Haru raised his eyebrows when Ty Lee showed him the flier, a cheeky smile on her face. The earthbender took the paper in his hand while Ty Lee snickered, taking her seat at their kitchen table and uttering a quick thank you for the meal he had finished preparing for them while Haru continued to take in the contents of the flier.
"You're sure about this?" Haru said at last, looking at her. Ty Lee swallowed a mouthful of red beans while nodding. "I just… I've never done something like this before."
"All the more reason to do it, dear!" she exclaimed. "That guy from the Dome, Shuji…?"
"Shoji," Haru corrected, and Ty Lee nodded energetically.
"Yes, that! He's actually the one who told me we should join. He says you're already within the range for joining the upcoming Pairs Tournament, and I asked, Sokka is in that same range, so…!"
"You really think they'll be up for something like this yet?" Haru said, biting his lip and setting down the flier. "I could make a good partner for Sokka, I guess, but… I'm not sure they're in the mood for big trips and crazy events these days."
"Oh, please," said Ty Lee, waving a hand carelessly. "What happens in the Festivals stays in the Festivals, everyone knows that. It's been two weeks already! They'll get over it soon enough and, once they do, we can all go on a new trip! And this time it will be more fun than the last time, since they're properly together now and no longer pretending otherwise in front of us."
"They will have to pretend otherwise, though," said Haru. "If we go all the way to Ba Sing Se… wouldn't we take the Princess's ship? And there will be guards, and sailors, and…"
"Do you really have to poke holes in all my plans, Haru?" Ty Lee pouted. Haru stiffened and shook his head. "I mean, it's not like you can't speak your mind, but you're being such a pessimist, darling…"
"I j-just… I just don't know if they'll agree to this, that's all," he said, with a shy smile. "If they do, though, I… I guess we'll just have to train harder than ever. It would be my first Pairs Tournament."
"It will be a very educational experience, I'm sure!" Ty Lee insisted, beaming. "Not to mention, the number of points you earn if you win is out of the ordinary, dear… we could get a great boost if we get far in this event!"
"I hope we can," said Haru, grinning weakly. "Sokka is much stronger than ever these days…"
"If Azula agrees to this, you and Sokka can start training for it starting today," said Ty Lee. "It's going to be amazing! And we'll travel the world, see the sights… you'll enjoy it, I'm sure! Even if we lose the Tournament, the trip should be worth it."
Haru smiled and nodded as Ty Lee continued to eat. She had visited the Grand Royal Dome early in the morning, both to pick up whatever money she was owed from bets and to choose Haru's next fight. It wasn't all that unusual for her to return in high spirits, but it was the first time she was so determined to join one of the League's events.
Haru bit his lip, though, as his sponsor finished her breakfast, humming to herself as she often did when looking forward to her weekly meeting with her friends. It was definitely an interesting prospect to travel to the Earth Kingdom's lands again, but the idea also daunted Haru, to an extent. He hadn't been in the Earth Kingdom since he was taken away from his family: his former sponsor had always taken him to fights within the Fire Nation's main islands, never in the colonies.
Returning now and witnessing, personally, whatever harm had been done to the lands that had once been a home to him, might prove painful. And the mere thought of his mother and father, their torn family with no hopes of being amended… His jaw squared as he lost himself in his past briefly. It was easy to be swept up in Ty Lee's enthusiasm and free spirit, to enjoy the kind of life she was providing for him. His time with her had easily been the best of his life so far… and yet at nights he would lie awake for hours, thinking about everything he had lost while she slumbered beside him. Visiting the Earth Kingdom again, now that it had become a colonized continent, would probably only deepen his grief for the family he would likely never see again.
Haru was washing the dishes when he heard a knock on the door. Ty Lee rushed to open it while Haru carried on working at the kitchen. He overheard the conversation from the kitchen easily, though, as Ty Lee's cheerful voice drifted through the rooms.
"Seriously? Ruon Jian took Yuudai to work with him?"
"Apparently, he thought it would be fun," Mai's voice wasn't as loud, but Haru could hear it regardless. He dried his hands and approached the friends with a kind smile on his face. "Don't ask me how he expects to do his job while handling a mumbling boy who needs a change of diapers every two hours. If he gets fired for this, it won't be anyone's fault but his own."
"Of course," said Ty Lee, giggling while Haru waved at Mai. She nodded towards him.
"I figure Azula isn't here yet?" Mai said, glancing across the house. Ty Lee shook her head.
"She might just be having some fun with Sokka before coming here, it's hardly beyond them," she snickered. Mai leveled her with a pointed stare and a raised eyebrow.
Haru smiled and moved to close the front door, but he stopped on his tracks when he noticed someone else was approaching the house. He almost rubbed his eyes, wondering if he was seeing things, but a hard blink proved his perception had been correct: Sokka approached the house, hunched over while carrying all his weapons on his back. He was on foot, and he was alone.
"Sokka?" Haru called him, once his friend was entering the front yard. Sokka glanced at the front door and snapped out of his daze, smiling and waving at Haru.
"Hey, how's it going?"
"I… guess everything's fine over here," he said, as Ty Lee and Mai glanced at Sokka over Haru's shoulders. "Why are you alone?"
"Didn't even bring Toph to replace Azula this time?" Mai teased. Sokka chuckled and shook his head as he crossed the threshold into the house.
"Toph's not going to be around for a while, so no. As for Azula, she'll be here later," he said. "She sent me a messenger hawk this morning, told me to come by myself… she's been rather busy these days. Anyways, good to see you all."
"Oh? Is she so busy she can't even take time out of her schedule to fondle you?" Ty Lee sneered, but she dropped her teasing when Sokka's response was merely a miserable grimace and a shake of his head. "Oh. Sorry."
"How I miss the fondling…" he mused, making his way towards the living room while Haru closed the front door.
"He's remarkably down," Mai mentioned, and Ty Lee bit her lower lip as they gazed at their friend's gladiator. "Maybe make some tea?"
Ty Lee nodded and rushed to the kitchen while Sokka began stretching in the backyard. He stopped his warmups when Mai let him know about the tea, however, and within a half hour, all four of them sat at the cushions around the tea table, the unasked question waiting to be spoken aloud.
"Well, if no one is going to say it, I will!" Ty Lee finally declared, looking at Sokka with determination. "What's going on? What is Azula up to that she can't hang out with us?"
"A lot of things," Sokka sighed, rubbing his forehead with his fingertips. "If it's not one thing, it's another… you know that she dissembled her Royal Guards, right?"
"She told us last week, yes," said Mai, nodding.
"And you also know that she's responsible for that group of homeless people who crashed the Parade…?"
"Yeah, she talked about that, too," Ty Lee said.
"Well, for the past two weeks she's been overseeing the tests for the guards and also crosschecking all the information the homeless people gave her, so she can confirm they are who they say they are," said Sokka, with a shrug.
"Does it matter?" said Ty Lee, raising an eyebrow. "They're homeless, their future should be more important than their past…"
"Turns out they might be Fire Nation trueborn citizens," Sokka said, and the girl's eyes widened. "So yes, it matters a little more than it would if they were just escaped slaves. She had confirmed three of their backgrounds the last time she mentioned that, but she's working so hard that I've only seen her twice over the last two weeks. All we do is talk through messenger hawks and it's… boring."
"Of course it is," said Ty Lee, with a sympathetic smile. "And after what you guys went through in the Festivals…"
"At the very least, this way you can be sure no one will accuse you two of spending more time together than you should," said Mai, raising an eyebrow and sipping her tea. Sokka groaned.
"I suppose it is helping us keep a low profile, but it's not helpful in any other regards," he said, shrugging. "She's been so busy she didn't even come watch my final session of training with my swordsman apprentice last week…"
"An apprentice?" Mai repeated. Sokka smiled weakly.
"I offered to teach a lieutenant's son a couple of months ago," he explained. "She's usually there for our training sessions, but she had to skip out of the last one we'll ever have. The kid's father is being relocated by the army… either way, point is, I haven't seen much of her lately."
"No wonder you're so down," said Ty Lee, sipping her tea too. Sokka groaned.
