A/N: Sorry about the massive delay in posting i've barely had time to think with the current spike in uni work load, so i'm still not sure how often updates will happen but i have a set of holidays coming up in a few weeks so hopefully a few chapter will be written by then and then during that break.

A/N: As always guys i do not own anything from the Avatar world or any of its characters.

Chapter 5: Fresh Air

"Wow really?! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Azula squealed jumping up and down before running over and hugging Aang. I can't believe it I'm finally going to be able to leave this place even if it only for a couple of hours tomorrow. Aang has been such a good friend the last few weeks, he's been happy to just listen, I think I'm starting to like him more than just a friend too, no Azula he is just a friend who been there for you lately.

"It's good to see you excited about this, its summer now so I was thinking maybe going for a walk and then later to the beach?" Aang beamed back to her happy that she was excited too.

"That'd be great Aang, but I don't have anything to wear." Azula said with a mixture of excitement and sadness looking over to Aang who had started to walk towards the door.

"That's ok Azula, I've already asked for one of the seamstresses here to come by and fit you with whatever you would like to wear." Aang replied looking back over his shoulder.

'KNOCK KNOCK'

"Actually, I think that's her now," He suggested, "Come in" He called.

A woman in her mid-twenties came into the room carrying a case full of fabrics and cloths and bowed to the avatar amidst his best attempts to stop her. Aang then turned to Azula and said, "I'll leave you to it, I come back in an hour or so to see how you went and by your dinner ok."

"Alright Aang sounds good I'll see you then." Azula smiled and Aang could see its genuineness.

Aang then left the room and went to his part of the compound, whistling down the halls and smiling to himself at how much he had grown to like Azula.

After Aang had left Azula and the seamstress began to go through the case of fabrics trying to choose which ones Azula liked, she then asked "So what is your name?"

"My name is Tia" She replied, picking up a pink fabric and showing it to Azula.

Maybe she has changed, maybe Aang is right, she seems good enough, let's see how this goes.

"That's a pretty name, how long have you worked on the island for?" Azula said cheerily, shaking her head at the pink fabric.

She is nice, maybe we can be friends after all this, it would be pretty cool to be able to say that I'm friends with a princess.

"Thanks, I've been here for a year or two, mainly I help when the doctor or one of the staff rips or burns their clothes. Before that I worked with my mother in the capital in a little shop." Tia replied lifting up another piece of fabric.

"Oh ok, did you choose to come here, or were you forced to leave your mothers shop?" Azula said with a frown, she hoped that Tia hadn't been forced to be out here all alone. She then saw the piece of fabric she wanted, a deep crimson; she reached for it and held it up to Tia signalling that she had chosen.

"No I did choose to come here, I wanted to visit new places and still have work so this was great for that, I got to travel and the pay is still pretty good." Tia said reassuringly, nodding at the choice in fabric, "Did you want this as a dress Azula?" She asked.

"Yes please as a dress, only a summer dress though so about knee length and not too tight around the legs." Azula said, "That's a relief, I was really hoping that my brother hadn't forced anyone out here against their will"

Tia then walked over to Azula and began to measure the dress out, it hugged the curves of her breasts and waist like another layer of skin but from the waist down it was free flowing and allowed easy movement whilst still looking elegant. Once they had finished with the dress, Tia asked "Ok, now for your bikini, what colour would you like?"

Azula looked at the different bikinis that were laid out on the floor and she chose a white pair that had a golden hoop in the middle, she picked up the bikini and walked into the bathroom to change and walked out, looked at herself in the mirror and smiled, she loved it, now she just hoped that Aang would too.

Tia nodded and chimed in, "Good choice Azula it suits you perfectly, I'll go and finish up the dress tonight and bring it by tomorrow morning for you ok?"

"Thankyou Tia, that would be great, I hope Aang likes them tomorrow." Azula said changing back into the clothes she had on to start with.

"I'm sure he will Azula, you look stunning in them." Tia returned with a smile, gathering up all the other fabrics into the case and folding the crimson dress and placing it on top of the pile before closing the case and leaving the room.

Ten minutes later Aang knocked on the door and walked in holding a tray full of steaming food, and a pot of tea. "So how did it go I saw Tia in the halls and she seemed to be quite pleased?" Aang asked as he sat the food down on the table between them.

"It was great, found some really nice pieces for me tomorrow." Azula replied struggling to contain herself, she just wanted to get up and hug him for being so nice and not giving up on her despite her best attempts to push him away to start with.

As they began to eat Aang said enthusiastically, still smiling to her. "Fantastic! I am really excited about tomorrow, should be a good day and if not I'll make sure that it is haha"

"Me too, and I'm sure it will be I can't wait" Azula said cheerfully taking another mouthful of the food and a sip of tea.

Once they had finished eating Aang packed all the dishes onto the tray and placed it near the door ready for when he left. He then went back over to the table and he and Azula talked for the next few hours about what they might do tomorrow. As it neared the last few hours before midnight Aang stood up and walked to the door and said goodnight, when he got back to his quarters he sighed and laid on his bed and closed his eyes drifting into a blissful dream of the beach with Azula.

Aang woke early the next day and went outside to train for a little while, this had been a long standing ritual for him, and he would always rise with the suns first rays and go out and practice his bending. Although lately he hadn't sparred with anyone Aang was still in very good shape, and after an hour of intense bending he went back inside and ran himself a bath, he washed himself for a little while longer than normal; he really wanted to be at his best today.

