Iroh watches Azula as she converses with Mai and Ty Lee, laughing at something the latter just said. It has been one year since Azula was released from the asylum, one year since Zuko had the entire place shutdown after finding out about how the patients were being abused instead of getting proper care. Since then, Azula has been staying in the palace, placed under the care of the best doctors that Zuko could find. It was a hard road to recovery at first, especially since his niece didn't trust him or Zuko (which he really couldn't blame her for, seeing as they were the ones who sent her to that horrible place to begin with) but she slowly but surely began to make progress. Her mental health started to get better with time, her relationship with Zuko is getting into a better place than it was previously, and she has managed to make amends with her two friends. Iroh sees all of this and feels proud of his niece.

At the same time he can't help but feel frustrated about the fact he hasn't had any success with being a part of Azula's life.

He's long since come to terms with the fact that he wasn't there for Azula the way he was for Zuko. Never even tried to reach the girl. Iroh knows this, and wants to be there for his niece now, the way that Zuko, Mai, and Ty Lee have been there for her.

The problem is that Iroh has no idea how to go about it.

He hates to admit it, but he realizes that he really doesn't know who Azula is as a person. He knows that she is Princess Azula, crown princess of the Fire Nation, sister of Zuko, daughter of former Fire Lord Ozai and his favorite child (which did a lot more harm than good, Iroh found out) and a firebending prodigy. Iroh knows all these things about his niece, and yet he doesn't really know her on a personal level the way he does with Zuko. With Zuko, he can go up to his nephew and give him a hug whenever he wants. With Azula, he has to make sure that he's not stepping on eggshells whenever he strikes up a conversation with her. Conversations that usually go "How was your day, niece?"

"Fine"

"Would you like some tea?"

"No, I am going to take a nap. I'm tired."

"Oh. Well, I hope you have a good rest, Azula."

Always five sentences and that's it. Sometimes it's even less than that. Before she used to outright ignore Iroh whenever he spoke to her (which hurt but again, he couldn't really blame her. As far as she was concerned, he gave Azula no reason to want anything to do with him) so that she even responds to him now is nothing short of a miracle. Iroh knows, however, that he still has a long way to go if he wants to have a healthy relationship with his niece. To be the responsible adult in her life that she needs.

If only he could figure out a way to spend time with Azula.

"Have you thought about taking her to the spa?" Ty Lee suggests when he goes to her and Mai for advice "because she really enjoys it. Azula goes to the royal spa at least once a week."

"She does?"

"Yep! And she always looks so happy and refreshed whenever she comes out. Right, Mai?"

The other girl silently nods as she drinks her tea, staring at Iroh as if she's trying to figure out what he's trying to do. Iroh knows that it's likely that Azula has told her friends that the relationship between them is less than ideal. Or even if she hasn't, it's not exactly hard to figure that out. Both of them are smart, and Mai in particular has always been perceptive. It doesn't surprise Iroh at all that the girl is sizing him up in concern for her friend.

It never fails to make Iroh smile seeing how protective the two girls can be over his niece.

Mai puts her cup of tea down and looks at Iroh, "Why are you asking us this?"

Ty Lee gasps, "Mai! Don't be rude!"

"It's ok, I'm not offended by the question, Ty Lee."

"I'm just saying that you've never been particularly interested in Azula or anything that she does. Once upon a time it even looked like you never cared about her at all. So why the sudden change?"

Iroh takes a moment before responding. He knows that his answer will either make or break whether or not these two will allow him to spend time with Azula without either of them or Zuko being present. He needs to get this right.

"It's because over the past year I have watched her recover, and slowly pick up the pieces of her life. With the two of you and Zuko by her side. And it made me realize that I never really had a relationship with my niece, and I don't really know who she is either. I've only ever seen her as Ozai's favorite child, and an obstacle for Zuko to overcome. I never saw her as another child who needed help like Zuko did, and I realize now that I was wrong. I want to be there for her now, and help her in any way I can. If she'll let me." He's under no illusions that he has any right to push his way into Azula's life after everything. Iroh has already resigned himself to the fact that this has to happen on Azula's terms, not his. If she decides that she doesn't want anything to do with him when he asks if they can spend some time together? That's fine. It will hurt, but he'll have to accept and respect her wishes.

Doesn't mean that he can't make an effort to reach out to her first, though.

Both girls are silent until Mai says "This is actually the day that Azula goes to the spa. If you hurry, you can catch her and ask to join her before she goes in. Don't screw this up, old man."

Iroh nods and gets up to leave, silently promising himself that he will not screw this up. He can't screw this up.

"There you are, my niece! I see that you are on your way to the spa. Would you mind if I join you?"

