Steady intakes of breath accompanied the slow but strong heartbeats that had soothed Azula into sleep, and they were the first thing she noticed upon waking in the glow of the morning's light. Sokka's body always cushioned hers better than any pillow might: resting with her head on his chest had become a habit she indulged in ever since they had first slept together.
She had assumed Sokka was slumbering still, but the gentle caress of his fingertips trailing over her hair, slipping down her spine as they traveled with the strands, had most likely been what had woken her in the first place. She didn't stir, though: she released a blissful sigh instead, too comfortable in his arms, too soothed by his gentle hands, to ever want to shift away from him.
The sigh alerted him that she had woken, though. He didn't withdraw his touch, but his heart picked up its pace immediately. Toph had once told Azula that Sokka's heart would always beat faster whenever she entered the room, a sure giveaway of his feelings for her: sensing it directly, her ear pressed to his chest, right above his heart, brought her to smile for the first time in the day, before she had even opened her eyes.
"Don't stop" she whispered softly, and she could sense as his lips curved into a smile as he kissed the top of her head.
"Sorry if I woke you…" he said, in the same tone. They were alone, with no one to hear them for at least a mile or more, yet they spoke quietly, as though they were keeping secrets from the entire world beyond the bed they shared.
"Don't be. I'd rather be awake" Azula answered earnestly, her bandaged hand trailing over the left side of his bare chest to encircle his torso with a gentle embrace.
She didn't need to explain her reasoning: this was the last day of their blissful escapade, a fact that weighed on their hearts despite their cherishing of every moment they had spent together. Greed was inevitable after an entire week of no setbacks, no trouble and no catastrophes to resolve. For the first time in their lives they had been truly ordinary, common people with no larger goals other than finding happiness in their daily lives: letting go of the illusion of innocent simplicity, of careless anonymity, would prove far more difficult than facing any gladiator's challenge.
Sokka shifted in bed, turning on his side to face her. His arms slipped gently around her body, and although his fingers kept toying with her smooth hair, his embrace was closer and more intimate now. Azula sighed blissfully again, her lips pressing softly to his collarbone.
"I… I don't want to go anywhere today" Sokka mumbled, knowing he'd sound like a stubborn child who refused to do as he was told. But he knew Azula would understand how he felt, for he doubted she would feel any differently.
"Neither do I" she sighed, confirming his convictions right away. Her hands had taken to navigating his back, across the large scar he'd sported on it since their last visit to Fire Fountain City, and the many small, lighter marks of her own making "If anything, it can't be said we didn't make the most of this week"
"Yeah" Sokka smiled, pressing another soft kiss to the top of her head "I think we needed this more than we realized we did… it's been a difficult year"
"More difficult than it had any right to be" Azula agreed "Though we've made progress in many regards, right? We shouldn't complain too much…"
"I only complain when our time together gets cut short unfairly" Sokka said, his hand sliding upwards, across the small of her back, settling between her shoulder blades "Which happens more often than not. So yeah, I can't say I'm ready to go back to the real world. Not even a little bit"
"Here I thought I'd be the more unwilling one to return to the mainland…" Azula mused, turning her face into his neck "Do I really have to be the voice of common sense against yours this time…?"
"You might have to" Sokka grinned "As it is, I… I just can't bear the thought of returning to the Capital just for everything to go right back to what it was"
"Well, the good news is you won't have to" Azula said, reeling back her right hand to caress his chest again, as though outlining his shape with every stroke of her fingers "Nothing's going to be the same, Sokka. Not after this."
"You sure?" he asked, and the tender, innocent tone of his voice brought her to raise her eyes to meet his own: she smiled heartily at him.
"We'll return as a doubly-married couple, won't we?" she said, and he chuckled "Though I suppose not many people should know about that, but still…"
"It's probably better if they don't, yeah" Sokka agreed, nodding weakly "Bad enough that we didn't invite our friends for the first wedding, we didn't do it for the second one either…"
"Indeed, and I don't think I have the patience to endure their complaints about that" Azula smiled "Maybe I'll have to go back to working with the Enforcers, or give Haiyan a hand with her people… I'll certainly have to schedule new fights for you, we've been awfully sloppy with the League as of late"
"I'd say we're taking a well-deserved break, seeing as we've been working tirelessly to rise in the ranking for years now…" Sokka pouted. Azula shrugged, nodding.
"That's one way to look at it" she said "You'll have to start preparing to fight Toph again, too. As many favors as she may owe us, she's going to fight you seriously, like she always does…"
"Yeah, she won't go easy on me no matter what" Sokka said, biting his lip but frowning with determination "It'll be fine, though. If we start following up on the ideas I had, we might just prepare properly to face her this time. Though, uh… if I don't win, you won't be too upset, will you?"
"I'm the one who ought to ask that question" Azula smiled, cupping his cheek "I seem to remember I wasn't happy about your last loss against her, but I was nowhere near as depressed as someone else was…"
"In my defense… it ended up being a good thing for us that I took it so badly" Sokka chuckled "Else, heh, maybe we would still be resisting the urge to rip each other's clothes off, right?"
