Downtime/Building defenses
1
The sight of Azulon's tall statue should have been reassuring, but Azula's tension didn't recede as the Barge drifted towards it, unopposed, swaying in the sea's light waves on their way out of the Fire Nation's inner waters. She kept her face schooled into a stern scowl, one so fierce that no one would dare speak to her, perhaps even look at her, without fear of consequences.
The chain barriers would go up any second now. Surely Ozai would have checked her room by now… or his assassin would have. She kept resonating, as if expecting Seethus to show up on her ship by surprise – she would kill him without mercy if he dared. Could the bastard sustain a flight for long enough to pursue them, all the way from the Capital? He could certainly fly, but Azula knew her own technique to do so had several limitations… surely Seethus couldn't handle it for much longer than she could. Even so, she'd continue to resonate. She needed to be sure that he wouldn't come after her Barge.
But he wouldn't have to do it at all if Ozai stopped them. If he sent word to the guards at the Great Gates of Azulon, if he demanded the Barge's immediate return, Azula would have no choice but to obey. Again. She had rebelled by doing what she had… but she couldn't keep doing it forever. As valuable as her father might think she was, his mercy might just expire if she gave him enough reason for it. And she certainly had given him sufficient ones now.
They were too close. If the chains rose now, they would collide with the ship. Maybe damage it. It would sink, and then…
They wouldn't dare. They couldn't dare. No, they wouldn't raise the chains… they might hunt down the Barge, instead. If the sentries by the Great Gates caught up with her, she'd find a way to deal with the consequences of what she'd done. She could very well lie and play the fool, resort to outrage, use her authority to demand to be left alone and, if possible, intimidate the soldiers into backing down and letting her continue onwards to fulfill her mission. She might not succeed at it, but she always had been a good liar…
She breathed sharply as a wide, open ocean spread before them, visible through the bridge's windows: the Barge drifted through the Great Gates. They were only a few hours away from the Capital, still… but they hadn't been stopped yet.
Perhaps they wouldn't be.
She released her relieved sigh subtly, trying not to show anyone just how anxious she had felt: it was over, then. The Gates had been crossed… they were successfully on their way to Yu Dao.
The lack of alarming signs, such as messenger hawks demanding their immediate return, suggested that either her father hadn't noticed what she'd done, or that he had decided against taking action upon learning about it. Maybe the defense of Yu Dao mattered so much more to him than common sense did… even so, he would think it a deep lack of sense to bring a child to a warzone, and she wouldn't even disagree: the Fire Nation Palace, however, was more dangerous for Hotaru than any battlefield.
"We have crossed the Great Gates of Azulon, Princess," Renkai announced as he stepped up to stand by her side. Azula nodded.
"So I've noticed. A long voyage awaits us still," Azula said. "One where I would much rather not be disturbed for the next few hours. Should anyone need to convey a message to me, Captain Renkai, ensure that they bring it up with you first. You'll determine whether or not it's a message worth conveying to begin with… and you'll deliver it yourself, should you decide that it is. Understood?"
"Understood, Princess," Renkai nodded – that was how things had been in the Palace too, anyway. He would be ready to explain that procedure to the Barge's new crew.
"Report to me if anything untoward happens," Azula said, nodding in his direction. "Though… if possible, simply ensure that everything remains on track, Captain."
"I will," Renkai said: as basic as his understanding of the Barge might be, he would put his knowledge to good use.
Azula breathed deeply, willing herself to remain rational over the waves of familiarity and anguish that rushed her ever since she had first set foot on the Barge, in the middle of the night: unlike so many other places, such as her room or Sokka's house, the Barge had, surprisingly, always been safe. Even when it was the ground upon which she surrendered to her father's pursuit, the source of the pain she had experienced throughout that voyage was well beyond the vessel itself. Thus… it felt peaceful to be back, and at the same time, she felt just as haunted as before, perhaps even more so than ever.
She had stepped out of this bridge, almost a year ago, and marched upstairs as her heart broke progressively: they had reached the South Pole, and she had chosen to make the most of her final hours with Sokka.
A glance out of the tower's doorway allowed her to glimpse the deck: that very prow upon which Sokka and her guards had played Mahjong, upon which Xin Long had chaotically landed for the first time, flinging Sokka off his back quite violently… the place where Sokka had last danced with her, underneath a canopy of stars that seemed to grieve over their impending separation, every bit as much as they did.
Her throat thickened with tears: the memories were so much stronger here than they had been in the Palace over the past months… it was the last place where they had been together at all. The last place where she had seen Rui Shi, her guards…
She swallowed hard, forcing herself to march upstairs: returning to the cabin where they had last lain together, where they had made love in a frenzy that had seemed to never end… until it did. Her chest pained her at the thought: if only it never had stopped… if only they had been together forever in a suspended moment, in each other's arms. So many things wouldn't have happened, good things and bad alike… but she would have never had to face this world without him. It should have felt easier by now, when so much time had gone by and, seemingly, she wouldn't die out of loneliness over his absence… but it wasn't yet. The raw scars upon her heart had not healed so far, and she suspected they never would.
This ship was one more home for the two of them. They had traveled together so many times, seen the world… she had never realized how much she treasured the vessel until now, returning to it to reminisce on so much she had lost, so many memories that were now out of her reach: she traveled with a different group of guards now, a wholly different staff on her ship, and instead of a gladiator and lover, her companions were a close friend and her two daughters.
She gritted her teeth upon reaching the topmost cabin in the tower: a treacherous part of her heart brought back the last time she had pulled that door open to find Sokka sitting at the bedside, his strong body exposed, his head hung, for he knew, too, what awaited them around the next bend. He wouldn't be there now, though… her heart ached as she raised her hand and accepted that truth: at best, she might see him at some point in Yu Dao, but that wasn't a certainty either. She simply had to go inside already and stop stalling…
She pushed the door open, her heart already set on what she needed to do next… but a glare of light upon metal shone upon her unexpectedly, stopping her where she stood.
Her heart clenched, as if unsure of whether to sink or soar upon glimpsing a golden breastplate, resting on the dresser of her cabin. Just where her armor always used to be.
It was as a blast to the past. As though the chaotic battle in which she had lost it hadn't happened at all…
But it had. The scar upon her shoulder proved that it had.
The pristine, untouched golden armor, with its crimson highlights and arm plates, sitting on that shelf, suggested otherwise.
"What…?" she couldn't hold back from speaking to nothingness, knowing no one would be able to answer…
This was her father's doing.
Ozai had a new set of armor prepared for her.
She closed the door, shocked so deeply out of her melancholy that she forgot, if only briefly, about the many sorrowful reasons to grieve for so much of what she'd lost. Her feet carried her forward, her hands, weak and faint, reaching out to touch the perfect, pristine, cold breastplate.
Azula hadn't worn her golden armor in so long… she had thought she'd never get a replacement, the possibility had never so much as crossed her mind. But she was Crown Princess once again, wasn't she? This was her father's way to convey she had his full trust once more. It was a strange sort of truce to offer her… a gift, a display of generosity that she wasn't supposed to feel worthy of.
She didn't, in truth. The very notion of placing a new armor over her shoulders daunted her – even today, she hadn't chosen to wear any armor, dressing in civilian, noble attire instead. This armor would weigh so much more heavily than the last one, even if it had been made of the exact same material. She shuddered as she lowered her hand, unsure of what to do. Ozai would expect her to wear this, from now on… as she used to. As if this could erase the past… as if it could turn back time so she would serve him as the dutiful, loyal daughter she always had been.
The design of her armor in pristine state once more filled her with nostalgia, but deep down, her heart rejected it viscerally. He had no right to hope for a redo… no right to convey this kind of pressure to her, no matter if she was unsurprised that he'd do so. She closed her eyes, stilling the chaotic, warring emotions in her heart, before marching to the foot of her bed.
The hidden compartment was undetectable, much as she had told Sokka it was: she pushed the rug out of the way to reveal the trapdoor, disguised smoothly as nothing but an ornament on the floor. There was, however, a circle at its center: she pressed her fist to it, pushing her fire into the mechanism, unlocking it deftly.
The hidden room within her cabin, a mandatory naval practice to protect the most important people aboard the vessel, currently hosted a surprising amount of people and goods, more than it ever had since the Barge had first been commissioned. Despite herself, Azula smiled at the three girls she had smuggled into her cabin: Hotaru cried out at the sudden influx of light that fell upon the room.
"There you are, little firefly," Azula smiled warmly, as Song and Rei sighed in relief. "Did she behave herself so far?"
"She was slightly restless," Song said, grimacing. "Good thing this room seems to have really thick walls. Is everything going smoothly?"
"As smoothly as can be… but the three of you really don't need to stay cramped down there anymore. Come on, come up," Azula urged them with a hand, reaching down to clasp Rei's hand, which the girl offered her readily.
"It's a small room," Rei said, with an awkward smile. "Too small for us to even stand inside it…"
"I'm sorry about that, dear," Azula said, helping her up and out of the restrictive hidden room. "I suppose it's the only way to make certain it's properly hidden, I don't know…"
"If you're letting us out now, it means everything's okay, right?" Song asked, smiling a little as she offered Hotaru to Azula: the child cried out happily, and Azula kissed her brow before hugging her tightly.
"It is. At least, for now," Azula said, rubbing her daughter's back. "And you're hungry, aren't you, Hotaru…?"
"We did feed her a little while ago, but yeah, I'm sure she is," Rei said, with an awkward smile.
"Is that so? Well, then, what did you eat, you little rascal?" Azula teased Hotaru, tickling her lightly as she stepped towards the bed – her daughter squirmed over the tickles, giggling, and Azula wondered if she had reacted the same way upon being tickled as a child… "I hope you're not devouring meat like your father already, perish the thought…"
"It was only a little fruit, that was all we… oh."
Song's explanation froze at the sight of the armor. Azula's humor shifted again as she frowned in its direction, finding even Rei was startled by it.
"The… the armor was fixed?" Song asked.
"No. It's a new one," Azula said, frowning. "Then… you didn't see it when Renkai brought you up here?"
"No, it… it wasn't there. I mean, sure, it was the dead of night, but I don't think we would have missed it if it had been there all along," Song frowned, staring at it intently. "I think someone brought it, actually. We heard footsteps by… by dawn, I guess? It's hard to tell what time it was while we were down there. But anyway, they came in and then left again. Might have been it was being delivered…"
"Hmm. I see," Azula sighed, shaking her head.