"I suppose it's no surprise, yeah," he said, an elbow on the small table, resting his chin on his palm. "What's worse is our anniversary is coming up. And I just keep wondering if I'll even see her at all that day…"
"Your… anniversary?" Ty Lee repeated, eyes wide with an awkward smile. "You guys have a… huh?"
"Doesn't everyone?" Sokka said, raising an eyebrow.
Mai nodded, but Ty Lee and Haru looked at each other with uncertainty. Did they have an anniversary? Was it when she had bought Haru off his awful sponsor? Neither one remembered the exact date of it, and if that wasn't it…
"S-sure, everyone!" said Ty Lee, waving a hand carelessly towards him. "I'm sure Azula will make time for that, though. She'll know better than to skip something so important!"
"I hope so," said Sokka, with a weak smile that turned into a grimace again rather quickly. "Still, I, uh… can't say I've planned much for it so far. It's hard to come up with new ideas when your relationship can't be public."
"Oh, are you planning on giving her a celebration surprise?" Ty Lee asked, her excitement alight again. "That will be wonderful!"
"I can only hope it would be," said Sokka, smiling sadly. "But, truthfully, I have no idea what to do. Though… wait a second. You two are her best friends since childhood."
"Right. I thought you were told as much over two years ago," said Mai, skeptical. Sokka ignored her, though, and rubbed his chin while eyeing both girls.
"Not only that, but you both have enough experience in relationships, so…" he said, biting his lip before nodding with determination. "You two can help!"
"Help…? How?" Ty Lee asked, curious and confused.
"Well, I mean, you two have known Azula forever now," said Sokka, with a growing smile. "So, you can tell me all about what sort of crazy romantic fantasies she had as a kid! As far as I've heard, girls talk about that kind of stuff, right?"
"Uh… some girls," said Mai, with a grimace. Ty Lee smiled apologetically at Sokka.
"Not Azula, though," she said. "No doubt she would listen to my stories, and Mai's, but she never sounded all that interested in finding love for herself. If anything, she was very quick to shake off the first guy her dad tried to make her marry, so…"
"Though I do remember one thing she said, back when we were like… seven," said Mai, smirking. Sokka's eyes lit up.
"What's that?" he said. "If I can make it happen…!"
"She said she was going to marry Admiral Zhao."
Sokka's jaw dropped, and his hopeful mood vanished instantly. Ty Lee looked at Mai skeptically while her friend merely smiled at the aghast look on Sokka's face.
"Did she really say that?" Ty Lee whispered. "I mean, I remember her saying he was a good-looking man, but that she'd marry him?"
"I distinctly recall her confessing that in one of our slumber parties," said Mai. "I was a little worried about her taste in men from that day forward. Safe to say I'm astounded she improved her standards and went for a guy like Sokka instead."
"Improved, huh?" said Sokka, with a half-hearted grin. "Good to know that's what you think…"
"Well, what else should I think?" said Mai. "Zhao's sideburns are ridiculous and his hairline was receding even when we were kids. He always looked disgustingly old to me. I don't know what Azula saw in him."
"Safe to say she doesn't see anything in him anymore," Sokka said, with a dry grin. "Not in that sense, anyways."
"And I'm glad for it, really. She always could do better," Mai declared, before taking another sip of her tea.
"Anyways, uh, sorry but I really can't think of anything in particular that would help you, Sokka," said Ty Lee, with a shrug. "I mean… you're really limited here. You're trying to surprise a princess, of all people, when there's nothing you can buy for her that she couldn't get on her own, if she truly wants it. Giving her a nice experience, like dinner out in a good restaurant, is impossible…"
"Yeah, we can't really go out somewhere," said Sokka, shaking his head.
"So, your options aren't the greatest, by far," said Mai. "Though, I suppose you could always prepare a meal she'll enjoy, and you can eat it by candlelight if you two would do that kind of sappy thing?"
"That'd work!" exclaimed Ty Lee. "Oh, get her some mochi for dessert, she loved them as a kid!"
"Huh. I'll keep that in mind," said Sokka, stroking his stubble. Now they were getting somewhere. "I suppose a pretty spicy meal, then mochi… and candles, then? You sure?"
"And flower petals!" Ty Lee exclaimed. Mai grimaced. "Spread them across the house, it will give the whole thing a much more romantic vibe, you know?"
"Uh-huh…" said Sokka, growing a little doubtful. Ty Lee giggled.
"And, well… I suppose what comes after that is pretty much your area of expertise?" she said, wiggling her eyebrows towards Sokka. He blushed, catching onto her meaning immediately.
"W-well, I don't… I mean, maybe, I don't know…" he muttered, bashful, as Ty Lee laughed loudly.
"Come on, we know you're a wonderful partner for her!" she exclaimed. Sokka grimaced. "You did just say that girls talk about this kind of thing…"
"Yeah, well, they do but I don't think Azula talks about our sex life with you guys," he said, with a skeptical grin. "Not as far as I know, anyways."
Ty Lee's charade fell apart that easily, and Mai snorted with mild amusement. She raised her teacup towards Sokka in acknowledgement.
"Ty Lee was hoping to coax you into spilling all the dirty anecdotes, you see," she said. "You're right to believe she won't tell us anything."
"As much as she has to keep things secret, we already know the truth," Ty Lee pouted. "She could tell us about that kind of stuff, right?"
"She could. She chooses not to," said Mai, with a shrug. Ty Lee sighed. "At any rate, Sokka…"
"Yeah?" he said, looking at Mai hopefully.
"I'm afraid you aren't in luck," she said. "As helpful as you may find some of our advice, at the end of the day I'm quite sure that, of all the people in this room, and surely, the whole world, the one who knows Azula best is you. If you can't come up with something to surprise her, I'm afraid no one can."
"Really, then?" he said, blinking blankly before sighing. "I really thought you guys might know a thing or two that could help… I've just never done this before, you know? And I want to do something she'll love. It shouldn't be just another ordinary day of, uh… training."
"Training. That's what they call it these days?" said Mai, smirking. Ty Lee grimaced.
"I hope not, because you were supposed to be training with Haru today and I'm not sure I'll condone that if I'm not involved too," she pouted, while both men squirmed and glared at her in disgust. "What?"
"You're mad," said Sokka, shaking his head and rolling his eyes. "I'm trying to do something good for my anniversary with Azula, remember? Stop talking nonsense."
"Well, you started it," she pouted, folding her arms over her chest.
"Still, as sex has been brought up…" said Mai, raising her eyebrow. "Maybe try something interesting in those regards? Like…"
"Oh, a day that's all about her!" said Ty Lee, beaming. "Please her in every way you can!"
"Um… heh. I'd have no problem with that…" said Sokka, biting his lip, and both girls looked at him skeptically.
"But what?" said Ty Lee. "Would it be that difficult for you? Is it you don't want to be all work while she gets all the fun?"
"That's not it, it's just… I said I wanted us to do something different, to make it a day that stands out amongst the others right? Well, that suggestion is basically what I do every day, so… it's not likely to feel very special," he said, with a shrug. Mai's eyes narrowed.
"Seriously?" she said. "You… spend every one of your trysts worrying about pleasing her?"
"Why wouldn't I?" said Sokka, blinking blankly. Ty Lee looked at him in disbelief.
"You mean… do you go down on her, then?" she asked, with a shy smile. Mai shot a glare at her.
"Why are you asking…?"
"I do it almost every time," Sokka answered bluntly. Both Mai and Ty Lee froze, and even Haru stared at him in astonishment by now. "What? If you're judging me because I don't do it every single time, well, in some circumstances it's kind of tricky to be so thorough, especially if you have to get it done fast and… wait, that's not what you're judging me for."
"No one is judging you," said Ty Lee, eyebrow twitching. "It's just shocking. I mean… that's not what most men do. I'd know."
Haru blushed next to her and bowed his head, muttering promises about not failing her in that area anymore. Sokka grimaced, blushing as he covered his face with his hand.
"So… it's really that rare?" he asked, swallowing hard. "I guess I'm sorry to hear that."
