Gladiator

by Seyary-Minamoto

In a world where the Avatar wasn't found, the Fire Nation took over two nations and they strive to overcome the last one. Water Tribe warrior Sokka seeks to fight for his people's rights, but he's captured by his enemies. His life is no longer in his hands as he fights as a Gladiator, and his fate will eventually depend on the Fire Nation Princess, who needs him for her own ends...

231. Chapter 231: The Ultimate Gladiator 2

Red and gold comprised that metal door, the one she had learned by heart throughout her years of living in one of the best suites in the Palace. It was a welcome sight, and Azula was certain that what awaited inside would relieve her heart even further.

Sokka smiled reassuringly at her before pushing the door open. The room was as dark as ever, with curtains drawn over the windows and no lit lanterns, for no one had spent a night in the bedroom in weeks. Azula sighed, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness before nudging Sokka to continue, once his hand returned to hers.

"It feels like I'm finally home… though I wasn't exactly not home while in the physicians' wing" Azula admitted, with a weak grin. Sokka grinned too, tightening his grip around her waist affectionately as he guided her inside the bedroom.

"It's been a long two weeks. A lot has happened in a very short time" Sokka said "So I guess this should be a slight return to normalcy, huh? If just in some ways"

Azula nodded slightly, showing herself as enthusiastic and encouraging as possible. Hopefully, by doing so, Sokka's obvious anxieties would decrease, to a fault.

Fei Rou had authorized her, two days after removing the stitches, to return to her room. He intended to check on her daily regardless, and he had asked the Head Sage to perform a weekly energy reading session on the Princess, but otherwise, she was free to recover without constant medical surveillance. Her chi continued to replenish itself gradually, though not enough that she might be able to walk easily on her own just yet. Sokka had guided her to her room, his left arm around her waist, his right holding hers. Even now, upon reaching the bedroom, he seemed unwilling to let her go.

"It'll be nice sleeping in my own bed again" Azula whispered, though her lips twisted with a slightly more mischievous smile upon letting her thoughts wander. Sokka raised an eyebrow.

"Thinking something funny, are we?" he asked. She laughed softly, casting him a clever smirk.

"Just… remembering the last times I slept on it, actually" she said "Though I'm sorry we couldn't make the most of the week, as we meant to. Such a missed opportunity…"

"Don't say that" Sokka whispered, the sweetness of his voice enveloping Azula warmly, so much she couldn't help leaning into his body for comfort "You shouldn't apologize, we both know this wasn't the way that week was supposed to turn out…"

"I know, I know…" Azula said. Sokka sighed, nudging her gently.

"I need to close the door" he said. Azula raised an eyebrow "Because I have the mightiest urge to kiss you and I don't dare do it while we're still in plain sight, so…"

"Of course" Azula smiled. Sokka grinned guiltily and guided her towards her bed.

They climbed the small steps that led to the mattress, and Sokka helped Azula take her seat on it, her back propped against her pillow, before rushing off to close the door. Azula sighed in relaxation, her eyes set on Sokka initially, but her gaze wandered shortly afterwards, taking in what she could of the room before it grew darker yet, once Sokka closed the door.

A flood of light poured from the windows next, once Sokka reeled back the curtains to allow the sun to shine its glow into the room. Azula continued to watch as he moved to the next one, and the next… and then, upon spreading the third curtain open, the light fell upon Azula's armoire… where a damaged golden armor sat delicately, as though awaiting deliberation about its fate now that it had been rendered unusable.

Azula's heart clenched upon seeing it. Sokka, as well, froze right beside the armor for a moment, his eyes immediately drawn to the crack over the left shoulder. It didn't encompass the whole armor… but it was large enough to damage the integrity of the metal beyond repair. Azula sighed anew as she gazed at it, and the sound alerted Sokka that he wasn't the only one overtaken by the sight of the shattered, useless armor.

"Azula…" he said. She grinned and waved her right hand dismissively in his direction.

"It served its purpose. I can't complain" she cut him off "I guess my father will have the royal blacksmith crafting a new one before long… until then, I guess I'll have to go back to wearing the black one. Well, that is, once I can wear armor at all…"

"Yeah, you won't be doing that for a while" Sokka said, stepping towards her again, disregarding the last window's curtain for now "At least, you shouldn't. Your stitches are gone, but…"

"But the bandages are still on, yes" Azula finished, glancing down at her left arm "And the sling. I did suspect all my life that wearing one of these would be annoying, but I never imagined the half of it…"

"Just visualize how much fun you'll have setting it on fire once you no longer need it" Sokka suggested, with a small grin "You can burn all the bandages and slings… all gone, right before you get back to business as usual, I'd imagine"

"Quite a beautiful visual, I won't deny it" Azula smiled, closing her eyes as she relaxed further "Curses, it's so good to sleep in your own bed… you'll likely feel the same way starting tonight, huh?"

"Hmm…" Sokka grumbled, prompting Azula to chuckle lightly "I guess that's the one downside of your progress so far, huh? No way they'll let me crash in the same room as you anymore, huh?"

"You say it as though you'd been allowed while we were in the physicians' wing" Azula smiled "If anything, the likelihood is Fei Rou was too scared of you to tell you to leave at night"

"Scared? Of me? Why's that?" Sokka asked, innocently. Azula snorted.

"I guess you already forgot the tantrums you'd throw whenever someone asked you to leave the room, even if briefly…?"

"They weren't tantrums…" Sokka said, though he was smiling as Azula teased him.

"Right, right, it was manly whining, that's what it was" Azula decided, prompting Sokka to laugh and shake his head.

"You're being impossibly stubborn, Princess, and I love it" he said, leaning close to finally press his lips to her brow "Say… do you want some water? We did walk all the way here from the physicians' wing, I guess you might be tired…"

"Sounds pretty stupid to be tired of walking from one end of the Palace to the other…" Azula said, as Sokka shook his head.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, okay? You always told me not to punish myself during my recoveries…"

"And now I know exactly why you'd do it. Doesn't it feel good to know I understand you better now?" Azula teased him again, with a wide grin. Sokka snorted but shook his head.

"Well, I'd rather none of this had happened, so I can't say I wanted you to truly understand my frustrations over my recoveries. I would've been fine remaining misunderstood, if I could've spared you all this somehow, but…" he said, biting his lip before shaking his head violently again "Anyway, uh, water? Or maybe some food?"

"Food? Huh…" Azula said, closing her eyes as a slow smile spread across her face "Fire flakes would hit the spot right now, if you must know"

"Uh… I'm not entirely sure you're allowed to eat insanely spicy food yet, Princess" Sokka smirked. Azula sighed dramatically "Azula…"

"How fussy of you" she pouted lightly, causing Sokka to laugh as she rolled her eyes "Fine, then. Find me a boring, healthy snack of the sorts you hate, if that's all you'll let me have…"

"The minute Fei Rou says you're free to stop your recovery diet, I'll make sure to throw you a feast of spicy foods" Sokka said, leaning in again to kiss her, though this time he deliberately chose to caress her lips with his own for much longer, just to enjoy their closeness as best he could "I'll be right back, okay"

"Sure. And if you can, go ask Fei Rou when, exactly, will I be able to eat that spicy feast of yours. Sounds like a dream" Azula said, closing her eyes and smiling innocently as Sokka chuckled, pressing one more kiss to her mouth.

"You're wonderful, love" he whispered, pulling away with a warm grin before taking off to the door once more.

Azula didn't say anything as he left, electing to watch him quietly instead. He closed the door behind himself, and Azula released another breath now that he was gone. It wasn't the first time he had left her side in the past two weeks… but it almost felt as though it was. He had stood by her constantly, watched over her so affectionately it was hard to believe anyone who had witnessed it couldn't tell yet that he loved her. Never before had he behaved quite as openly as a worried husband as he did recently.

The Princess had continued to recover: she could walk faster, without tiring quite so quickly. She could stay awake longer without needing as many naps. She could eat more food, even asking for seconds occasionally, if her portions had been too small. All of them were signs of recovery… yet, to this moment, there was one thing Azula hadn't dared do. One thing she couldn't do in front of Sokka, for she knew he wouldn't want her to even try it… and because she wasn't quite sure of what the result would be, once she did.

Her right hand trembled once she raised it: it wasn't quite so easy to keep a steady pulse after her injury, let alone when she was genuinely nervous, as she was now. She drew her pinky and ring finger into the palm, holding them down with her thumb, and the index and middle fingers remained outstretched, her usual, favored position to control her bending fully.

She breathed once, then twice. Sometimes her breaths came easier, sometimes it felt as though she were dragging her body across rusty metal somehow. She waited for a smooth breath, carefully, patiently… when that simple, easy feeling finally presented itself, she dared pulsate her power deliberately, sending it from her chest to the tip of her outstretched fingers…

An orange light bathed the room as a small plum of fire burst from her fingers.

Azula gasped, tightening her hand into a fist: the last orange specks of the flame dissipated in the air as she breathed with difficulty. Oh, hell. Oh, that wasn't good. That couldn't be good…

But she wasn't fully recovered yet. Perhaps her chi wasn't pure, clean enough, for her to produce proper blue fire. She'd need more time. She had to be patient, she had to wait. Perhaps, within another few weeks, her body would have come closer to its natural state… and then she'd release her trademark blue fire yet again. She knew the technique by heart, it was only a matter of returning to it, once her body was in the right shape for it.

Rational words were little comfort for rampaging emotions, however. Azula gritted her teeth and lowered her gaze: she shouldn't be disappointed, she knew her recovery was only halfway through, at best… but now she found herself regretting her latest experiment. Bending orange fire had been a source of pride for an infant Princess, who had yet to be plagued by pressures and bigger concerns than picking on her brother and earning her father's approval. Now it was an unwelcome sight, despite knowing she should be grateful she could bend again at all, to begin with. Her inner fire had nearly been snuffed out, if that was even possible… she should be grateful. She should be grateful.

Yet her overachieving urges, her impulses to outdo any and every expectation, had taken hold of her already. It hadn't happened just now, with the orange fire: it had happened days ago, while pondering the potential reason behind her astonishingly fast recovery after a life-threatening wound and condition. She knew she shouldn't rush this, she knew there was a chance Sokka would outright reject the theory she had been pondering, in secret… but she meant to run it by someone with more authority than her on the matter. Then, if it seemed her idea made some sense, she'd bring it up to Sokka. And then they could test, directly, if there was one possible, unorthodox remedy for a serious case of chi corruption…

The bedroom door opened again, and instead of calming down at the sight of Sokka, her heart only seemed to beat faster. That should be a good sign, she hoped, for accelerating heartbeats should mean her body was strong enough to sustain a quicker pace… but she wasn't completely certain it'd be a good thing, truthfully, for it forced her to breathe faster, and she was starting to feel a little lightheaded… she needed to calm down. She definitely needed to calm down…

"Alright, I managed to sneak a bit of mochi rather than anything spicy… hopefully that'll work for you just as well" Sokka grinned as he closed the door behind himself. He carried a large jar of water in one arm, and a small package in the other.