Well today's the day, at the beach today I'm going to ask her out, I hope she says yes, I'm not sure if I could handle a rejection when she has no other options.

Once Aang had dried himself with a gust of air he walked over and picked out his best robes and in a bag put his trunks for when they got to the beach, he then walked through the halls and stopped at Azula's door and knocked before walking in.

Also Earlier that morning:

Azula woke up earlier than what she had in a long time, for this was no ordinary day for her, she was finally going to be able to leave the confines of her cell and she was so excited that she was beginning to shake so she went and ran herself a bath and washed away all the worries she had and knew that no matter what happened today was going to be great. Once she had dried herself she heard a knock at the door and Tia let herself in and was carrying the finished dress over her arm, and Azula smiled, greeting her, "How did it go, I hope it wasn't too difficult?"

"Not at all Princess Azula, it was just a matter of making those last few adjustments and it was ready, let's try it on you and have a look ok." Tia responded in earnest.

Azula nodded and put on the dress, it was as perfect as it was yesterday, maybe more so now.

Today is going to be perfect I can just feel it; I wonder what time he will get here.

After she had finished with the dress she put it in the bathroom and Tia left, she then sat down and waited contently for Aang to arrive. She didn't have to wait long, about half an hour after Tia had left she heard another knock at the door and he walked in, dressed in a set of robes she hadn't seen him wear before, they were a mix of gentle peachy, oranges and a light bluey, grey. She felt her jaw drop slightly as she looked him up and down, noticing and appreciating his definite muscular arms, his strong jawline and just how good he looked.

Aang smirked a little when he saw Azula's jaw drop, he had never thought that he would have this effect upon her.

Maybe she feels the same way I do, this might just work, she might say yes.

Azula then motioned for Aang to wait as she got changed; she put the bikini on underneath her dress so that he couldn't see it and walked back out of the bathroom to where he was. It was now Azula's turn to smirk as she saw Aang's jaw drop, he was taking in her beauty, he couldn't take his eyes off her, and the way the dress hugged at her every curve and then just flowed at the bottom was breathtaking.

"So Azula are you ready to go?" He finally managed, shaking his head to focus again.

"Sure, let's go." She happily said back as he held the door open for her.

As the two of them reached the entrance to the compound Aang pulled Azula aside and whispered,

"Are you ready? This is it, the first time outside in years."

"As ready as I'll ever be yeah, and before we even go outside I wanted to say thank you, thank you Aang for staying, for not leaving for not giving up on me. Thank you for being the friend I so very much needed." Azula said hugging him.

"Well then, HERE WE GO!" Aang yelled excitedly taking her hand and charging out the door.

As the sunlight fell upon her Azula had to shield her eyes from it she took a deep breath of the fresh air of nature, something she hadn't had in years, whilst she had had light inside there was no replacement for this, the warmth it gave, the energy she felt as it wrapped itself around her and all of a sudden without even trying or thinking about it the tips of her fingers burst into her tell-tale cobalt blue flames to which Aang saw and smiled. "It's good to see that you are feeling like yourself."

"I didn't even try to do this though, how did that happen?"

"It's your body readjusting to the energy and spark that the sun gives us fire benders." Aang said extending a hand out his own fingers flickering into a bright orange. "Anyways, best be on our way can't waste your first day out."

So the two of them started walking towards the beach at the far end of the island talking about the scenery to begin with and eventually what Azula would do when she got back to the mainland. "Oh I don't know I suppose that I would have to live in the palace but I would like to do something creative this time around I think."

"Sounds fantastic, I think there are plenty of things for you to do like that." Aang returned, but first I have a request for you."

"Sure what is it?"

"I wanted to ask if you would teach me how to create blue fire, it intrigues me, would you teach me?"

"It would be my honour to Aang, maybe that can be what we do tomorrow?"

"I like the sound of that." Aang said smiling just then they reached the edge of the sand and he looked mischievously over to her and said "I'll race you to the water haha" and sprang into a run.

Azula not to be outdone was quick to react and had caught him in a matter of moments "Haha all that tea slowing you down Aang haha"

Aang just smirked as he propelled himself into the air, with a mixture of earth and air bending and landed himself right on the water's edge.

"Hey no fair, that's cheating not all of us, can bend all of the elements!" Azula said in mock sadness, tackling him into the water, as the waves rolled over them they both burst out of the water in a fit of laughter and Aang took off his robes leaving only his trunks on and placed them on the beach to dry. Azula did the same with her dress and again Aang's jaw dropped when he saw her in the bikini it showed off her body even better than the dress, it showed enough to get the imagination going but not enough that nothing was left to imagine. He then noticed that Azula must have been doing crunches or something because she had well defined abs and was looking incredibly fit.

This observation had not gone unnoticed by Azula so she slyly crossed her arms over her chest and coyly said "See something you like Aang?"

Without thinking or hesitating Aang nodded and they both blushed when they realised what he had done. After that they went back into the water and just swam and played games in the water and on the sand, building sand castles and doing handstands in the water.

As it got closer to sunset and the two of them were lying next to each other on the sand Aang propped himself up on his elbow and looked over to Azula and asked her "Azula this might be coming from nowhere from your point of view but, I've been having such a great time spending each day with you over the last couple of months, I've gone from not really trusting you, to becoming your friend and now, now I don't know if being friends is enough anymore." Aang took a breath before continuing "Azula what I'm saying is, I'm asking if you would be my girlfriend?"

As always guys thanks for reading and being patient with me. Remember to review and let me know what you do or don't like about the story always open to ideas.

Cheers