Their night had started with the visit to Xin Long's refuge: after that, Song and Rei's prepared luggage, as well as all of Hotaru's main needs, were gradually transported by the three of them and Renkai through the tunnels, all the way to the furthermost exit within the city. From there, they had marched cautiously through the night into the Capital's bay: Renkai began a cautious, complex process of carrying their luggage – the most difficult element had been Hotaru's cribs, of course – all the way into Azula's cabin, unnoticed. His stealth paid off, seeing as the ship's preparations were long finished, and only a handful of sailors had been aboard, asleep in the general cabin where they usually rested. Azula's assigned guards were still in the Palace at the time… all of which allowed Renkai to carry on with his duties, tiring as they were, taking leave by claiming he would take his first break from serving as the sentry by the Princess's room constantly.
The Princess herself had been absent throughout that entire matter: the guards outside her room had no reason to expect her to be up to anything, for she even stepped outside her room briefly a few times, making certain that they'd know she was within the Palace's premises. Song, Rei and Hotaru, however, were all the way in the port, hiding safely nearby until Renkai was ready to bring them into Azula's cabin. Once there, the firebender opened the hidden room, where the girls hid with all their luggage and waited impatiently for many hours until the Princess finally arrived.
"I suppose it's not too surprising that he would've made a new suit of armor for you, but…" Song said, frowning as she studied it from afar. "It feels a little unsettling this time, doesn't it?"
"It's conveying a rather unwelcome message, yes," Azula agreed, her eyes half-lidded as she averted her gaze from the golden armor. "I'm back in the fold… I've regained his trust, and he fully embraces me as his Crown Princess once again. Funny that he would happen to convey that just when I proved I'd never trust that he'd protect the three of you, huh?"
"Has… has he reached out at all to demand explanations?" Song asked. "Do you think he hasn't noticed yet, maybe, or…?"
"Who knows?" Azula said, stroking Hotaru's hair delicately. "All I do know is that I'm not leaving this one anywhere near him, especially if I'm not there too. And that sentiment extends to the two of you. If he's noticed you're no longer in the Palace, then he decided not to do anything about it… but with someone as fickle as him, it's entirely possible that he'll change his mind about it eventually. If he does, I'm sure a bird will arrive, demanding our immediate return while insulting me in every imaginable way by inquiring what kind of unthinking fool would bring a baby to a battlefield, right?"
"It's not a certainty that it will be a battlefield… at least, you hope it might not come to that," Song said. Azula sighed and shrugged.
"Hope is no guarantee of success, and if it's anywhere as fickle as my luck has been, as of late, all the worse for us," Azula said. "Still… we're past the Great Gates by now. If he had wanted to stop us, he would have already. Maybe that's how much he wants me to help him save Yu Dao, huh?"
"Maybe," Song agreed, with a sigh. "How are we going to proceed, though? I mean, over the coming days… you said the trip might take around a week? So, we'll have to stay hidden in here for that long. We have to try to avoid detection as best as possible…"
Upon hearing those words, Rei, lurking near a window, jumped back at once, fear across her face as she met Song's gaze with guilt.
"I, uh… I shouldn't let anyone see me, then…" she concluded.
"These windows might not give you away that easily… but yeah, I'm afraid you shouldn't stand too close to them," Azula said, approaching the one closest to Rei: she opened it gradually, allowing the ocean breeze to filter inside the cabin, and Rei gasped happily at the new sensations.
Both Azula and Song watched Rei with amused confusion as the younger woman smiled at the sight of blue oceans, spreading well beyond the horizon. She bit her lip, closing her eyes as the rocking motions of the ship continued to soothe her in unexpected ways.
"It's the first time you're this deep in the ocean, huh?" Azula said. Rei smiled and nodded.
"I'd seen it before… the tallest rooms in the Scarlet Oasis were high enough that I could see the sea from there," Rei said. "There was the one time I had to patch up the roof, too… b-but anyway, yes. I've never been close to it before today."
"Well… I hope it's a fun new experience, Rei," Azula said, with a weak smile. "I never had much of an opinion about the ocean, myself, but… things do change."
"For the better?" Rei asked. Azula nodded. "I… I can't help but wonder if he found it beautiful, too."
"He?" Azula's heart clenched. "Zhao?"
Rei nodded, with a shrug. Her pained smile didn't stop her from speaking her mind, though.
"I don't know why he joined the navy. But… maybe he liked it at sea, too. The way it rocks the ship, it's… it's like when you rock Hotaru, maybe? It's soothing, somehow."
"Is it, now?" Azula smiled warmly at her. Hotaru shrugged. "The sea is rocking you the way I rock your sister… maybe the sea is a massive, waterbending mother of a sort?"
Rei laughed at Azula's suggestion, and Song smiled at the sound of it, too. She leaned down, spreading the rug properly over the trapdoor as Azula sighed, holding Hotaru close to her chest.
"I hope you continue to enjoy it, then," Azula told Rei. "The sea, I mean. Some people are prone to seasickness… but it looks like you're simply enjoying something entirely new for you, aren't you?"
"Well… it's interesting," Rei said, biting her lip. "It… it might be the one thing I'd have in common with him, if he enjoyed the ocean too. Right?"
Azula's tension didn't recede as she nodded, acknowledging Rei's sudden conclusion. She couldn't quite hold back from approaching her, wrapping one of her arms around the girl's shoulders.
"It's… it's okay, Mom," Rei said, patting her arm gently and smiling at her. "I know it's… it's never going to get much easier. But I'll try to look towards the future with some, uh, hope. I guess that's the right word for it…"
"Always so good-natured," Azula sighed, pressing a quick kiss to the top of Rei's head. The girl smiled, hugging her back.
"You just have no idea how crazy this is for me… none at all," Rei chuckled. "Traveling somewhere else, I… I've never done that before. Do you have friends in Yu Dao? Or anyone you trust, maybe?"
"I do, and I hope they'll be able to help me out with keeping the three of you protected," Azula said, breathing deeply. "For now, Renkai will see to bringing our meals here. Unfortunately, while he'll be asking for more food than usual, he can't quite order three separate meals. It would make it obvious that you're here, and there's no telling if someone would report that to my father at once, even if he surely already suspects it. Therefore… we'll be on a bit of a diet, for the next week at least."
"We'll bear with it as best we can," Song said, folding her arms over her chest. "As for sleeping arrangements, Rei and I brought our futons, so you won't have to share the bed with us, Azula."
"Huh," Azula blinked blankly and nodded. "If you prefer it that way, that's fine by me. Once we reach Yu Dao, I'll talk with Kori in private and enlist her help. She knew about me and Sokka, she used to look up to me… she even attended my wedding to Zhao, and it didn't look like she thought I had completely debased myself by it. With any luck, she won't think I'm completely worthless nowadays."
"Doesn't sound like she would," Song said, with a small smile. "I don't think I ever met her, did I?"
"Not really, the one time we stopped by Yu Dao and you were with us, you never disembarked, as far as I can remember," Azula reasoned. "Anyway… make yourselves comfortable. Set up your futons and take a nap if you need to, or use the bed, maybe. I… I don't think I'll be using it just yet, myself."
"Oh," Song blinked blankly, eyeing her with uncertainty: a dark shadow streaked the Princess's face as she pulled up a chair instead, preparing to nurse her daughter there. "Azula…"
"I'll get over it, hopefully," Azula told her as she shifted her clothes, knowing there was no need to worry about whether Song understood her plight or not. She had to be aware of what was going through her mind, after all… "If I managed to exist in my own room in the Palace after bad things happened there, well… surely a place where no such awful things happened should be easier, right? Right. So…"
"Don't force yourself to feel good about something if you don't, though," Song said, stepping up to her and placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder: Hotaru was already nursing, her appetite as voracious as Azula had suspected it would be. "I guess… it's even harder when nothing corrupted the happiness you felt, in a way."
"Well, the last times I was in this cabin I kept crying uncontrollably, so in a sense, that happiness was damaged enough," Azula said, with an awkward smile. "But it's… it's still the last place where I was with him. The last bed in which I slept with him. He… he was badly wounded, I did my best to help him with the pain, but it wasn't enough. I've always hoped he could get better treatment in his tribe, but I have no idea if he made a full recovery. Hopefully his family had handy healers to help him…"
"Maybe his sister could heal him," Song said, with a small smile. "She was a waterbender, after all. Maybe she learned a thing or two about healing?"
"Hopefully," Azula said, closing her eyes. "It's just really weird, being here again. I never thought I'd set foot on the Barge once more after I last left it. It'll only be for about a week, too, so I shouldn't be too sentimental about this whole thing, but… it's a strange feeling anyway. I never really thought I'd get travel anymore. If only this was just a matter of sightseeing…"
"Maybe it will be, one day," Song said, with a pained smile. "You can take Rei to countless places she's never seen, much like you did with me. You know… once everything's back on track."
"Hmm. Hopefully," Azula said, eyeing Song with unease, but finding nothing but a confident smile upon her friend's face.
She knew about Azula's projected destiny, and she had been outraged by it too. She was all too aware of the likelihood that Azula would continue forward with a most unsettling expectation of paying the ultimate price for all the horrors she considered herself responsible for. But just as the Princess had no hope, it seemed Song had plenty to spare, and she had no qualms with offering it to her, with the deep belief that the Princess's willingness to live, to keep fighting for her life and those of countless others, would one day be rekindled fully.
But for the time being, they busied themselves with caring for Hotaru and setting up the room properly: they had some snacks and long-lasting dry foods among their luggage, both of which they made use of to regain their energies as they worked to condition the room for all three of them to use. As the cabin was the largest on the ship, there would be enough room for the futons as well as the cribs. By lunchtime, Renkai arrived with a tray of food that, unfortunately, wasn't enough to sate all three of them, and the same thing happened over dinner, too. The snacks they had packed helped them appease the lingering hunger: the sun set over their first day at sea, and the Fire Lord hadn't sent any word just yet, according to Renkai. Thus, they continued onwards.
Azula sighed as she sat by her desk in her cabin, the window open, the scent of the sea reaching her through the light breeze. Rei and Song were already asleep, as was Hotaru, surprisingly. Azula, though, had yet to dare climb on her bed and give herself to exhaustion. Her wretched heart wouldn't let her find any peace… and that was surely why she found herself sitting there, writing a letter that wouldn't reach its intended recipient, yet again.