His words, spoken so casually, soothed Azula's nervous, racing heart momentarily. She swallowed hard as she watched him move towards her nightstand, where a long-empty jar and its respective cup had rested for the past weeks. Sokka left nothing to chance, ensuring to rinse the cup properly before pouring fresh water for the Princess. He smiled sweetly, and Azula couldn't help but return the gesture.

"I don't really know if mochi is allowed yet… I hope it is" he said "But just in case, eat just a little, okay?"

"You know I can't eat only a little mochi…" Azula smiled sadly, taking the cup in her right hand and tilting it carefully towards her lips. She released a breath after the refreshing drink soothed her dry lips and tongue, cold and soothing down her throat "I've always eaten all of it, that's how it goes…"

"Then I'll have to take it upon myself to determine the right dosage of mochi for you, Princess" Sokka smirked, prompting Azula to chuckle as she finished the water on the cup.

"Thank you for getting all this… and for not making a fuss about how I shouldn't have dessert before lunch" Azula said, raising her eyebrows. Sokka snickered.

"Those boring rules are free to be broken once you're an adult, you know?" he said, stroking her hair "That being said… you will eat all your lunch, right?"

"I'll try" Azula smiled, and Sokka huffed disapprovingly "Say… uh, you would do anything for me, right? You've always said as much, so…"

"Uh… yeah?" Sokka said, raising his eyebrows "Why are you asking? Do you have any nefarious plans in mind, Princess? Need me to put someone in their place for you? Want me to buy something for you in the market? Read you a dirty book?"

"I… no" Azula laughed. Sokka grinned goofily at her reaction "I was just wondering… well, Fei Rou has given me leave, right? I know I… I should probably rest a lot. But I was thinking… I'd like to visit your house again, sometime soon. If that's okay?"

"Oh? You mean, traveling with Xin Long?" Sokka asked, his goofy airs fading quickly "I… I guess it's not the worst thing ever, but it could be strenuous on your body, Azula. I guess I could ask him, but… why do you even want to go?"

"Because… you've been here too long" Azula said, with a light grin "You… you haven't trained in forever. If you'll fight Toph after she beats Combustion Man…"

"Hey, that's the last thing you ought to be worrying about right now, Azula" Sokka said, caressing her hair gently "I'll fight Toph when the time is right, it doesn't have to be all that soon. You're in no condition to join me in training…"

"I didn't plan to" Azula said, closing her eyes "I thought… you could ask Rui Shi. He can substitute for me, and I can just watch you work… it'll be nice admiring my husband's body, glistening under the sun, while he trains. It might even accelerate my healing and everything…"

"Ah? So… you don't plan on training me directly, then" Sokka said, raising his eyebrows "You promise you'll just sit inside, relaxing and not doing anything difficult while Rui Shi and I train, if he agrees to this?"

"I promise" Azula said, with a genuine smile "Don't worry, Sokka. I won't do anything stupid. I… I can't, to begin with. This sling's really throwing off my balance more often than not, you know? I can't even imagine fighting without my left arm…"

"Yeah… it wouldn't be easy" Sokka said, eyeing her sadly.

"So it's only natural you'll need another sparring partner, or a few of them, while I'm unavailable. It's hardly the first time" Azula said, setting down her cup so she could reach for Sokka's hand "I'll be back to training with you before you know it"

"I know. You're already about halfway there, aren't you?" Sokka said, with a compassionate grin. He raised her right hand to his lips, kissing her knuckles softly "You've been a way better patient than me anyhow. I guess I can trust you'll behave yourself, right?"

"And Song will be there too, so she can keep me in check if you don't trust me to do it myself" Azula said "She probably can help with making sure I'm still perfectly healthy after riding a dragon, right?"

"Right" said Sokka, releasing a deep breath as he stroked her hair gently with his free hand "Well… I guess we can try to do this, yeah. It might do you good to leave the Palace for a bit…"

"And you don't have to be so paranoid about being openly affectionate with me while we're at your place" Azula whispered, closing her eyes as she relaxed "Just one more perk of the idea…"

"Uh-huh. Of course" Sokka grinned, pressing a soft kiss to the side of her head "You're too persuasive for your own good, Princess"

"And you're too easily persuaded for yours" Azula said, raising her eyebrows mischievously at him. Sokka laughed before leaning closer, pressing his lips to hers quickly.

Having something to look forward to for the next day helped both Azula and Sokka. The Princess hadn't truly expected him to agree with her idea so easily, but he even set out after lunch to look for Rui Shi, to ask him to be his sparring partner for the coming day. Azula's racing heart had eased up by then, though the memory of her fire, weakened, still dampened her thoughts on occasion. She didn't want to let it show, however, and it was easy to succeed at that whenever Sokka smiled at her with his ever trustworthy, reassuring presence.

He was just as reliable during their walks that afternoon, and again on the next day: he arrived early at the Palace, no doubt displeased over having spent the night away from Azula, and eager to ensure she was still stable and healing properly. As she often napped through the day, Azula wasn't too tired upon waking when Sokka… these days, she was tired most of the time. It was yet another new reality she seemed to have no choice but to grow used to.

Sokka ensured to set up Xin Long's saddle by himself before helping Azula out to the nearest of the Palace's exits. She had looked forward to the chance to leave the Palace, although she hadn't been genuinely uncomfortable while she rested there: it was a matter of having the choice, the power, to go places. To see the world, if she so wished. It was an underrated freedom, she knew, one she had taken for granted despite enjoying it to the fullest over the past four-to-five years.

Xin Long waited for them in the Palace gardens, stepping close to the nearest exit to Azula's room. He seemed determined to pick up Azula as close to the building as possible, so she wouldn't need to walk too much… but Sokka, after glancing quickly at the surroundings to ensure there was no one nearby, made a hasty and risky decision by wrapping both his arms around the Princess's body and carrying her to the saddle personally. Azula gasped at his boldness, but she didn't protest – within moments, she sat safely on the saddle's front seat, grinning as she waited for Sokka to join her.

"Okay, I don't think any guards saw that… so we ought to be okay" Sokka said quietly, climbing up behind her. "I know it's fun to kiss while Xin Long's flying, love, but for now…"

"I'll keep staring forward, yes" Azula said. Sokka smiled and caressed her hand gently "My neck's still a problem… well, rather, the muscles it tugs whenever I move my head"

"I know. I know" Sokka sighed, stroking her knuckles with his thumb "Don't worry, we can make out as much as you wish once we're home"

"Home… yeah, I'd rather live there with you, come to think of it…" Azula sighed, with a lazy grin. Sokka chuckled and patted Xin Long's hind legs before the dragon kicked up his way into the sky.

Sokka focused on Azula through the flight, as he ever did. He held her hands, spoke gentle words in her ear, covered the right side of her neck and face with gentle kisses. Azula closed her eyes as they flew, sharing her thoughts with Xin Long, asking him to fly easy. Her chaotic body was still recovering… and she dreaded she might grow dizzy if he moved too fast, or too suddenly, at any point in time.

In other circumstances, they might have noticed the streets in the city were somewhat crowded, that there was unusual noise in them, and not in the market areas. Something was shaking the city yet again… but as they were mid-flight, focused exclusively on making sure their trip would be as smooth as possible, they didn't even register the noise several feet below them.

Rui Shi was already in the house once they arrived – he probably had spent the night there after requesting for a day off from Fei Li, who had granted it gladly. The Palace was short a few guards at the moment, for the injured ones from the second squad were still recovering, but Ozai's return had also brought back the full, uninjured first squad. Rui Shi, in virtue of how important his involvement in the battle of the airship factory had been, was often given leeway, and Fei Li would argue for giving him as many days off as he might ask for. The word was Ozai might reinstate him as captain… and for the insecure Fei Li, nothing could be more reassuring than letting go of the title he was sure belonged to the guard he had always admired.

Yet, for all his merits, Rui Shi appeared far more leisurely and easygoing today than ever: once Xin Long stepped out of the way, deciding to rest near the external bathroom's area, Rui Shi started his sparring session with Sokka, though, try as though he might, he couldn't seem to outdo the gladiator.

"You're… a slippery bastard, aren't you?" Rui Shi asked, dashing forth with a powerfully packed fist of fire that Sokka dodged with ease.

"I've had to be! There's no better defense than making sure the enemy's offense doesn't land at all!" Sokka snickered, dashing forth to attack Rui Shi as well: he shrank in his frame, letting Space Sword cut nothing but air as it passed above him, and he turned quickly to fire another fistful of flames at Sokka's back.

Naturally, Sokka leapt away before the fire reached him, tossing his boomerang at Rui Shi. The boomerang was often a distracting weapon but taking it for granted would mean risking being struck by it while you least expected it: Rui Shi kicked at Sokka to force distance between them before launching a new and small condensed fireball at the soaring boomerang.

Just the sight of them was enough to compel Azula to join in, instinctively, despite knowing she couldn't, not in this shape. Her blood seemed to sing with the urge for fighting, as her mind coursed through the many training sessions she had enjoyed with Sokka in that very backyard. Some were particularly good memories, no matter how contradictory they might be: her outburst that resulted in their first time, the silly argument they'd had in their anniversary, her ganging up on him with Huiwen, on the day she'd set Sokka's wooden sword on fire… such thoughts brought smiles to her face, no matter how frustrating it was to be rendered helpless for the time being. She'd join Sokka in training again eventually, of course she would. She had to be patient… and she had to figure out if her idea to accelerate her healing made any sense, too.

"Here you go"

Song announced herself as she offered Azula a warm teacup. Azula almost raised her head to glance at her, impulsively, but she restrained herself despite it all, forcing herself to only move to take the teacup in her right hand.

"Thanks" said Azula, with a light grin.

"It's probably the first time you've had your tea in ages, right?" Song asked "We still had those herbs, from the last batch you brought us for safekeeping…"

"You can use them too, you know? If you need to…"

"U-uh. W-well, um…"

"Ah. You already were?"

"M-maybe? Just sometimes!" Song said, shyly. Azula laughed.

"You should do it all the time, apparently. It's not that effective otherwise, according to Mai" said Azula, raising the teacup to her lips "Thanks, though. I, uh… might need it"

"You might need it?" said Song, skeptical "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Uh… okay. Don't overreact. I do need your advice, first of all" said Azula, swallowing hard "You haven't found any more information on regenerating chi, have you?"

"Sadly, no" said Song, biting her lip "It seems… well, that it's not something largely recorded in history, if it had happened before. It was probably misunderstood, to a fault, since the Bloodlust Spear was thought to seek blood rather than chi, hence the name… so perhaps other strange objects with those properties could hurt someone the way the spear hurt you, and drain or corrupt their chi, but in all likelihood…"

"They wouldn't survive" Azula finished. Song nodded.

"It doesn't seem like it. So… it's a pretty novel problem, what you have" Song whispered "People's chi amount naturally decreases over time, you see… it's a consequence of aging. The closer you are to death, the less chi flows through you. If the flow stops altogether, the chi can weaken, vanish, and then… you're gone. If it flows, then you still have a chance at living on. That's why the treatment you were given was meant to improve your chi flow, and your current exercising regime should help with that, too. But there's no evidence, no knowledge, of any substances or techniques that could regenerate chi, outright"

"Yet mine's regenerating" Azula said, raising her eyebrows. Song nodded.