"Oh, please. You really think we could've endured another year, let alone more than that, without taking things this far?" Azula laughed. Sokka pressed his brow to hers, both laughing still "Impossible. It was inevitable, if you ask me"
"I suppose that's true" Sokka smiled, his hand reaching for hers as he pressed a gentle kiss to the pulse point of her wrist.
"I won't be mad if you lose against Toph, anyhow" Azula whispered "I guess I may be too lost in the emotions brought forth by our happy trip, but I don't really feel the same urge I used to, the urge to defeat all our enemies in the League. If anything, maybe being your wife makes me all the more unwilling to send you into the Arena…"
"Now, now… I fight for you, Azula" he smiled "Any husband ought to fight for his wife in every way he may need to, don't you think?"
"That's the thing, though. You shouldn't need to…" Azula sighed, shaking her head "But it's true that, in the eyes of anyone who doesn't know better, I wouldn't have any reason to keep you with me if I dropped out of the League"
"I'm stronger than ever, too" Sokka whispered "You have less reason to worry about my safety than you ever did"
"I'm not so sure" Azula smiled sadly "You'll have to fight Combustion Man after you fight Toph, right? Whether you win or lose against her…"
"You won't be mad if I lose against him either, right?" Sokka pouted, and Azula laughed and shook her head.
"I wouldn't be, no matter who you lose against" she said "I'd only be mad if Combustion Man kills you, and then I'd be mad at him, not at you…"
"So, even if I pulled something as embarrassing and ridiculous as my thumbs-up stunt from Ba Sing Se, you won't get mad…?" Sokka asked, teasingly, and Azula laughed again.
"Humiliating Combustion Man? Now that would be a sight to behold…" she said, and he chuckled "So… see? Maybe there's a thing or two back in the Capital worth looking forward to. Granted, I'll most look forward to returning here with you on your next birthday, but we have to kill time somehow until then…"
"Kill time, huh?" Sokka repeated, amused "Seems fair. I guess it's not that bad, going back, but I'm just going to miss this so much…"
His arms tightened around her; even his legs slipped between hers, with no purpose other than entangling their limbs for intimacy's sake. Azula smiled tenderly again, letting him envelop her as he wished.
"Then whenever you miss it… you should look at your right hand" Azula said, reaching for it, careful to touch him without grazing the wound underneath the bandage "Right there, underneath the glove you always wear… you'll find the evidence of what we did this week. You'll remember we're bonded for life… and I suspect you won't know how to keep from smiling once you think about all those things"
"Heh…" said Sokka, grinning as Azula undid his bandage carefully. By the time it had come off fully, his clean wound was exposed. It wasn't fully mended yet, but the bleeding had stopped and there were no signs of festering around the cut "Well, it's looking kind of ugly for now, but it'll be better in a couple of days. I'm sure of it"
"I hope so" Azula smiled sadly "We have to change our bandages now anyhow…"
"But that means… getting out of bed" Sokka groaned, before trapping her in his arms again. Azula laughed, her chest brushing against him whenever she took in a new breath "I don't want to…"
"Not even for breakfast?" she teased him "For a morning leak…?"
"Nope" Sokka pouted, squeezing her "That's all secondary and ignorable. Hugging you in bed is better"
"Such a hopeless romantic husband…" Azula smiled, closing her eyes and nestling against him "Alright, then. Just for a bit longer…"
"Just for a bit longer" Sokka agreed, smiling kindly at her when he leaned in to kiss her fully. They both continued to smile as their lips pressed softly together, fingers tangling in each other's hair.
It was no surprise for either of them when those gentle kisses turned passionate, when their hands touched skin with a new intent, when their bonded souls sought the pleasant release that reminded them they belonged with each other, by choice and conviction. The last of their leisurely mornings of waking side by side, of letting their bodies rise to the purest fulfilment they had ever felt, couldn't go to waste. Once more, as they had during the night, their bodies swayed slowly together, without the desperate eagerness that often accompanied their trysts. They could take their time, they could explore their bodies all over again, as though it were the first time they ever did, and they could rejoice in the thrills that rushed inside their hearts for every instant they were perfectly joined as one.
Yet, as intoxicated and lost in their pleasant sensations as they were, the cuts over their palms were sending warning signs that they had to tend to them at once. If there was one reason why Azula might ever agree to stop indulging in intimacy with Sokka, despite craving it constantly as she did, it was to tend to his wounds. And while Sokka seldom took his own injuries seriously, he couldn't hold back a flinch after they undid Azula's bandages to find that her cut, as much as it was far shallow than his own, had still bled quite a bit into the cloth, possibly reopened over their nightly and morning activities.
"Yeah, your hand definitely demands we get out of bed by now" Sokka sighed in defeat at last, pressing one more kiss to Azula's lips before pushing himself up to a sitting position.