"You should just be proud of yourself. And we'll just be happy for Azula," said Mai, blinking in amazement still. "Anyways, I don't know what to suggest that's outlandish enough…"
"Yeah, outlandish without being over the top," said Ty Lee, with an awkward smile. "Like, I don't know, getting her to climax thrice in one round or so!"
"Well, that could be done, but I'm not sure that'll go down in history as something all that extraordinary either," said Sokka, shrugging. "Just the other day, when I was in the Palace, we… um. Yeah, I'm not telling you about that…"
"W-what do you mean you won't?! Come on, you can't just start a story and leave it off at the very beginning!" Ty Lee cried out, pouting. Haru patted her back gently.
"Point is, uh, I did that recently. You could say it was two rounds, not just one, but still…" he said, shrugging. "I have the unspoken policy of doing my best to make sure she finishes at least twice every time we go at it. Best way to be sure I did things right."
Again, the other three stared at Sokka in disbelief while he blushed. Azula would kill him if she knew he was talking about this, wouldn't she…? Then again, going by how absent she had been these days, maybe she'd show up so late that nobody would even remember this conversation when she did…
"Is… is he some sort of gift of fate?" said Ty Lee, staring into the horizon with a deadpan smile. "She was more patient than us, waited longer, found a perfect guy…"
"Woah, I'm hardly perfect! If I were, I wouldn't be here asking for advice!" Sokka exclaimed. Mai huffed, eyes unusually wide.
"From what I'm hearing, Sokka?" she said, earnestly. "If you're really that successful with her, you don't need any advice from us. She's as high-maintenance as can be, and yet you seem to keep up with her just fine. How are we supposed to give you any information you'll find any use for?"
"I… don't know," Sokka admitted, sighing. "I just… really want it to be a good, special day. I don't know how, but…"
"Maybe you could make something for her," said Haru, with a shrug. "A painting, or poetry?"
"Yeah, she'd likely laugh at my art if she ever saw it, as she already has laughed at my poetry," he said, with a dry grin. "She liked the last ones I wrote, I guess, but she keeps the ones I wrote eons ago just to make fun at me for them…"
"You wrote poetry for her? Are you… are you kidding me?" Ty Lee said, shaking her head. "Remind me, just why aren't you two married yet? Because that kind of behavior is like…! Like a prince out of a fairytale or something? This is disturbing!"
"Well, we're not married but not out of a lack of trying, I've actually asked if she'd marry me and she says she would, so…!"
"Why am I not surprised?!"
Ty Lee's disbelief over Sokka's successful relationship with Azula only seemed to amuse Mai, while Sokka shrugged it off and Haru looked at his sponsor warily. Was her reaction to Sokka's achievements a veiled message for him? Surely it was… Ty Lee probably would like it if he was as thoughtful and hard-working as Sokka seemed to be. But as Ty Lee usually was so cheerful and relaxed, she had never given Haru much reason to think he had to make those sorts of efforts…
The earthbender decided to work harder for her, though. Perhaps that way he'd stop feeling so inadequate upon hearing Sokka's stories. Still, he wasn't entirely surprised: Sokka's relationship with the Princess had always been very different from his own with Ty Lee. Even though he had been involved romantically with his sponsor from the get-go, their connection wasn't as complicated and deep as the one between Azula and Sokka, even before their relationship had become physical. Ty Lee had saved him from a cruel sponsor, but while Haru held her in high esteem, he wasn't entirely sure she felt the same way… they never talked about their feelings, after all. Or about their future. Or about what either of them wanted. If she had wanted him to be more attentive in bed in some regards, he would gladly give her what she needed…
To avoid Ty Lee and her particular, sudden blend of explosive bitterness, Sokka and Haru began training right after finishing their tea. The two men fought roughly, glass constantly chasing after Sokka and forcing him to either shatter it with his club or slice it with his sword. The hard work forced Sokka to focus on something other than his half-baked plans for the anniversary, and it also distracted him from the misery of not having been with Azula for what felt like an eternity by now. After the fright from the Festivals, neither of them wanted to be away from the other, but they couldn't avoid it because of Azula's work as Crown Princess.
He had low expectations, assuming he might only get to see her for a couple of hours at most, if that, but when the wind buffeted at him in the middle of training, he turned on his heels quickly, and got hit on the back with a pillar of earth for his distraction. Sokka shot a nasty glare at Haru, who shrugged innocently, before turning again to watch as Xin Long descended on the backyard.
Azula didn't seem to be in a good mood, and Sokka dreaded something bad might have happened to her. Yet he didn't think her irritation's source would be, in fact, the dragon.
"… Are you seriously being this needy and childish, Xin? Do I have to pamper you for five hours every day so you can feel loved and nurtured?" she rolled her eyes, jumping off the saddle while Xin Long bickered back, with groans and guttural sounds. "Truly, it's not like I have a choice, do I?"
The dragon seemed to think she did though, for he slunk away and towards Sokka, who was approaching at a soft trotting pace. Xin Long wrapped his body around the gladiator, who blinked blankly and looked at him in confusion while Azula's wide eyes spoke for themselves about how affronted she was.
"Oh, so Sokka's your rider now? Is that it, then? Why, no problem. Do go ahead and bond with him now, why don't you?"
Xin Long stuck his tongue out at her before unfolding his body again and giving Sokka's head a long lick. The gladiator froze, squirming at the unpleasant sensation of the dragon's raspy tongue, before Xin Long took off into the skies again, unwilling to bicker with his actual rider any further.
"W-what was… all that?" Sokka asked, blinking blankly as Azula stared after the speeding dragon, shaking her head in disapproval.
"He's been mad for weeks now, first because I didn't let him participate in the festivals, then because of how he flew to scare the people in the streets, and later because I was more worried about you than about him that time you jumped off his saddle like crazy" she said, stepping towards Sokka. "But now he's apparently mad that I don't spend time with him, and he claims I merely use him for my escapades with you…"
"Well, that doesn't happen too often lately…" he said, smiling and wrapping his arms around her waist.
"I think that's what bothers him, likely. He actually wants me to use him more for that purpose so we can spend more time together, but as I'm so limited these days…" she sighed heavily, before smiling up at him. "Hi."
"Hello," Sokka replied, beaming and leaning in for deep kiss.
She swayed with him, a hand cupping his cheek as she cast all concerns and caution away… but she reeled them back in quickly upon remembering they weren't in Sokka's house. She cut the kiss short, biting her lip as she looked at him.
"I thought I'd mentioned we should be careful out here, what with Yuudai around…?"
"You did, but he's not here today, for whatever reason," Sokka smirked. Azula's eyes widened.
"Is that so…?" she smiled, as Sokka chuckled and kissed her again. This time she didn't stop him, instead leaning in fully to kiss him eagerly.
Haru watched them with uncertainty, again growing painfully aware of the difference between his own relationship and theirs. The intimacy between them, even when they were only kissing, was hard to overlook. He doubted Azula had even noticed him yet, fully devoted to Sokka as she was. With a soft laugh, he headed back inside to let Ty Lee and Mai know that their group's last member had arrived.
Sokka and Azula were still tightly wrapped around each other when Ty Lee came out of the house. She stood by with a raised eyebrow, eerily reminded of the first time she had seen them kissing, before smirking as she resolved to interrupt them.
"Azula!" she exclaimed, making the Princess jump in Sokka's arms. He chuckled, still unwilling to relinquish his hold on her. "I didn't know you were here already!"
"Just got here," Azula said, with unusual shyness. Sokka chuckled and tightened his embrace, kissing her temples.
"It's okay to be caught off guard once in a while," he whispered to her, prompting Azula to smile warmly before he stepped away from her. "Alright, alright, Haru and I will get back to business as usual, no need to worry…"
Ty Lee eyed Sokka skeptically while Haru returned to the backyard too, smiling with camaraderie at his friend. Azula sighed as she watched Sokka go, her eyes raking his strong body from behind. That was a sight she certainly had missed over the last few days…
She blinked herself out of that daze upon feeling Ty Lee's insistent stare upon her. Azula endeavored not to blush as she made her way to the veranda, where her friend stood.
"I guess you really missed him, huh?" Ty Lee teased. Azula sighed but shrugged.