"I theorized it was because you're still young and physically strong enough, but frankly, I don't know…" Song admitted.

"W-what if… that's not the whole reason?" Azula asked, her voice trembling a little "What if there was more to it than that?"

"More? Such as…?" Song asked. Azula breathed deeply, wishing she could control the faster pulsations of her heart.

"I… I promise I don't mean to do anything I shouldn't. This is, so far, a theory. I'm running it by you because… well, you'll probably be able to tell me if I'm crazy, I hope. I'd have told Sokka, but I don't think I should until I ask you, so…"

"What is it?" Song asked, puzzled and curious as she sipped her own tea.

"Well, a while ago, Sokka and I… did something pretty crazy by accident" Azula started "It was… well, indirect bending, is how we called it. I clasped his shoulder, and while I was trying to summon a fireball at his hands, so it'd seem he was the one producing it, the truth is I bent through his chi paths"

"You…? Woah. That's… insane. How does that even work?" Song asked, perplexed. Azula smiled, wishing she could shrug painlessly.

"According to the Head Sage, since we asked him later, that sort of phenomenon happens because of chi attuning. Basically, Sokka and I… we have attuned chi, somehow. I guess it means it flows the same way, or has similar qualities, I don't know…"

"I remember he said that to the Head Sage… when you were still being treated" Song said, frowning "I didn't know what he meant by it, but he wanted to give you his own chi, since you two are attuned. He seemed to think that would save you… maybe it could, huh? Though it's so weird that your chi would be attuned to his… how did that even happen?"

"Heh, well… I think the Head Sage has enough suspicions about our secret, especially after I asked him about that" Azula mumbled, grimacing. Song blinked blankly.

"S-say what…?"

"He told us people who are intimately bonded have been known to have attuned chi" Azula said. Song gasped "At the time, he merely laughed it off, saying surely two people who were very close would develop that attunement just as well, regardless of the nature of the bond between them. But then, when we tried to resort to indirect bending to convince the owl at the Spirit Library that our relationship was no sham…"

"Uh-huh…" Song's voice dripped with skepticism Azula chose to ignore.

"He revealed that there was an erotic fiction book where a firebending man had bent through his lover while in bed" Azula said, with a dry grin. Song's eyes widened "Which… well, makes me think the Head Sage might have read that damn book and that's how he knew of the whole concept in the first place"

"Heh. Maybe I need to read slightly more entertaining books about chi, huh?" Song suggested, blinking blankly. Azula snorted and laughed, raising her teacup to her lips before draining it slowly.

"Either way, the thing is… I didn't really know if chi-attuning could result in anything but indirect bending. I doubt there's any records of it… but there apparently aren't many records of indirect bending anyway. The owl claimed to be surprised to see confirmation of that 'theory', once he saw us doing it… so I guess if there were any records of it, they went up in smoke with the rest of his Library's Fire Nation section. And if there was any further information on the uses of this attuning, it was gone just as well"

"I see" said Song, though she frowned "And… this is relevant because you want me to try to transfer Sokka's chi into you, is it? Or…"

"Well, no. I wouldn't want that. He'd jump at the chance of doing that, no doubt…" said Azula, sighing "But I won't have him weakened for my sake. I want to improve without hindering him. Still… that's not really what I thought. You see… it's hard to say why we're attuned, frankly? Maybe all couples deeply in love are? I wouldn't know…"

"I could ask Rui Shi to test if he can firebend through me, but that sounds somewhat scary…" Song said, and Azula chuckled softly.

"He'd surely refuse if there's any chance he might hurt you" she said "Either way, though… the implication that the couple in that book were attuned while having sex kind of suggests that, I think, two people who are that intimate together can increase the attuning of their chi through it…?"

"Uh, yeah, that's possible but… why is that relevant?" Song asked, perplexed.

"Because… I don't think it's chance that I've been improving, regaining chi, as I have" Azula said, swallowing hard "I… I was as good as incapable of moving, when this started. But after Sokka… after he first kissed me while I was in the physicians' wing, I felt the first light improvement. Whenever I saw him again, I'd feel better, immediately… I chalked it down to a mere emotional reaction, irrational and inevitable, but I could do more than just raise a hand before long. I could stay awake longer, I could move my feet, I could talk without losing my train of thought or my strength for it… and then the Head Sage confirmed I was regaining chi. I have continued to regain it. He helps me walk, he sits by me most the day, he encourages me… I know I might just be wishful, Song, but what if…?"

"You think your chi is responding to his" Song whispered, astonished "That… that by reacting to him, to his proximity, to his constant caring for you, you're… you're revitalizing your own corrupted, or rather, decayed chi. That's… goodness, if that's true, it's amazing. But… I don't know, Azula. Can you be sure of this?"

"I'm asking because I'm not sure at all" Azula admitted, with a sad grin.

"And… you came here hoping to get permission for going the extra mile with this theory of yours?" Song asked, knowingly. Azula bit her lower lip "Heh. I should've always known you weren't merely here to discuss where in the Earth Kingdom we ought to relocate to, once you take your new position as High Governor…"

"Well, we can discuss that too… especially if you say I can't take such a big risk to confirm my hunch yet" Azula mumbled, shyly. Song chuckled and shook her head "If you thought it's a bad idea then we'd have nothing else to do but talk about that, see?"

"Right, right" Song grinned "Oh, honestly… I don't know. Chi is very mysterious and complex, Azula. It might be this is all chance, but… I guess chi is deeply connected with a person's soul, too. Having a strong body is always supposed to be conducive to strengthening the mind and soul too, so… it could be a little more reasonable than it sounds. Because, I mean, I'm sorry but initially it just sounded like…"

"Like I was thinking with my loins, I know" Azula said, prompting Song to laugh "I won't lie, there's a part of me that wants to test this mainly so… so I can help calm him down. He's not okay, even if he pretends otherwise… I know how he's feeling right now. I've been where he is a thousand times by now, after all. He's forcing himself to be strong, to hold me up, to help me however he can… and deep down he's shattered by the fear of losing me. Just as I've always been afraid of losing him"

"It's not the first time he was in danger of losing you, it happened that time when it seemed Admiral Zhao had caught you two… but I think he never expected it might happen this way" Song whispered "I've never seen him crying like that before, so desolate and devastated… which, I guess, doesn't help soothe you in the least"

"No, it doesn't" Azula smiled sadly "If you think we can go forward with it, I promise we'll be careful. We won't do anything too stupid or go overboard…"

"And you'll make sure to check your chi count as soon as you can. And if you do improve… well, heh. Who'd have thought sleeping with someone would ever be the doctor's order, huh?" Song said, prompting Azula to laugh, although it hurt when her shoulder shook over her impulsive reaction.

Rui Shi panted heavily when the sound of Azula's laughter reached Sokka's ears. He glanced inside the house, smiling a little upon confirming his Princess was enjoying her conversation with Song… and then he had to jump out of the way as a new fire blast nearly scorched him.

Instinctively, Sokka slid past Rui Shi, ducking under the fire he rained upon Sokka. The gladiator, however, was set on finishing this fight quickly by now: he tripped Rui Shi, breaking the man's stance briefly – Rui Shi managed to extend his foot quickly to retain his balance, but the moment of hesitation and loss of control was enough for Sokka to aim his sword at Rui Shi's neck dangerously.

"There… stay put" Sokka huffed "Can't a guy admire his laughing wife without getting attacked by his sparring buddy?"

"No, he can't. You left a whole opening for me to take advantage of" Rui Shi smirked "And I'd love to watch my fiancée laugh too, but because you wanted to train I can't do it. You asked for it"

"Ugh, fine… do you want to take a break, then?" Sokka suggested, with a guilty grin. Rui Shi chuckled and nodded.

"I think they're not paying much attention to the show we're putting on, anyways" he said. Sokka smiled and shrugged, drawing back his sword…

Only for Rui Shi to shoot a fistful of flames at him, causing Sokka to squeal and fall on his butt, taken by surprise by the uncalled-for attack. Rui Shi smirked deviously as he started his way back to the house's steps.

"H-hey! Hey, you jerk, we were just agreeing to…! You're the damn worst, Rui Shi! Sore loser…" Sokka grumbled, pushing himself up hastily as Rui Shi crossed the threshold into the sitting room.

Azula and Song were taken by surprise by Rui Shi's sudden appearance in the sitting room, especially perplexed over the soft chuckles that left his lips. Azula raised her eyebrows as she watched Sokka storming into the room too, pouting in childish anger.

"What just happened…?" Song asked, grinning awkwardly.

"I defeated Sokka, is all…" Rui Shi said, smirking as Sokka gasped, outraged.

"Not even close! As if! You could barely keep up with me the whole time, dammit!" Sokka exclaimed. Azula laughed softly again at his agitated behavior "I'm serious, Azula, don't listen to anything Rui Shi says…"

"So defensive and aggressive at once… what are you trying to prove, huh?" Rui Shi smirked "That you haven't lost your edge after the past two weeks? Well, I'd say you did…"

"Yeah, well, I didn't" Sokka declared, crossing his arms over his chest "I kept beating you, it's not my fault you can't handle the truth"

"If you were going to keep on fighting you could've just done it outside…" said Song, with an awkward grin that caused both Rui Shi and Sokka to tense up.

"True… such bad energies can mess with my regenerating chi" Azula mused innocently, sipping her tea quietly as both men froze in place now.

"T-that's not… I didn't mean to…" Sokka started, apologetically, but just then both Azula and Song snorted and laughed at his reaction. Again, he pouted as he dropped his weapons and fell to his knees before Azula "Heeeey! Why're you ganging up on me with Rui Shi, eh? It should be you and me against those two, Azula, you can't join their team!"

"And here I thought that, while I was in this shape, I wasn't much good on anyone's team… nice to know you want me on yours that badly" Azula laughed, as Sokka groaned and hugged her legs, still pouting.

"I always want you on my team. That's only natural" he said.

"They weren't really joining me, though. They were ganging up on the two of us, Sokka" Rui Shi said, smirking at Song who grinned brightly at him "We should be careful of leaving them alone together for too long. The next thing we know they'll have rewritten the very laws of nature and we won't even have noticed it…"

"Ah, is our alliance that terrifying?" Song teased him. Rui Shi grinned and nodded, leaning close to kiss the top of her head.

"Utterly" he said "So, have you both decided where our next base of operations will be yet?"

Right after Azula and Sokka had arrived, the two women had reassured Sokka and Rui Shi that they could train all day if they wished while they started working out the details of their future relocation to the Former Earth Kingdom. Azula had meant to use that as an excuse, of course, before bringing up the actual topic she wanted to discuss with Song… but that hadn't prevented Sokka from finding a large map of the Earth Kingdom, placing it over the small table in the sitting room so the two women would be free to speak at ease about the future. And the map remained there, a handy reference for them to finally begin discussing the topic that they were supposed to be talking about.

