Author Note: Hello once more. Sorry for the delayed update. I've been rather busy lately and just haven't found the time to sit down and write this story. But here is a new chapter. I do hope you enjoy it.

Oh and there are TWO mature scenes involved So if you don't like them…don't read this…although you may be a little confused but not overly. More a smut chapter than informative really.

Moving onward! Thanks for all the followers, reviewers and favoriters!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any rights to Avatar the Last Air Bender. I did not create it and I will not profit from it in any way, shape or form.

Chapter 23: Freedom Wanted

Something was fluttering around Azula. The fluttering started on her ear, and then moved to her neck, then her shoulder. As it started fluttering down her shirt, she moved her arm to smack it away.

"OWW!" Sokka's voice rang out.

Opening her eyes, Azula looked down to find a glaring Sokka lying on top of her. His face, directly above the last place Azula had felt something 'fluttering' on her.

"What are you doing?" she asked coolly.

"Apologizing for stopping you from burning my friends up yesterday," Sokka replied rubbing the spot where Azula had smacked him in the head.

Azula looked at him, contemplating. She wasn't annoyed at him anymore, after meeting The Rebels; she realized that he had been in the right to stop the fight.

But if he feels he needs to apologize, who am I to stop him…especially if he's kissing me. Azula really enjoyed his kisses.

"Proceed," she replied, laying on the bed in her most regal pose, closing her eyes. When she didn't feeling Sokka move opened her eyes and looked down once more.

"Well? What are you waiting for?"

"I want to kiss you," Sokka replied.

Azula rolled her eyes while reaching down to pull him up. When he stayed where he was she cocked an eyebrow at him.

"If you want to kiss me, come here and kiss me," Azula replied, an edge of annoyance slipping through her voice. It wasn't that she needed his kiss, but it would be nice to have it.

When he shook his head and chuckled, Azula's confusion and annoyance grew.

"You know, you're doing a horrible job at apologizing right now."

"Don't get all pouty Princess," Sokka smiled, "I'll give you a kiss."

"Well I don't think I want you too…." As his lips took hers Azula couldn't help but sink into the kiss. Wrapping her arms around his neck she pulled him closer. This was the best way to wake up.

And the best way to apologize.

When he broke the kiss, Azula let out a little moan. His response was a chuckle.

"While I do enjoy doing that, I was thinking of another way I'd like to kiss you," Sokka said quietly. Azula looked up at him in confusion.

There's another way to kiss? Ty Lee never told me there was another way to kiss.

Not wanting to sound naïve, Azula just nodded. He smiled then started moving down her body, kissing her neck, shoulders and the skin above her shirt.

"Wait! Is the door locked?" Friends or not, Azula was not going to be caught, or interrupted, by the others.

Sokka's breath chuckled against her skin once more, "Yes the door is locked. Don't worry. Now just close your eyes and enjoy your apology."

Azula relaxed and closed her eyes. They flew open again as Sokka's hands started gently pulling at her pants.

"I'm starting to think this apology is as much for me as it is for you," Azula commented dryly. Watching as Sokka pulled her pants down and off, and then move to be on his stomach, face inches away from her core.

"Oh I'm going to enjoy it, but you're going to enjoy it more," was his response as he started opening her legs.

Azula tried to clamp them shut, realizing that she was way over her head. This position left her vulnerable, he could see everything.

He's going to kiss me…down there?!

"Sokka…what…what are you doing?"

"I told you I wanted a kiss," he pulled her lower body closer to his face, and spread her legs with his arms. Azula started to feel self-conscious. That was a private area after all, it was one thing to allow his sex to meet her sex, but for his LIPS to be so close…Azula wasn't sure how she felt about it.

"Sokka…wait…oh…ohhh!" Azula's complaint ended in a moan as Sokka licked her core, pulled away, than licked her again. Azula let out a small moaning whine, spreading her legs, hoping he'd get the hint to…

He parted the lips of her sex and delve deeper, licking her clit, her core, nipping lightly at her nether lips. When his tongue entered her, she arched off the bed, involuntarily closing her legs against his head. He pulled them apart with his hands and placed them over his shoulders never stopping his torment against her.

Azula couldn't stay still; her fist clenched the bed sheets, her eyes squeeze shut. It was a pleasure she didn't know existed. In and out Sokka thrust his tongue into her, then he change pace and lick her over and over. It was inconsistent, it was frustrating, and it was glorious. Every time she thought she'd hit that peak, he'd change the rhythm, bringing her down and then up again.