His concern for her was expected, natural even, but Azula found it endearing regardless. As he sat up and stretched, his skin covered with marks from all their lovemaking across last week, she couldn't help but admire his strong body, the graceful fall of his hair over his face, his still half-lidded eyes closing tight as a yawn crossed his face. When he turned to her again, he was smiling kindly, the glow of happiness lighting his handsome features.
"What're you looking at, wife?" he asked, raising his eyebrows suggestively. She returned the grin, having known he would notice her shameless ogling.
"At my breathtaking husband, of course" she said, without missing a beat "I suppose it's because we just got married, but I'm certainly besotted with you all over again…"
"Oh, are you, now?" Sokka laughed, shaking his head before leaning in to kiss her lips again "Stop saying stuff like that, or else I'll never get to patching up your pretty hand"
"Mine's fine, yours is the worrisome one…"
"We're perfectly complementary, aren't we?" Sokka smiled "You look after me, and I look after you…"
"We're cut from the same cloth, is what we are" Azula laughed, pushing herself up too, with some difficulty. She threw her head back with a deep sigh, closing her eyes for a moment "Yeah, I guess we both need more motivation to get out of bed than ever before"
"We could just show each other our cuts all the time, that ought to do it" Sokka laughed, and Azula smiled fondly at him before shaking her head.
"Fine, fine, we have to tend to them, that much is true…"
They climbed off the bed momentarily, and only to pick up their first aid supplies. Their bandages had almost run out by now, but they managed to share the remaining ones evenly, after applying a healing salve over the wounds. They sat by the edge of the bed through the process, and by the time Sokka's hand was bandaged properly – he had insisted, of course, that Azula's cut would be tended to first –, Azula had dropped her head on his shoulder, letting herself relax again in one more moment she would want to treasure forever, like the countless ones they had shared during their journey.
"You okay?" Sokka asked, watching as she took his bandaged hand in her own, tracing his knuckles gently with her thumbs.
"More than I have been in my entire life, if anything" she answered with an earnest smile "Have I ever told you… that I resented you, quite a lot, the first time you made me wish I had been born a peasant, just so I could be with you?"
"Y-you… say what?" Sokka blurted, a disbelieving smile breaking across his face. Azula smiled as well, closing her eyes as though to avoid meeting his gaze.
"It happened after that kiss… the one that messed me up before I got sick, in Ty Lee's backyard" she smiled "By next morning I was telling Xin Long all the reasons why we couldn't be together, and he kept responding with his trademark, straight-forward understanding of the world… I seem to remember he said something along the lines of 'if you two like pressing your mouths together that much, what could be the problem?'… you can, of course, imagine my outrage at such reasoning"
Sokka laughed and kissed her temples. Azula couldn't help her smile, letting Sokka envelop her in a gentle hug as she continued telling her story.
"I went on to say that there was no way you and I could have a lasting relationship, that our positions in the world made it impossible. Next thing I knew, a complete slip of mind led me to say that things might be different if only I weren't the Princess… and that was the first time, in my entire life, that I ever found myself wishing not to be who I was"
"All because I kissed you when I shouldn't have?" Sokka smiled. Azula nodded, raising her head to peck his lips softly.
"In all fairness, I had it coming. I had already kissed you at the worst possible moment too, so even if I didn't think it back then, I guess it was only fair that you returned the favor when you did" she said "For all my life, I'd used my title as a shield in many ways. It got me out of trouble, it served as comfort whenever something went wrong, it provided me with all the privileges I could've wanted… I thought being a Princess was the essence of who I was, pretty much. That I would ever want to let that go… it meant I would have to figure out whoever I was underneath that title. And I sure didn't want to ask myself that question, for the reasons you already know… the answer I always imagined for it was 'monster', after all. Or well, it was, that is, until you came along"
"Azula…" Sokka whispered, and she chuckled before dropping her head on his shoulder again.
"The more I let you in, the more I discovered my truest self. Before long, I found myself wishing not to be a Princess again, and now without being utterly outraged by the very idea of it. And for this week… I guess I got my wistful wish, didn't I? Not that you didn't treat me like a Princess, you certainly did in every way that counted… but I think I like being your wife better than being a Princess"
Sokka remained silent for a moment after hearing those words. Azula played with his hands gently, until the pure, tender calm between them was broken: his free hand reached for her chin, tilting her face upwards to kiss her fiercely. Azula had expected he wouldn't react in any small ways to those words, but she had prepared for flustered complaints about how she wasn't allowed to be corny, about how that was his job rather than hers…
Instead he held her close, his trembling hands cradling her face with the care of a man who cherished her and every moment he spent with her: she had been much more than a Princess for him, for much longer than he had ever realized. The first time he had lost himself in her eyes, the first time he had seen glimpses of what lay underneath all her invulnerable exterior… he had known it since then, even if he hadn't quite rationalized it. That he had been the one to help her see the truth of who she was, that he had inspired her to embrace a humbler, and yet so much more fulfilling way of living, had to be a greater achievement than any he had to his name in the Gladiator League.