"Ah… well, not really" said Song, with an awkward grin "I guess I'd like to be close to Ba Sing Se, but…"

"Sadly, Ba Sing Se is one of the cities in better shape. We don't need to keep tabs on it all that urgently" said Azula, glancing apologetically at Song "We'll probably go elsewhere, though it doesn't mean we can't visit the city sometimes…"

"We should have a small house in every city" Sokka suggested, grinning as he stood up again, meaning to take his seat on the armrest of the couch, right beside Azula "That way, whenever you have to travel to check on what's going on, you'll have a place to stay…"

"And it'd be more or less private, yes. Not a bad idea" Azula smiled at him "Yet I thought you enjoyed the idea of a big fancy fortress…"

"Oh, the fortress will be our main base of operations, yes" Sokka grinned greedily "And the perfect place for no one to annoy us! The houses are temporary, the fortress is what matters most"

"And that's why we ought to unravel where to put it…" Azula mumbled "Frankly, it's difficult to decide. Gaoling does need an intervention more urgently… Omashu could use more supervision. Being somewhere between them both wouldn't be a bad idea, but I'm not sure anywhere within that area is good for building a whole fortress"

"Isn't there some fortress up north?" Song asked, raising her eyebrows "It's further north than my old village used to be, I think, but…"

"Ugh. Pohuai?" Sokka growled "If I can avoid setting foot there for the rest of my life, I'll be pleased"

"The north isn't the worst idea, though I know why you're apprehensive of it" Rui Shi said, glancing down at the north-western Earth Kingdom in the map. Sokka scoffed, eyeing him skeptically.

"Not the worst idea? Why would it be a good idea at all? You want another reading from the fortuneteller or something?" Sokka teased him "Hell, if Niece Wen finds out you're engaged to someone she'll probably fling herself into the volcano…"

"Niece Wen?" Song repeated, puzzled. Sokka blinked blankly between Rui Shi and Song.

"You never told her about our fortunetelling adventures…?" Sokka asked. Rui Shi shrugged.

"I mentioned Aunt Wu, but I never thought her assistant was that important… the only noteworthy thing about her was how determined she was to measure the sizes of our ears, huh?" said Rui Shi, grimacing.

"She wanted to marry Rui Shi" Azula said, with a dry grin "I had to scare her off by telling her he wasn't available because he was, supposedly, my husband…"

"It should have never needed to come to that" Rui Shi said, grimacing "She didn't know anything about me, and only cared for the size of my ears…"

"I doubt that" said Song, smirking "It's not that strange that a girl might want to marry you, is it?"

"A girl who thinks ear sizes have anything to do with marriage? Yes, it's strange" Rui Shi said, smiling as he caressed Song's cheek "Though… she wasn't called Niece Wen at all, just so you know. I don't remember her name anymore, but that was merely a joke…"

Sokka of course, started laughing again at the thought of where the mocking nickname had come from. Azula smiled and rolled her eyes, though Song remained utterly puzzled by their reactions.

"You're still laughing that hard at a joke you made all those years ago, Sokka?" Song asked.

"Uh… the joke was actually my doing, if you must know" Azula pointed out. Song froze, causing the Princess and her gladiator to laugh harder than before.

"Their senses of humor are rather… similar, apparently" Rui Shi pointed out.

"Oh, come on! It was a great joke!" Sokka exclaimed, a hand on Azula's right shoulder "You see, Song, the fortuneteller was called Aunt Wu, so when her assistant showed up, Azula just went like: 'and who are you? Niece Wen?' And it was so damn hilarious, I couldn't even stop…! Uh… yeah, okay, maybe it's the kind of joke that's funnier when you're there"

Song's clueless smile had shifted into a skeptical one by then, as Sokka blushed and lowered his head. Azula laughed, leaning towards him, her head resting gently against his flank. Despite failing at retelling the joke, Sokka soon smiled and caressed Azula's hair gently.

"You probably ought to have told me more about the fortunetelling, though" Song said, smiling up at Rui Shi, who blushed at her words "I wonder what she said about your love life…"

"Basically… that if I didn't do something, I'd lose my chances to be with you. So I did something" Rui Shi admitted, blushing. Song giggled and grinned warmly at him.

"That's wonderful. I guess fortunetelling has its perks, huh…?"

"Meeeh, it's mostly a load of hogwash" Sokka declared, stubbornly. Song and Rui Shi froze, staring at him with deadpan expressions "You two could have the relationship you have now without needing her to say anything she told Rui Shi. I don't see what's the point in letting some random stranger tell you what to expect in your life…"

"Riiiight… because fortunetelling is that much harder to believe than magical trips to deserts to massive spirit libraries with spirit owls and foxes?" Rui Shi said, prompting Song to laugh and, despite everything, Azula joined in on the laughter too. Sokka's mouth opened, but he couldn't seem to say anything for a moment, until he finally surrendered.

"Okay. Granted, my take on spiritual stuff has changed lately, but you know, my point still stands…" Sokka pouted. Azula finished her teacup, setting it down at the edge of the table before reaching for Sokka's hand with her own.

"Too much weird stuff has happened to us over the last few years. I think that's the only acceptable conclusion anyone ought to reach" Azula said, closing her eyes as she rested against Sokka's body.

Song smiled as she watched them, remembering Azula's earlier questions and theory quickly. She hadn't truly given Azula permission to do anything risky yet… but perhaps it was better to let her try it indeed. She wanted to believe Azula wouldn't be too reckless… and she suspected Sokka wouldn't even be all that receptive to the idea, not when Azula was still halfway through recovering from her wounds. It'd be up to the Princess to settle with her lover whether they could push forward with this or not… and as far as Song could tell, she and Rui Shi were better off long gone so those two could decide on what to do about the Princess's theory.

"Say… I think there was a nice deal in the dumplings restaurant, down near the Palace?" Song said, glancing at Rui Shi with a bright grin "I… I don't really feel like cooking today. How about we just buy some food over there instead?"

"Why… sure" said Rui Shi, surprised as Song rose to her feet, grinning and clasping his hand in hers "Had I known you wanted to do that for lunch I would've bought them on my way here…"

"This way they'll be fresher. And it's just a whim I had right now, I didn't think of it any sooner" Song smiled, shrugging "Is it alright?"

"Yeah, it is" said Rui Shi, nodding and grinning, though he shot a warning glare at both Azula and Sokka "You two had better behave yourselves while we're gone, you hear me?"

"Hey, now, I've been alone with Azula a bunch of times the past two weeks and nothing troublesome has happened" Sokka pouted. Rui Shi huffed, and then Sokka stuck out his tongue.

"You're both such exemplary grown-ups…" Song sighed, tugging at Rui Shi to follow her to the door as both men chuckled over their latest, childish display. Azula, as well, smiled over it "We'll be back in a while! Make sure to get some rest, both of you!"

"Sure thing. We'll be waiting for those dumplings" Sokka said, beaming "Try to get one with mild spices for Azula? Not too much because it could be dangerous, but… we can try to spoil her a little anyway, right?"

"Heh, I'm spoiled rotten all the time by you, as far as I can tell" Azula smiled. Sokka chuckled while he watched her with warm eyes, and if something would be the cue for Song and Rui Shi to leave, it would be that expression on the gladiator's face.

Sokka stroked Azula's hand gently as Song and Rui Shi readied themselves to go out for food. Within less than three minutes, the front door was closing, and the two of them lingered behind, on the couch, mostly unmoving.

"Want to sit beside me properly?" Azula asked. Sokka grinned and shrugged.

"I thought you were comfortable like this, but if you want me to…" he said. Azula's right hand released his, tugging at his trousers to convince him to sit beside her. Sokka chuckled and shifted, so he'd slide down on the couch right next to her "Alright, alright, there we go… as you wanted it, beautiful wife of mine"

"Great" said Azula, sighing as she relaxed against him.

"Did you have some sort of craving for dumplings?" Sokka asked. Azula raised an eyebrow "I mean, it could be Song who had it, I don't know… she just seemed to bring that up so sudden and randomly I figured I'd ask. I know food at the Palace has been lackluster for you lately… these recovery diets always are like that, in my experience"

"Healthy food is never the tastiest" Azula complained. Sokka chuckled and nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly "But truthfully… no, I didn't really ask her to come up with an excuse so they'd leave us alone here. She decided to do that of her own volition"

"An… excuse?" Sokka repeated "Are you saying that's all it was?"

"Yep" Azula said, simply. Sokka snorted, raising his eyebrows.

"Alright…? And why did Song decide we should be alone in the house?" Sokka asked. Azula bit her lower lip somewhat shyly "Azula…? You look like you're up to something. You definitely do"

"I am" Azula acknowledged, gazing at him from the corners of her eyes with a guilty grin "I… I know you might disagree with me, but hopefully this will help me recover faster. Just… promise you'll hear me out until the end, okay?"

"Okay?" Sokka said, rubbing her back reassuringly "What's going on, Azula?"

Azula breathed deeply: once more, her heart would beat faster than it should have, nervousness overtaking her as she feared his refusal, even if it would be a reasonable enough response to her upcoming words. Yet she wouldn't allow those fears to hold her back as she finally shared her suspicions and innermost thoughts with the man whose lifeforce pulsated in unison with hers…

---

"So… why are we taking such a roundabout route to that dumpling restaurant?" Rui Shi asked, puzzled.

It wasn't only that Song was guiding him through the Capital's streets most inefficiently, for they likely could have reached the dumpling restaurant in less than ten minutes, but they were also moving unusually slowly. Song shrugged enigmatically, an arm wrapped around his.

"I just wanted to enjoy my walk with you, what's so wrong with that?" she said. Rui Shi eyed her with curiosity.

"There's nothing necessarily wrong with it, no" Rui Shi acknowledged "But it's unusual. I thought you were enjoying your conversation with the Princess. Seems like you're trying to avoid her now, instead?"

"Avoid her? What for?" Song laughed "I'm merely rejoicing in our regained normality, is all. I know she's not fully healed yet, or anything, but we often took walks this way, back when she was completely healthy… remember?"

"Right, but only because they were…" said Rui Shi, though his eyes narrowed and fell upon Song again. She tensed up beside him, under that firm stare "Song?"

"Yes, dear?" she said, innocently.

"Do you know something I don't, by any chance?" he asked "Were you asked, perhaps, to get me out of the house…?"

"Oh, I wasn't. I did it of my own free will" Song said, grinning truthfully. Oh, not having to lie about this was quite the relief… though Rui Shi gasped, astonished.

"W-what's that supposed to mean? You did it on purpose because you were helping them, or you did it on purpose because you wanted to be with me, or…?"

"Oh, Rui Shi, must you think so hard about every…?" Song asked, sighing dramatically as she leaned against him.

She had hoped to distract him with casual conversations, by pointing out anything that stood out in the city, or perhaps by pointing out that nothing did, further proof that their lives were back on track… yet a genuinely surprising development appeared to be stirring somewhere in the city after all. Song fell silent upon hearing the noise, as did Rui Shi: they were a few streets away from the main avenues, and it seemed that was where the rumor of voices drifted from.

"What's…?" said Song. Rui Shi frowned, clasping Song's hand protectively as he led her in the direction of the voices. He walked cautiously, all his senses devoted to unraveling whatever had made so many people restless…

A large, noisy crowd gathered at what could appear to be a completely irrelevant location, yet Rui Shi knew, immediately, what hid behind the many rows of talkative, fussy people.