"Spirits, you taste sweet," Azula felt Sokka's growl against her, only increasing her frustration. She had been so close once more. Using her hands, she pressed his face closer to her core; she needed him to finish her. She was done being played.

"I take it you like your apology," Sokka chuckled against her.

Azula let out a low moan.

"I'll take that as a yes," Sokka murmured then continued his tasked, this time, using his fingers to penetrate her. Slowly her passion grew once more, his fingers thrusting in and out of her, his tongue doing amazing things against her clit.

"Sokka…oh spirits…SOKKA!" Azula cried out, seeing stars as she reached her peak.

Slowly she came back to reality, feeling Sokka gently lapping at her, continuing to send small tremors through out her body. He stopped and kneeled between her legs, licking her essence off his fingers, the action causing Azula to clench her legs.

"Mmm…so am I forgiven?" Sokka said cockily. Azula reached up and pulled him down, kissing him soundly, tasting herself on his lips and not caring.

Pulling apart she stated quietly, "I will grant you forgiveness, but only this once."

"Thank you merciful Princess. Your kindness knows no bounds," Sokka mocked jokingly. As he adjusted himself to lay more comfortably on her, Azula felt his bulge poking into her leg.

"Being the merciful Princess that I am, I shall allow you to find pleasure yourself, within me. But only under the conditions that you…" he stopped her with his lips once more.

There are worst ways to ending a conversation…

Their tongues started dueling. Azula moved her hands towards his pants and grabbed the strings to untie them. Then someone started banging on their door.

"Hey just friends you mind finishing your friendship waking ritual. We have some information you two might want to know about," Smellerbee's voice rang out through the door.

Azula let out a laugh as Sokka's grinning face turned in to a deep frown.

"We'll be out in a few minutes," she called out, laughing lightly as Sokka groaned in sadness.

"Better just make it a few, lunch is almost ready. And if you aren't there, there's no guarantee you'll get fed, "they heard Smellerbee's footsteps moving away from the door.

Sokka moved off Azula and stood up. Azula followed suit while asking, "Lunch?"

"Yeah, you slept like the dead last night. I thought about waking you up," Sokka looked down sheepishly, "but I know you haven't had a lot of sleep…healing me with those stones and all…so I decided to just let you sleep."

Azula finished pulling on her pants and looked at Sokka. She had been tired the day before, but she didn't think she had been tired enough to sleep through the dawn. She never slept through the dawn, it rejuvenated her energy. It was her internal waking system.

Maybe I was more tired than I thought. Moving towards Sokka she cupped his face in her hands, making him meet her in the eyes, a soft smile on her face.

"But what about your grand schedule?" she asked quietly.

"The schedules pointless if we aren't at our full strength," his soft smiled turned into a grin as he continued, "plus I lightly shook you when I woke up this morning. Your eyes opened and you glared at me, then rolled over and fell back asleep. I wasn't going to risk having my ass kicked over you having a few more hours of sleep."

Azula rolled her eyes.

"You know, I'm glad we were interrupted." She said calmly walking to the door and unlocking it.

"And why is that?"

"Because, I don't think you deserve the merciful princess, Peasant. You deserve to suffer," she claimed looking down at the bulge in his pants. "Now do make yourself presentable, we don't want to others to know what you didn't get this afternoon."

With that she walked out the door, laughing softly while he cursed.

"What?! How? Why? When?" Azula exclaimed, look at Smellerbee and the object she was holding up.

"Wanted posters featuring you and Sokka. How? Probably because you pissed of the wrong people somewhere. Why? Because they want you found. When? I couldn't say, but Long Shot found these when he ran into the market this afternoon," Smeller bee responded to each of Azula's outburst with a small smirk.

Azula frowned. They didn't need to have their face plastered around the area. They needed secrecy.

Damn it! I should have finished them all when I had the chance!

Ripping the poster from Smellerbee's hands, Azula studied it. The poster contained an image of both her and Sokka's face with a high reward pricing at the bottom.

"Suspects are to be handled with extreme caution and brought to the prime minister of Yu Dao." Azula read aloud. "Who's the prime minister of Yu Dao?"

"No one knows. He's never been seen, and those who've seen him, never are seen again. If he wants you, he wants you dead," The Duke piped up.

"Why Yu Dao? That's days from the port city we we're at. Why make us travel so far?"

"That's the epicenter of Worlds Vengeance," Sokka's voice answered behind her.

