AN: This fic was having problems with this chapter that some people informed me about it being buggy. So I'm taking it down and reuploading it and hoping that fixes it.

It was their first date. Ty Lee was beyond excited, so far beyond excited she could not fathom it. Azula just looked slightly ill. It was another celebration banquet for the victory, and they were finally together as dates. Fire Lord Ozai did not object, but Ty Lee was fairly certain he was not about to introduce the circus freak as his daughter's girlfriend.

"You look almost as queasy as Zuko," Ty Lee laughed, jabbing Azula in the ribs.

Azula restrained a bolt of lightning and collected herself. "Don't do that," she said in a royal, dignified tone but Ty Lee was giggling. Azula sincerely hoped she never lost her naivety. She really genuinely thought she was in the position to do friend things with the crown princess.

Well, not currently crown princess, but the reason Zuko was a little green in the face and had his lips clamped shut was because Azula absolutely insisted that he give a detailed speech about how he slew the Avatar. She looked forward to it greatly.

"So, are you going to do that dance with me?" Ty Lee asked, taking Azula gently by the hand.

Azula then realized that she was actually on a date. A real date and it was romantic. It filled her with a sensation she had never felt before. Why was it that she could take the Earth Kingdom, fight earthbenders, hit the Avatar with lightning as he lay waste to a room of soldiers, and somehow still look gorgeous but she could not handle a date.

A date. Twelve year old children went on dates. Peasants went on dates and did not throw up for hours beforehand. It was depressing and very, very far beneath her.

They escaped after the dance. Everyone was focused on Zuko, and usually Azula would be frustrated, but she was grateful to make it out. The room was suppressing her breathing and she felt ridiculous being so unnerved when she usually had absolute political grace.

It was at that moment she had to admit she was human, and had human wants and desires. It was easy to pretend to be a statuesque royal, or a brutal weapon. A honed weapon designed solely to accomplish. But then she was knocked down a few notches when someone gave her tingling feelings inside that she had never experienced before.

"It's a pretty nice night," Ty Lee commented, and Azula wondered why she would want to date someone who thought it was interesting to discuss the weather.

"The beginning... sweetness never stays," father said as soon as Azula explained, awkwardly and uncomfortably, that she was taking Ty Lee as her date. "You're going to regret it."

"You know that?" Azula asked, genuinely concerned and not domineering. Her father was the only person she did not try to control and subjugate. He was, after all, the only person who ranked above her.

"I do. I haven't gotten to this age without my fair share of failed relationships," he said and Azula hoped it was because he was undesirable and not because of a true trend.

And then she told herself that it did not matter in the end, and it was just the physical; she was just trying to cure the physical ailment of sexual attraction and she did not need to worry about a relationship working out.

"I don't expect the sweetness to stay, father," Azula said crisply, without second thought.

He smiled faintly at her, as if she was a small child who said something ridiculous and naive.

Maybe she did.

"I suppose," Azula replied, unsure exactly what else to say. It might have been better to go as dates to a political event than to be stranded alone in a restaurant, but it did not make it any less awkward and uncomfortable. "So, you've been on dates before?"

"Yes." Ty Lee looked very uncomfortable and Azula realized she had said something against protocol. Why no one trained her for this, she had no idea. "But, this is even more interesting than being a date to that military ball last year."

"What military ball? You dated a soldier?" Azula closed her mouth as soon as she snapped at her. Ugh. There was nothing more frustrating than not having absolute control of herself, others and the situation, and she was lacking all of those at this moment.

"He was the son of my father's friend and he was stationed in the town I was performing in. I didn't end in anything. It was just a date," Ty Lee said, sounding genuinely disappointed.

"Well, what should it have ended like?" Azula asked, before mentally cringing. She was going to burn so many things when she got home.

"Like this," Ty Lee said before touching her lips to Azula's.

And in that moment, there was contentment.

Even if Azula had no idea what to do on a date.