She sighed as she slowed her writing, stopping the flow of dark thoughts that always seemed to find their way into the text. Her most pessimistic fears, her deepest insecurities… she couldn't help but tell him about them, even if he couldn't read it. Even if he couldn't be there to comfort her as her anguish overcame her…
"You know… it's got to be unhealthy to sit up there, writing into the wee hours of the night."
His voice rang so clear and strong in her heart that she almost lost her grip on reality upon hearing it in her mind. She dared glance to her left: the chair there was empty… but before long, a mirage of him took its seat right there, meeting her gaze with his own.
"Didn't you hear that I've been collecting unhealthy life choices for the past year?" Azula responded, carelessly. "This is nothing new. Besides, nighttime is the best moment of any day to write nonsense for you. Nonsense you're never going to read, not even if you try right now, because you're not really here, and I'm losing my mind. Right?"
"Haven't I told you like a thousand times that you haven't lost it? Seriously, love, quit putting that much stock on the crazy fortuneteller's predictions, will you?"
His response actually brought a smile to her face. She dared raise her gaze, evoking him so powerfully that she actually shivered when he offered her one of his cheeky grins.
"How's it going, beautiful wife of mine?"
She sighed, setting down the brush, gazing at his mirage wistfully. Maybe the text had helped… but maybe speaking out loud, if only to nothingness in his shape, would do her good.
"I don't even know," she admitted, earnestly. "I miss you. I always miss you. Being in here isn't helpful. All I can think about is those final days, that last night, the way I could barely bring myself to let you go at that pier… half the time, I have no idea how I even did it. How did I ever… break off that kiss, frankly? Was I really that strong back then? Because I sure didn't feel strong. I don't feel like I am now, either. If you showed up in Yu Dao and embraced me without a single word, I… I'd let you. I'd fail my nation, my father, everyone who's counting on me, because I… I'd let you. I miss you. I feel like every damn choice I make is wrong, and like… like I'm on my way to my funerary pyre, all the damn time. So much rides on my success… I might even be able to end the damn war now, if I find you in Yu Dao somehow, but I… I won't, will I? I won't be able to, even if you show up. Because… you're right, aren't you? Your side is right. I'm stuck here because all I've done is fuck up, time after time, condemning myself to this misery because my so-called prodigious mind only lets me down when I need it the most. Oh, fuck, I thought this would help, but ranting about it out loud isn't much better than writing it, is it?"
She sniffed, a sarcastic smile spreading over her lips even as tears bloomed in her eyes. She frowned as she dabbed the tears with her fingertips… then, the ghostly feeling of his fingers upon hers made her stop, as she lowered her hands.
"I'm sorry," she said, softly. "Above anything, I… I wish I could tell you I'm sorry, Sokka. I'm sorry…"
"'No man who's worth your tears will ever make you cry'… was it?"
Azula frowned upon hearing those words… upon feeling his thumb brushing over her cheek, sliding right under her eyelid. A sweet, comforting smile played on his lips, and her damn imagination certainly was running away with her… but he looked so much more real than before, so much more solid and tangible…
"I know you said some people were worth it… but I hope you realize I feel the same way," he whispered. Azula winced.
"I'm not… Sokka, the things I've had to do…"
"I've done terrible things, myself. For some weird, messed up reason, I keep thinking you'll still love me despite that, though…"
"Messed up reason? Sokka, of course I love you and always will, but…"
"Heh. Then you're being unfair as heck, because you should realize that I feel the same way about you."
Azula grimaced. Sokka smiled warmly, taking her hands into his, kissing her fingers softly. She trembled, her throat thick with tears.
"Why is everything so fucked up?" Azula asked. "Why can't we just… why can't we just be who we are? I keep thinking treacherously that… that we should've just stayed in Shu Jing. And then the guilt catches up to me, because yes, countless people would be dead anyway, and my father would have hunted us down until he found me, but… I still wish for that sometimes, Sokka. I wish… I wish I were where you are. Nothing in life was ever this muddled and confusing when you were with me. Nothing was so frightening… because you were by my side."
"Yeah, well… we're really not too different, you and I, as usual. I keep feeling the exact same way, Azula," Sokka sighed, kneeling before her, cupping her cheek affectionately. "Doesn't matter if I have hundreds of people to talk to, if they're always ready to do whatever I ask them to, if they revere me or think highly of me… deep down, I know I'd stop feeling so lost if only I were with you."
"Heh. Then we'd be lost together," Azula said, with a smirk. Sokka chuckled.
"We've got some experience at doing that. I think it didn't go that poorly, now, did it?" he asked.
"Being lost in the forest? Or maybe after we fell off the cliff in the Race and we got stuck in the Cave of Two Lovers…?"
"Either or both," Sokka said, with a sneaky grin. Azula chuckled, shaking her head. "It's a crazy world out there, Azula, but… my heart hasn't changed. Whatever you've done, whatever you've had to do…"
"I know. I know you think it's not my fault…" Azula said, hot tears burning in her eyes. "Maybe it's not, but it doesn't change that I did it. It's… it's how you felt in the Amateur Arena, love. The helplessness, the self-hatred, the horror at thinking of how many lost lives are objectively your responsibility… and I don't even have the scars upon my body to carry on the will of those I've killed. I don't have anything left but… but this guilt that threatens to swallow me every day. And I'm never getting rid of it, am I? I… I doubt it. I really doubt it…"
"You don't have to get rid of it," Sokka said. Azula swallowed hard. "You can take it firmly into your heart… and turn it into drive. If you're still alive, if you're still drawing breath… it means there's still a chance, Azula. You might never make up for it all, just as I'm sure I won't, either: it's no reason to stop fighting. For either of us."
Her lips parted, but she couldn't say anything: even now, his blasts of clarity, his shocking wisdom, caught her off-guard more often than not. She sighed, letting the tears slip down her cheeks indeed as she tranquilized herself with heavy breaths.
"I'm… trying. I'll keep trying, but… I'm scared," she admitted. "The people I love… my dragon, Sokka, I had to leave Xin behind, I… I don't feel any changes yet, he hasn't done anything to him, b-but what if he waits until he's sure I'm out of the way, and…?"
"You've done everything you could to protect him, haven't you?" Sokka asked.
"If only you'd been here… you could have set him free so fast," Azula said, shaking her head. "Your sword… the system he's stuck to, I can't think of anything else that could break it. Until he's free, until I know he's free, I… I can't even breathe properly. And I know that, if he were freed, Hotaru would be my father's next target. Song, Rei… Mai and Ty Lee as well. I can't protect everyone. I can't save everyone…"
"If that's how it is… protect those you can, and I'll take care of the rest."
Azula's eyes widened, tears spilling even more powerfully down her cheeks. Sokka offered her that kind, genuine smile once again…
Then his lips were on hers.
It had to be the power of this room, the charged emotions that lingered in it, that allowed Azula to feel so deeply, so intimately, that she was connected to Sokka. For even if she dreamt of him often, the illusion of feeling his kisses had never seemed as tangible and real as it did today.
He'd take care of the rest. He was her gladiator… he fought for her, yes. Wherever she faltered… he'd stand his ground. Whenever she felt weak, he would be strong. Whenever she was lost, he would guide her back to where she needed to be…
That was the sensation that enveloped her as she rose to her feet, with Sokka towering over her, holding her intimately, tenderly, offering her no shortage of affection she reciprocated with despair: he walked her back to the bed, and she fell upon the mattress, clinging to him still, tears spilling down her face… were they hers, or were they his? She didn't know anymore, not as his hands touched her boldly, with a hint of despair that didn't quite match his strong, assured, confident self from moments ago…
It felt more real upon every passing moment: his breath clashing with hers, his fingers sliding between her own, his body swaying against her in slow, arching motions that stirred some long-dormant sensations inside her…
"What are you playing at…?" she dared ask, a slight smile upon her face.
"I love you, I love you, I love you…" was his response, to which Azula laughed as she exposed her neck, enabling him to suck and kiss it as he pleased.
At first, it was only him guiding this sudden, ethereal tryst, but soon enough, her hands rose to touch his skin… and why was it so real? Why did everything feel so real, when it couldn't be? He wasn't here, was he? And yet… was she simply reliving their last night together? Was that it?
If so, then she'd give herself to those memories in full, most of all if she was experiencing them upon her flesh, quite so directly and powerfully: his fingers undid her sash, pulling her nightgown open, diving for her breasts, kneading them eagerly. She moaned as the sensations heightened under his intimate touch.
"B-be careful, I'm not… not the same as before, alright?" she laughed. "I have to feed your daughter, remember?"
"Ooooh… woops. Shit, I didn't think about that," Sokka laughed too, pressing his face to her shoulder. "Then… how about down here? Is that dangerous too?"
His hands trailed over her body, perhaps even picking up on the stretch marks, the changes of her figure… but Azula knew where they were headed. She sighed in bliss, closing her eyes and prompting Sokka to snicker proudly.
"Y-yes, yes. So very…. S-so very dangerous, and scary, and pleasant, and…" Azula moaned. "Fuck, I missed you…"
Sokka chuckled, claiming her lips again as his fingers dove in her core, teasing it boldly. It was as though he, too, were so desperate to feel her again that he couldn't even fathom holding back at all, needing to enjoy every inch of the body he had longed to touch and hold across the past year…
She didn't bother pretending to be dignified as he brought her to her climax. Her heavy panting was interrupted by his bold, teasing kisses, and her head felt so light, so hazy, so pleasant…
Her hand gripped his shaft, tugging it into a full erection, though it was as good as there already. He didn't bother with further pleasantries, guiding it inside Azula so her warmth would envelop him… and he groaned loudly as it did, a manly, instinctive sound that Azula found all the more addictive still. She pulled him down on her, thrusting upwards, into him, squeezing his buttocks, spanking them, and she was rewarded with each wild ramming of his manhood through her entrance, as well as with every sensual groan that left the lips that remained latched onto hers. His tongue swirled around hers, teasing and toying with her every sensitive spot, arms slipping under her body to hug her close, his chest pressing against her larger breasts, so much larger than he remembered them… but he couldn't, rather, shouldn't do anything to them without her express approval. Though feeling those nipples against himself was thrilling… every single thing was thrilling. He wanted this, he wanted it every single time, every night, for as long as he might live… he wanted to be hers, to find his way to her without fail, to guide her to the greatest expanse of pleasure she had ever known.
Going by her desperate moans, he might just be a short distance away from fulfilling that expectation.