"It's hard not to," she admitted. "It's been a few heavy weeks for me."
"Oh, no doubt," said Ty Lee, as they entered the house together. The Princess eyed her friend warily, while Ty Lee smirked. "And I also have no doubt Sokka's tender love would have made everything much easier to bear for you."
Azula's eyebrows twitched, glaring at Ty Lee as the girl smirked proudly. Azula shook her head as she moved towards Mai, who sat pouring new cups of tea for each of them.
"We were starting to think you wouldn't make it," Mai said, as Azula sat in one of the empty cushions. The Princess shook her head.
"I was lucky today's test for my guards was merely a written one," she said. "Over the last days they've undergone physical examinations, stamina challenges, extensive background checks… it's been madness. I almost feel sorry for making them go through this."
"Well, all things considered, they should be grateful," said Mai. "Not only will they get a significant raise if they succeed, but they'll be safer in case you're ever caught with Sokka for real…"
"I know, I know," said Azula, shaking her head and picking up her cup. "But they don't know that's the real reason I'm doing this, and for their sake, I hope they never do."
"How have they fared so far, though?" Mai asked. Azula shrugged.
"As far as I can tell, they've aced every challenge," she said. "My father seems pleased, if anything. He should be happy to have them in his Imperial Guards now."
"And you should be happy they'll join them, too," said Ty Lee, still with her knowing smirk. "That way they won't be around you as often, and you'll be free to do whatever you want to do to Sokka. Or, uh, he'll be free to do whatever he wants to do to you, from the sound of it."
"What… is that supposed to mean?" Azula asked, regretting the question just after uttering it.
"Oh, nothing much," said Ty Lee, innocently. "He's just so manly and strong, I'm sure he knows just what to do for you."
"Why exactly is this conversation flowing into this topic all of a sudden?" Azula growled, sipping more of her tea. "Seriously, Ty Lee, can't you ever think of anything else?"
"It's hard to help it when all I can think of is that you've had his head between your legs hell knows how many times, and he apparently gives you more than one orgasm every time you meet…" Ty Lee said, between gritted teeth, but her bitterness vanished when she saw Azula's aghast, embarrassed expression. By then she merely smirked. "Or, uh, so we hear."
The Princess couldn't seem to hold their gaze, initially too shocked to process Ty Lee's bold words. But she realized Ty Lee wouldn't have been so specific if she didn't have more information than what Azula had disclosed, which was none. And the only other person who could disclose it…
She slammed the teacup on the table and glared at Ty Lee. Ty Lee failed to stifle a soft giggle, as Azula shook her head and stood up briskly, on her way outside again.
"You really couldn't be more childish, could you?" Mai asked, and Ty Lee smiled blissfully.
"It was only right for her to know what we know…" she said, with a shrug as a flash of bright light blinked from outside the house.
Sokka had been in the middle of evading one of Haru's attacks when he heard the familiar crackle of lightning. He turned with a start to find Azula conjuring a bolt that she shot at him just as he processed what was happening. He raised Space Sword just on time to catch it, despite it was aimed well above his head. He plunged the weapon into the ground before looking at her in disbelief.
"Azula?!"
"What the hell were you thinking?!" she yelled, prompting Haru to inch away from the pair as Azula stormed up to Sokka, fire blazing in her hands. What Haru missed, and Sokka didn't, was the redness in Azula's cheeks and ears. "What sort of unreasonable impulse led you to tell them about our sex life, you unbelievable…?!"
"Wait, wait…!" Sokka exclaimed, but the fire onslaught had begun. He cursed under his breath as he avoided one of her blasts. "I'm going to kill Ty Lee!"
"Not if I kill her first!" Azula roared. "But I'm killing you first of all!"
"Oh, I'd like to see you try!" Sokka retorted, but he smirked all the same. He even had missed their ridiculous fights, after all.
Haru returned to the house's sitting room, looking at Ty Lee in disbelief and glancing over at Sokka and Azula on occasion, slightly concerned about his friend's wellbeing. A longer glance at Ty Lee revealed she was actually relishing in the situation, however.
"You are remarkably messed up, Ty Lee, I hope you know that," said Mai. Ty Lee sighed happily.
"I know, but it was just hard to help it, okay?" she said. "Keeping all that to herself for so long, really… here I thought she was ashamed and shy, but no, turns out she's living the dream? She deserves a bit of pain for it, wouldn't you say?"
"No, I wouldn't," said Mai, bluntly. Ty Lee giggled again. "You're seriously crazy."
It was safe to say that Haru didn't feel all that envious of the intimacy between Azula and Sokka all of sudden. At the very least, his sponsor had never threatened to kill him out of embarrassment… for Haru wasn't entirely sure Ty Lee even had it in her to be embarrassed about anything. He merely smiled to himself and shrugged things off, guessing it would be better to get started with dinner. He wasn't likely to get more training done, going by the blasts and fighting roars he could hear drifting from the backyard.
Azula's fury only seemed to dissipate, to a fault, after around two hours of reckless sparring. Sokka had been on the defensive all along, but where she had been aggressive and fierce at first, she had grown more tactical and level-headed through the fight. Sokka's initial concerns had shifted into amusement and enthusiasm, and he stopped worrying about how to appease her. It seemed she merely had needed to get the rage out of her system, or perhaps she lacked the energy to keep her fighting spirit at its highest after the long, sustained effort to overcome Sokka.
"Well, now, you really need to work on that left hook," Sokka smirked, after having evaded one of her blows easily. "Or are you tired so easily these days? Not getting enough exercise, are we?"
Azula's indignation finally was overcome by amusement: she wanted to lash out at him again, but the urge to laugh overcame her. She still shot him the best dirty glare she could muster, but it wasn't remotely as strong as it could be because of her laughter. Sokka smiled too, watching as she bent forward, hands resting on her knees.
"Truthfully, no," she said. "All those damned papers I've been tearing through, and watching all of those exam sessions with my guards…"
"Takes up your whole day, I've noticed," said Sokka, trying not to sound overly mopey about it. "Seems like you rely on our training sessions more than I realized."
"Training sessions… or murder attempts?" she asked, smirking a little as she pushed herself upright again. "Truthfully, I hadn't tried to kill you for quite some time now. It's a new record, isn't it? A year, pretty much?"
"Well, now, we both know you didn't really mean it in either occasion," he smirked, moving towards her after sheathing his sword. "As mad as you may be, deep in your heart you know that…"
"That I hate you. So very much," she declared, proudly. Sokka laughed. "What?"
"You've been saying you hate me a lot lately. I must be doing a lot of things wrong," he said, smiling apologetically and reaching out to touch her shoulder. When she didn't shove him off, he took the plunge and kissed the top of her head. "Sorry."
"You… ugh," she sighed, rolling her eyes. "Why do you have to be like this?"
"Apologetic? Because I always mess up, I said," he chuckled, but Azula shook her head.
"Not that, just… I do want to be mad at you, very much so," she said, stubbornly. "And yet you make it so hard…"
"Well, now, that's well out of my control, isn't it?" he said, smiling and dropping his hand. Azula clasped it with her own. "I'm sorry, though. I did try to keep her from prying, but my tongue slipped and… yeah."
"I've spent so long dodging Ty Lee's most ridiculous questions, and you caved in to answering her the first time she asked? Seriously?" she asked, skeptical. Sokka sighed.
"You know how to hold your own better than I do when it comes to this kind of thing, I guess," he said. "Besides, I didn't think she'd jump at the chance of telling you what she'd discovered, but it shows what I know. Truthfully, she seemed so pissed over what I said that maybe she just wanted us to kill each other so she could thrive on how our relationship isn't perfect, in spite of the amazing sex life…"
"Seriously?" Azula said, raising an eyebrow before frowning. "Well, now that you mention it… she sounded bitter for a moment back there. But then she smiled the way she always does and I just… lost it."
"Yeah, you did," said Sokka, with a small smile. "You know, as much as she may tease you, you can just tease her right back. She might stop trying to pry so much if you treat this matter like you treat everything else…"
"I suppose, but… it's different," said Azula, blushing a little again. "I don't know why, but… anyone who tries to be nosey about our relationship makes me uneasy. I don't like sharing it, even if just in a conversation, with anyone else. It's always been about us, after all. All the prying people have nothing to do with it."
