Caciotta - thanks so much for the review, it means a lot.
Guest - thanks. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter as well.
Everyday Azula checks inside the mailbox for letters. Most of them are for Iroh. Some of them are even for the water boy. None are ever for her.
This day is no different. She opens the plate of the mailbox, and checks. Nothing. She slams the plate back on.
Iroh is humming on the front porch behind her. His beard flows in the wind.
"No letters, I presume," He says in between his hums.
She doesn't respond. She presses her lips.
"I see. They will arrive," he says. He lets out a breath. "This morning is beautiful. The weather as well, today. It's still, not much like--"
They're never coming, are they?" Azula says, lips shaking.
Iroh pauses. A bird chirps in the distance. "Perhaps. Perhaps not."
She smooths her dress. "That doesn't help, Uncle."
"Does it? Do not dwell on what you can't change, my niece," he says. He walks closer to her. His eyes are creased and soft.
"But it's my fault," she says, crossing her arms.
"It's your past self's fault."
"That's me, Uncle."
"It's what you were, not what you are, my niece," he says. He wraps his arms around her. She tightens her body at first, but then lets it cushion against the warmth of his embrace. The smell of jasmine scent silk lifts into her nose.
"What am I then, Uncle?" she says coarsely.
"You are whatever you want to be. You are at the crossroads of your destiny. It's for you to choose."
Her? She looks up at him. Her vision is blurry.
Iroh's eyes twinkle. "Like I guided your brother then, so too will I guide you now."
Azula holds her elbows together. She digs her head to hide from the sunlight. Birds chirp in the distance.
For a while, the two Fire Nation are at a still embrace.
In the evening, Sokka gets back from his researching. And by researching, all he really did was ask a few questions and walk around the city's streets. An efficient day, if he said so himself.
He enters the tea house drinking the last of his lemon juice, and carrying two bowls of fire flakes. He goes inside the kitchen, looking for Iroh.
Instead he finds Azula. Great. She's reading a book. When he enters, she looks up at him. Then at the fire flakes.
"Is Uncle here?" Sokka says. "I got him something from downtown."
"He's working," she says.
"Oh, okay. I'll just leave it here then." He places down one box.
She looks at it for some seconds. "You only bought two?" She says, eyes narrow.
"Yeah, one for me, and one for Uncle."
"Only two?"
"Yeah. Why are you looking at me like that?" Azula's scowling at him. He blinks. Oh. That's why. He swallows.
"Well, I got one too, didn't I?" she says, face reddening.
"Uh ..." He scratches the back of his head. "I kind of ... well ... forgot."
"You forgot?"
"Yeah."
She huffs. "Whatever."
"I didn't know you liked snacks. You seem like one of those people that don't like anything that tastes good."
"Why would I not like that, idiot?"
"Sorry, sorry," he says, pouting.
She ignores him, going back to her book.
No manners, he thinks. He hands her a flake. "Here. Have a bite."
Azula moves her eyes away from it quickly. "I didn't like fireflakes anyway."
"You sure?"
"Yes, I don't," she says. Her eyes dart back and forth between her book and it.
It's pretty clear she likes it. "You sure?" Sokka says, wiggling the flake in front of her closer.
"I just said I don't!" she snaps.
"But then why did you ask where your fireflakes were? Unless you do, of course," says Sokka, rubbing his chin.
"No, I was just wondering if you were a gentleman or not."
"Huh? How would me buying flakes make me a gentleman?" He says, frowning.
"It makes ..." she looks away. "Jerk."
"Hey, I'm offering you the flake here. Want it or not?"
"No I don't," she says. Silence. They stare at each other. Sokka smiles softly to tease her. Azula scowls at him. Then, her finger faster than he can react, hands meeting, she grabs the flake and eats it. She chews it slowly. When she's finished eating, she stretches her hand out. He raises his eyebrow.
"Give me another one," Azula says, face red.
"Sure," he says. He passes her a flake.
At the end of the day, Sokka has no delusions he'll see any of those fireflakes again. He throws the empty bowl in the trash can, his fingers clean. Hers definitely aren't, though.
As the sun falls below the city's walls, Sokka finds Azula outside. She's under the cherry tree. The wind blows long and hard, bowing the grass to the east. It rustles with his footsteps.
He's carrying a tray of tea and food, steam coming out of it.
Azula looks back, her eyes tracing his entire body.
"Here, for you," he says. He hands a cup of tea to her. He adds, "Uncle told me to give it to you."
She looks at it for a while. "Thanks," she says quietly. She holds it lightly. The fragrance of jasmine goes into her nose. She drinks.