Azula scoffs, "I'm not going to stop someone from enjoying being pampered, Uncle, even if that someone is you."

Harsh, but Iroh will take what he can get.

And that was how he found himself here with Azula, quietly enjoying themselves at the spa. Eventually, Iroh finally works up the nerve to talk to Azula.

"So, Azula, how have you been doing lately? Well, I hope?" He asks

"Aside from training, spending time with Mai and Ty Lee, as well as making sure that Zuzu doesn't screw up as Fire Lord? Fine, I suppose. Although I must admit, I find myself feeling bored at times."

"Bored?"

"Yes. Politics is fine and all, but I sometimes find myself wanting to do other things. Things that have nothing to do with the court. And….I don't say anything about this to Zuko and the others, but sometimes I feel like the palace is suffocating me. Like I want to get out, but I don't know how. Or rather, like I'm afraid to leave, which is stupid. What do I possibly have to fear?"

You fear being alone again if you leave, Iroh thinks but does not say. He doesn't want to push her buttons, after all.

"I'm sorry that you feel like that, Azula. Just know that if you want to leave the palace for a while, none of us here would hold it against you."

Azula says nothing at first, but then she turns around and glares at him. Iroh stares back, confused. Did he say something wrong?

"Do you want me to leave, Uncle?" Azula asks, accusation in her tone. Iroh immediately realizes what he said can be interpreted as him hoping that she'll leave, out of their lives forever. He quickly moved to correct himself, saying that of course that's not what he meant and that he'd love it if she'd stay with them, but he wants her to do whatever makes her happy, even if that means leaving the palace, leaving them. Azula seems satisfied with this response and closes her eyes, going back to enjoying her massage.

Crisis averted.

He doesn't want the conversation between them to end, though. They've spoken more than five sentences to each other! That's progress! With these thoughts in mind, he decides to talk again.

"You know, Azula, I can't help but notice how much you are turning into a beautiful young lady. You remind me of your mother, back when she was still here."

You could hear a pin drop.

Iroh immediately notices the shift in the air change, but before he can make sense as to why, Azula slowly gets up.

"Well, as much as I would love to continue this conversation, I really must be going now. Enjoy the rest of your day, uncle." And with that, she walks out of the spy, leaving Iroh to wonder what exactly had he said wrong. And he thought that he was doing pretty good, too.

"You said that she reminded you of our mother?!"

"It was a compliment! I meant no ill will. Even you cannot deny that your sister looks like lady Ursa, Zuko."

"I know that but", Zuko sighs "Uncle, do you remember what I told you before? About Azula's hallucinations? Rather, who she was seeing all the time?" Zuko asked.

Well no, Iroh does not, in fact, remember that conversation. He says as much to Zuko.

"I thought so. Azula was seeing mother all the time. I didn't know that at the time until she told me, but they didn't have the best relationship before she was banished. Looking back, whenever we would hang out with our mom, her and Azula really didn't say much to each other. And whenever they did, it was usually because Mom was yelling at Azula for doing something that she wasn't supposed to do. Then there was the comment she made when we were at Ember Island; ' My own mother thought I was a monster. She was right, of course, but it still hurt.' so safe to say, there's a lot to unpack there. It's why I don't really bring up our mother around Azula. Not unless she wants to talk about her."

Ah. So that had been why Azula reacted that way when he complimented her looks and compared her to her mother.

"Thank you, nephew. I promise that I will remember this going forward. Now if you will excuse me, I need to go find your sister and apologize."

Iroh soon finds out that Azula is really hard to find when she doesn't want to be found.

He checks the spa, but the servants tell him that she hasn't been there since a few days ago. He can never seem to find her in her room, at Mai or Ty Lee's homes, or in the throne room with Zuko, talking about politics. Iroh passes the training grounds when he hears a grunt and someone falling to the ground. He makes his way over and finds Azula and a few of her guards training. Why hadn't he thought of the training grounds before? It's not like it would be weird to see Azula here, of all places.

Iroh makes his way over and clears his throat, "Niece, can I have a word with you? It's important."

Azula looks up, surprised to see him here. It looks like she's contemplating on whether or not she wants to hear what he has to say, but eventually she relents and tells the guards to take a break. Soon it's just the two of them.

"Well? What did you want to say, dear uncle? Do keep this quick, I am a very busy person, after all."

"I wanted to apologize for my comment the other day, Azula. I didn't know that you don't have the best relationship with your mother like Zuko does, and it slipped my mind that she was the person that you were seeing in your hallucinations. I should have known that but I didn't, and for that I'm sorry." Iroh says as he bows his head.

I'm sorry that I don't know you like I should. I'm sorry that I was never there for you.

