Make Up Your Mind.

She sat at the opposite side of the couch. Three weeks ago, she had finally confessed she and Jet had a one night stand. Today was Sokka's second day back. She didn't understand how his mind worked. He wanted to work it out, for some reason. If he ever did that to her, she wouldn't want to see him again, let alone be the one to work things out. Then again, she was questioning it now. She felt so much relief since he'd been back, even if they were barely speaking to each other. He hadn't even made snide remarks. She was sure he didn't want it brought up again. Still, if she caught him in the morning she'd greet him with an 'I love you' and if he went on ignoring her over the course of the day, she'd apologize. He'd say 'forget about it', like he wasn't thinking it over every single day.

She closed her book and placed it at her side, crawling over to him on the couch. She poked his shoulder and he looked over from whatever it was watching on TV. She smirked at him and pecked his lips, receiving a forced half-smile in response. Three weeks she kissed his ass and for what, sure she'd done wrong but she was trying to move forward, one of them was.

"Look, either you forgive me or you don't." She whispered through clenched teeth and he rolled his eyes and averted his attention back to the TV. She growled in her throat, hoping at least that would catch his interest.

"Do you really want to push me to an answer, Azula?" He asked without much thought or emotion. She remained silent, doubting the implication she suspected. "I didn't think so, when I'm ready to really forgive you you'll know, until then, it'd be nice to have some space." Space? Didn't he come back to her? Didn't he move in her house? She huffed and crossed her arms, shifting uncomfortably, maybe it'd annoy him.

"I miss it when you were happy." She said, she could tell he was listening even though his eyes seemed glued to the television. "And I'm not just talking about since the whole Jet thing, before, when we started out. When you used to actually make me smile." She went on, not realizing the words that escaped her. Why hadn't she just lied when he accused her? Surely he'd believe her over anyone that was against her; especially over Jet. Still, she couldn't find it in herself to lie to Sokka. Then how could she find it in herself to cheat on him?

"Hard to keep a happy face when you're with someone who likes to see you miserable." He spat. 'I wish I never met you', it was a reoccurring thought in his mind, but he couldn't make it go to his lips. If he really didn't want to be here he'd leave. He'd never have come back.

She leaned back on the couch; she'd wait until he was better. Let this blow over; maybe it'd be better in another week. Maybe in the morning.

Always.

She quietly crept in the room. Under the covers she could make out his outline, rolled to his side, barely awake at half past noon. She sat on her knees on the floor beside, brushing his hair out of his face. Some of his hair matted to the sweat on his forehead, his fever hadn't broken yet. It was high, too. She wasn't sure what to do; she couldn't remember the last time this had happened. He stirred, flickering his eyes as she pulled the blanket over his shoulder.

"Azula?" He murmured and she crawled up to sit on the end of the bed, stroking his back in a motherly gesture. He closed his eyes with a smile on his face. She must be doing something right, something to sink him into contentment. "I love you…" He whispered, and a faint smile graced her lips. This whole thing, this bitter argument, it must be over; or close.

"I felt…isolated. After you came back." She felt lost when he was gone. He nodded and looked up, his smile still plastered there on his face. She missed it; it had been months since he seemed truly happy to be around her.

"I didn't like it either…it was once, so I figured y'know…we'd work it out. You can't do it again, Azula. Under any circumstances." His expression got serious as he ended and she nodded, silently giving him her word.

"It's not something I'm proud of." She wouldn't state aloud it was her biggest regret, hurting him like that. She wasn't good at expressing how much she cared for people.

"I love you." He said again calmly. She laughed lightly and leaned forward, gently pressing her lips to his nose. His azure eyes filled with warmth and caring, how she missed that look.

"I hate you." She teased. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him.

Life Starts Now.

Sokka stretched his arms over his head as he lazily walked to the bathroom. His vision was still groggy from the night's slumber; he had to be to work in about an hour. He heard Azula start to get ready in the room, but he didn't really look. She was always routine; he had it down by now. Everything was back to normal finally, or as close to normal as they would be. He scoffed as he looked at himself in the mirror. What a mess, his hair everywhere, it was no wonder Azula sneered at him when he went to kiss her goodbye.

As he stepped in the shower he grew concerned. Sure, he had been the past couple weeks, but her behavior was getting more and more peculiar when he hoped it'd get better. She was distant, saddened. Maybe she was depressed, even if she was; she would never listen to him about it. Maybe guilt was eating at her. 'Good' a small part of him thought but as he exhaled his sigh he regretted thinking such a thing. He'd try talking to her again at dinner.

"What's wrong?"

"Everything."

That was how it went last night, who said it would be any different? He shook his head as he stepped out into the steam filled room and dried his hair before loosely wrapping the white towel around his waist. He would be more persistent. He would have to be if this was really going to work. He opened the medicine cabinet for his comb and cocked his head as he pulled out an unfamiliar bottle of pills. Prescription? He paced out of the shower, seeing her with one foot out the door. At the sight of what was clenched in his hand, Azula went to book it.

"Azula!" He called and she groaned as she stopped; disgust was her expression. He pulled her inside and clicked the front door shut, watching her cross her arms and impatiently tap her foot. "What's this?'

"What does it look like, Sokka?" She quipped and he frowned.

"Azula, who gave this to you?" He waited for her to answer. It was obvious these weren't helping her with whatever inner struggle she had now. His worry grew as he thought of the possibilities, only stopping when Azula wiped her eyes and looked away.