He thrusted faster and faster, the intensity of their tryst bolstered by the way their skin slapped together, by the end of one long kiss, soon restarted after a moment of recovery. The heat, the wet warmth, all of it enveloped them so smoothly it was as though they were someplace else entirely, a whole different world, unlike anything in their material world…
Was that it? Had they drifted out of their usual plane of existence and accessed a new one briefly?
If so, it should last forever. The more time went by, the more corporeal the other felt… the more real this entire, surreal experience would be. She couldn't let it end, she didn't want it to end, it wasn't supposed to… it was the one respite she'd found in so long, the one chance to feel him so deeply merged with her, his lips pressing kisses upon her wounded shoulder, arms so tightly wound around her it seemed he'd never let her go… she didn't want him to. She needed him here, with her, for as long as possible…
And he'd keep her there, with him, until the very foundations of their world crumbled and died, until every component of their bodies withered away into nothingness… even then, his soul would seek hers, over and over again, in that endless dance between them, the beautiful balance they had slowly crafted, one where they responded to each other by instinct, where their fire and ice coexisted without fear, without uncertainties… with the devotion they had only ever felt for each other.
She threw her head back, crying out in bliss, trembling hands clawing at his back as she felt herself coming undone a second time… as she felt him finishing deep inside her, too. Her legs wrapped so tightly around his waist, keeping him there, making it so clear that she wasn't ready for this to end, and neither was he. They owed each other so much more, so much more…
Their hungry kisses only seemed bolstered further by that culmination, where both their legs trembled as they finally unleashed so many pent-up emotions, so much anguish and agony they hadn't been able to break free from. But for that moment, if just for that moment, they were one. For that moment, they were lost together, just as they wanted to be. For that moment…
Azula snapped awake: her cheeks flushed crimson as she sat up from the desk abruptly: she had fallen unconscious on it at some point, atop her unfinished letter.
Her chest heaved quite a bit after the impossibly vivid dream she had just experienced. A hand rose to her forehead, where some sweat pooled…
Well, that was one way to persuade herself that returning to their bed wasn't all that terrifying, after all.
She swallowed hard, knowing these sensations all too well – curses, that couldn't have been just a wild dream. Their souls had truly connected again, hadn't they? And as expected from them, of course… that was what their encounter had entailed. She snorted, shaking her head as she approached the bed and pulled the blanket loose, slipping under the covers. Carelessly, she let herself envision him lying beside her again… and his image came to mind so much more powerfully than she thought it would. He smirked cheekily, winking at her, as if proud of what they'd just done, and Azula smiled guiltily. Oh, she was truly losing her mind, wasn't she…?
But even if she was, she rolled over, towards that mirage, and she closed her eyes: something told her she'd find him in her dreams again far more easily than usual, that night…
That warmth enveloped him so sweetly, so tenderly that reality slipped out of his grasp completely: memories came alive through each plowing thrust he dared push inside her, and as her arms continued to cling to him, to hold him so tightly, he didn't stop. He couldn't, no matter how many times she might finish around him, how breathless she might be… was he being merciless, keeping her from breathing anything but him? Was he being cruel, pinning her down and overwhelming her with pleasure, or was it generous of him, instead?
Whatever she might think of it, he couldn't fathom letting this end. He couldn't imagine letting go, he didn't want to. And with her legs so tightly wound around his hips, her glorious moans spilling from her throat to his, he had no doubts that this was what she wanted, too. His name spilled from her mouth whenever he let her speak, but it would be lost in the twirls of their jousting tongues before long either way. He dared open his eyes: her cheeks flushed; her face so crimson as her body begged for respite… but she didn't care to afford it. She wanted him, nothing but him, and she dared open her beautiful golden eyes to meet his own.
He could feel it: every inch of her body, every fiber of her very existence, screamed out to the skies, to the universe, that she loved him. She didn't say it, but she didn't need to: she understood that he felt the same way. That the longer this went on, the stronger they'd feel, the more real they'd become, if they just kept going, thrusting, faster, just a little faster, just enough, just enough…
He cried out, breaking their kiss briefly – she was the merciless one this time, stopping him from finding respite in the air around them by kissing him fiercely all over again, clasping his face between her hands, then letting her fingers slide to the hairs on the back of his head, and she kissed and kissed him as he spiraled completely, lost yet again within her, and that was just where he wanted to be. He trembled as he filled her, pulsating pleasure spilling from his body to hers, and she responded with her own triggered climax… that somehow only seemed to coax more and more from him. He gasped, and now they were both breathless, both helpless, both completely overwhelmed by surging pleasure that only seemed to rise higher. Even then, their lips couldn't break off each other, their tongues wouldn't stop meeting, their hearts would beat so fast, so hard in their chests it was as though they would break out of their ribcage and meld together as one.
He had craved this. He had sought this release, this relief, for so long, and she was finally here. She was finally in his arms, she was giving herself to him just as he did the same… after what felt like an endless wait, now he found true eternity in her arms as he loved her, lavishing her with every caress, every display of affection, every single crevice of his broken heart devoted to her…
"I love you… I love you. Sokka…"
Her voice was the sweetest melody he had ever heard: he closed his eyes, losing himself to that comfort, smiling brightly as all was right with the world, all was right with his life, for he was with her. For he could do this again and again, and her arms and legs would still hold him in place, and her warmth would still welcome him, squeezing his shaft and begging him for more of that tender pleasure, more of the satisfaction they both craved – somehow, he was ready right away, all over again, and he kept going without slowing down. Again, and again, and for as long as they could hold each other this way, until his body couldn't withstand the smooth pool of warmth he was completely immersed in, completely overtaken by…
"I love you."
Her words, whispered against his lips, saw him finishing deep inside her once more…
And then his eyes snapped wide open, his mouth drawing in breaths with difficulty as the unwanted, imminent return of reality presented itself with the unwelcome revelation that he was lying in bed… in the Northern Water Tribe, rather than in Azula's glorious embrace.
He gasped, a surge of disappointment striking him suddenly – why had that dream been so vivid? It wasn't the first time he had dreamt of Azula in any such scenario, far from it… but those particularly pleasant dreams had eluded him ever since they had been torn away from each other – or rather, even if they began pleasant, it wouldn't be long before his treacherous mind brought back thoughts and memories of their separation, of Azula's struggles, of the pain that constantly dwelled in his heart.
What happened that night, however, had proven potent enough to mitigate that pain for the first time ever.
Sokka swallowed hard, knowing he was blushing like a fool, for reasons that made no sense. If this dream had been one of their connections – and it very well might have been –, there was truly nothing to be ashamed of. She was, after all, his wife and he'd always stand by saying so. If this had been more than a lewd dream, as he suspected, then it meant she had been truly there, with him, in that strange space of existence that he hardly understood to this day… and that meant, in turn, that Azula had enjoyed every moment just as much as he had.
"Best dream of my entire life, got to say…" he sighed, with a careless smile now. "Even if, uh, well…"
He grimaced as he squirmed in bed. There were downsides to what had happened, unfortunately…
"Okay. Going to the bathroom, then," he said, cheeks deeply red as he climbed out of bed awkwardly… fetching some fresh underwear before marching off, still flustered, out of his room.
It was terribly inconvenient for bathrooms to be so far away from their bedrooms, but as bright as the perpetual sunlight might be in the North Pole, this was, effectively and culturally, nighttime for the Water Tribe. No one bumped into him on his way to the bathroom, and he had enough time to clean up properly and change into fresher clothes before returning to the hallway of his group's assigned quarters.
How such a potent dream had happened, one that affected reality quite that powerfully, he didn't really know. He hoped it didn't mean anything negative… but it was genuinely difficult to fathom that it could have happened for bad reasons, considering just how welcome a respite it had been. Sokka sighed, running a hand over his face as he wondered if he'd ever be so lucky to dream of that again…
"Pfft… idiot," he grunted at himself, shaking his head. "Don't need the dreams as much as I need the real thing. That'd be way better, damn it."
It had been as close to real as it could have been, he wouldn't deny that… but if his next intimate experience with her could be a reencounter between them in reality, rather than in dreams, he'd certainly prefer that.
… Not that he'd complain, though, if he had a few more of those dreams before that happened, but more than anything, he wanted to hold Azula again. Surely no one could fault him for that, right?
He sighed, smiling to himself despite everything, rubbing his eyes as he wondered if he'd manage to settle down long enough to sleep again… but maybe he wouldn't. Maybe that tingling sensation in his lower belly would continue to remind him of that blissful pleasure, and even after everyone was awake too, they'd realize his mind was in one very particular place, a much more forgiving one than usual…
Though there was also a chance that no one would pay attention to how weirdly he was behaving, provided there were others bringing about far more attention to themselves than him.
Sokka nearly marched into the hallway of their assigned rooms carelessly, but he bolted back around the corner upon hearing hushed voices speaking by one of the rooms' thresholds. He didn't know for sure which one it was until he identified the voices in question…
His placid behavior shifted into full-blown awkwardness upon sensing his sister's unusual tone of voice.
"… You really don't have to go back to your room, Aang. I know you're worried about what they'll say, but… why are you, really?"
"Well, you know why. Zuko hasn't been with his wife for months, and Sokka's worse off yet, and Kino? Kino hasn't been with anyone, ever! S-so, see? I just don't want them to be annoyed because you and I can be together while they can't be with those they love, and, well…"
"Don't you think that ship sailed when we kissed right in front of them during the battle?"
"Uh… huh. I mean… well, maybe. I figured nobody would be too bothered about that because it was the battle, though…"
"They've had time to process it by now, and no one's expressed anything but support for us, Aang. You have nothing to be ashamed of, silly…"
"I'm not ashamed, anything but that! I just, w-well…!"
"Aang, just say it outright, will you? You're scared of Sokka."
Sokka grimaced, pressing his face against the wall: well, that was grand. Apparently, it had been a considerably charged night, as far as erotic needs were concerned…
"I…! Uh… I am. A bit. Aren't we all?"
"Pfft, not me. He's my brother, not my boss…"
"He kind of feels like everyone's boss, these days…"
"Well, he's not, and he's not going to have any power over what I do in my private life, much like I have none over his. So, if I want to sleep with you and it bothers him? He'll have to put up with it. I may have given him a hard time over Azula at first, but I mean, I had other kinds of misgivings than those he might feel over us. He knows you're great, he really appreciates you, so he shouldn't have a problem with us, right?"