"Hmph, how could you have known? It's not like you and I talk. And we don't exactly have a relationship either, not like what you and Zuko have. Even so, I suppose I can accept your apology."

Iroh grins. She's not pushing him away. That's a good sign.

"Now if that's all, would you mind if I got back to my training?"

"Of course not. Is it alright if I stay and watch?"

"Do as you wish."

They fall into a routine of sorts. Iroh accompanies Azula to the spa once a week ( "I suppose having someone to talk to isn't too bad" Azula says when she seeks Iroh out), he watches her train and sometimes gives her tips (something that she sometimes accepts, depending on her mood), they sit together and have a nice cup of tea, while Azula rants about whatever stupid thing that Zuko did that annoyed her, and they even play pai sho against each other (Azula always seems to win those matches.) Safe to say that they are on their way to having an actual relationship as uncle and niece, and for that Iroh is happy.

One day as he's watching her train, Iroh gets an idea. He knows that there isn't a whole lot in his arsenal that he can teach the girl, she's a prodigy after all. There is one move, however, that Iroh knows he can teach Azula.

How to redirect lightning. He never thought in a million years that he would be teaching Azula of all people this technique, let alone be able to trust her enough to do it, and yet here he is.

"Azula, how would you like me to teach you a technique?"

"I highly doubt that there's anything left that you can teach me, but fine, I'll humor you. What did you have in mind?"

"Would you like to learn how to redirect lightning?"

Silence.

Azula stares at Iroh and says nothing, and for a moment he fears that she'll walk away. Eventually though she does say something, but it's now what he expects.

"Are you sure about this?"

Iroh blinks "About teaching you a technique? Of course I'm sure."

"That's not what I mean. Are you sure about entrusting me with your secret weapon? You created it in the hopes of standing a chance against firebenders who can produce lightning, such as father and myself. So I'll ask you again: are you sure about this?"

Are you sure you can trust me to not use this against you at some point? Goes unspoken, but Iroh hears it loud and clear. So that's what this is about.

Iroh nods "Of course I am sure. I know that you may have trouble believing me when I say this, Azula, but I trust you."

Azula turns away from him "I hope you don't come to regret that."

Iroh chuckles "I won't. Now let's begin, shall we?"

As Iroh prepares tea and waits for Azula to arrive, he thinks back to the conversation they had the first time he went with her to the spa. About how she feels bored being here, feels as if the palace is suffocating her. That she needs to get out. He thinks back to when he and Zuko were fugitives in the Earth Kingdom, and that despite everything that happened, it ultimately did a lot of good for the boy. Perhaps that is what Azula needs. To go on a journey and really see the world for the first time, away from the politics that comes with being crown princess of the Fire Nation. He thinks about this some more when Azula enters the room. He greets her with a smile and she nods back, looking annoyed.

"Long day?" He asks.

"You could say that. Zuko needed some advice about a reform that he and his council just can't seem to agree on, and of course he asked me this right after I woke up from a nap. I swear he has the worst timing ever. I keep telling him that he needs to get rid of those ugly old fools and get a new council, but he's so stubborn and refuses to listen to me."

Iroh chuckles "He wouldn't be Zuko if he wasn't so stubborn, now would he?"

"No, I suppose not. Doesn't make it any less annoying."

"Believe me, I know. I spent three years at sea with him, if you recall."

"Ugh, that's right. How did you survive that long with him? Whenever he gets in one of his moods it makes me want to kill him."

This time Iroh let's out a full blown laugh "There are times where his stubbornness can get on your last nerves and make you want to quit, but you get used to it in time, my niece. Trust me."

"If you say so…"

They drink their tea in peaceful silence before Iroh decides to bring up his thoughts from earlier. He's not expecting a response right away but he hopes that she will give it some thought.

"Azula"

"Uncle"

"Do you remember what you said to me the first time I went with you to the spa? About how you felt like being in the palace was suffocating you, how you feel bored, and that you feel the need to get out?"

"What about it?"

"I've been thinking about what you said, and a thought occurred to me. Would you like to go on a journey with me?"

"A...journey? Why?"

"Well, you said it yourself, how you want to leave. It made me think about my time at sea with Zuko, and our time together in the Earth Kingdom as fugitives. Despite everything that happened, journeying across the world did a lot of good for your brother. Going on a journey did a lot of good for myself as well when I felt lost after the death of Lu Ten. I just thought that doing that might just be what you need. After all, you can never get too bored while out on the road, right? You don't have to give me an answer now, of course, but-"

"Actually…that doesn't sound like a bad idea. I'm sure that Zuzu can survive for a while without me here to help him, and if he can't, that's his problem. When can we leave?"

Iroh grins, happy that she has accepted his offer.

"Whenever you want to, Azula."