"He says if I keep this up with you…he's cutting me off. Not money, just everything…it was cute at first, but now it's ridiculous, that's what he says." She explained and Sokka knew it was Ozai. He always had a way of getting to her, even though he never seemed to support her personal decisions. He liked that she was so wrapped around his finger, but to Azula she was in control of their relationship.

"Azula…what…what are you gunna do?" He asked and as expected, she turned for the door. Avoiding feelings was always easiest, wasn't it? He pulled her back and she glared. "This is serious."

She cried. She'd never broken down before; at least not in front of him. His heart sank as he pulled her off the ground and carried her to the couch, cradling in his lap. Within five minutes she was silent, staring blankly at the wall. She bottled up too much, look where it got her just a few minutes ago. He softly kissed her forehead.

"I understand…if that's what you want."

"It's not." She looked up and he couldn't hide his grin. He meant more to her than her father, whether she realized it or not she was proving to him how much she loved him. She didn't seem to take notice, fixing her blouse and pencil skirt as she squirmed to stand up. "Just…I'll be back after work, like any other day." She wiped her eyes and he pulled her back to sit down. He mouthed 'relax' to her and she rolled her eyes, playing with the pill bottle that she took from his palm. He watched her contently and she threw it aside.

"You've done all the things that could kill you somehow." He whispered and she grinned, like it was some type of twisted compliment. "No more, promise?"

"…promise." She hesitated.

All Or Nothing.

Azula filed her nails quietly on the bed. She hadn't told her father she was staying with Sokka, she didn't really want to. She hoped he just had been having a bad day when he threatened her, that it was just impulse and he decided to take his problems out on her – their relationship; never her. She bit her bottom lip as she looked over to Sokka, who was aggressively playing his Xbox. She sighed and looked away; he was such a boy some days.

"Want a try?" He offered and she shook her head dismissively, hoping he'd drop it. Of course he wouldn't. "I bet you doo…" He drawled, pausing the game just to look over to her.

"No, Sokka, it's a dumb game." She rolled her eyes and tensed when he pulled her over on the bed by her leg. She hissed and he snickered, pecking her lips teasingly. "Get your hands off me."

"You're just scared I'll kick your ass." He taunted, waiting to let her ponder it. Losing to the likes of him, it would eat at her. He knew Azula too well. She grabbed the controller at the foot of the bed and pulled her knees up, a determined look on her face. His expression went smug.

"Tell me how to play." She demanded and he reluctantly did so. He yanked her onto his lap and pushed the controllers aside after a few minutes of losing; letting her win. She growled and swatted his hands away from her tank top.

"C'mon, you won; we don't need to play anymore." He held her hips on his lap as he playfully kissed her neck, something she couldn't push away. He knew that she wouldn't say it aloud, but she loved his gentleness. Kind of the same way he liked her roughness.

"Sokka, we didn't even finish." She said matter-of-factly, only now she was leaning into his hold and accepting his warm kisses. He sighed; she just had to officially win everything, didn't she? Ignoring it, he pulled her down and she stopped fighting when he locked lips with her, feeling her smile as he deepened the kiss to the best of his ability. He pulled her shirt over her head and let her hair loose, surprised when she pushed his chest back and propped herself up.

"Yeah?" He panted, in a slight daze. She sighed and traced invisible lines on his toned chest, resting hers against his. A glint of worry flickered in her eyes, so he stayed quiet and laced his fingers with hers, palm to palm. She was about to tell him something, maybe Ozai abandoned her and she was ready to talk about it; maybe ready to leave him because of it.

"Sokka…I'm pregnant." She spat with venom on her tongue and his eyes grew wide. Her brows were furrowed out of pure frustration; she had to control everything, even this. "It's your fault and now…I don't know what I'm going to do. I mean, abortion looks worse than keeping it." Always about how she presented herself to everyone. "I can't believe you did this." Takes two to tango, sweetheart.

"Azula…"

"What am I supposed to do?" She asked seriously, looking him straight in the eye. He was too shocked to answer; she was asking him like she was asking if he wanted toast with his eggs. She didn't care? Was this a test, even Azula couldn't be so careless about a decision like this. "Well?"

"…keep it." He assured and she cocked her head at him, obviously not expecting such a response.

"Sokka, you're already in hot water with my father, and you're dragging me down with you." Always how she presented herself to everyone. "I can't handle being a mother. There's no way we're ready for this, what about adoption?" Still so casual, it irked him. He shook his head and kissed her fingers, of course the thought scared him but if he revealed it to her she wouldn't even acknowledge that he was just maybe a little excited. She'd get rid of it. "What am I supposed to tell him?"

"We're getting married." He said with a smile and she sat up straight, ready to protest. He sat up with her so they were eye-level. "After everything, I think we can handle it." He whispered, surprised she even looked like she was considering it. "I mean, it's unexpected, but I could get you a ring, this could be real."

"Sokka, you're out of your mind." She finally shot down the offer.

"I know I'm good for something, let's go on give it a try." He pleaded. "Azula, I love you…you love me. Do you really want to be with anyone else?" She didn't answer; he didn't expect her to. "It's us now…you and I, against the world, I'm willing to take the challenge if you are."

"…it better be a nice ring." She smirked and he grinned like a child, embracing her and kissing the side of her face sloppily. She scrunched her nose but let him, not one to get overly-excited over such things. He knew it'd take more time proving he meant it to her, its ok; he had all the time and the world.

"You're all mine." He whispered in her ear.