"Yeah, you're right," said Sokka, nodding. "And our private life is private. But Ty Lee's just… not someone who can accept that, apparently."
"Well, sucks to be her," said Azula, rolling her eyes. "I suppose you're right about what I should do, as much as I hate to admit it. Still… you won't talk about orgasms in front of anyone else. Or about who goes down on whom, if you'd be so kind…"
"I didn't say anything about what you've done" Sokka declared, raising his hands in a gesture of innocence. Azula smiled. "They have no idea what positions we've tried, either, or what crazy places we've done it in…"
"Good. Keep it that way," she said.
She sighed and leaned close to kiss him softly. Sokka answered the kiss, smiling as she pulled away.
"So… you're not mad anymore?" he asked, hands stroking her arms now. She laughed.
"Oh, Sokka, I'm always mad," she said, caressing his cheek. "I thought you would be used to it by now."
"Now, really, you can be happy sometimes!" he exclaimed, leaning down and scooping her up in his arms, by slinging her over his shoulder. Azula gasped, but hung limply there while rolling her eyes as Sokka marched back towards the house. "Especially when I do fun things like carrying you to places."
"Well, if you do it while giving me such a great view… I suppose I can't be too displeased," she admitted, smirking before reaching to squeeze his buttock and prompting him to jump. "Oh, excuse me, was that too bold for me to do when we have company?"
"You are such a wicked woman," he laughed, leaning down so he could set her down on one of the steps of the veranda. "Seriously, what have I ever done to deserve such spite?"
"You really want me to make a list?" she asked, smirking as she leaned close to him. "Might take most of my day…"
"How about you make a list of all the good things you like about me? And… the good things you wish I'd do for you?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows while Azula stared at him in confusion.
"Why would I? That sounds tiring, and even longer than the other list," she said, grimacing. "I'll have more fun with the bad list, I'm sure…"
"Damn it, girl…" he laughed, shaking his head. "There's just no winning against you."
"Never. You only get to win when you're on my side, never when you're my enemy," she smirked, cupping his cheek and kissing him again.
He chuckled and kissed her back, guessing she was right about that claim. Even whenever he seemed to defeat her long ago, it always felt like he had lost. The only way to achieve victory was beside her, as much as he enjoyed antagonizing her for the fun of it.
Mai cleared her throat as they were kissing, though, and Azula dropped her head on Sokka's shoulder while they both laughed quietly. Mai merely stood in the threshold that led into the house, watching them with a raised eyebrow.
"The foreplay's over, I take it?" she teased. "I'm sure Suki's old room is available, in case you two need to have a go at it somewhere, uh… hygienic."
"What do you think Ty Lee keeps in her room, industrial waste?" Azula asked, pulling away from Sokka to look at Mai in disbelief. Mai shrugged.
"If it has any use during sex, she might," she said, prompting the others to laugh. "They're working on dinner as it is, if you two will stick around for that."
"I suppose we could. And probably should," said Azula, eyeing Sokka with skepticism as he smiled innocently at the prospect of food. "Ever insatiable."
"So it seems," Mai said, with a knowing smile. Azula huffed and rolled her eyes, glaring at her as the three returned to the sitting room in the house.
"I expected that kind of nonsense from Ty Lee, not from you. Are you really going to be as insufferable as her about it?"
"Oh, of course not," said Mai. "I'm teasing you for the fun of it, whereas Ty Lee is dying of jealousy. I wouldn't be shocked if she had gone to help Haru just so she can straddle him on the kitchen counter."
"Uh… huh?" said Azula, eyes wide. Mai laughed softly.
"I suppose you haven't given it much thought, have you?" said Mai, sitting by the table again, where Azula and Sokka joined her quickly, sitting side by side. "In our group, we've always had our roles, so to say. You were the princess, out to take the world by storm and whatnot…"
"Still am," Azula muttered. Sokka smiled warmly at her.
"Me, I was the proper one, always acting as expected from one of my station," said Mai. "I got married at the convenient age, my relationship is stable and good, and I already have a son. But Ty Lee…?"
"She's all over the place?" Azula asked, with a malicious smirk. Sokka now fixed her with a skeptical stare.
"She took pride in being the sexual deviant, so to say. I suppose she still does, even after today," said Mai, with a soft chuckle. "Knowing you're having such a great sex life injures her pride, if just a little…"
"So it would seem," said Azula, raising her eyebrows and biting her lip before shrugging. "She'll have to learn to live with it. Though I highly doubt Sokka and I have been half as insane as she is with Haru."
"Well, I mean, not to brag but…" Sokka said, but Azula silenced him with a glare.
"You are not allowed to speak unless spoken to. Especially regarding this matter, especially after what you did earlier," she said. Sokka pouted.
"I'm just saying…"
"No, you're not."
"Fiiine…"
Mai smiled at their mild spat, guessing they hadn't resolved their problems quite as thoroughly as she had expected, going by how cozy they had seemed when she interrupted them. She rose to her feet again, glancing over towards the kitchen.
"I guess I should go in there, make sure those two aren't actually going at it out of spite," she said, sighing. "Either way, Azula, don't pay her much mind if she tries to get a rise out of you again. You know what's going on now, after all, so…"
"I get it, I get it. I'll try," said Azula, with a shrug. Sokka smiled at her as Mai took off.
The Princess sighed in defeat and surprised Sokka by relaxing against him, her eyes closed. His hand sought hers over her thigh, and she rewarded him by intertwining their fingers.
"I suppose it was a long day, huh?" he asked. She smiled and shrugged.
"It got better than the rest of them, though. As fun as your ridiculous messages are, it's not nice only hearing from you through Hawky," she said. Sokka smiled weakly.
"I was thinking the same thing," he whispered. "When do you think you'll be done with all this?"
"I hope by next week," said Azula. "There are still several more tests for my guards, and even though I've finished five of the seven background checks for the homeless people, the last two have been really elusive."
"Seriously?" said Sokka. "Well, being down to two is still good news. And so far…?"
"So far, all the verified ones are Fire Nation, born and raised," said Azula, nodding. "Hell knows how many more of them are out there…"
"That sucks," said Sokka, frowning. "What will that mean for your father's rule?"
"It will mean he's having shortcomings he wasn't supposed to have," said Azula. "For all that talk of greatness and progress, we're letting our own people starve and live without even a roof over their heads. How great are we if we can't even take care of our own, despite having the resources to do so?"
"I hope your father asks himself that question, too," Sokka said, stroking the back of her hand with his thumb.
"If he doesn't, I intend to do it for him," she said. "It won't be easy to come up with a strategy to fix this, and I certainly can't handle this on my own, but…"
"But you won't be alone," Sokka said, smiling at her. Azula raised her head and grinned back at him.
"I know I won't be," she said, her chest tightening.
It was truly remarkable for her that, after all these years of feeling lonely, of fighting all her battles on her own, she no longer feared she'd stand alone against the world, all because she had him by her side: it didn't matter if all odds were against them, as long as they faced them together.
"Oh, I see you've made up now?" Ty Lee's voice drifted from the kitchen door.
Azula flinched lightly, but she didn't pull away from Sokka, as she would have done normally. She merely gave Ty Lee a bold smile, scooting closer yet to Sokka, who blushed but shifted beside her, nonetheless.
"It's just so difficult, you know, staying mad at him…?" Azula answered, with a melodramatic voice. She gave Sokka a meaningful look, a smirk spreading over her features. "He's been known to make some very compelling arguments to lift my spirits."
"And to make all your self-awareness disappear, apparently?" Ty Lee asked, an eyebrow twitching as she stopped in front of their table.
Azula shrugged and tucked her head in the hollow of Sokka's shoulder. He bit his lip in an attempt not to laugh. Now that Azula understood just what was bugging Ty Lee, she clearly wouldn't pull her punches.
"I mean, you don't hold back with Haru, and thanks to someone's slip of tongue you're all terribly educated on our sex life now, so…"
"Okay, now, I didn't tell them every-…" Sokka started, but Azula silenced him with a finger over his lips.