"The information boards" Rui Shi said, tightening his grip around Song's hand "That's… where announcements by the Fire Lord and his council are usually pinned. Those announcements are also handed out by Domestic Forces officials, on occasion… I guess this is one such occasion?"

While most people weren't holding anything, some appeared to walk out of the thickest cluster of the crowd with papers in their hands. Generally, the ones who had the papers would soon be crowded by others, desperate to read the content of the announcement.

"You think it's… the Fire Lord's official declaration after what happened two weeks ago?" Song asked, quietly. Rui Shi breathed out and nodded.

"Yes, I… I'm sure of it, actually. We could pick up one of the leaflets, if you'd like, but we probably know more about it than whatever was written in the announcement" said Rui Shi. Song smiled awkwardly and shrugged.

"Surely… but it's probably a good idea to see it, right?" she said "That way we'll know how the Fire Lord has presented the situation to his people… might be a good idea to show it to Azula if it's not a bad declaration, right?"

"Fair enough" said Rui Shi, nodding as he guided Song towards the crowd indeed.

He asked her to wait near a house right before the large mass of people, and then dove through the crowd stealthily, seeking the chance to snatch one of the papers from the Domestic Forces soldiers distributing them. Song waited anxiously, hoping Rui Shi wouldn't take too long – the crowd was constantly increasing in size, and she wasn't sure he'd be able to see her beside the house she'd been standing at if he took any longer…

"Song! Here!" Rui Shi's voice reached her, startling the young woman: he had wound up all the way across the street altogether, but he was free… and he had a paper in his hand that a tall man tried to wrestle from him: naturally, Rui Shi's killer glare convinced the man to walk away and seek out someone else to intimidate into handing over their own leaflets.

Song rushed towards Rui Shi, and together they walked away from the crowd while reading the contents of the Fire Lord's official declaration:

On the thirteenth day of the fourth month, two battles were fought within our nation's lands: a group of invaders, led and comprised by rebels, sought to undermine the integrity and strength of the Fire Nation. Their plans to vanquish our great nation were thwarted, however, and we remain as resolute and prepared to extend our great nation's reach as we ever were.

In the Fire Lord's absence, Crown Princess Azula deftly opposed this invasion and defeated their forces. She fought heroically alongside our armies, ever proving herself an exemplary leader and an outstanding strategist. Her swift, efficient response saved many Fire Nation lives: the enemy was thwarted, and their survivors are in custody.

Our soldiers and forces suffered a number of casualties, and many wounded still recover from their injuries. Crown Princess Azula is amongst those recovering: she defeated the enemy through her exemplary self-sacrifice and loyalty to our nation, but not without cost. We owe the safety of our nation to the wisdom with which she fended off this threat, therefore, the people are encouraged to pray and offer tribute in the temple for the Princess and the injured forces' quick recovery.

This missive is meant to inform the Fire Nation people of the events that unfolded over the past weeks, as well as to serve as a reminder of the Fire Nation's destiny: we will not falter against any enemies. We will not fail to fend off all threats that rise against our nation. No sacrifice for the betterment of the Fire Nation will ever be in vain. Our March of Civilization will never cease.

Rui Shi sighed as he finished reading the declaration, his eyes gliding past the seal of the Fire Lord. As much as the final paragraph was but the traditional conclusion given to any such documents, it wasn't easy to ignore the blatant warmongering connotations even in a text meant to reassure the Fire Nation people.

"No sacrifice will ever be in vain?" Song read aloud, before huffing in disbelief "If he truly thinks so little of what his daughter did…"

"He might not think that little of it, actually" Rui Shi mumbled "All these documents are usually closed with that paragraph, meant to instill fear in the enemy and to flood the trueborn Fire Nation citizens' hearts with courage and loyalty for our nation. I can't say if he would have concluded this text any differently if the Princess hadn't… hadn't made it"

"Sometimes I can forget just how messed up your nation is" Song sighed, shaking her head "But… I suppose at least he acknowledged she's the one who fixed everything, right? And asked people to pray for her at the temple…"

"That, frankly, is rather surprising" Rui Shi said "I can't remember him writing anything like that when the White Lotus attacked all those years ago"

"Maybe he does care? If just a smidge" Song sighed, biting her lip "I guess Azula might not be too upset, if this is how all these documents tend to go – and if he doesn't request for prayers that way often. But Sokka…"

"Sokka definitely shouldn't see this, no" said Rui Shi, with an awkward grin "He might become a firebender himself and burn it to cinders out of the fit of rage he'd undergo…"

"Definitely" Song laughed.

She noticed, however, that instead of restarting their way towards the restaurant, Rui Shi seemed to be glancing towards the temple's direction indeed. It was impossible to see what was happening within the area, though, for the Palace blocked the temple from sight.

"Want to check out the temple?" Song asked, with a shy smile "Would be nice to see if people are doing as they were told, huh…?"

"I am a bit curious, yes" Rui Shi admitted, grinning too "Though with how many people there are here, I suppose not a lot will have reached the temple by now. Still, you said you wanted to go on a walk with me, right? And it wasn't something you were doing for their benefit… right?"

"Right…!" said Song, with a guilty smile "Let's go, then!"

Rui Shi rolled his eyes but laughed softly, clasping her hand in his and leading the way towards the temple. It was already going to be a long walk, so Song didn't bother coming up with more distractions of any sort. At this point, she definitely should have bought Azula and Sokka more than enough time to do whatever they needed to, if they truly had decided to test the Princess's theory.

When they were three blocks away from the temple at last, though, they were surprised upon glimpsing yet another crowd, gathered at the temple's steps.

"Uh… wait a minute. That's a lot of people" said Song, puzzled. Rui Shi raised his eyebrows.

"Maybe… more of them have read the declaration than we thought?" he said, glancing at Song with confused curiosity. Song shrugged, but smiled nonetheless.

"If that huge crowd is here to pray for her… then I guess her people truly cherish her, huh? Though it could be they fear the Fire Lord's retribution? If they expect him to be angry if they don't pray for her, or something…"

"He has no way of knowing, I think, who prayed or who didn't" said Rui Shi "Not everyone can attend the temple anyways, most elderly people would falter at those steps. There's no assistance check or anything of the sort"

"Then… then they really are that worried about her" Song said, grinning brightly at Rui Shi, who laughed softly under his breath and gazed at the growing crowd ahead.

"She truly can't complain about not being popular, can she?" he said, wrapping an arm around Song's shoulders.

His future wife laughed too as she embraced him as well… and then she tugged him towards the long line, so that they, as well, might have a chance to offer a small prayer for Azula, the other injured survivors, and the deceased soldiers who had lost their lives battling Rhone, the Bloodlust Spear and the Notorious Stingray's group. It would allow them to see, firsthand, just how worried the Fire Nation people were, as well as hope that, in some roundabout way, these prayers might grant Azula a fast recovery… even if, at this point in time, the Princess had her own ideas on how to achieve that particular goal.

---

She had never been lighter in his arms. Holding her against his chest, carrying her across the stairs, proved to be sweetly nostalgic, no matter how many times he'd done it in the past. Her right shoulder pressed against his body, her left arm still in the sling for now. How she longed to clutch at him fully, to wrap her arms around his neck, her legs around his waist… but she was in no shape for letting her passion take over her rational mind just yet. Maybe eventually, maybe in a few more weeks… but for now, she settled for relaxing in his arms as he finally reached his room, kicking the door closed behind himself, and then walking to the bed, setting down the Princess delicately on the mattress.

"You're sure you want to try this?" Sokka asked, for the umpteenth time. Azula smiled: his reluctance had been apparent while she explained her idea… though it resulted in a rather contradictory contrast with his eagerness, too.

"Yeah. I know it's hardly orthodox, but…" she whispered, but Sokka smiled weakly and offered her a quick kiss. She fell silent after that, deferring to his judgment now. She wasn't about to make demands, or pretend she had the physical or mental strength to lead their tryst.

Sokka encouraged her to lie down across the mattress, helping her relax, with her head perfectly rested on the pillow, in the ideal position for her to rest in, according to Fei Rou. After this, he delicately unfastened the sling and ensured to place her left arm in a comfortable position at her side. The muscles of her arm were strained over lack of use, but her bone structure was sound. It wouldn't be long before the sling was done away with for good, for its main purpose was to ensure she wouldn't move her arm around too much, so the tissues of her wounds would amend faster: now that her stitches had come off, it was only a matter of time before Fei Rou decided she could use her left arm freely again, although Azula's shoulder still pained her frequently.

Sokka undid her sash next: the light tunic she wore was her only layer of clothing, a rare occurrence with the elegant Princess. Only her breasts' bindings lay underneath… and the bandages across her wounds. Now that her upper body was exposed, Sokka hesitated about what to undo first… until he sensed Azula's sudden nervousness.

"You… you don't have to. It's fine if you don't want to look at them…"

"You mean… your scars?" Sokka asked, frowning. Azula swallowed hard.

"It's… ugly business, I'm sure. I never thought I'd… take wounds like those. Well, any wounds bad enough to leave a scar that big, really…"

"Azula…" Sokka whispered, cupping her cheek before leaning in to press his lips to hers "You're the most beautiful woman in the history of the world, remember?"

"Well, you're the one who says that…" Azula mumbled, though she smiled a little. Sokka grinned too.

"I wish you hadn't been hurt at all, love. I wish that… with every beat of my heart" Sokka said, gritting his teeth and lowering his gaze… yet his hand rose to the bandages over her shoulder, crisscrossing around her flank, underneath her armpit "But I don't wish it because I think your scars would be unsightly: I wish it because I don't want you to be in pain, because I hate that your life was endangered at all"

"I know… I didn't expect otherwise" Azula whispered, avoiding his gaze "I'm sorry if it sounded like I doubted you, Sokka. I don't, it's just… it'll probably take time getting used to living with this. Even if I recover fully… those marks won't go away"

"No, they won't" Sokka whispered, nodding "Neither have mine… and you have always accepted me as I was, scars and everything. I've always meant to do the same with you, no matter what happens. Still… I understand how you feel, too. Scars… they're always consequences of pain. A sign of healing… yet a sign of having been hurt. But it's also a sign of survival: that you made it far enough to have a scar at all means you've endured what life has tossed at you, sometimes even in the deadliest of circumstances. It's a sign of having a strong enough will to live, to keep going, no matter how difficult things might have become. So… no, I wouldn't find you any less beautiful, any less amazing, because of your scars. I love you, Azula… everything about you"

She swallowed hard at last but nodded, offering Sokka a weak, tearful grin that he reciprocated with his own. Tears glistened in his eyes too, but for now, he seemed to contain them successfully as his hands moved to undo her bandages indeed. Azula held her breath only shortly, for her racing heart made it so she'd have to breathe again soon or risk dizziness.