Even after they parted breathlessly, Sokka sought her lips again and again, prompting Azula to laugh against his mouth. The passionate exchange turned playful before long as they both rolled on the bed, blissful grins on their faces: that this would be the last day of their escapade seemed to have gone forgotten for at least one moment of crystalized happiness. Sokka had often responded to being overwhelmed by emotions with sprees of wild kisses, and Azula welcomed them gladly. As they lay together on the mattress again, his high spirits still plain in his face, Azula slipped her fingers through his hair and kissed his lips most delightfully.
"You can complain all you want about how mushy I am, you can call me the worst hopeless romantic you know…" he smiled "But you keep trying to outdo me at everything, even at that, huh?"
"That's because everything's always a challenge between us, Sokka" she answered "Even the good things"
"And I love us for that" Sokka laughed, his brow against her shoulder as her arms encircled his neck.
If only she could have held him there for longer, his weight upon her so comforting and safe, Azula would have certainly done as much. But their private moment was interrupted, at least in Azula's mind: her smile waned upon recognizing her dragon's thoughts amongst her own, and she rolled her eyes as he complained about them being locked up in their room for far too long.
"Ugh. Xin is demanding our attention" she sighed, and Sokka raised his head, smiling awkwardly.
"I guess it was bound to happen" he said, stroking her hair "We'll have breakfast with him, I suppose?"
"Yeah… though we ought to get dressed before we do that" Azula sighed "And that's always a waste. Should we pack before going, or…?"
"Well… we can do that after eating, right?" Sokka suggested, and Azula nodded promptly: neither one was all that willing to say their goodbyes to the spacious, elegant room that had served as their haven over the last days.
Xin Long's apparent bad mood vanished as soon as his two riders appeared, half-dressed but still decent enough to spend time with the feisty dragon. Azula took to the kitchen right away, however, as Sokka handled Xin Long's enthusiastic greetings.
"It's good to see you too, yeah" Sokka smiled, patting the dragon's snout "Ready for a pretty long trip? I don't know if we'll be stopping much this time around…"
Xin Long puffed out his chest at those words, proud of his stamina, as though reassuring Sokka that he could handle the challenge. The gladiator laughed and nodded, pleased by his response.
"Then I'll look forward to traveling with you, buddy. I always do" he said, and his cheesy words warranted him an affectionate lick from the dragon.
Azula arranged their leftovers on their breakfast plates while she waited for the tea kettle to boil. She would greet Xin Long properly afterwards, but she had to ensure she wouldn't forget about her daily dosage of tea. Too often they had teetered on the edge of forsaking that precaution altogether during their trip, and she couldn't help but sigh at the thought. Children were the typical following stage for relationships beyond marriage, she knew as much, but it wasn't a step she took for granted. Not only was she still reluctant, still too nervous about being a suitable mother to be hasty over the thought of conceiving Sokka's child: most of all, she dreaded that they would fail to raise a kid properly if they had to keep their parentage a secret from the rest of the world.
But that beautiful idea of relocating to the Earth Kingdom, under the guise of arranging the Enforcers' operations in the large continent, was growing louder in her mind by now. If only it were possible, if only her father could be convinced… but surely, in time, she would find an opportunity to make it happen. If she did, every day of their lives could be like this week, and if they so wished, they could indeed raise a child together without much interference…
She was smiling to herself at those thoughts when Sokka's arms slipped around her waist, startling her out of her daze. His lips found her cheek before long, and he pressed several kisses to it, humming happily each time: Azula couldn't hold down a giggle, something she could have been utterly ashamed of… but he certainly had a way of making her feel like the kind of giggling fools she used to scoff at, and she enjoyed it thoroughly.
"What's on your mind, dear wife of mine…?" he asked, with a sing-song voice.
"Things that you'd be ridiculously happy about, if only you knew what they were" she answered enigmatically, and Sokka snorted as he watched her checking the teapot, still on its way to boiling.
"So secretive…" he said, playfully "What, were you thinking again about how handsome I am? How good I am with Xin Long, maybe?"
"Well, no, but both those things are worth thinking about too" Azula smiled.
"Uh… how talented a singer I am, surely" he smirked "Hey! Hey now, you haven't given me singing lessons yet! That won't do, Azula…!"
"Oh, hell, I forgot about that" she sighed, shaking her head "I suppose I'll set myself up for a very miserable trip by offering to teach you on our way to the mainland, but I can't think of another solution…"
"Wait… you would? For real?!" Sokka exclaimed, his eyes wide as a disbelieving smile spread over his face.
"Well, there's nothing I wouldn't do for my husband, even if it means I must suffer through it" Azula smirked, and Sokka chuckled "That way you have something to look forward to for our trip, too"
"Yeah, even if it's just that" he sighed, burying his face in her neck "Hell, you're being too nice, Azula…"
"Ah, and you don't like it?" she asked, teasingly "You have more fun when I'm being a jerk?"