"There, there, Sokka. No need to boast about how proud you are of our grand accomplishments in bed, Ty Lee may just explode in envy."
"I… am not envious. I have no reason to be!" Ty Lee declared. Azula's amused smirk spoke for itself.
"You used to be a better liar than that," Azula teased. Ty Lee huffed and shook her head as she knelt before them slamming a sheet of paper down on the table in front of them.
"Okay, that's enough about that! I have a very serious proposition to make here!" Ty Lee exclaimed. Azula raised an eyebrow.
"I refuse to swap Sokka for Haru, in case you-…"
"That's not it! Look!"
Finally, Azula glanced down at the flier, and her teasing mood lifted quickly. She sat upright again, leaning forward to read the information on the new Pairs Tournament, open for the ranks between 100 and 200.
"You two went on one of those without us last year," Ty Lee pouted. "So it's only fair you make up for it now! It's in about two months, so we'll have long enough to prepare…"
"Wait, but… I'm not sure we can do this," said Azula, raising her eyebrows. "I mean, I'd be fine with it, but I'm not sure that we can. I just dissembled my guards, remember? Taking them back with me barely a couple of weeks after they're reassigned may not sit too well with my father…"
"Then take some common soldiers instead, what's the issue…?" Ty Lee mumbled, as Azula picked up the flier.
"And Sokka would have to come here to train with Haru on a daily basis, I'd figure," said Azula, biting her lip. "Had you told me about this sooner, they could have had a better training regime, starting from much earlier…"
"I only found out about the tournament today," Ty Lee said, shrugging. "But really, what's there to lose? It should be a lot of fun, Azula! And you could use a break, after all the work you've had to do through the Festivals and afterwards, too…"
"A compelling argument, I admit it," said Azula, leaving the flier on the table again. "But I'll have to think about it. If my duties don't get in the way, I suppose it will be fine, but…"
"But who knows if they will or won't, huh?" Ty Lee said, with a sheepish grin. "Well, it's an idea, at least. I suppose you'll tell me if you're available or not later, right?"
"I'll try to, before the month's over," said Azula, nodding.
"Better than nothing," said Ty Lee, sighing and standing up again. "Now, now, carry on, I'll just pretend I'm oblivious to your overwhelming auras, thank you very much…"
"You always did complain that my aura was too unpleasant, didn't you?" Azula smirked, dropping against Sokka again as Ty Lee turned around and waved a hand dismissively at her friend.
Sokka reached for the flier now, staring at it intently. Azula glanced over at him, trying to read his expression, but he only bit his lip lightly before shrugging and dropping the paper again.
"Do you want to do it?" Azula asked. Sokka smiled.
"For selfish reasons, yes," he said. "If we did, we'd have the chance to see each other every day. Where's the drawback there?"
"Nowhere, I suppose. That's the most compelling of all arguments, I admit it," Azula sighed, reaching for his hand again. "Though we should probably be careful either way. After what happened with Zhao, I just…"
"I've noticed," said Sokka, feeling Azula tensing up beside him. "I mean, I know you're busy, but… I figure you're also unwilling to let any new suspicions arise, aren't you?"
"It was a really close call," she said, swallowing hard. "I miss you, I love you, and I'd want nothing more than to be by your side, but… it's a little tricky when I don't know if I'm going to get you killed if I'm too selfish."
"Well, the plan was going to work fairly well, you know. When you sent me away on Xin Long?" he said. "Even if we weren't as careful as we should be, we can avoid the worst of it. You've already saved your guards, one way or another, so… we should be okay."
"I can only hope so," she said, closing her eyes and sighing. "But it's hard to put the worst-case scenario out of my mind. I know I'll get over it in time, I always do, but…"
"Alright, well, you have one week to feel more comfortable about life," said Sokka, biting his lip and smiling. "Or six days, rather. By then, you'll go meet me at my house! Open your schedule so you can see me there, and if you still feel bad about it all, we'll talk it over. If you're feeling better, though…"
"If I were feeling better, you'd be very happy, clearly," said Azula, smiling too. Sokka snickered. "Well, I suppose that's not the worst idea. I don't know for sure if six days will be enough for me to finish all my pending duties, but they might be. If I can find the information on the remaining homeless pair, I'll be able to meet you by then."
"Great," said Sokka, beaming and kissing the side of her head. "Being with you, no matter on what terms, makes life better every time."
Azula smiled and allowed herself to feel even more comfortable in his arms. Somehow, displaying affection for Sokka in front of her friends no longer felt quite as nerve-wrecking as it used to. If anything, she was growing accustomed to it, as she discovered while all five of them shared dinner: she didn't shy away from Sokka's touch, and she even offered some of her own at times, ever aware of Ty Lee's begrudging glares whenever she noticed their small gestures.
It was well past dusk by the time they were finished eating. There would be no opportunities for genuine privacy today, as disappointing as that was for both Azula and Sokka. They summoned Xin Long, who dropped by reluctantly and forced Azula to take the backseat while Sokka rode the front one. Irritated, but resigned, the Princess accepted being dropped off first at the dragon's refuge, as Xin Long had decided to take Sokka home on his own. Azula huffed while Xin Long touched down on the refuge's grounds, and Sokka grimaced apologetically.
"I have no idea what's going on," he confessed. Azula smiled and leapt off the saddle, keeping a hand on Sokka's knee.
"He's punishing me, that's what," said Azula, leering at Xin Long. The dragon huffed proudly, raising his head and waving his mane arrogantly. Azula sighed and turned to Sokka again, prompting him to lean down and kiss her. "I'll see you soon, I hope. Within this upcoming week, if I'm lucky."
"If not, I'll try to survive with your handwriting only," he said, smiling and stroking her chin gently. "I love you."
"I love you too," she whispered, stealing one more kiss from his lips before Xin Long took off promptly.
She rolled her eyes and headed into the Palace, knowing the next few days would be heavy once again. But seeing Sokka, fighting with him and arguing with him, but also kissing him, holding him and seeing his wonderful smiles, could easily cheer her up after any bad day. She'd had a lot of bad days behind her as it was: tomorrow promised to be no better.
The exam for the guards on the next day was a combat-based task. Every guard was to fight the General of the Guards in the Agni Kai chamber: their competence through the fight would determine whether they were worthwhile benders or not.
Ozai sat by the sidelines, enjoying as each of Azula's Royal Guards were forced to take defensive stances against the barrage of fire from the enemy. The other Imperial Guards were there too, along with those of Azula's who either had already taken their turn to fight the General or were waiting for their time to shine.
"I admit, you selected remarkable benders," Ozai told his daughter, as he watched Taro pressing through the General's barrage of flames. "Even if that one has that strange health condition…"
"As long as he takes his medicine, he can handle himself perfectly," said Azula, with a weak smile. "He's one of the strongest firebenders in the group."
"So I see. That's quite a bit of power," said Ozai, nodding as Taro unleashed his own flurry of flames to counter the General's.
Azula's arms remained folded as she watched the fight eagerly. Nobody had been able to beat the General so far, but she had her hopes set on the next challenger: once Taro had been lightly burned by his opponent, it was time for Rui Shi to step up.
The General's shoulders remained squared as the two stood at opposite ends of the platform. Azula toyed with her bangs, hoping not to betray how anxious she felt about this matchup. While it hadn't bothered her that her other guards had failed to beat the General, she deeply hoped Rui Shi would succeed at the task.
The former Captain held his defensive stance, compelling the General to attack with an onslaught of flames. Rui Shi didn't settle for evading them only, but he bent them around his body, deflecting them away from himself. His skill at handling his opponent's fire sat ill with the General, visibly so. Ozai chuckled as the General unleashed an inferno upon Rui Shi, one that Rui Shi adeptly handled, still making good use of his skills.
"I can't remember the last time I saw Shaofeng losing his patience this way," he said. "Is there any trouble between these two?"
"If there is, the General did not inform us of it," answered another Imperial Guard, one who sat at Ozai's left hand while Azula sat to his right.