Her shoulder's bandages came off very slowly, for Sokka was doing his best not to shift Azula's body, especially the area of the wound. But once he had undone enough, he had a clear glimpse of the area of her body that had been hidden away for the past two weeks. He had already seen them before, but it didn't sting any less to see them now: three lines ran over the skin that covered the space between her neck and shoulder's joint. The two external lines were delicate, careful: the central one appeared more unstable, for it was the wound Rhone had delivered directly to Azula through his sword.

The lines were still red… but Sokka breathed out in genuine relief upon glimpsing no sign of blackness in them anymore. The physical, tangible, blackened corruption had truly vanished from her wounds, leaving her with the chance to recover gradually from the severe damage she had received that day.

Azula remained anxious, but Sokka's lips soon trailed over her exposed skin. Another sigh of relief could be heard within the room then, though it came from the Princess now: Sokka pressed three kisses to each scar, as Azula struggled to contain the tears.

"Kissing it better?" she asked. Sokka grinned and nodded, gazing into her eyes.

"I did tell you it was a non-negotiable relationship practice, didn't I?" he whispered. Azula laughed, nodding most weakly before Sokka leaned close to kiss her lips.

Azula responded to his kisses, and sought to caress Sokka with her right hand just as well, but she was mostly helpless, lying in bed and lacking the physical strength to make any bold moves of her own. Sokka continued to offer her as much affection as she could ask for, carefully undoing her breasts' bindings next. He covered her chest in kisses, something Azula was more than used to… and yet the erotic intent he often had in each of such actions was absent right now. He wasn't merely desperate to touch her: he was grateful that he still could do it at all.

The truth behind his affectionate kisses became all the more apparent as he pressed more kisses than usual to her left breast, right above her heart. Azula knew what he was doing, for she had done it to him just as well: a heartbeat, whether strong or weak, was the most reassuring sign for a lover who had nearly lost the most precious person in their lives.

"Sokka…" Azula called him, as her right hand's fingers slid through his hair, undoing his wolf's tail. His long hair framed his face, the longest strands already reached his shoulders. It allowed him to hide away from her briefly, as he continued to press his face to her chest, hoping to soothe his despair through each heartbeat… but just so, unable to quell the barrage of emotions that overwhelmed him as he held her.

"I'm sorry" he gasped, shaking his head. Merely speaking the words made his voice crack. He sniffed, dabbing at his eyes quickly "I'll… I'll get back to it, I'm sorry, I…"

"Stop" Azula said, softly. Sokka froze on the spot, trembling as he waited for his heart to settle down. He needed it to, right away, otherwise he'd only burden her further… "Sokka… come back up here"

He didn't think he wanted to face her right now, not really… but he rose indeed, swallowing hard once their faces were level once more. Azula's hand slid down from his hair to his cheek… but as much as she would have liked to look into his eyes, Sokka seemed determined to impede it by averting his gaze from hers, almost shyly.

"Sokka…" Azula whispered, trailing her fingers gently over his face "You can't bottle it up. You shouldn't. Just as… as you talked me out of my own worst moments, in this very bed, I…"

"I'm sorry" Sokka sighed, gritting his teeth "I didn't want to… I don't want to make this about me. I want to do what you asked me to. I just need to calm down, just a little, and…"

"You won't calm down. Not until you accept what plagues you" Azula sighed "But for now… you're running away from it. Just as I did"

Sokka didn't dare respond anymore, only closing his eyes as tears dripped past his eyelashes, against his better judgment. The hands that held him in place, poised at either side of her body, trembled as the tears dropped down his cheeks and onto Azula's shoulders and torso.

"Let me help you" Azula whispered, brushing some of his hair off his face "Talk to me. I can't fix it all at once, no… but it'll ease your heart. It eased mine, when you did the same for me…"

"I'd rather… we focus on you" he said, shaking his head "You're the one who got hurt, you're the one who… who faced something so awful when I couldn't be by your side. I'm sorry, Azula… I'm so sorry. I should've…"

"I sent you away" Azula said, with a sad smile "You couldn't have come to me any sooner than you did. You arrived right on time, too…"

"W-what if I hadn't? If I'd steered wrong, if I'd messed up somehow…?" Sokka said, and the crying grew more intense, violent "I can't even… I can't even fathom it, I don't even know how I'd cope if you…"

He couldn't finish speaking the words, broken by tears so powerful they could bring down such a seasoned, powerful warrior. He succumbed to them, despite his better judgment demanding that he shouldn't, and he held Azula closely as he sank in the bed, too weak to hold his position above her. Instead, he nestled by her right, his face pressed to her shoulder, his arms embracing her as closely as he could. Azula sighed as he cried: Sokka wasn't the type to cry loudly, no matter how boisterous and noisy he could be in his better days. He would shrink in his frame, as though hiding away from the world… hiding the weaknesses he wanted no one to see. He wanted to project confidence, strength, pride… all of which concealed just how deeply terrified he was, especially after the events that had plagued him for weeks.

"We never did plan for this, did we…?" Azula whispered, her gaze lost in the room's ceiling "We've always assumed it'd be you in mortal peril. You're the one who fights dangerous foes regularly… you're the one who'd pay the ultimate price for defiling me, if it were known you did it. Somehow… we never did stop to consider I could be the one, maybe, to…"

"You won't be. You can't be. D-don't even say it, please…" Sokka gasped, gripping her tighter yet. Azula sighed, longing to turn her head, to embrace him with more than just one arm, to offer a more physical reassurance than she could just yet.

"You'd always told me… that if anything should happen to you, you want me to still move forward and change the world, as we promised ourselves we would" Azula whispered "I… often resented you for saying that. I guess you understand why I felt that way now…"

"It's… I'm not… I'm not you, Azula. You're way more valuable… you're way more extraordinary" Sokka said, shaking his head again and again "I can't… I can't imagine a life without you in it. I can't…"

"And you don't have to. Because… all those 'what if's' you mentioned earlier, love, they're in the past. They're mistakes you didn't make, in the end. You saved me. I'm still here… I'm still alive, thanks to you. And heck… now it's possible you might be able to save me even further, if my theory is right. So… you keep doing it, don't you? Saving me. You'd better be pleased with it…"

"Of course I am, I… if it takes my very last breath to save yours, I'll give it immediately" Sokka said, gritting his teeth as his hands trembled against her skin "I thought I understood why… why you were so anguished about my deadly wounds, but I really didn't imagine… I couldn't imagine how overwhelming this despair would be, Azula. I'm sorry… for putting you through this as many times as I have. I'm sorry…"

"You never did it willingly, silly. What are you apologizing so much for?" she smiled, stroking his hair reassuringly again "You've always done right by me… you've helped me out of my own darkness so many times I can barely keep count of them anymore. Maybe you didn't understand how I felt, not completely… but that didn't matter. You were there for me, talking me through my fears, easing me into living life again, and bringing me new experiences… so that I'd finally find the strength to move forward. And now… that's what I know I have to do with you"

"You… you don't have to. You shouldn't have to" Sokka said, shaking his head as he rested against her "You have to focus on recovering, Azula, the last thing you need is to worry about me when I'm…"

"You're healthy on the outside. Not so much on the inside" Azula whispered, as her right hand trailed over his chest, caressing his heart too "That's how it is, you see… when you get hurt, I become a mess. Now, when I'm hurt, you've become the mess. And then… we recover together. It's not such a bad system, is it…?"

"Sounds like… like we're keeping each other company at all times, I guess" Sokka whispered, with a weak grin. Azula smiled too.

"Exactly. We're the strongest team… in the good times and the bad times just as well" she said "Don't punish yourself for your feelings… just as you always ask me not to. You're free to feel bad… to regret not having been able to spare me any of this. I know it's inevitable to think as much, and it's far worse if you try to fight back even against your own thoughts"

"I guess so" Sokka whispered, pushing himself up slightly, ensuring not to crush her with his weight "Not to mention… I'm very lucky, right? That… that your idea for healing might actually be something I can do to help you…"

"You've been helping me plenty all along" Azula smiled.

"Then I hope this works, too" Sokka said, leaning in to press his lips to hers, soft and smoothly.

He still didn't return to his previous actions and position: instead, he rolled onto his side, a hand smoothly caressing her abdomen, gliding over her skin, until it slid down towards her pelvis. Azula's body jolted as if often did when he touched her with an erotic intent, but she settled in place with her eyes closed, breathing deeply, exhaling through her open mouth.

Sokka started slow, merely stirring her excitement by caressing her thighs and her abdomen. His hand was uncharacteristically warmer than Azula's body – in every point where their bodies had come into contact until Azula had been injured, she had always sported a higher temperature than him. That it would be the opposite, even if just for now, proved to be a distressing thought for the gladiator… but he kept going. He had to ignore his troubled mind if he wanted to fulfill Azula's earlier request.

His fingertips trailed downwards, teasing her navel lightly: she shivered under his touch, gazing up at his face, which hovered inches from her own. Sokka offered her a halfhearted grin, deeply hoping it would be believable, regardless of the tears he had shed moments ago. Azula said nothing, though, for she only gazed at him quietly… until she gasped, when his hand trailed right over her pelvis again.

"Tell me whenever you need me to stop" Sokka whispered, drawing his hand back preemptively. Azula breathed out slowly.

"I… I will. It's just… my body needs to get used to your touch again, is all" she said, with a weak grin "Go… carefully? Slowly?"

Sokka nodded approvingly, proceeding as she had told him to. He'd withdraw his fingers whenever she shuddered, touching her in a form of trial and error. He read each of her reactions expertly, knowing when she was overwhelmed by the violent gasps, or the sudden heaves of breath. He continued only when she asked him to, venturing further and further, until his fingers finally dipped into her folds. Azula breathed heavily, eyes wide at the surge of pleasure… and again, Sokka eased up, knowing better than to push too hard, especially in these circumstances.

He offered her many kisses whenever he pulled away, listening keenly to each of her nonverbal cues, whispering gentle words right back to her whenever she asked him to keep going, just after he hesitated. And just as she had slowly regained her strength for walking, her body was revitalized by the surge of pleasure as it slowly relearned how to translate it into vivid sensations. A rush of color flooded her pale body, and while she was no less given to panting now than she had been moments ago, she seemed to breathe more evenly, at a better rhythm to respond to Sokka's ministrations.

After well over two minutes of being able to touch her without retreating over any sudden reactions, Sokka kissed her anew, and Azula responded with moans, as well as the brush of her tongue against his lips. He dared answer her new challenge with his own boldness, but even in the meeting of their tongues he was gentle and affectionate, ensuring she could keep up with him.

A light surge of bliss made her gasp again: Sokka's hand froze by instinct, and his fingers pulled away, only for Azula's right hand to clasp his wrist and lead him closer again.

"M-more… more…" she whispered. Sokka smiled weakly and nodded.

"If you're sure…" he said against her lips, kissing her warmly as his fingers continued to travel over her folds.

He still retreated at her every hitch, to the point where she eventually fixed him with a scowl he could only laugh genuinely at. He kissed her brow, pressing their foreheads together afterwards as he continued to caress her gently, enjoying the moment just as much as she did, or so he hoped…

For he couldn't stop cherishing the chance to caress her at all. He could have lost her, he nearly had… but she was still here. And he could still make love to her, he could still give her his everything, still bring her as much happiness as he could conjure from her very body. He didn't need pleasure for himself, not in the least… but he needed to offer it to her, to see the expressions of passion emblazoned across her face, to hear her soft moans and relish in how she sought further heat by his hand…

"I'm… c-close…" she gasped. Sokka nodded, pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek.