"Well, I do have a lot of fun when you're mean, but I like this just fine, too" he snickered, giving her a gentle squeeze with his arms "I'm just not sure how to keep up with it, but I'll figure something out, for sure"
"You'll have to" Azula said, smirking "Because now that I'm your wife… I can't say I feel like acting any differently than this"
"Really…?" Sokka said, with a goofy smile on his face "Ah, Azula…"
"I love you" she whispered, kissing his lips mere seconds before the kettle whistled "But, if you don't mind, I must make sure we won't make babies before the right time arrives"
"As always" Sokka smiled, watching from behind her as she worked to brew the tea expertly, having done it for herself countless times by now.
"If you really wanted to know, though… that's what I was thinking about" she mumbled.
She didn't expect him to drop his arms suddenly, so startled by her bringing up children that he had been floored entirely by her words. She smiled innocently at him, taking in the wide blue eyes, as well as the confused slant of his mouth.
"I'm not saying I'm ready yet, no…" she clarified, and that already brought Sokka to nod understandingly: that was what he was used to hearing from her, after all "But… maybe the idea doesn't seem all that dreadful anymore. If we've survived on our own, against all odds… maybe we could raise a child and not mess it up beyond measure, right? If anything, I can be sure I'd do better than my parents did…"
"That's a low bar you're setting for yourself, love" Sokka laughed, kissing her cheek again as she blushed upon hearing the term of endearment "I agree, though. At least, it's worth thinking about it, might help us be more prepared once we really do want this"
"Yeah" said Azula, smiling over her shoulder at him. Sokka grinned and pecked her lips softly.
"If you keep up being so sweet I think I'll get a sugar rush" Sokka teased her, and Azula rolled her eyes, shoving at him gently as she finished pouring the tea onto two cups: more often than not, Sokka had drank the tea with her through the trip.
"You have no one to blame for that but yourself" she said, handing him his overflowing breakfast plate of leftovers as well "You know damn well I was a cynical, driven, amoral asshole before we met. Sweetness had never been on the menu, but you broke me"
"Oh, I'm the sole culprit for it? Well, alright then…" Sokka laughed, as they walked to the courtyard together: Xin Long waited there, greeting his smiling rider with a happy gurgle of fire.
"Good morning to you too, Xin. No, there's not enough food left for you, silly, so you'll have to go fishing or hunting again. If you'd paced yourself last night maybe there'd be more left…"
The dragon seemed aghast, outraged even. He grumbled about humans wanting to keep all the good food to themselves before taking off, flying quickly towards the nearest stream in hopes to capture enough fish to fill his stomach. He came back to Sokka and Azula when they were half-finished with their own meals, dropping a myriad of fish at their feet and eating them eagerly in front of the pair, to Azula's usual disgust and Sokka's expected amusement.
It would be the last meal they would share in Shu Jing, a fact that didn't escape any of them as they enjoyed their food. By the time Azula was finished she set the plate aside and dropped her head on Sokka's shoulder again. His arm encircled her waist, the two of them gazing at the rearranged garden, still sporting its beautiful lanterns and the nest of blankets and pillows they had lain in. Everywhere they glanced at in the mansion would evoke memories and thoughts of their shared experiences: the bittersweet nostalgia that clouded their eyes was still leaning more towards sweetness, for the time being.
"I'm really going to miss this place. More than I did when I moved to the Capital" Sokka smiled, reaching for Azula's hand "It's the first Fire Nation place I ever felt at ease in, and I used to think it'd be the only one where I'd belong… I'm so glad I was wrong about that"
"Me too" Azula whispered, leaning in to kiss his neck, her lips grazing the faded scars upon it "Beyond the location we may be in, the truth is we belong together. Nothing will change that"
Sokka smiled gently, his fingers sliding into her hair. They rose over the curve of her back until he found her nape, and he joined their lips together again, confirming through a tender, deep kiss that he intended to live by the words she had just uttered. The smiles on their faces were perfect mirrors of each other's once they parted.
"You know…" he said, breathing deeply before gazing around himself again "I'm thinking I ought to practice more painting once I go home. I won't get any better unless I keep working on it, right?"
"True" Azula said, stroking his arm gently.
"I'll try to paint this… if I can remember it properly" Sokka chuckled, breathing deeply as he took in the beautiful backyard "I really… I really want to bring as many memories home as I can with me. I don't even know how to describe what this week has meant to me, Azula…"
"Maybe you ought to try to put your feelings into haiku" Azula smiled, dropping her head on his shoulder "Could be you should practice on that, too"
"Heh, as long as you don't laugh too much about the results…" he smirked and she kissed his cheek.
"I'll try not to" she said, reassuringly "Will we be part of your painting, by any chance?"
"I think we should be, yeah" he smiled, pressing his brow to hers "Might have to study your body a bit more to make sure I get everything right, though"
"You won't hear me complain about that" Azula teased, and Sokka laughed before hugging her "I love you, Sokka. I'm so glad we could do this…"
"So am I" he whispered, raising his face to gaze into her eyes "My beautiful, generous, brilliant wife… no man has ever been more fortunate than I"
"Nor any woman more fortunate than I" Azula responded. Sokka chuckled, leaning in for another spree of joyful kisses.