Another Imperial Guard sat by Azula's side, watching the fight nearly as anxiously as Azula herself. She spared a glance at him when he bent forward slightly, and he straightened himself up quickly upon noticing her gaze was on him.
"Are you alright?" Azula asked, and the guard nodded.
"Merely… I'm surprised he's going all out," the Imperial Guard answered. "He was nowhere near as harsh during my own tests."
"Perhaps he hopes to make sure Captain Rui Shi is worthy of his title?" Azula mused. The Imperial Guard nodded again.
"Must be."
Azula glanced at the guard once more, from the corner of her eyes. If memory served her right, it was the same one who had escorted her to her father's office recently. A sense of dread rose inside her, as she wondered if he had chosen to sit beside her by sheer coincidence, or if she was being watched…
No, she was being unnecessarily paranoid because of the situation with Zhao. That had to be all there was to it.
Rui Shi's strategy kept him safe from the opponent's flames, but he quickly realized the General would not lose stamina as easily as most benders did. It came as no surprise, for all talk about the man's prowess suggested he was one of the most powerful firebenders in the Fire Lord's service. But Rui Shi, despite not having watched any of Sokka's official fights, had learned plenty from him just by watching a few of his training bouts with the Princess. This wasn't about physical or bending superiority: the goal was to land the first burn, and he intended to make that happen as effectively as possible.
The General lashed out with another blast of flames, and Rui Shi redirected them towards him. The General's wrathful fist rose again, but barely instants earlier, Rui Shi had powered his feet with his firebending. He launched into the air with a column of fire that enabled him to jump over the General's frame, but only just…
The General's arm darted up, catching Rui Shi by the neck as the former Captain's fingers grazed his shoulder. Azula clenched a fist when she saw the General slamming Rui Shi hard on the ground, mercilessly, as if ready to strike him down where he was.
At that distance it was impossible to see it, but Rui Shi smiled. The General's snarl grew, as did the fire in his fisted hand… but to everyone's surprise, he held back. His fist didn't connect with Rui Shi's face. Eventually he released him, rising to his feet again, glaring at the guard on the ground.
"Oh, my," said Ozai, a malicious smirk spreading over his face. "I suppose someone has been outmatched."
Rui Shi stood up on his own, and the General turned his back on him, his mouth poised in a snarl again. Once he turned, his neck and shoulder were in plain sight for the exam's audience: the pale skin was red. Rui Shi had successfully burned him.
"That's… that's madness," said the Imperial Guard beside Azula. She smirked.
"No. That's skill," she declared. "He wasn't Captain of my Guards for no reason."
Rui Shi rubbed his neck gently as he climbed off the platform. He didn't want to give his racing heart much credit… but he had perceived a killer intent from the General. It didn't make sense to him that the General had been an ordinary superior for a long time, yet upon the possibility of a promotion for Rui Shi, he had become hostile and aggressive towards him. What had happened?
No, it hadn't started with the promotion. Further reflection brought him to realize that the man had been behaving oddly even before then, the first instance being when he had escorted Rui Shi to the Fire Lord's office. The antagonistic behavior had only worsened when news of their promotion had reached him…
All evidence seemed to point in a certain direction, and he suspected only one person could truly enlighten him on what had happened, if something had. Thus, he sought her out on a secluded Palace corridor on the next day, barely a few minutes before the last test began:
"What happened on the first day of the festivals, exactly?" Rui Shi asked Azula, looking at her insistently, his helmet under his arm. "Did… did Sokka do anything to the General?"
"Sokka?" Azula asked, raising her eyebrows and frowning. "I… don't believe he did. I don't remember anything in particular, but… you mean because of how much harder he is on you than on the others? I know he's being a pain, but I assumed he was merely harder on you because you're expected to be better than the others…"
"I don't think that's it," said Rui Shi, frowning. "The way he fought me yesterday… it was too aggressive, unnecessarily so. He's glared at me, he seems to hold nothing but contempt for me… do you think he noticed Sokka and I switched places?"
"There's no way he would have," said Azula, shaking her head. "Sokka and I… well, I managed to make a very convincing case that he could bend, when the homeless people ran towards us. I doubt the General could have any cause to suspect that it wasn't you. But… after that, I gave the General orders he refused to obey, don't ask me why. I had to send Han, Qiang and Fei Li to deal with what I ordered him to do."
"So, you think maybe he resents you?" said Rui Shi, frowning. Azula bit her lower lip.
"Maybe he thinks this is all a political play on my part. That I'm trying to infiltrate my loyal soldiers into the Imperial Guards, so I can betray my father whenever I see fit…" she shrugged. Rui Shi raised his eyebrows.
"And he would be entirely off-base to think so, wouldn't he?" he asked. Azula stared at him skeptically.
"You know the true reason why I did this, you know it better than anyone," she said, folding her arms over her chest. "I have no intentions of crossing my father, only to protect you lot so that… so that if I fall from grace, I won't drag you down with me."
Rui Shi swallowed hard, lowering his gaze. Azula nodded towards him and gestured at the Palace gardens.
"So? Are you ready for your final test, or…?"
"I was really hard on you, and on him, when everything began," he said. Azula raised an eyebrow. "I truly thought… that you couldn't protect us, or your relationship, not even yourself. I didn't think it was possible because I… I suppose because I'm a pessimist."
"Well, yes, you are, but that's not something I hold against you entirely," said Azula, with a weak grin. "You weren't all that wrong…"
"I was entirely wrong, as it turns out," said Rui Shi. Azula's smile waned. "You spoke of responsibility in your speech… I heard every word, thinking you might have been sending a message to me. Then again, you were sending a message to everyone. A message you're embodying by doing everything in your power to face responsibility for your actions with as little collateral damage as there can be. So, I… I certainly underestimated you, and I shouldn't have. After all these years I should have known better than to think anyone or anything could stop you once you set your mind on something."
"Rui Shi…" said Azula, with a small smile. The guard smiled at her, bowing his head in her direction.
"I've been honored to serve you for as long as I have, truly," he said. "I've learned a lot from you, more than from any mentors I've had. I thank you for the opportunity you've given me, and everyone else, too, through this promotion. It's safe to say we were rather fortunate to pass your initial tests back when we did…"
"You weren't fortunate," said Azula, her smile more genuine now. "You were skilled, competent, and properly trained to be good soldiers. Don't sell yourself short, Rui Shi. If the General hates you and the others it's surely because of me… or because you're far more qualified than he is, who knows?"
Rui Shi laughed for a moment. Azula smiled again and nodded towards him.
"Thank you for being my Captain for all those years, Rui Shi," she said. "I knew I'd chosen the right man to lead my soldiers even back then… and by today I remain convinced that I chose correctly."
"I'm honored you think so," he said. Azula nodded and stepped out into the open, urging him to follow her.
"Well, it's time to go, isn't it?"
Rui Shi breathed deeply and nodded, his strides strong as he put on his helmet. He followed Azula to the ample space where the guards were gathered, in the Palace gardens, awaiting further instructions from the Fire Lord himself, and from his General of the Guards.
The final task, as it turned out, was about absolute obedience. Each guard was granted a different task, and until they earned the General's approval, they would continue to obey every order given to them. The orders ranged from complicated, to embarrassing, to ridiculous and in some cases outright illegality. But they obeyed, as unwillingly as they could in the last case, under the Fire Lord's observant gaze.
The last man to take the obedience test, again, was Rui Shi. He had watched his companions reduce themselves to whatever the General commanded, by drinking from the turtle-duck pond, lifting skirts of servants, stealing from the Fire Lord's vaults, acquiring keys and weapons that should never be lifted from where they belonged, and so forth. Rui Shi stood by patiently, waiting for the man to utter his command…:
"Defeat Crown Princess Azula."
Rui Shi froze. Azula, who had been standing by, watching the trials with distaste, stared at the General in disbelief: Ozai, though, seemed amused. He raised his eyebrows and glanced between the Princess and the former Captain, as if waiting expectantly for their combat to begin.
Azula shot Rui Shi an uncertain glance, but she soon offered him a light shrug. If that was what it took to get him the job…
"I will not."
The words spoken by Rui Shi were loud and clear, even through his helmet. Everyone in the gardens stared on at him in disbelief, as he turned to the General, arms folded across his chest. The gesture seemed to irritate the General further.