"I'll get you there, Azula. Just… let me know if you need me to stop, okay?" he whispered.

Azula breathed out heavily, her right hand clutching at his forearm. Those fingertips teased her thoroughly, knowing each and every crevice to touch… her heart raced, pumping blood throughout her organism, fast enough that she was lightheaded, effectively enough that she felt even more alive than she had at any point through the past two weeks.

He pulled his fingers away when she shuddered, and she jerked him closer again. Sokka gasped, astonished by her boldness, and Azula only dared smile mischievously for a moment before his fingers brought her to the surges of pleasure once more. Bliss seemed to consume her, and she was ready to allow it, arching her body lightly into his touch.

"Keep going… Sokka, please…" was her breathless plea, and Sokka swallowed hard before pushing through. As much as he didn't particularly want or need arousal at the moment, his body responded to Azula's reactions all the same…

She yelped at the height of excitement, and this time Sokka didn't pull away – Azula held him in place with a trembling hand, closing her eyes tightly as her body was set ablaze… that familiar feeling, so carnal and physical, so tangible and real, enveloped her soul and eased the lingering pain underneath her flesh. Her mouth was wide open as she drew in more and more breaths… and Sokka offered her many kisses while he continued to caress her intimately, now far more gently, easing her down from the height of her excitement.

"You okay, love?" Sokka asked softly by her ear, as she continued to pant heavily "Are you lightheaded…? Does anything hurt?"

"Lightheaded…? A little" she admitted, with a smile "Pain? No. Nothing hurts… not at all"

"Then… do you think it helped?" Sokka asked, gazing into her eyes with amazement "Do you really think this is…?"

"I'm not fully sure yet… could just be I'm happy because of what you just did" Azula admitted, grinning "It felt good… very good. Best thing that's happened to me all week, for sure"

"And here I thought you were happy about going back to your room" Sokka smiled too, kissing her brow.

"This one? Yeah. Very much so" she answered. Sokka chuckled and continued to press gentle kisses across her cheek and jaw, his heart soaring: she was okay. She was teasing him, she was happy… "Say…"

"Hmm?"

"I enjoyed that plenty, why lie, but… I think it's not enough to be sure"

"Azula…" Sokka said, his smile fading as he gazed at her with uncertainty. She bit her lip before spreading her legs a little, and Sokka swallowed hard at the implication of her offer "Azula, you don't have to… this is already enough progress for one day, don't you think? This could be…"

"I'm soaked now, thanks to your hand" Azula smiled, closing her eyes. Sokka bit his lip, wondering why her words would bring his cheeks to flush lightly… "It won't hurt, I know it won't. But… I'd think there's no better moment for our chi to attune than when you're inside me. So… while I appreciate what you just did, I really do, I'd always expected you to go all the way. I'd always thought you'd have to. So… just as I wanted you to go all the way on our first time doing this, just go for it. I want you to. Please, Sokka…"

He breathed out, closing his eyes tightly as he wondered if he should push through for real. Azula had explained everything downstairs, and she had said Song had given her approval, which was why she had decided to take Rui Shi out of the house, offering them enough privacy for the most unconventional chi treatment they could've thought of… even then, he wasn't sure he should. He didn't want to tire her out, to overwhelm her… but he could avoid that by going slowly. By being tender, by easing her into each surge of excitement… he swallowed hard and cupped her face, and Azula smiled warmly at him: she was so confident, no matter how close she had been to death. She trusted him fully, regardless of how he hesitated… if he decided to go against it, she would be disappointed but she would understand, he knew. This was for the both of them: it would heal his breaking heart, and her damaged body, if it was successful.

"I'll go slowly… okay?" he said. Azula smiled brightly, and he couldn't help but grin too "If it's too much…"

"I'll let you know, yes…" she whispered, letting go of his wrist as he sat up next to her, on the mattress.

He pulled his clothes off one by one, providing a visual spectacle that only furthered Azula's excitement. She watched him intently, admiring his strong body, which slowly was bared for her sake. Once he was fully undressed, he crawled carefully up to her: his arms held him in place above her, for he was determined not to crush her body. He wasn't sure it was the best position regardless… but the less Azula moved around, the better for her, he suspected. Still holding his weight atop her with his left arm, he used the right to position himself… and then he gasped, once her usable hand traveled over his body until it found his manhood.

"A-Azula…" he groaned.

"You're halfway there… I can tell" she smiled, caressing his shaft, tugging at his skin delicately. Sokka clenched his teeth and held himself atop her, letting her do as she pleased. He sighed, knowing this shouldn't be about him, not at all… but that hand was warm, gentle, and he had missed her on every level he could have. Even being touched like this by her was a miracle in his eyes, one he couldn't take for granted.

She pumped him slowly, with the ideal pressure to further build up his arousal. Sokka had the feeling she was cherishing this opportunity every bit as much as he had… perhaps grateful that she could do this at all, after everything they'd been through. Once she decided his erection was of the right girth, Azula smiled and let go, delighted to find Sokka grinning right back before offering her a gentle kiss.

"Thank you" he said. Azula's smile brightened further as she pressed her brow to his.

"Happy to help" she whispered, again spreading her legs further "Now… you can go now. If you're ready…"

"If you are, too" Sokka answered, kissing her lips once more before angling his manhood towards her entrance.

Azula sighed and closed her eyes, relaxing fully just before the head of his cock breached her opening. They moaned in unison, and she wrapped her arm around his body as he filled her slowly, just as he had promised to: each inch deeper inside her was just more and more blissful. Just so, her warmth was yet one more thing Sokka couldn't help but treasure, a feeling he had thought he wouldn't experience again for months, if anything… he knew this wasn't gratuitous, it wasn't just for the sake of enjoying each other wildly as they ever did, and yet he couldn't be more grateful for the chance of basking in the joining of their bodies. This was what they needed, everything they had needed…

"I love you… oh, I love you…" he whispered in her ear, struggling to keep to his position atop her. Azula whimpered – his thickness did wonders for her core, it seemed, for the feeling couldn't have been more delightful. Her lower body seemed to melt in the contact between their sexes, and she sighed once he finally stopped pushing inside, with half his shaft inside her by now.

"G-go… oh, Sokka, please…" she said, trembling in his arms "I love you too, Sokka… just keep going… just keep going…"

Sokka gazed at her lovingly and nodded, thrusting lightly. Azula whimpered, and he groaned. Slowly, he continued to push inside her gently, taking his time, and ensuring she'd take hers, too. And as they swayed together slowly, they took to sharing long, tender kisses that left Azula breathless: Sokka would break off the contact often, allowing her to replenish the air in her lungs, and then she would lean in to steal away another kiss, and then another, until he gave in completely again. His hips continued to ease them into a gentle rhythm, as her walls were eager to accommodate him deeper inside her, until his manhood was pulsating with physical urges that Sokka kept restraining, no matter how strong they might be.

There was no telling how long it lasted, for neither one wanted to cut short the wondrous joining of their bodies, now that they could indulge in it as they did. Whenever the pleasure was too much, Azula's fingers would dig into Sokka's back, her nails lightly scraping him, but he wouldn't complain in the least: he would merely stop thrusting and take to kissing her reassuringly, until she asked him to start moving again. That she wasn't throwing herself to pleasure irresponsibly, that she would genuinely express a need to slow down to a halt even if not verbally, eased Sokka's heart further. He didn't want her to force herself, not at all, and she seemed to understand that completely.

They kissed endlessly, focusing more on their joined lips than the penetration, at times. There was such blissful comfort to be found in being one, and in being one for as long as could be… without his awareness, without even thinking it through, Sokka was revitalized by her, finding the strength that had drained out of him over the course of the past weeks. Just so, his own power seemed to stir hers: she responded to each hitch of his body, to every kiss he pressed upon her skin. Her heart would beat so fast, and yet it was no longer worrisome, no longer unpleasant. They were akin to two dancers, who would be able to flow through motions on their own, but once they worked together, the result heightened both their performances. Even her left arm, so helpless as it was, seemed to grow stronger, and she dared move her fingers, wanting to embrace Sokka fully, even if she couldn't do so just yet… though she could do it with her legs, for sure.

And so she did, keeping him in place, holding him warmly. They no longer belonged to themselves, for they willfully offered everything they were to the other: bonded by the bridge built over their shared love, their ever-pouring affections, and the certainty that tomorrow would be a better day, they continued to sway together in bed, with those slow thrusts that became deeper, those kisses that gained further eroticism as they ventured inside each other's mouths, playfully seeking the best places to touch to make the other moan…

Sokka held himself above her as best he could, ensuring not to crush her although she kept pulling him closer with her legs. It wasn't easy to balance so many impulses together, and yet he did it expertly, kissing her eagerly, thrusting deeply, his arms firm at either side of her body… and Azula only moaned approvingly for it all, until her body tensed up and she broke their kiss.

"I'm… g-getting close…" she whispered. Sokka nodded and kissed her again.

He picked up speed – not too much, as to ensure he wouldn't overwhelm her, yet still faster than before. Azula breathed deeply, closing her eyes just as she tightened her grip on the sheet with her left hand, and on Sokka's back with her right. It felt so right, as though this was exactly where they had to be forevermore…

She had no doubts, not even a slim one, about belonging with him. She knew, too, that he felt the same way about her. His voracious kisses and his strengthening thrusts proved he could barely hold back anymore… and she didn't want him to. For he was almost buried to the hilt inside her, and if he went any further…

She cried out, clawing at his back when the surge of pleasure was so violent and potent she couldn't restrain her impulses. Sokka gasped, the pain surprisingly pleasant too, and he listened to the onslaught of moans Azula released. Her body trembled, as did his own, at this point. Their hearts beat furiously inside their chests, almost as though seeking each other out… as though giving themselves to each other this way was the best way to merge them, their whole lifeforces, their very existences, into a single one…

"A-Azula…!" he gasped too, gritting his teeth as the rising pleasure reached the peak he could no longer hold back from…

It was his turn to moan and groan, and Azula embraced him tighter yet as she felt him unleashing himself inside her. Her walls still rubbed pleasantly against him, encouraging him to go as far as he needed to… and he did. Reckless, and perhaps even irresponsible as it had been on his part, he had gone all the way… and upon raising his head to gaze at her, he found only the most beautiful smile their world had ever seen.

"Azula…" he breathed heavily, caressing her face delicately as she laughed freely… with far more strength than she had before.

