."

"Or…" Jet's dark eyes flickered with mischief. "Maybe there's something else I could do to help… ease your frustration."

"Uhhh wha – " Sokka's brain short-circuited. "I, uhh, ummm, like what…?"

"You're a creative guy," Jet laughed, "I'm sure you could think of something." He placed a hand on Sokka's shoulder. "All I'm saying is, I'd be happy to lend a friend a helping hand."

"I see," he whispered, his heart pounding. "That's, ummm, well you see, I-I'm not sure – "

"You know, I haven't had a proper tour of the palace yet. Maybe you would be so kind as to show me around." He gave Sokka a wolfish grin. "Perhaps we could start with your room. Whaddya say?"