"You're welcome," Sokka says. He sighs. The view is nice. The entire half of the city is in his view. He can see why she likes this place so much. Might as well just stay here and enjoy it too, he figures. He sits down. His tray is still in his hands.
Azula's gaze is on him from a few inches away. It rises to the sky.
"Never knew you were interested in astronomy," he says. He grabs a bowl from the tray he'd been carrying. It's rice and fish. He eats it with his chopsticks.
"What?" she says.
"You're looking at the sky."
"Just because I look at the sky doesn't mean I'm interested in astronomy, water boy," she says.
"Sokka," he says quickly. He crosses his arms. "Sorry, I'm just trying to make conversation."
"Do you usually start it off with dumb questions?"
"I start it off ... with questions," he says. "Come on, be nice. You owe me that at least after eating all my snacks."
"Those weren't nearly as good as real Fire Nation fire flakes."
"But you ate all of them," says Sokka, raising his brow.
"Any other reason why you're here, besides disturbing my quiet time?"
He sighs. "If you don't want me to talk, I'll just stop."
She doesn't respond. The roar of Ba Sing Se sounds below, along with the chirping of birds above.
"I'm guessing that's a yes," he says.
"No it's not," Azula says. He frowns. "If you're going to interrupt my peace and quiet, might as well make conversation."
"Huh?" He blinks.
She points to the sky. "Say, what's that star over there, astronomy expert?"
"Who said I was an astronomy expert?" says Sokka, frowning.
"You're the one who brought it up, idiot."
"It was just an opener. And I'll have you know I'm very smart," he says.
"Answer my question."
"I don't know the star's called. Never got the time to study, you know, considering I lived in a isolated tribe in the middle of the artic."
"So you're not an astronomy expert."
"That's what I just said."
"Then what are your talents? Besides being stupid and annoying." She says, twirling a strand of hair. Her green dress flows like a serpent against the wind.
Hog monkeys. No respect at all. "My talents? Well, besides being incredibly smart and awesome at fighting ... He rubs his chin, thinking. "I guess it would be, enjoying life."
For the first time, Azula looks caught off guard. Her eyes widen for a second, before they dart away again.
"Elaborate," she says.
"I don't like to think about sad things, you know. There's no point. It's just a easy step to make you depressed." He yawns, letting the cold night air warm him. It reminds him of home, actually. "I just think about what makes me happy. What keeps me waking up everyday."
"Sounds stupid," She says, yet her eyes focus on him. "What would you even think about?"
"Family, friends. Those I care for, that sort of thing. Those are the things that make me happy," he says. His eyes drift around the sky.
Azula opens her mouth, but then closes it. She pauses for a while. Her lips press together.
He doesn't make any notice of it. His eyes rise to the moon, far off in the distance. It's a pale yellow orb that glimmers slightly.
"The moon is beautiful tonight, huh?" He says.
"Looks the same," Azula says softly. She hugs her knees.
"Not to me." He reminisces, closing his eyes. "You know, my girlfriend turned into the moon."
She glares at him. "Is this a joke?"
"No, I'm actually serious." He sighs. "You know, whenever I feel alone, I just look at her. Like this. And think, she's always watching over me, over us," he adds, turning to Azula.
"Thats just weird," she says.
"Hey, I'm being very sincere here." He waves his arms around.
They sit together in silence. The darkness swarms and surrounds the city, making the houses below flicker on. Like fireflies in a fog.
Sokka looks at the moon again. His eyes tighten. He rubs his face. Then he hums.
A week passes, marking Azula's seventeenth birthday.
When she wakes up at dusk, she notices Iroh and the water boy are already up. They're both in the kitchen, chatting together. The candle that's lit in the main table isn't fresh either. They'd been up for some time.
She furrows her brow, but doesn't bother asking. Putting her apron on, she turns the knob of the door leading into the service room.
"Azula," says the water boy behind her.
She turns back. "What?"
"I'm going down to the city today," he says, swinging his weapon onto his belt. "So..."
"So?"
"It's your birthday, right?" He scratches the back of his head.
She looks at him with a dazed face. "Yes?"
"Come with me," he says, smiling. "Uncle will cover your shift. If you come, I'll buy you something, like fireflakes, I guess."
Azula isn't one to freeze. She freezes. All she can do is blink.
"What?" She chokes out.
"A yes? I'm taking that as a yes," he says. He walks to the door, but then pokes his head back at her. "Come on, we don't have all day."
She stares. The boy beckons with his hand. This is probably a mistake, she thinks. Probably. Most likely, in fact.
Azula follows him outside the door.