Their leisurely week had come to an end, and against all odds and playful predictions about how they wouldn't stand each other by the time they went home, Sokka and Azula felt closer than ever before. It was impossible for them to gaze at the other without smiling, more so if their eyes met as they glanced at the same time. They worked together to put away the plates for their breakfast, cleaning everything thoroughly, including the kitchen counters and the oven.
It only seemed right to wash up before their new trip, so they took to the bathroom and bathed together, without spending as much time soaking in the tub as they would have liked to, for once: they had to pack, after all, and the day would get away from them if they weren't careful.
"What exactly are we going to do, though?" Sokka asked, as he tucked in their used clothes in the laundry bag "I get that we're going home, but we have to be about as paranoid upon returning as we were about taking off… right?"
"Yeah" Azula sighed, nodding as she fastened the bags they had already packed up fully "Depending on how many stops we make, if we do at all, we still ought to reach the Capital at night. We'll drop you off under the night's cover, and Xin and I will fly out of the city again, return sometime in the morning… probably early in the morning, really. I don't know for how long I'll be able to stay away from you after this…"
"That's a cause for concern, yeah" Sokka smiled, crouching behind her as she finished ensuring the backpacks were tied properly "I think we'd been learning how to exist without needing to be in each other's company constantly… we've completely ruined all that progress after this week"
"You can say that again" Azula admitted, laughing softly "Oh, well. I can't deny I love this constant urge to be by your side at all times, even if it's painful when I can't be…"
"If we arrive early at night, though, you can spend the night with me anyhow" Sokka suggested, kissing her cheek "We wouldn't have to separate until before dawn breaks, right?"
"Right" said Azula, sighing but smiling warmly at him "Only problem is, your bed's supposed to be occupied until tonight, right?"
"Uh… couch it is" Sokka said, grimacing as Azula laughed, pressing her brow to his.
"Then that's what we'll do" she said, taking his hand gently in hers. The callouses on his palm weren't as rough as they always were, for he hadn't wielded his sword in longer than usual… but that was certain to change once they returned home "Are we ready to go, then?"
"I… I guess so" Sokka said, his voice small.
Azula offered him a sad smile at his obvious reluctance. Sometimes he looked so big, larger than life, an exemplary grown man, so very dangerous when he wanted to be… and sometimes his most innocent façade would shine through those blue eyes, betraying that deep down he was hopeful and kind, the gentlest soul Azula had ever known. Her hand rose to his cup his face and she kissed him again, tasting the desperation in his lips as he dove into her mouth recklessly, his nose pressing into her cheek.
"I love you so much" he said, smiling weakly, their lips still pressed together "I don't know how many times I've thanked you, but… thank you again, Azula. This was the greatest gift anyone's ever given me…"
"I'll figure out a way to make it better yet next year" she smiled encouragingly "If there's one thing about us that always remains true, it's that we get better and better with every new day we spend together. So… however high we've set the bar this time, we can do better next year, even. I know we can"
"I'll look forward to that, then" Sokka smiled, closing his eyes as she kissed his cheek and wrapped her arms around his waist, twisting her body to achieve that.
"We'd better get going, though. We still have a long trip ahead of us, and a lot of singing lessons to go through, too…" Azula said, with an awkward grin. Sokka laughed, pulling away and smiling warmly at her.
"You don't have to do that if you don't want to…"
"I actually do want to, if you learn a thing or two about singing it'll probably be better for my ears in the future" she smirked, standing up and offering him her hands. Sokka chuckled as he took them, letting her pull him to his feet "So yes, even if it won't be easy, it's a sacrifice that had better pay off one day"
"I hope I won't make you regret it, then" Sokka chuckled, kissing her lips softly "And again, I must say… I love you, Azula"
"And I love you, Sokka" she said, hugging him, her head dropping on his chest. His own arms wrapped around her frame delicately at first, far more tightly later as the surge of happiness prompted him to kiss her again and again.
Xin Long waited for them after they went over the mansion fully one more time, closing every window and door. The dragon stood by his saddle, which the riders had to strap to his body along with the rest of his armor. Afterwards they fastened the backpacks to the railings, just as they had upon setting out from the cove in the mainland, and finally they climbed on the dragon together, with Azula sitting at the front and Sokka holding her from behind.
"Well… this is it" the Princess sighed. Her hands fell upon Sokka's, and she relaxed her body against his, gazing at Piandao's mansion fondly "Until next year, as long as it's still empty by then"
"We could try to find a new place, if it isn't" Sokka smiled "Granted, Shu Jing is amazing, but I'm sure we could see more of the world by then, if the mansion isn't available…"
"Fair enough. Might be fun to go house-hunting, even" Azula conceded, before patting Xin Long's neck "Let's go, Xin"
The dragon rose up to his full height, taking in a deep breath in the elegant place he had called home over the past days, allowing Sokka and Azula to appreciate the magnificent building just for a few more instants… and then he trotted off, racing towards the furthest wall and jumping in the air to skip over it, flying low until they were well past the visual field of anyone in Shu Jing's town. The dragon had managed to remain perfectly concealed so far, and he had no intentions of revealing his presence to the townsfolk by being careless during their return home.
