Azula looked at the date on her phone, noticing it was one day before Valentine's day. Oh how she hated that day. She buried her nose in a textbook to busy her thoughts.
"What's the matter, Azula?" Bonnie haughtily asked, seeing her troubled look.
"Nothing, Bon-bon." Azula retorted. She and Bonnie didn't get along at all. Azula figured she would have beaten Bonnie into a paralyzed pulp by now, but being kicked out of school for nearly killing a fellow student didn't sit well with her right now. Bonnie quickly looked at the date and realized what Azula was worried about.
"Oh, I see. Tomorrow's valentine's day. It must kill you to be the only girl in the school who won't be getting any gifts or treats." Bonnie continued, popping a small chocolate in her mouth.
"And i'm supposed to care? It's a stupid holiday." Azula countered. But the twitch of her lower lip said otherwise.
She watched as the various school couples were mingling with each other, getting ready for tomorrow. Korra was with Asami. Zuko and Katara were chatting with each other. Even Ty Lee, Bolin, and Opal had their own little trio.
"It's not fair." she quietly muttered to herself. She thanked agni when the school bell rang, signaling the end of the day. She made herself scarce and headed to her home.
Yet not as scarce as she thought. Aang noticed Azula quickly running in a hurry, struggling to remain stoic. He followed her from a distance eventually arriving at her home.
"How was school, sweetie?" Ursa asked, watching Azula quickly walk thru the front door. Azula said nothing as she headed to her room. Ursa was about to check on her daughter when Aang knocked on the door.
"Hello, Ursa. Is Azula okay? I noticed she was leaving the school in a hurry." Aang said.
"She just came in without saying a word. If you want to check on her, come in." Ursa said, standing aside.
Aang headed to Azula's room, hearing quiet sobs from the room.
"Azula, it's me, Aang. Is everything okay?" Aang probed, gently pushing the door open. He saw Azula curled up on the bed, her face wet with tears.
"It's not fair. It's not fair." Azula blurted out, as a fresh wave of tears overcame her. Aang held Azula as she sobbed.
"What happened, Azula?" he asked.
"Bonnie. She said 'how does it feel to be the only girl who won't be getting any gifts or treats'? And she's right." Azula gulped. She remembered how last year, and the year before that, she hadn't received any gifts from anyone in the school. While she presented a stoic uncaring facade, she was hurt and devastated inside.
"No, she's wrong Azula." Aang firmly said. He reached behind him and pulled out a small box to give to Azula. Azula tenderly grabbed the box, wondering what was inside. For a moment, she feared that it would be empty, a cruel prank pulled by Aang.
Yet her gut told her otherwise. She opened the box and looked at the ring inside. It was adorned with gold and the air and fire symbols molded together.
"It's beautiful, Aang. Thank you." Azula said, pulling Aang into a bear hug.
"Anything for you, Azula." Aang answered as he kissed her.
"You mind staying with me tonight? I don't want to be alone." Azula admitted.
Aang pulled the covers on top of him and Azula, both of them holding each other. As the world bustled outside, the two lovers spent the next few hours kissing and caressing each other. Ursa peeked inside, Azula and her new boyfriend in a loving embrace.
Next day came, and the students were busy exchanging gifts with each other. Azula sat at her usual desk at the front of the class, admiring the ring Aang gave her when Aang approached her, holding something behind his back.
"Happy Valentines, Azula." Aang said, producing a bright red flower. Azula kissed Aang in response, hearing the gasps and snickering of her fellow classmates.
"Ignore them, my dear." Azula advised as she flipped off the rest of the students.
"So, even you have managed to get someone's heart. Doubt it'll last long." Bonnie smirked.
Azula clenched her fist in anger, ready to beat Bonnie until she needed a trip to the ER. Aang noticed the rising tension and tapped Azula's shoulder, shaking his head 'no'.
"You need your goody-two-shoes boyfriend to save your skin?" Bonnie laughed.
Azula's first instinct was to fight Bonnie, only for another idea to come to mind.
"No. But he does help in other manners. For example, he's excellent in the bedroom." Azula teased.
"Oh please. Like you and him fucked." Bonnie spat.
"It's true. Aang and I made love all night long. He knows all the right spots to pleasure a woman, and he's so sweet and gentle. Which reminds me, how are things with you and your blockhead boyfriend?" Azula taunted.
Bonnie left in a huff, annoyed that Azula got the last word.
"About time someone got the last word over her." Kim said, approaching Azula.
The classroom was buzzing with whispers and glances thrown their way. Aang leaned in and whispered, "Was that really necessary?"
"It's Valentine's Day, Aang. A little payback never hurt anybody." Azula smirked, her confidence restored.
The rest of the school day passed in a blur of whispers and knowing looks. Azula didn't care; she had Aang by her side. During lunch they sat together, talking about their plans for the day. The air was charged with excitement and love.
"How about a nice romantic dinner? Just the two of us." Aang offered.
Azula happily agreed.
"Love to, Aang. There's a nice restaurant in town we can go to." Azula said.
The evening was perfect. They talked, laughed, and shared a plate of Azula's favorite dish. Aang's eyes sparkled with love and mischief as he told stories of his adventures with his friends and the many times they would get into trouble. Azula found herself feeling something she hadn't felt in a long time: happiness.
But as the night grew late, a shadow of doubt crept into her mind. Was this all a dream? Would she wake up tomorrow to find that she was still the lonely girl with no one to love her? Aang seemed to sense her turmoil and took her hand in his.
"I know this is new for us, Azula, but I want you to know that I'm here for you. Whether it's Valentine's Day or just a regular day, I'll always be by your side."
The sincerity in his voice brought a smile to her face. "Thank you, Aang. I needed to hear that."
They finished their meal and headed back to the house. As they approached the door, Azula paused, looking up at Aang. "You know i can be difficult to be with. But I'm willing to work on it. For you."
Aang pulled her in for a kiss. "Don't worry about it. No matter what happens, we'll face it together."
They entered the house, hand in hand. The warmth of the embrace and the promise of the future filled Azula's heart. Maybe, just maybe, this was the start of something beautiful.