"You were given an order, Captain Rui Shi," the General spoke, viciously. "Either you carry it out, or you will never join the Imperial Guards."
"I would sooner be demoted than fight anyone from the family I've already sworn to protect," Rui Shi declared. "Whether I am a Royal Guard, an Imperial one, or a regular soldier, I will not raise arms against the Princess or the Fire Lord, no matter under whose orders."
Azula allowed her gaze to flicker towards Ozai briefly, and her racing heart seemed to be slightly appeased when she saw a pleased smirk spreading over Ozai's face. The tension in the General's shoulders spoke for itself of what the man thought of this, though.
"Then you admit you are unfit to be an Imperial Guard?" said the General, with a threatening voice.
"If attacking those I'm supposed to protect is what it takes to be an Imperial Guard, I'd sooner not be one," he declared again.
"What if they're the ones to command you, then?" the General asked. "What if attacking one of them is the only way to handle a very serious… threat to our nation?"
"Then I would need to be given full disclosure on the strategy to handle said threat, so that I can assess whether attacking them is productive at all," Rui Shi declared. "But I will not do it on anyone's whim. I will not do it no matter if it's a simple task to prove my worth as a guard. I will not turn against the Royal Family."
The sound of applause surprised most everyone but Azula. She had already seen her father's reaction to Rui Shi earlier, and while she found his approval unexpected, it was also a huge relief. Even if the General despised Rui Shi, Ozai would be the one to decide who would be part of his Imperial Guards. The only problem that remained, however, was figuring out how the General might treat Rui Shi from now on, if he was accepted into the Imperial Guards indeed…
"Spoken as a man accustomed to a position of leadership," said Ozai, smirking. The General turned towards him, clearly disapproving.
"His leadership skills are not in question here. He's a soldier, and he has to obey his superiors," he claimed, but Ozai smirked.
"I'm afraid he's more than just an ordinary soldier, Shaofeng," he said. "Captain Rui Shi has dealt with many complications that are nowhere within his job description. It's, of course, my daughter's fault… she keeps making your job far more difficult than necessary, doesn't she?"
"I… would like to say otherwise, but…" Rui Shi admitted. Azula had a feeling he was blushing under that helmet. Ozai only laughed.
"Even if you had, everyone knows the truth," he said. "Obeying orders blindly, without understanding where they're coming from, or why… it's the mark of a soldier. Demanding reasoning behind those orders and standing by a code and principles to respect that which deserves respect… that's the mark of a leader, a man well above a common solder indeed. I suppose you will have to endeavor to become a General whose orders Captain Rui Shi will want to obey, General Shaofeng?"
Shaofeng clearly wanted to retort, to dismiss the notion as absurd, as per what his body language screamed right now. But, tense as he was, he bowed his head towards Ozai in deference… in defeat, or so Azula hoped.
"I take it this marks the end of today's tests?" Ozai asked, and the General nodded. "Fair enough. Shall we begin reviewing all results tomorrow, General? Azula, you ought to be there, too."
"I… of course," she said, nodding.
She had deeply hoped that the conclusion of the tests would give her more free time, but now she would be involved in the grading of said tests… it almost felt like her father was deliberately hindering her opportunities to spend time with Sokka.
For the next four days she worked with the Fire Lord and the General, remarkably tense while around the latter. Whenever she wasn't working with them, she would be reviewing birth records and identifications available from far-off villages. The remaining pair of homeless people were hard to locate, and she had even sent birds to their former hometowns to confirm that, at the very least, their families had existed and that their stories had some semblance of believability to them.
By the fifth day without seeing Sokka, she felt like she was on the verge of a nervous collapse. One that she could remediate by spending time away from work, and with those who could ease her worst moods… but while she direly wanted to see Sokka, someone else was rather desperate for her attention, too. She spent the fifth day's morning corroborating the information she already had acquired, and the afternoon with her fickle, demanding dragon, whose mood vastly improved after his rider finally spent quality time with him.
On the sixth day's morning, her hawks finally returned: her sources had come through, and the two remaining homeless people had been confirmed, with just that, as former residents of those villages, and as direct descendants of trueborn Fire Nation families. Azula's profound relief, now that the first part of that task was finally over, eased her mood slightly, but she found further relief in not being the one who would make the final decision about her guards: she finally had a full day of freedom ahead of herself.
"I suppose that's what I get for wanting more duties and responsibilities, huh?" she mused, as she strapped Xin Long's saddle to his back. "Even catching my breath seemed to be too much of a privilege for a moment…"
Xin Long prodded her with his nose to remind her that the worst was over. Azula sighed and nodded, reaching out to touch his hair.
"It is, I guess. And I didn't even get to braid your hair as I'd promised," she smiled. Xin Long huffed. "Admittedly, I'm not too good at it. I'm sure Sokka could do it far better than I could."
The dragon wagged his tail excitedly at the mention of Sokka, but despite Azula's eagerness to see him, too, she took a brief detour beforehand. She had forgotten to make her tea upon waking up, but drinking it now should keep her safe either way. She had the suspicion she'd need as much preemptive hydration as she could today…
As she sipped the tea in her room her eyes fell upon the calendar she kept in her room. Often she relied on it to recall when their next fights would take place, but today it reminded her that they had yet to schedule any new fights. She had been so busy she had even neglected the Gladiator Business… she sighed, shaking her head and wondering if Ty Lee's idea would have some merit after all. If she attended the Pairs Tournament she could keep Rui Shi away from that mad General's reach: she had found herself growing increasingly apprehensive of the blunt, forceful, unamused General of her father's guards across the four days of working with him on the tests' results.
But there was something else to the calendar today. Azula cocked her head to the side, staring at the date with a strange feeling that today was important, for some reason. She had meant to visit Sokka as soon as she could get away with it… what could it be other than that?
The question troubled her as she flew on Xin Long's back, watching the city speed away below her as they remained underneath the heavy clouds that floated in the sky. Had she made any other appointments today? It didn't seem like it. Was today an important day, for some reason? Why would it be, though…?
She dismounted in the backyard as soon as Xin Long touched down, and this time she dismissed him properly, patting his snout and wishing him luck with his hunts today. The dragon seemed pleased and answered with a lick to her face. Azula watched him fly away into overcast skies, wondering where he had picked up that custom of licking humans…
She froze, though, when she glanced into the house to spot several candles lined up, both on the floor and on the borders of the staircase. She frowned, wondering if Sokka's lanterns were out of commission, somehow.
"Sokka?" she called out, hearing a rustling sound in the upper floor once she reached the house's threshold. She was petrified once more, though, upon the sight of petals of all kinds and colors scattered across the floor, wherever there were no candles. She walked warily amongst them, careful not to step on them or on the candles…
The usual tea table wasn't in front of the couch today. Azula found a message written in flower petals instead, and she frowned heavily as she tried to decipher its meaning, hard as it was to interpret the overlapping petals…
Sokka finally came into view upstairs when Azula had finished deciphering the petals' message. Sokka smiled proudly, his untied hair falling around his face as gracefully as ever. He was deliberately underdressed, too, to make things just a bit easier later on…
"Goodness, for a minute I thought you wouldn't make it," he chuckled, heading downstairs and smiling warmly at her. "But I guess not even your work could take you away from our anniversary, huh?"
Her head moved, almost mechanically, so she could glance at him. Sokka had reached the foot of the stairs, and he would have gladly moved in for a kiss, but he knew better than to do that when Azula had that look on her face: the look that told him that, despite his best efforts, something was irremediably, impossibly wrong.
"Azula?" he said, lifting a hand towards her. "Are you o-…?"
"You wrote… 'happy anniversary'," she said, gesturing at the flower petals gathered in the center of the sitting room. "T-that's what it says?"
"I… did," he replied, warily. "Azula… is something wrong?"
"Sokka…" she answered, turning towards him with wide eyes. "Since when do we have an anniversary?"
Time seemed to freeze for them both as they stared at each other with absolute confusion. As close as they had become over the years, it seemed their minds were still not as attuned as their chi had proved to be…