"Do you think they're involved?" Azula asked him quietly. His face was stone serious, eyes blank of any emotion. When he looked at her, Azula felt a slight shiver of fear. This was the warrior, not the friend, not the lover, the warrior.

"They have to be. I can't think of any other nation or group that would want us with a reward like that."

"What did you two do?" Smellerbee asked.

Azula looked towards Sokka. She was never one for trusting others, but if Sokka was willing to trust them, she would as well. But if he stayed silent, she was going to keep her mouth shut.

"We got into a little scuffle on the ship from the fire nation to the port. I thought I was helping a defenseless woman, but she ended up being a part of a set up. This led to that, and before we knew it, we were in the middle of a fight with some thugs." Sokka explained.

"Or what we thought were thugs. Apparently, they are a part of a high organized group of thugs," Azula grimaced, handing the poster over to Sokka.

Great…just great.

"At least they don't have our names. They're just calling you Blue Flames and me Black Sword. Do these people have any imagination?" Sokka commented, his voice full of disgust.

"Excuse me? Did you not come up with the names 'Lady Flame and Master Sword' last night?"

"Yeah but those were code names…not nicknames for people who are wanted by the government!" Sokka responded.

Azula rolled her eyes and took the poster back. "It's a really good strategy on their part. They are pointing out our greatest strength that just happens to be different from anyone else's." She looked back up at Sokka, "we'll have to be extra careful now."

"Yeah because we weren't being careful at all before," Sokka's sarcasm wasn't lost on Azula.

"You two have two choices," Smellerbee broke in. "One, you go back to the fire nation and stop your rebuilding project," she emphasized this with a look, "or you go to Yu Dao and meet these people head on."

Azula looked down then back up at Sokka. This mission was turning into more than Sokka or her were expecting it to be. But they couldn't discuss everything in front of the others.

"I'm not going back. I have nothing to go back to. If they want me, they can come find me," Azula said firmly. "I'm going to go pack, the sooner we leave the sooner we get to Yu Dao."

She turned and climbed the ladder to the bunk house.

This is becoming too difficult. I should make Sokka go home. I could move more quickly and be less noticeable if I'm alone. Azula pressed a hand to her chest, a small pain entering it as she thought about finishing this task alone. It's safer for him to go home. He shouldn't have to deal with this danger. I'm the one that has nothing to return to…Azula started pacing the room.

Without realizing it, Azula started to whisper out what she'd say to Sokka, "Okay Peasant, it seems like we may be getting a little over our heads here. Maybe you should head home and let me find my mother on my own."

Azula paused in her pacing, nodding her head, seeing how he'd rebuttal that response.

Continuing to whisper, and pace, Azula continued, "Yes I realize you want vengeance for Suki, but you still have people to live for. People who care about you and who you care about. This is my mission, and you shouldn't have to put yourself in danger because of me. Plus I move faster and am less noticeable if I travel alone."

That could work…maybe play in a little bit about his sister. He'd do anything to keep his sister…

"I'm not going anywhere Azula. Even if you do believe you move faster alone," Sokka's voice broke her out of her thoughts.

Spinning around she faced Sokka. He looked pissed. Closing and locking the door, he took a step towards Azula, Azula took a step back. She'd seen that angry look before, the warrior Sokka hadn't left yet.

"This isn't a fight you should have to deal with Peasant." Azula stated, purposing smirking her nickname for him.

"Not my fight? Did you forget that I'M the one that got us involved in this?"

"Yes you did, and now I have to go and clean it up. Not you. You should go home."

Azula felt his hands grabbing her arms, bending her backwards, forcing her to meet him in his eyes. A shiver of need coursed through her body.

His eyes are the color of my flames…why is that turning me on…focus Azula; you need to be pissed off right now…

"Plus, this would be beyond your abilities anyway. We're talking political warfare not just some peasantry fighting," Azula tried to say it as carelessly as possible, but it came out more breathless. Anger was turning into need, how or why Azula wasn't certain.

"Peasantry fighting huh? Well if I can't fight, then what are my abilities Princess?"

"Well…umm…you do make for a nice sex companion," Azula thought quickly.

Insult him, make him leave…

"Sex companion huh? That's all I'm good for then?" Sokka's voice was strangely quiet. Azula wasn't sure whether to be afraid or not.

"Ye…yes…that's all," Azula stammered. His eyes had gone from anger to confusion to determination.