"I can't believe it… I can't believe it" she laughed, and he joined her laughter too, beaming brightly "It works… I don't need the Head Sage to confirm it. I don't need… I don't need anything. I just… I only need you. You're… you're the cure. You're…"

"It's not just me… it's us. It's our love, Azula" Sokka grinned tearfully, pressing his brow to hers "That… that's why our chi is attuned. Our hearts… they're bonded forever because of how deeply we love each other. It's our love… it's our love"

Azula laughed blissfully, tearfully, and tightened her embrace, pressing her face to his shoulder. Sokka sighed as he closed his eyes, still lost in the joy of being joined as one with the woman he loved more than anything in the world. Just as her physical wounds, and the damage of her lost chi, had been healing gradually, his own heart appeared to have been mended slightly now: he could help her. Their love could bring her to a full recovery, unlikely as it had appeared at first. Their love was enough. The fears would never go away, he knew, just as he suspected Azula's own fears about losing him had never truly receded… but he could learn to live with them. He could move forward, always holding her hand, always feeling trust, happiness and genuine love flowing between them at every given moment.

The relief that flooded them after confirming Azula's suspicions eased their moods considerably: Sokka lay beside her in bed, smiling far more earnestly now as they talked, sharing their thoughts, blissfully hidden away within the haven of their love… after some time, Azula dozed off and Sokka had followed her into unconsciousness with a nap of his own: they were woken by the sounds outside the house, once Rui Shi and Song returned about an hour after their short rest.

They didn't call for them to come down for lunch, but Sokka and Azula decided to go, nonetheless. Sokka was careful to bandage Azula's wounds, just before helping her into her clothes once again.

"And if Fei Rou notices that's not the exact way he bandaged your shoulder…" Sokka said, closing Azula's light, long-sleeved crimson tunic "We can always say it was Song who bandaged you, not me. She has medical experience, after all…"

"You have more than enough bandaging experience yourself" Azula said, caressing Sokka's forearms, where he often sported decorative bandages indeed. Sokka chuckled and shook his head.

"Not sure your dad's top physician will take kindly to hearing I was tampering with his bandaging work" he said, kissing her brow as he helped her to her feet: Azula rose easier than usual, and Sokka beamed at the realization "You're stronger. Oh, you really are…"

"It's just the aftereffects of quality sex" Azula teased him, leaning close for a hug just before he reached for the fabric of her arm's sling. He supposed it wouldn't be long before Fei Rou authorized Azula to stop wearing it, but for now…

"It's both things, somehow. Miraculously" Sokka grinned, fitting the sling carefully around her body before dressing up in his own clothes "You know… it makes sense, really. Ever since you and I started sleeping together? I've only officially lost one fight within the League"

"Oh?" Azula smiled. Sokka raised his eyebrows inquisitively at her reaction "Are you saying… our attuned chi also boosted your combat skills?"

"And my potential as a warrior, yes" Sokka grinned, fastening his sash over his shirt and trousers "My chi responded to yours, seeking to mirror it… and that's why I'm your perfect match. Now, with all this, your chi responds to mine and it tries to mirror it too… and here we are"

"It'd sound absurd, if only we weren't direct witnesses of it" Azula laughed, as Sokka, fully dressed, wrapped an arm around her waist, guiding her outside.

"I honestly don't know if it's absurd, I'm just glad I can help you at all, Azula" he whispered, kissing the top of her head as he guided her to the stairs.

They reached the kitchen to find Rui Shi and Song setting the table, and naturally, Rui Shi shot them the expected judgmental glare that Sokka could only answer with a guilty grin. That alone was enough confirmation of what had transpired between them in their absence, and Rui Shi groaned before shaking his head.

"I can't believe you joined forces with them on this, Song. Really…" he said, and Song snorted.

"Are you serious?" she laughed "You and Sokka joined forces and said nothing to us about the festivals a couple of years ago. This is just payback, if anything"

"That's actually spot-on, come to think of it" Azula smirked, as Sokka helped her to take her seat at an available chair.

"Oh, so he wasn't in on this at all?" Rui Shi asked, eyeing Azula skeptically next.

"Nope, I wasn't" Sokka said, shrugging "Believe it or not"

"Huh. Fine, I'll believe you just because I know she must have had no trouble convincing you as soon as we were out of the house…" Rui Shi huffed. Sokka gasped in outrage as Azula laughed beside him.

"Hey! It took her well over half an hour to convince me! It was a lot of work! Right, Azula?" Sokka asked.

"I was pretty sure you'd shut me down outright, and at first it looked like he would" Azula smiled "But he saw reason, fortunately…"

"Reason?" Rui Shi repeated, raising his eyebrows. Song could only smile at Rui Shi's uncontained disbelief, but she chose to ignore him as she turned towards Azula.

"Did it work, though? Are you feeling any better?" she asked. It wasn't much of a surprise when Azula grinned positively, with a light nod she dared do regardless of her still healing shoulder muscles.

"I know it must sound insane, and hard to believe, but… yes. I am" Azula said. Song snorted.

"Quite the surprising new medical procedure, huh?" she smiled "Well, either way, if you feel there's progress, that's good enough for me. Not for Rui Shi, he's a grump, but still…"

"You guys were out for a while, though" Sokka said, rummaging through the bags they'd brought with them and beaming at the sight of the dumplings "I thought maybe the shop was closed and you were looking for something else…"

"It wasn't, but we did get distracted" Song said. Rui Shi nodded, producing a couple of papers from one of the bags nearest to him.

"The Fire Lord finally released his statement regarding the events from two weeks ago. You might not enjoy it very much… but he's about as favorable about your role in the battle as anyone could have hoped from him" Rui Shi said, offering the first of the papers to Azula.

Sokka decided to read it over Azula's shoulder once she clasped the paper with a newly trembling hand. Why should she be nervous, at this point, about whatever her father had said publicly about her…?

The contents of the statement were no surprise, lacking any genuine explanations, only offering the basest information for the people to know their beloved princess had been willing to sacrifice herself to save them… he requested for people to pray for her, though. Azula's eyes widened upon taking in those words.

"Prayers?" she asked "Did he seriously…?"

"And the people listened. We went to the temple to check it out… that's why we took so long" Rui Shi admitted. Azula was visibly stunned.

"You saw people at the temple, praying for me?" she asked.

"We saw most of them outside, though" Song clarified "The line to enter the temple was insanely long"

"It… it was?" Azula gasped, unable to contain her astonishment. Both Rui Shi and Song smiled at her "That's…"

"The fuck is wrong with him…?" Sokka grumbled. Azula froze, casting him a quick glance as he scowled at the missive in her hand "'No sacrifice for the betterment of the Fire Nation will ever be in vain'? How the hell can he write something like that when his own daughter…!"

"Sokka, that's the final paragraph in all these missives. You don't have to take it to heart" Azula said, reaching for his forearm. Sokka pouted and huffed.

"Ugh, I'll believe you, but I still want to kick his ass. He should've written it differently this time at least, damn him…"

"Well, everyone in the city seems to hope you'll recover soon, and it seems you're well on your way to do so, with your new methods of recovery…" Song said, smiling a little "So I guess everything's okay, right? I mean, ignoring the nasty paragraph in the statement…"

"Indeed, I guess so" Azula said "Strangely… it does feel like life is going back to normal now. Hopefully it will last…"

"Hopefully… though we saw something else, on our way back here" Song mentioned, reaching for the other paper Rui Shi had been holding "I insisted we brought one of them with us to ask you guys because, despite everything, I really don't know anything about the Gladiator League… but there were people promoting some upcoming fight with these leaflets"

It was Sokka who reached for the leaflet in question now, quickly identifying the format as that of the Gladiator Chronicles. And yet there was something else to it… something unique about this version of the Chronicles: instead of exploring and explaining whatever had happened with the latest, biggest fights, it was fully dedicated to promoting an upcoming battle instead. And the fighters in question…

"That Combustion Man… isn't it the top gladiator?" Song asked "And the Blind Bandit… it's Toph, right?"

"Then… she really did go for it" Azula mumbled, glancing at the leaflet just before Sokka set it down before her, letting her read the text.

"She did ask us if we were fine with this… I guess she wouldn't have bothered asking if she hadn't meant to fight him" Sokka reasoned.

"Do you think she can win?" Song asked. Sokka shrugged, shaking his head.

"I don't know. My gut says no, but I really hope she can" he said "She's been growing stronger… so I might just be underestimating her. And if there's someone in this world who thrives in being underestimated, just to shut everyone up by tearing them to shreds right afterwards, it's Toph Beifong"

"Hopefully she'll pull it off, then…" Song mumbled, before sighing and getting started with distributing the dumplings "Anyway! Let's eat, let's eat…"

Azula stared at the Chronicles quietly, perhaps too quietly. Sokka reached for her knee under the table, and Azula smiled awkwardly at him as he raised his eyebrows questioningly.

"It's just… I guess it's a toss-up, right? Whether she will win or lose…" she whispered "The fight's happening within a few days. Do you think, maybe, I'll be allowed to go, if just to watch?"

"Hmm… well, the whole reason she's fighting Combustion Man is because we assumed you wouldn't have healed enough for our actual challenge to be finished properly" Sokka said, tapping his chin "But at that point we had no idea sex could fix corrupt chi, so…"

"I don't really think I can just… sit at home without knowing what's happened to her" Azula whispered. Sokka gritted his teeth but nodded, caressing her knee gently "Which means… you'll have to sleep with me, a lot, until the day of the fight. Then I'll be back to normal, and I'll be free to go wherever I wish"

"Heh. If you insist" Sokka smiled. His teasing tone was enough for Azula to shoot him a knowing, amused glare that he answered with further chuckles.

"I'm only saying… it'll only feel right if we're there to see it, to a fault. This isn't something where we can just hear the results later" Azula whispered "We can watch from the Royal Balcony anyway…"

"Yeah… sounds like a plan. Though… it probably goes without saying that Combustion Man is far from the most relaxing fighter to watch in the Arena" Sokka said "You're sure you'll be okay if we go?"

"I hope so" Azula said, glancing at him from the corners of her eyes "Then you're fine with coming with me…?"

"I do as you wish, Princess. That's how it always has been, and always will be" Sokka grinned. Azula scoffed in disbelief, shaking her head very lightly.

"Says the most rebellious man on the planet…" she said. Sokka grinned goofily just as Song and Rui Shi took their seats at the table at last, ready to eat once they had finished preparing tea for all of them.

"No weird taunt-flirting while we're having lunch" Rui Shi declared. Sokka huffed.

"Just because you say so? That's ridiculous. This is my house, you don't get to give out orders here!" he squeaked.

"Technically? I bought it, so it's more mine than yours…" Azula mused.

"I'm the one who spends the most time here, and the one who deals with taking care of the place, in that case…" Song smirked, before biting on her first dumpling.

"And I'm the oldest out of the four of us. Respect your elders and don't make them puke halfway through a meal" Rui Shi said, and his final argument proved amusing enough to break his three companions into laughter. Stoic as he ever presented himself, Rui Shi couldn't hold back a grin of his own too, as they shared their late lunch carelessly, concerns about the upcoming, notorious battle forgotten for the time being.

As usual, the meals the two couples shared were unique, crystallized moments of happiness, companionship and peace in a world that often seemed to lack all of them. It was easy to relinquish concerns and fears while amongst the most trustworthy friends… just as it was easy to take for granted that such blissful calm and joy would last forever. For perhaps they had successfully weathered one dreadful storm… but the four friends who sat at that table could never anticipate the changes that would come within a mere few days, after the waging of the most important fights in the Gladiator League.