"He did say we should act on how we feel if we were sure we wanted this… but I guess it's a little awkward anyway. He is your older brother…"
"You don't need his approval to be with me, much like he didn't get Zuko's anyhow. And you know? Considering he and Azula were totally a thing by the time we met them in Whaletail Island, and he kept it quiet for as long as he could, I'd even dare say that I'm allowed to do whatever I want with or without his approval, in retaliation. Right?"
"Well, I mean, sure, but I just think we should be careful, at least at first. I know why you think it's fine, Katara, and maybe it will be in the end, but…"
"Honestly, Aang… stop stressing out, can you? You said you had a great time, so if you did… how about you stop worrying?"
His sister's sultry voice made Sokka cringe: that was more than enough for him. He didn't want to hear any of Katara's remaining arguments to persuade Aang to spend more time cooped up with her in her room, in 'secret'.
He stepped out into the open, even though the others were still talking: Aang stood on one side of the threshold of Katara's room, in front of her. The waterbender, in turn, had her back to where Sokka was coming from… Aang, however, had a direct line of sight towards the Gladiator, and his shy smile suddenly faded from his face, as Katara was halfway through her attempts to convince him…
"We've wasted enough time as it is, Aang, and I know it was a little awkward at first but I'm sure it's going to be so much easier if we do it more often, so… Aang? What is…?"
It was her turn to turn around… and her turn to yelp, covering her mouth with a hand as her cheeks flushed completely.
Sokka blinked blankly where he stood, an awkward smile upon his face. His sister seemed a moment away from slamming her bedroom door right then and there, even if it would hit Aang quite hard if she did…
"S-Sokka?" Aang winced. "For how long were you…? I-I mean… oh, goodness, I… Sokka?"
"Long enough," Sokka said, his tense grin tighter yet. Katara shuddered before stepping up, cheeks still lit up, but with renewed resolve to stand her ground… even if she was profoundly, instinctively embarrassed.
"W-well…! This isn't anything to do with you, right, so…! W-well…! What are you even doing there? You should be in bed!"
"So should you. Both of you. Go back to bed. It's fine," Sokka said, still with the same awkward expression. Katara grimaced.
"W-what do you mean, it's fine? You don't look like you think it is…"
"Katara… I am processing things. And I know objectively that this is your business entirely," he said, hands behind his back. "So… congratulations. I think."
"D-don't…! Ugh, I really, REALLY don't want to hear something like that from you…" Katara groaned, covering her face with her hands again. Sokka let out a nervous laugh.
"Siblings really have it hard, huh?" Aang swallowed hard, looking at Sokka with uncertainty. "W-we're serious, Sokka. I mean, this isn't just, well, goofing around…"
"Would be fine if it were, too. You know, like Toph and Jet?" Sokka said, with a careless laugh. "Totally fine. But, you know? If you're serious, that's even better. Ha. I just… don't need to know more about it than I already do, so if you're going to talk dirty to him, Katara, I…"
"Shut up! I didn't say I'd do that! I didn't say anything that dirty, I…! D-did I? I didn't! And you shouldn't be such a prude, considering everything you got up to! The things I've had to wrap my head around are way more complicated than what you're dealing with right now!" Katara ranted, chest heaving after she finished talking. Sokka blinked blankly.
"Yeah. Totally. I agree," he said, with a weak smile.
"You… you do?" Katara grimaced.
"Look… it is your business. And by that, I mean… if you don't want your idiot brother judging you, you're out of luck," he said. "You judge me all the time anyway, so what else is new…?"
"Well, you deserve it more," Katara pouted stubbornly.
"All I will say, though, is…!" Sokka said, raising a hand and staring at his sister intently… but he lowered his index finger, biting his lip. "Y-you know what? I… can't do that to you. Not right now. So, uhm… by actual morning? You have to talk to Yue, Katara. That's what I'll say."
"Wait, what?" Katara blinked blankly. "Why…? Does the Northern Water Tribe have stricter standards than the South? I mean, as far as building an igloo is concerned, Aang built his ages ago, so…!"
"No, no, no, I don't mean because you're not married, that didn't even cross my mind! Hah… yeah, that's not it," he said, waving a hand in his sister's direction. "Never mind, Katara, it's fine, it's just… something you might not even care about! Yep. Maybe you'll be fine with that. Surely you will be, even. I mean, you do love children, so…"
His sudden statement caused both Katara and Aang to freeze where they were: Sokka, still so shaken up by both his dream and his sudden discovery, didn't notice his slip of tongue had given away the true nature of his supposedly mysterious concern already. He raised a hand in farewell, smiling awkwardly again.
"Anyway! Good night. I'm off. See you in the, uh, morning. Yep. Bye."
His farewell went unanswered, and he didn't mean to wait around to see if it would be: he stepped inside his assigned room, and he sighed.
"Well, that's my luck. Now my drive's well and truly dead all over again," he said, with a weak grin. "Just when it came back so nicely a while ago, too…"
He sighed… but as he raised his gaze towards the bed, he found his heart evoked a rather unexpected picture on it: that of a smiling Azula, in her nightgown, gazing at him with amusement. As much as he might not be in the right mindset to seek some manner of spiritual physicality anymore, Sokka's chaotic heart was appeased by the sight he somehow evoked so strongly, so easily, that day.
"Though, if you look at me that way, it might come back pretty quickly," he said. Azula's mirage smiled, jerking her head in his direction.
"Come. You need your rest," she whispered. "As you always do, after you get hurt… but you never listen to reason and always run about doing whatever you please, whenever you wish to. Right?"
"Right. I was always a bastard for that, wasn't I?" Sokka smiled sadly as he approached the bed. Azula smiled, patting the mattress, and Sokka dove in: she felt so close to him as he fell into that bed, as he closed his eyes, as he tried to let himself relax… she was so soothing. If his proper recovery from his wounds could be achieved by resting with her, he'd be the best-behaved patient he'd ever been. "I'll be good this time. 'S long as you stay here, of course."
"I'll always be with you, Sokka. Always."
He smiled to himself, all thoughts of his sister's love life forgotten as he drifted off to sleep: outside, though, the once-emboldened Katara stood paralyzed, eyeing her body warily. It wasn't as though she was against the idea, of course she wasn't, having Aang's children would be great… but on their terms. On their own time. Once they were ready. Not a moment sooner.
"Katara…?" Aang said, eyeing her warily. "Y-you don't think you could be…?"
"I… mean, well, it wouldn't be terrible if I were," she said, brushing her loose hair with her fingers: Aang gasped. "I mean it! But I'd rather we do this when we're ready. Right? It's better if we agree upon it first…"
"Better if we're married, first," Aang said too, cheeks rosy as he smiled at her. Katara smiled back and nodded.
"Yes, that too," she said. "But, well… we don't have to go all the way. We don't have to do anything but hold each other anyhow. Just… come on. Sokka found out, see? And the world didn't end. He's the most worrisome one… so come back to bed, okay? Come back, and…"
"Katara…" Aang said, a tender smile upon his lips as he approached her: she moaned happily as he kissed her fully. "I'll… I'll move into your room fully starting tomorrow."
She smiled wildly at his decision, and Aang chuckled as he closed her bedroom door, after returning inside along with his waterbending lover.
The smile on Aang's face by morning caught Kino off-guard. He seemed to glow – his bald head somehow appeared shinier than ever – and he greeted Kino happily as he sat down to eat breakfast.
"So… what happened to you?" Kino asked, perplex. Aang laughed, happily nibbling on the mooncakes he had developed a liking for.
"I just had a great night, Kino. I hope you did too. How are you feeling on this fine day?" he asked, with the brightest of smiles.
Kino's eyebrow twitched as he scrutinized Aang sternly. The perfect bliss across his friend's face certainly had no place in the man who, up until some days ago, didn't even have the courage to face anyone for an honest conversation. He had started to spend more time with his friends over the course of the past week, certainly, but even then, he seemed a little hurt still, a little heartbroken. He was making efforts to heal, and Katara always stood by him, holding his hand reassuringly…
But she wasn't here right now. No doubt, she didn't need to worry about Aang's mood this morning, but why would he be so cheerful without her around…?
"I'm, uh, fine. Where's Katara?" Kino asked, point-blank.
"She had to ask Princess Yue a very important question," Aang said, nodding. "She should be back soon. She told me to wait for her here."
"She told you so? You mean, you talked with her before breakfast?" Kino crooked an eyebrow. "Did she sing you a lullaby or told you a bedtime story to make sure you'd sleep soundly, maybe? Or did she fall asleep in your room, and you woke her up when you did? Or…?"
Aang blinked blankly. Kino's attempts to reason with why Katara hadn't brought Aang with her to speak with Yue didn't make much progress… but the way Aang was glowing, more than anything else, made the whole situation impossibly suspicious. The former Fire Nation soldier's eyebrow twitched as he glared at his friend, and Aang bit his lip guiltily as Kino leaned over the table.
"Or maybe… maybe it was no accident? Maybe you and her, her and you…?" he said. "Aang! Did you guys do it?! Is that why you're all sparkly and happy and…?!"
"Oh, Kino, please… don't be so loud," Aang said, though he laughed in such a blissful way that Kino's jaw dropped outright.
"You're…! You…! Shameless Avatar!" Kino exclaimed, huffing and shaking his head. "The two of you are something else, really! Instead of waiting to be married…"
"Well, most of our friends never waited that long," Aang reasoned, with a guilty smile. "And Katara and I will get married eventually. We mean to, that's for sure, haha…"
Kino blinked blankly, a speck of annoyance surging in his heart at Aang's new confidence and certainty.
"A man in love, and in a fulfilling relationship, huh…?" he said, bitterly: curses, he shouldn't envy his friend for experiencing that, but the gnawing feeling in his heart wasn't going to shrivel and fade away just because he wanted it to. "Well, uh, congratulations. I mean, I shouldn't be so grumpy, I have been pushing you to do this for years, so well done. Took you long enough, but you finally sealed the deal. Good for you."
"Thank you!" Aang grinned: he certainly was impervious, entirely, to Kino's bitterness.
"Just be careful not to be too obvious about it with Sokka, you know?" he said. "Not just because it's insensitive when he can't have that kind of thing in his life right now, but also, he's Katara's big brother and I'm sure this will weird him out just like Zuko was weirded out about Sokka and Azula's relationship, so…"
"Oh, Sokka already knows."
Kino froze. He stared at Aang in perplexity as the Avatar finished his latest mooncake.