Sokka and Azula gazed over their shoulders at the building they were leaving behind, feeling as though they were letting go of their lives as Jing and Wentai already. As much as the weight of duty had yet to sink in, they couldn't help but wish their trip had been much longer than it was…
Azula cuddled up against Sokka as Xin Long flew higher, upon reaching the edge of Shu Jing's island. Soon they would be hiding in the cover of the clouds, and by then it'd be a long ride, whether until Xin Long got too tired to carry on, or until they reached Sokka's house around dusk.
"Oh, it's really not fair" Azula sighed, her head resting against Sokka's chest "I know we enjoyed every second of our crazy trip, but it feels like it ended too soon"
"Well, if you want to wish for it to be over as quickly as possible…" Sokka smirked, kissing her cheek "Care to sing a song with me, my dear wife?"
"Heh. Come to think of it, that might really be the way to convince me it's a good thing we're going home" Azula laughed, before breathing in and beginning with the promised lessons Sokka had been anticipating eagerly.
As much as the lessons were meant to be for Sokka, Xin Long joined in, trying to chant along with whatever melodies Azula tried to teach Sokka. She tried to explain it from the most technical point of view possible, expecting Sokka would respond better to that than mere demonstrations of singing, but it didn't matter how she explained pitch, tones or scales, Sokka would still fail to find the right notes for anything he tried to sing. Halfway through the trip, the Princess had grown convinced he was only struggling so much because he was doing it wrong intentionally, but Sokka assured her, between laughs and the constant jabbing of her fingers in his ribs, that he truly was as tone-deaf as she had ever accused him of being.
They did stop before reaching the Capital, taking a break by Fire Fountain City's volcano for a chance to eat and replenish their energies – Xin Long, naturally, dove off to hunt his own meal. As much as there was a risk the people in the large city might see the dragon, it was unlikely that they would be able to notice how many riders had been on his back when he had landed at the opposite side of the volcano from where the city stood. Sokka and Azula remained hidden by the tall rock wall, eating together in the same ease they had shared in Shu Jing, smiling warmly as they watched the horizon from their privileged position, enjoying the sight of the blue colors fading into violet and pinks as the sun set slowly, beyond their field of view.
It was dusk by the time Xin Long returned to them, and fully nighttime once they took off to finish the journey back to the Capital. They wouldn't reach the city for several hours yet, but it was all the better: people would be far less likely to notice a dragon floating across the sky and landing in a house's backyard if they were already in bed.
The two riders were tired by then, but while the temptation of resting through the remainder of the voyage was strong, they had more reason to resist that impulse than to give in. Azula's hands held Sokka's more tightly with every league they left behind, and when the Great Gates of Azulon became visible she sighed in disappointment. Sokka wrapped his arms tighter around her waist, pressing gentle kisses to her cheek, knowing his attempts to reassure her wouldn't pay off now. The closer they came to his house, the sooner their cocoon of bliss would crumble and fade away, turned into nothing but memories they would long to relive anew…
"I know I said we had a lot to look forward to once we came back…" Azula sighed "But I'm starting to think otherwise"
"Yeah, well, I'd try to play the counterweight to your current sadness but I don't want to go home yet either" Sokka groaned, holding her tightly and burying his face in her neck "Can't we be Jing and Wentai for five more minutes? Ten? Another five hours…?"
"Doesn't look like it" said Azula, sighing and pressing her face to his.
"Screw it all" Sokka mumbled, in childish frustration, and he clung to Azula as though he refused to let go at all, his eyes shut as though he might delay their return home by averting his gaze from the largest of the Fire Nation's islands…
But nothing could slow down their progress anymore: Xin Long soared higher in the sky, as far from prying eyes as possible, before diving in quickly towards Sokka's house. If anyone saw a shadow crossing through the sky, they might have thought it to be a mere illusion, a trick of their eyes, rather than a mighty dragon with two riders locked in an intimate embrace.
He touched on the ground softly, and the familiar building greeted them almost warmly, even if there were no lights within. Azula sighed but smiled weakly, accepting it was time to face reality once again.
"Shu Jing was a brilliant refuge for us, that can't be denied… but this house is its own kind of haven for us too" Azula smiled, prompting Sokka to raise his head and sigh audibly.
"It is, why lie? But going back to the hiding and sneaking around is not going to be easy now, Princess" Sokka said, glancing at her sadly "You can stay here with me for a while, though, won't you? We said we could spend the night together one last time…"
"I have to" Azula said, shrugging "I'm supposed to change into my Princess attire, aren't I?"