No you are an amazing fighter, an amazing friend. I don't want you to go…but this is my fight my mission.

"Well if that's the case, then one more for the road shall we."

"No we need to start packing and go our separ…."

Azula found herself pressed against the bed with her lips being attacked by Sokka's. It wasn't sweet, it wasn't passionate, it was punishing. But she couldn't help but kiss him back.

His hands were everywhere, tugging, pulling, and ripping. Azula couldn't keep up. She tried to grab him in return but he pinned her arms above her head clasped within one of his own.

"No touching. Keep your hands here," he squeezed her wrists, "you don't have the right abilities for this kind of thing." Sokka smirked. Azula growled and bucked under him, how dare he use her words against her. How dare he claim she wasn't good in bed.

"How dare you try to order me around Peasant! I am a princess! And I damn well DO know what I'm doing in the bedroom," Azula growled at him.

"Sokka, my name is Sokka. Say it," Sokka ordered softly in her ear, making Azula quack beneath him. This was not how their conversation was supposed to go. She was supposed to be the one in control, not him.

Afterwards, I'll get rid of him afterwards.

"Make me, Peasant," Azula spat out. When his eyes flashed, a shiver of anticipation went through Azula.

"It'll be my pleasure."

Sokka started pulling at her clothes. Finding her hands free she started grasping at his as well. She only had a moment to appreciate his naked form before she found herself on all fours on the bed.

"What are you do…OH AGNI!" Azula shouted out as Sokka took her from behind.

"Shhh…do you want everyone to hear what we're doing Princess?"

Azula covered her mouth with her hands. He was filling her, more than she'd ever been filled by him before, hammering into her harder and faster than ever before. He was dominating her, controlling her, making her feel like she's never felt before.

She felt her release coming upon her, right when it was about to crest, Sokka stopped moving.

"What…what are you doing?! Don't stop," Azula looked behind her glaring at Sokka.

"What are my abilities not meeting your expectations?" Sokka smirked.

"They were doing just fine until now…now finish me!"

"Tell me you really want me to leave, right now. Say you don't want me," Sokka replied softly, slowly moving in her once more. "Tell me you don't want this."

"You can't do this, not like this Sokka. It's not about this!" Azula replied, pushing against Sokka.

"Why do you want me to leave Azula?" Sokka's pace increased once more.

"Sokka…Sokka please, not like this we can't…can't talk like this." Azula moaned.

"Why Azula?! Why why why?!" Sokka growled, hammering his frustration into Azula, pushing her closer and closer to the brink.

"I can't stand the idea of you getting hurt!" Azula yelled out pushing back against Sokka, trying to get out from beneath him. Sokka pulled out of her and moved her gently to her back, then entered her softly once more.

"I can't stand the idea of you getting hurt either," Sokka replied softly, stopping his movement to just look down at Azula. All signs of anger and frustration gone from his voice. "But we're together in this, and that's just how we're going to stay. Do you understand?"

Azula nodded lightly. "You're right, together. We have to do this together."

"Now that that's all finished, I do believe we have other business to attend to," Sokka said cockily, thrusting himself into Azula.

"You know, you can't always get your…way…" Azula moaned as Sokka found her pleasure spot.

"Yes I can. I always get my way," Sokka smirked, "I did get you to say my name after all. Now didn't I?"

"Well, I did say I'd need a lot of reminders, Sokka," Azula grinned, feeling the pleasant sensation taking her body over.

"Always a pleasure Azula, always," Sokka replied picking up the pace.

Moments later they came together, both moaning out each other's names. When Sokka rolled to the side, Azula moved to lay her head on top of his chest.

"Well, that was fun, but we really should be thinking about going," Azula said, brushing her hands against his chest.

"As long as it's WE, I'm okay sticking around another night," Sokka responded.

"Yes, it's WE, Peasant. And it will be we until our tasks are completed," Azula stated leaning over Sokka, looking him directly in the eyes.

"That's all I ask for."

Ending Author Note: Sorry it took so long to get this out. I do hope you enjoyed it While I have the ending in mind, and a few chapters in between, I've been 'moving on' from my Avatar fanfic into different territories in my head. Aka Harry Potter. Thinking about doing a Draco/Ginny fan fic but feel a little guilty because I haven't finished this one or my other Avatar fic….But will see what happens as the days continue!

Please review, follow and/or favorite! I do love seeing people's review. I'll try updating sooner than before, but I can't promise anything. But I will finish this story. May not be in a timely fashion but it will be completed!