"I thought I'd leave Katara's room early so we could keep up appearances, but Sokka was out there doing, uh, I don't know what he was doing. Maybe he had to go to the bathroom?" Aang said, before shrugging. "I was a bit scared, and honestly, so was Katara, but then Sokka said it was fine! I mean, he was tense about it, sure, but he was supportive. So, everything's okay!"
"Supportive?" Kino repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Really, now?"
"Really!"
Kino folded his arms over his chest, unsure that he could believe that. He remembered all too well how Sokka had reacted when Mari had bluntly declared that Aang and Katara were dating. Was it possible for him to have found such great peace and tranquility as to not be bothered by the intimate relationship between those two?
He concluded quickly that Sokka had to be bottling things up, offering Katara all his support while internally struggling with the situation… not only because she was his sister, but because of everything he had lost, too. Kino bit his lip, guessing Zuko might feel similarly about this once he knew of it… but maybe Zuko and Sokka were far more mature than Kino himself. Yes, surely they were… Kino sighed, carrying on with his meal as he reminded himself of the battle, of its outcome, of his fears as he fought in it: as much as he longed for deeper connections, he wasn't going to find them anytime soon, and it would be for the best if he didn't. If he started any relationships, he'd be better off doing it once the war ended. If it ended. If he survived it, too.
Aang continued to be in his unusually bubbly mood, and Kino's concern for Sokka's state of mind triumphed over the possibility of staying near the Avatar – surely Katara would turn up sooner than later, and then they'd be obnoxious together, and Kino's foolish jealousy would get worse. He'd be better off away from them instead of making matters uncomfortable for the happy couple. He was happy for them, he truly was! The itch on the back of his mind was ignorable, he could overlook it, it wasn't like this was a real surprise, ultimately…
He sighed as he marched out of the Palace, running a hand over his hair, wondering just where Sokka might have wound up at – he wasn't in his room, a guard told him he had left earlier today –, when he noticed Katara was approaching… she had been out of the Palace, outright? And with Yue, too…
"… I'm really sorry. That was a bit awkward, you really didn't need to come along, but thank you for doing it anyway."
"Oh, it's no trouble. Besides, it's not a bad thing at all if you're not ready for children just yet. A lot of women rely on the extract of stoneleaf until they want to start a family."
"Right, I just meant, well, since Aang and I aren't married yet, I figured it might make things a bit more…"
"Wait, you're not?"
Yue's genuine surprise at the news caught Katara by surprise. The southern woman blushed, perplex by the confused stare of her friend.
"Well… not yet, no. We will get married, though. That's not… well, not that terrible, right?" Katara asked, awkwardly. "Y-you're not going to take the extract back, are you…?"
"Oh! Uh, no, I just… I thought you were married, is all," Yue said, with a weak smile. "Since you have a betrothal necklace…"
"Ah! Yeah, that's… oh, I get it now," Katara laughed, shaking her head. "This is a family heirloom, actually. My grandmother was from the north, you see, and then she passed down this necklace to my father, so he'd give it to my mother, and when she died, I inherited it next… so, no, it wasn't Aang's betrothal necklace for me."
"I see," Yue laughed, nodding. "Well, it's a beautiful necklace, nonetheless. And, well, no worries about not being married, though… I will warn you it's probably better not to share that with everyone in the Tribe. They might just be a little judgmental about the situation, so…"
"There's no need for that, Princess Yue…" Kino smirked, intervening in the conversation with a smug smirk that certainly didn't reflect his feelings at the moment: Katara yelped, cheeks flushing when she laid eyes upon him. "As far as Southern Water Tribe tradition states, Aang has long proven he can be Katara's husband, so at this point, a wedding is just a formality."
"Is that so?" Yue smiled at him, as Katara's eyebrow twitched. Kino blinked at her.
"Aang's in a pretty good mood. Best one I've ever seen him in," he said, with a dry grin. "I suppose I ought to say… good job."
"G-good…? Oh, shut up. You're so…" Katara huffed, cheeks flushed: Kino snickered, his jealousy fortunately dimming upon seeing Katara's flustered reaction. Somehow, that was far more welcome than Aang's unbreakable joy. "Anyway, thank you, Yue. I'll go drink it right away."
"It's not a problem," Yue laughed. "If you need more, let me know."
"I will, I will," Katara sighed, covering her face with her hands as she marched past Kino: she shoved him lightly for good measure once she did, though, and Kino snickered proudly.
"I'm a childish idiot for thinking it's fun to embarrass them, aren't I? But… it's fun to embarrass them," Kino snickered, looking at Yue deviously. The Princess laughed, raising a hand gracefully to cover her mouth.
"As much as you're mischievous, you're a good friend," she said. Kino winced.
"I… am? I don't really feel like I am one, right now," he chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. "I've always rooted for those two and pushed them together, but… there's a stupid part of me that wants what they have, and it's really stupid, right? I shouldn't even be thinking about that, especially right now…"
"Stupid?" Yue repeated, surprised by his choice in words. Kino grimaced. "Is it stupid to want love?"
"I… I mean, well, it is if you're being a jealous moron around people who deserve to be happy," he said, with an awkward smile. "Especially if they're your best friends. I feel like a bad friend instead, but sometimes my emotions run away with me and not in the finest of ways. B-but anyway! Uh, have you seen Sokka? Or do you know where he might be?"
"Oh, I believe he's training," Yue said. "I saw him in passing early this morning, he had his sword, and he took off somewhere. Do you want to find him?"
"Yeah… I figured I'd just go check if he's handling this any better than me," Kino explained. "Not just because she's his sister, but… he did have that kind of bond with someone and lost it. He's always been really mature about this stuff, but I kind of figured it might bug him more than he's letting on… and if it doesn't? Then maybe he can share his wisdom and I'll learn a thing or two on how to be a decent human being!"
His conclusion was accompanied with a bright smile that didn't suit his self-deprecating conclusion all that well. Yue chuckled and shrugged.
"If so… then I suppose I should accompany you. That kind of wisdom sounds like something I should hear as well," she said. Kino froze up, staring at her in confusion.
"Oh? You think so?" Kino said. "Does this… bother you too?"
"Hmm, I wouldn't quite use that word," Yue said, with a chuckle. "But in a sense, I do envy it… much as I envy Princess Azula, in a sense."
"Princess Azula? Without even knowing her?" asked Kino, perplex.
"She seems to be an extraordinary woman," said Yue, hands behind her back. "Strong in ways I can only admire, even when I don't know her. Had it been her protecting the oasis… I suspect she would have handled herself far better than I did. But it's also because… well, after being abandoned by my husband, I can't help but wonder what it might be like to be loved so deeply by a man who would put an end to a hundred and ten years of war just to return to your side. Love… it's not really a concept I can fathom when it comes to marriage. Romance? I… I was never romanced. That Katara can love Aang so deeply, that he feels the same way… I wish I knew what that was like, too."
"Heh. Then… we're kindred spirits who don't understand romantic love all that well!" Kino exclaimed, with a bright smile. Yue chuckled and shrugged.
"It would seem so, Kino," she said. His smile warmed further upon hearing her speak his name so comfortably.
"Then… we can commiserate about our lousy love lives, or we can go find Sokka and learn how not to do that?" he said, tapping his chin before chuckling. "Yeah, fine, option number two sounds healthier."
Yue chuckled again, falling into step beside him as they marched together to find the Gladiator's practice spot. They talked some more about how confusing it was to see so many people with such strong romantic connections, such certainties about them, finding reassurances and relief in the fact that they weren't alone in their struggles and confusion. But their conversation ceased quickly, for they didn't need to walk too far to find the open area where Sokka trained with his dark blade.
"Ah, there he is," Yue said, with a smile. Kino nodded.
"Though that's… not a normal training sequence," he said, blinking blankly. "What is he doing…?"
Yue raised an eyebrow: she wasn't as quick to pick up on that as Kino was, for she wasn't a combatant at all… but even to her inexpert gaze, it was clear that Sokka's movements had a different intent besides simple, straightforward training.
He dashed to the side, raising his blade with certainty: a ghostly, white sword clashed against it, then made to stab at him. A burst of blue flames followed, and he dodged it while rolling on the ice. He would have made to trip her up, but of course, she wouldn't have fallen, jumping over him, spinning in midair, shooting another blast of fire at him through the soles of her feet.
So then, he'd push himself back up with one hand, jumping high and hard enough to toss his boomerang – he didn't have it with him, but he made the throwing motion regardless. The Azula he visualized shot a burst of fire at the boomerang, causing it to change routes and land away from him: she rushed in, twirling elegantly with her sword and fire, as good as becoming a storm of blades and flames, and Sokka couldn't help but smile at that visual, so vivid and strong as it had been today, for whatever reason…
He parried the blow, dodged the blast at his face, stabbed at her only for her to block and retaliate. No one could keep up with him as she could... no one kept him on his toes as easily as she did. In one fell sweep, he could find himself dropping on his knees in complete surrender against the might of the woman he loved… but for today, he fought fiercely back, even if against a mirage, doing his very best to never concede, to never back down, not until his blade was at her neck… and her hand at his chest, blue embers dancing on her outstretched fingertips.
"Can't seem to win against me, can you?" she teased, smirking proudly. He laughed: the sight of that expression across her face warmed his heart right away. How he had missed that wicked smile…
"When have I ever?" he responded, softly. Azula's smile gained that tender edge that often lined it whenever she offered it to him…
Sokka sighed, closing his eyes as he let himself accept more truths than he wanted to, at that moment: Azula wasn't truly here, even if she was so easy to evoke in his heart, as of late. Moreover… he surely looked utterly insane in the eyes of whoever had showed up to watch him train.
"I'll see you later," he whispered to the mirage: her lips brushed softly against his cheek… then he sighed, opening his eyes to find himself alone, as he actually had been.
He turned then towards the onlookers, offering them the most honest smile he could muster as he raised a hand in their direction.
"Morning," he said. Kino smiled awkwardly at him, and Yue bowed her head in greeting as well.
"Good morning to you too, Sokka," she said.
"That was… something. I'd never seen you train like that before," Kino said, with an awkward smile. "Are you alright?"
"Heh… Better than I thought I'd be. It was, uh, a restful night. Kind of," Sokka said, with a guilty smile. "You look troubled, though, Kino. Something up?"
"Well… you don't look troubled at all. And that's kind of surprising, considering that Aang says you already know about him and Katara being, well, way chummier than ever these days…?" Kino said, raising an eyebrow. Sokka's smile tensed, and he let out a soft laugh.
"Well, you know, being an uncle wasn't that bad with Zuko's kids. Should be fine with Katara's too," he concluded, with a shrug. "Besides… they're a pretty great match. I'll be ready to whip them into shape if they start slacking off because they can't get their hands off each other, as much of a hypocrite as that might make me, but unless it gets in the way of our mission somehow, there's nothing for me to worry about, I think."
"Huh… you're so work-oriented," Kino said, blinking blankly. "No angry, protective older brother rants, then?"
"I think I'd only do that to annoy her," Sokka admitted, with a crooked grin. "Riling up Katara can be fun, sure, but I don't have a death wish, you know? She'd freeze me alive if I take it too far…"
"I suppose, if you look at it that way…" Kino said, grimacing as he pondered if Katara might lose her patience with him similarly. Better not to risk it. "A-anyway… your training just now was pretty cool! What was that about, huh? It kind of looked like you were fighting with someone, but there was no one there, so…"
"Oh…" Sokka raised an eyebrow. "The way I moved really gave it away, huh? I… I don't know why it's been so easy today, but I was actually picturing her. Azula, I mean."
Yue's eyes widened, and Kino hooted in realization. Sokka sighed, a melancholic smile on his face.
"Can't help but think she would've probably beaten me if it had really been her, though. Not having her blade to break mine with each parry isn't exactly the same, but you know… can't ask for more right now."
"Damn… I mean, I know she's a scary opponent, but you think she'd have beaten you?" Kino said, with an awkward grin.
"What's so surprising about that?" Sokka raised an eyebrow.
"That up to this moment I don't think I've ever seen you lose a fight…?" Kino said. Sokka blinked blankly before laughing off Kino's remark.
"Yeah, maybe you haven't, but that doesn't mean I haven't lost plenty of them," he said, shaking his head. "And no one would be as likely to beat me as she was. I mean, we tied at times, but still…"
"Well, damn. Sorry that we interrupted you," Kino said, with a sad smile.
"Eh, it's fine. I was bound to break down crying in the middle of combat because she felt too vivid and real, and then she would have mocked me and chopped me up with her invisible blade because, as there'd be no consequences for it, she'd definitely do that to make fun of me, and… see? It sounds like I'm losing my mind," Sokka said, with a guilty chuckle as he shook his head.
"Maybe it does," Kino said, with a sad smile. "Say… if you think you're losing it, would you like to train with me, instead? I… I haven't really trained at all since the battle. Might be a good idea to start working on it some more… should help me make sure I won't fuck up the next time things get intense."
"Well… if you want to, sure thing," Sokka said, with a gentle smile. "But… go fetch your sword first, of course."
"Oh! Haha, yeah, right away. I guess you can train a bit more with your envisioned Azula in the meantime?" Kino grinned, scratching the back of his head.
"Oh, I'll try," Sokka sighed. "Don't be too shocked if you find me a weepy mess once you return, alright?"
"I'll keep it in mind," Kino chuckled as he turned around, on his way to the Palace anew…
He blinked blankly when he found that Yue was following him rather than staying to watch Sokka.
"Uh… you'll come with me?" he asked. Yue blushed a little and smiled.
"I… think he's bound to want some time alone," she said. "Besides, this way… this way you can tell me more about what he talked about. I'd rather ask you rather than open his wounds by prying…"
"You mean… about Azula?" Kino said. "Well, I didn't know her all that well myself, only met her a couple of times and she's just terrifying, I have to say, really pretty but so damn scary…"
"Scary why?" Yue asked, amused. Kino shivered.
"I don't really know? She looks like she's ready to cut someone's head off when she's not in a good mood, and she sure wasn't in one when I first met her," he said, biting his lip. "She's really intimidating, you see… I mean, you think Sokka's intimidating too, don't you?"
"W-well, I guess so," Yue said, with a small smile. "It's strange because he doesn't really make himself aloof, he doesn't feel arrogant, but… yes, he's intimidating."
"Well, imagine that feeling and expand it by a thousandfold or something," Kino said, with a weak smile. Yue covered her mouth as she laughed again. "That's seriously what she feels like. And she's incredible, of course, but damn, you really have to be a guy of Sokka's caliber to so much as dream of keeping up with her."
"I suppose so," Yue said. "Though… while I knew she was a fighter, I guess it never really dawned on me what that meant until now. That he would be so strong… and that he would believe her to be stronger still than he was? That's… that's difficult to fathom."
"Huh…" Kino said, eyeing her with uncertainty. "Difficult to fathom… because there aren't many female warriors around here, huh?"
"Many would imply that there are some," Yue said. Kino's eyes widened. "That's not the case. In all my years, I've only known of one female waterbender who attempted to be taught in the arts of combat, and Master Pakku refused her. She's another deserter of the Tribe, she left years ago… she was very talented, but she didn't care for only being a healer. I was surprised when I heard that she had preferred to leave her home than to be a healer… but I never thought that other nations aren't quite like the Northern Water Tribe, are they?"
"Hmm… maybe not, but I wouldn't get my hopes too high about how open other nations are to warrior ladies," Kino said, eyeing her with uncertainty. "The Fire Nation allows women to join the army, sure… but not a lot of them do, and I never heard of any who succeeded a lot there. A lot of them dropped out, back when I first joined the army there were around five new recruits along with me and all of them quit within the first two months."
"Was it too difficult, or…?" Yue asked. Kino grimaced.
"Yeah, uh, I don't think the training was all that difficult. Had to be other reasons," he said. Yue sighed, shaking her head as she picked up on Kino's implications quickly enough.
"Of course," she mumbled.
"Don't think the Earth Kingdom was much better. The South's probably the one place that really got over those things recently," Kino reasoned. "Katara was always hellbent on being a fighter, nobody was going to stop her. But Zuko's wife is a warrior from Kyoshi Island, and she trained the women of the Tribe so they would have some combat knowledge when the Fire Nation attacked… it was pretty damn cool, you know? I mean, it's not exactly great that training an entire community in warfare is a necessity, but at the same time, I really thought it was great for Suki to train them. I guess maybe one day, once Master Pakku quits being so backwards, he'll realize he's better served by training women too…"
"I don't know if that day will arrive," Yue said, with a sad smile. "But perhaps your group will help change him. He had to back down when Katara joined the battle that day… but who knows if his stubbornness about upholding traditions will finally start to weaken because of you."
"Hmm… maybe you could help," Kino said, with a devious grin. "Let's train you up too, and once he sees the Princess knows a thing or two about combat…!"
"W-wait, me? Should I? I'm not a fighter…" Yue said, with a weak laugh. Kino snickered.
"I'm sure you'll have more fun than you think, if you give it a shot," he said. Yue bit her lip.
"Fun, though? But… it's not really fun for you, is it? Warfare, fighting against… against the nation you were born to, of all things. It can't be easy, can it?"
"Heh… it's gotten way easier than it should be," Kino said, earnestly. Yue raised her eyebrows. "I betrayed my nation long ago… and found belonging and peace in a place where I never thought I would. I only made my first real friends in the Southern Water Tribe… and I only found there was more to life than living to fulfill the Fire Lord's orders once they took me in. The longer I'm away… the harder it is to feel like it really is my nation, you know? And of course, I'm not really Water Tribe, I never have been… but even if I don't fully belong there, it's the only home I've ever known. After they tried to destroy that home, it became way easier for me to be ready to fight against the Fire Nation, no matter if that's where I was born."
"Huh…" Yue said, eyeing him compassionately. "You chose friendship, companionship, valuable bonds over power, over pretenses of superiority, too… that was very wise of you, Kino."
"Oh, uh… thank you," Kino said, with a small smile.
"Maybe you weren't born to the Water Tribe… but I think, if you feel that's where your heart is, it's a wonderful thing," Yue said, earnestly. "If only there were more people like you in the Fire Nation…"
"Wha-… me?" Kino gasped, staring at Yue with disbelief. She smiled and nodded. "W-well, I mean, there's a lot of better people than me there, and… a-anyway, thank you. That was very flattering of you to say even if I don't think I'm that great, but… thank you!"
Yue chuckled as they crossed the threshold of the Palace. She accompanied him all the way to his room, heart tight and warm as she watched him sort through his bags until he found his sword lying by his bed instead – he had forgotten where he had put it, after all.
The more she learned about the strange Fire Nation deserter, the more poignant the differences between him and Hahn would become in her mind's eye: she didn't know, really, why she compared them at all, but she couldn't help but do so. Was it because Kino would play with her children, in ways Hahn never did? Was it because he took his time to talk to her, and he genuinely seemed interested in hearing what she might say? In turn, she was deeply intrigued by him, most of all since he was one of the most approachable members of his group.
But the strongest difference was the humility against the arrogance, the shockingly different reasons to turn their backs on their respective nations: where Hahn had chosen to join the Fire Nation for his own sake, safety and advancement, Kino had chosen to abandon his powerful, daunting nation to choose the Water Tribe instead. And he didn't simply live off their food and loitered about aimlessly… he had joined their defense, he had partaken on this journey to keep fighting for the safety of the place where he had built a home for himself for the very first time. He fought against his former brothers-in-arms without hesitation, knowing right from wrong, staying true to the man he had grown to be… whereas Hahn was a prideful, shameful bastard. He had given away so much, shared secrets with Zhao that he never should have, that might have even reached the ears of the Fire Lord. He had abandoned his family, his position… he had never been worthy of those things, and he had more than proven it with his unfathomably selfish choices.
Kino inspired her in strange ways… down to even inspiring her to make wild choices as he returned with his sword, breathing heavily.
"Okay, I'll try not to make a fool of myself by sparring with Sokka, but I'll warn you already that he's going to kick my ass," he said. Yue chuckled. "So… you know, for your sake, don't cheer me on."
"What if I decide to do so, in the hopes that it might encourage or embolden you?" she asked, teasingly. Kino's cheeks flushed.
"B-but wouldn't you rather cheer for the person who's likelier to win?" he asked.
"Maybe I'd rather cheer for the person who has become a good friend," she said, with an earnest smile. Kino's eyes widened.
"A… good friend. Huh," he said, a slow smile spreading over his lips. "We're… good friends? W-we are?"
"If you think so too… yes," Yue smiled, warmly – there was something terribly endearing and even childish about Kino, truly… "Though… I think, after what we talked about, you may have emboldened me a little more than you should have."
"I… I did? In which regards, exactly?" Kino asked, blinking blankly: his cheeks flushed at the sight of a surprisingly mischievous smile on the Princess's face… though, naturally, her mischief seemed to be sweeter than any he had ever seen before.
"After you're done training with Sokka… would you teach me the basics of being a warrior?"
Kino froze in place, his jaw dropped. Yue bit her lip in anticipation as Kino shook his head to as good as snap himself awake.
"Y-you want me to… y-you want me to… w-why, absolutely! Yes! I'd be your… your teacher? That's so strange! I've never taught anyone anything!" he laughed, looking at her in amazement. "You really want me to do that?"
"If you want to… I don't mean to impose, but those stories about Princess Azula were very inspiring," she said, with a soft chuckle. "I'm sure I wouldn't be able to reach her level of talent, more so considering how late in life I'd be starting with this, but… I'd love to try something new, if just a few times. Who knows? Maybe… maybe I won't be completely useless at it, right?"
"Surely you won't be… but it's okay even if you are, because I sure was useless and I got a lot better!" Kino grinned. Yue chuckled at his earnest response, and he bit his lip eagerly. "So… okay! I'll bring my own sword to spar with Sokka, and we can go to an armory now, maybe, to find training weapons we can start with, and then, after Sokka gets bored of beating me up, we'll train together! Though… come to think of it, wouldn't you rather learn from him? He's the actual master, you know…"
"That feels like… too much pressure," Yue said, with an awkward smile. Kino snorted and chuckled. "Not that I don't think you're capable of incredible things, but… he is your leader. He's quite daunting, like you said, too. I feel… well, more comfortable with you, if that makes sense."
"I… can't even remember the last time a girl said she was comfortable with me," Kino blinked blankly. "Hell, I can't remember the first, rather. Maybe this is the first, come to think of it. Wow."
"Could it really be?" Yue smiled sadly. "You've met surprisingly cruel girls in your life, if so…"
"More like you're the nicest person in this entire world, haha," Kino said, with a warm grin. "Thank you for… for trusting me with this. It means a lot, Princess… i-it means a lot, Yue."
She smiled warmly at him, nodding at his effort to use her name properly. His cheeks flushed, and he grinned giddily.
"Then… let's go, Kino," she said, confidently. He nodded, tucking his sword into his sash and starting on his way with her – at this point, any thoughts of jealousy over Aang and Katara's finally fulfilled relationship were so far forgotten, so distant from his mind, that he couldn't even remember what had started out the strange chain of events from that morning anymore.
He followed Yue to the armory, where she picked out spears rather than swords, for it was the most common weapon in the Water Tribe. Afterwards, Kino marched off with a spring in his step, giddy in ways he could barely imagine possible in the middle of the darkest days of a war as intense as the one they were facing …
But they were on an unusual period of downtime, and that would continue to be the case for the time being. The building of new ships was set to begin that week, and by then, reality was bound to come marching in once more, unforgiving and relentless… for now, he'd do best to thrive in this new bond with the girl who, out of some astounding miracle, had decided he was worth her time, her appreciation and friendship.
"You took your time," Sokka smirked, lying face-up on the ice by the time Kino and Yue arrived. They eyed him with perplexity.
"And you look like you got your ass kicked. Did she beat you?" Kino asked. Sokka laughed and shrugged.
"Of course she did. Why wouldn't she?" he said, pushing himself up and picking up his blade.
"See how strong and scary she is? Even Sokka's imaginary Azula is stronger than him," Kino told Yue, who giggled as Sokka smiled fondly upon hearing those words. "Unless… he's trying to be gallant and letting her win?"
"Pfft," Sokka snorted, eyeing Kino skeptically. "I know you didn't really have much time to get to know her, Kino, but I sure as hell didn't need to 'let her win', she had it in her to tear me to shreds whenever she felt like it. If anything? If I won, it'd be because she took it easy on me for whatever reason, not the other way around."
"Right, right," Kino said, with a weak grin. "And not because you're a strong and scary guy of your own, absolutely not."
"Absolutely not," Sokka declared, twirling his sword and pointing it at Kino. "Now then, if you keep slandering her, I'll show you no quarter…"
"Slander?! I didn't slander…! I was just teasing!" Kino winced. Sokka smirked.
"It's more fun to spar with you if there's more at stake involved, you know," he said. "I have to defend her honor from your baseless accusations, see?"
"That's just… you're messing with me, you jerk," Kino pouted, unsheathing his sword and raising it defensively. "Well, then… uh, Yue, please take your seat safely away from the fighting area, or he'll start picking a fight with you too."
"Oh, I'll pass. I have nothing but respect for Princess Azula…" Yue said, bowing awkwardly at Sokka, who smirked proudly at her.
"Good of you! And after I'm done with Kino, he'll be that respectful too," Sokka declared. Kino scoffed.
"I respect her plenty! But the one I won't respect… is you! Come on!" Kino roared, jumping forward recklessly with his sword.
Their playful, weird banter carried on as they sparred. Yue backed out of the open space, smiling as she watched their swords clash: Kino, despite his self-deprecating attitude, proved he could keep up with Sokka for much longer than Yue herself expected him to. He was defeated eventually… but on the second round, Sokka's attempt to disarm Kino failed: the underdog had learned from the first misstep, and he had figured out a way to counter Sokka's earlier resource to defeat him. Shortly afterwards, though, the outcome repeated itself as Kino wound up falling face down on the ice, with Sokka's sword aimed at his neck: the next time Sokka tried to trip Kino, the Fire Nation deserter actually aimed at stepping on Sokka's foot and pushing himself back with the momentum. Sokka had laughed, complaining only lightly about Kino's cruelty before returning to focus on the fight at hand.
To think that Kino was so concerned about how ordinary he was… Yue could only smile as she watched over him, fascinated by his quickness to adapt, by the occasional glimpses of how seriously he was taking this fight… was he, perhaps, hoping to impress her? There was a soft tingle in her chest upon that thought. He already had impressed her plenty, as things stood… but if he tried harder still, she certainly wouldn't mind it. Watching him fight with Sokka was surprisingly entertaining, fulfilling, even…
Kino groaned after the tenth bout ended with another loss for him, but by then, it seemed Sokka was tired enough after his personal training session that he lowered his weapon, wiping the sweat off his brow as he sheathed it over his shoulder.
"Well, you've pushed me further than you did back in Ba Sing Se… take that as a victory, will you?" he said, raising a fist that Kino sighed and bumped with his own. "Cheer up, damn it. Want to make Princess Yue think you're a whiner, do you?"
"N-no, but still, I thought I'd get you in this last one…" Kino pouted, shaking his head before pushing himself up fully. "No matter! I'll get you one day! And you'll never hear the end of it, once I do!"
"Great. You just made sure I'll do everything in my power to avoid that," Sokka smirked. Kino huffed. "Come on, cut yourself some slack. You're doing pretty damn well, it's only a matter of time before everyone's scared of you, oh mighty Kino…"
"Everyone including you, sure thing," Kino said, with a light smirk. "Thanks for training with me, though… and sorry if I cut you off from practicing against a worthier opponent, heh."
"Eh, she forgives you," Sokka smirked, and Kino chuckled. "I saw that Princess Yue's carrying some spears, though… you plan on training with her too?"
"Uh, y-yeah, well… she wanted to try it, a bit," Kino said, with a shy smile. "Looks like all your stories about Azula have inspired her to test if she could learn to fight, too."
"Really?" Sokka said, with a gentle smile. "Azula would be pleased if she knew. Well, then… good luck, Sifu Kino. Do your best, alright?"
"S-Sifu…?" Kino repeated, with a foolish grin on his face. "Woah. That's a new one, heh. W-well, thanks, Sokka! See you later?"
"Sure," Sokka smiled, raising a hand in farewell as he turned towards Yue too, waving at her from a distance.
He marched out of his chosen training grounds, his mind set on finding something to eat before checking on the group of firebenders: their work at building the ships would begin soon, and Sokka meant to be part of it, too. He should check on Zuko as well, though the Prince's recovery was progressing quite smoothly so far, to his companions' relief, to the point where he had begun exercising his limbs in order to fight back the muscular atrophy he was likely to develop otherwise. Maybe Rui Shi would be visiting him right now, the firebenders were finally allowed some more freedom in the Water Tribe, after all…
Laughter behind him brought him to turn around, though, and he smiled too at the sight of Yue and Kino, awkwardly holding their spears and making moves as though to stab the other – though they never went quite so far as to actually reach, let alone damage, the other's body. Kino's expertise wasn't in spears, certainly, but he seemed to be having fun by explaining some thing or another to Yue, whose stance was quite awkward as she moved her hands over the spear's shaft, trying to find the right place to hold it…
There was something so good-natured about the sight of them sparring, to Yue's willingness to step out of her comfort zone, to Kino's eagerness to show her everything he knew. Yet again… a strange, unique bond was born between people who, were the world any different than it was, would have never come anywhere close to interacting with each other.
"Just like us."
Azula's voice rang in his mind as he felt, again, that powerfully evoked presence, wrapping her arms around him from behind. He closed his eyes briefly, letting his heart feel her as strongly as it might… gazing one more time upon another Princess and a warrior, from the Fire Nation and the Water Tribe, who might just find in each other what they had never known they had been looking for:
"That's right, Azula. Just like us," he agreed, his heart burning pleasantly with a peace he never imagined he would feel until the war was truly over… but the pair before his eyes strengthened his hopes, just as his connection with Azula always did. She wasn't so far away… if anything, he was closer to her than he had been in a painfully long time. He simply needed to be patient… he simply needed to believe that the moment of their reencounter, the renewal of their extraordinary bond, was so much closer at hand than anyone realized.
The training grounds Sokka had chosen were hidden behind a few buildings… but they were in plain sight for those who might be at the highest vantage points in the city. One such person was none other than Master Pakku, who had been visiting Chief Arnook that morning, informing him of the current state of the waterbending forces, of the non-benders who had started training newer recruits, some so young it genuinely unsettled Pakku to see them trained at all…
But it seemed someone else was training too. Someone who certainly had no reason to do so, for she had no place in a battlefield. But was she truly hoping to learn how to fight? The man she was working with… it was the Fire Nation man, wasn't it? The insolent one…
Pakku's scowl gained prominence: perhaps he was worried over nothing… but perhaps he wasn't. Whatever the case might be, however…
Instead of leaving as he had intended to, Master Pakku turned on his heels, returning to Chief Arnook's office at once.