"True" Sokka conceded, relief already rushing inside his mind and body. He didn't have to let her go yet, then. There was no need to say goodbye so soon "Alright, then, alright…"
He only released his hold on her waist to climb off the saddle and offer Azula his fully spread arms. She jumped into them, offering Sokka a soft kiss once she was safely on the ground. The kindness of his grin as he stroked her hair was enough to goad her into kissing him many times again, never mind all caution and dread regarding how much more careful they had to be now that they weren't all by themselves…
Xin Long grunted before long, bringing Azula back to a reality she wasn't ready to face yet. She had to do so, though, for Xin Long was calling her attention to the many bags still strapped to his saddle: Azula reached for the backpack where they had tucked away her royal attire, and she yanked it off Xin Long first. Sokka took care of unloading the rest of the bags while she walked to the bathroom with her head hung, never having felt so unwilling to be Crown Princess Azula as she did right now.
"Hey…" Sokka called after her. Azula turned to look at him, a sad, apprehensive smile on her face "Want me to help you out?"
"Might as well. Can't say I even know how to start being my old self again after this week" Azula conceded, as she left the door half-open for him before undoing the bindings of her tunic.
Sokka was a complete gentleman this time as he helped her out of her clothes and into the usual ones she wore. He offered her frequent grins, laughed as he struggled to tell which clothing item was which in the darkness of the bathroom, and he kissed her lips often to reassure her, constantly, that what had changed between them over this trip would linger forever, just as she had told him. As much as saying goodbye was still foreboding, Azula was eased by his gentle words and ways, still seeking his lips with her own after he finished crowning her half-knot with her hairpiece.
"And there we go… the glorious, beautiful, extraordinary Princess Azula" Sokka smiled fondly at her, cupping her cheek "I'll miss the casual outfit, can't deny it, but you're so imposing this way…"
"Have to enforce my authority somehow. Projecting the right image is the first step for it, like I've said before" Azula sighed, dropping her head on his chest "But I barely even care to do that anymore… can't I just move here with you, for good?"
"I'd be cool with that"
"Great. I'll send word to the Palace by morning and have them bring all my stuff here"
"All of it? I'm not sure the house is big enough for all the contents of your royal suite, Princess" Sokka chuckled, kissing the top of her head.
"Then maybe I won't send word at all and I'll just stay anyhow" Azula sighed, burying her face in his neck "Ugh, why did we even come back? We should've just eloped the right way and ran off forever…"
"Yeah, I've been wondering the same thing since we left Shu Jing" Sokka smiled, rubbing her back gently over her armor plates.
Azula closed her eyes, taking in his scent and warmth. She let her mind return to their leisurely days together briefly, relishing in Sokka's company now that she knew she would be deprived from it far too soon for her tastes. How she knew she was being greedy, spoiled, clingy and needy… but as ever, love would open her weaknesses easily, bringing about consequences for breaking down her walls and defenses that weren't always agreeable. So she sighed, clutching at Sokka as he rubbed her back and arms, offering her what little comfort he could for now.
"Are we going to stand here for the rest of the night…?" Azula asked, smiling weakly.
"Well, my bed's taken, so I don't think we can go to my room" Sokka said "We did talk about the couch, but… heh, I'm actually kind of hungry by now"
"Already?" Azula asked, raising her eyebrows.
"There wasn't that much food left when we reached Fire Fountain City" Sokka pouted "And it's been several hours since then anyhow, so… yeah. Already"
Azula smiled but surrendered to Sokka's usual impulses to eat. He led her to the house, entering the darkened rooms carefully, wary of bumping into obstacles or being too noisy. They welcomed the familiarity of their surroundings as they crossed the building, but they were acutely aware of not being alone anymore, even if the other occupants of the house were asleep right now. Their leisurely, careless behavior from Shu Jing had to be put aside from now on because of that.
"Uh… I can't find any leftovers. Damn" Sokka grunted, searching through the cabinets in the kitchen, even glancing inside the pots that sat on the counters "I guess… we could cook something from scratch ourselves?"
"Oh? For old times' sake?" Azula asked, amused "Here I thought the only advantage of coming home was not having to make our own meals"
"Might be an advantage, might be a disadvantage" Sokka chuckled "I had fun cooking with you. So… can we do it again? One last time?"
Azula smiled and nodded, complying far more enthusiastically to that proposal than she would have mere weeks ago. While there was no doubt that they were far from experts in regards to cuisine, they had developed an unexpected liking to it, nonetheless. Perhaps it was merely a matter of teamwork, rather than about the cooking itself… but be it what it were, busying themselves with a quick meal was enough to appease their heavy hearts, even if every moment that passed them by brought them closer to parting ways.
The night had been quiet, in general, which was a whole novelty for Song after the week she'd spent with her current roommates. For once they had seemingly given her some respite, and she didn't even need to use her earplugs tonight… and yet when she heard the sounds of clanging and clinking in the kitchen, the cook and healer scowled, even with eyes closed. The one rule she had given them, the one thing she had been adamant about… and of course they had to break it on the very last day of their arrangement.
She climbed out of bed, still half-asleep even though her irritation was powering her to head downstairs and confront the crime taking place in her kitchen. It was the last straw, and she would have none of it… though she didn't intend to see anything she might be scarred by, either.
So she began scolding the pair as soon as she finished the climb down the stairs, assuming the sound of her voice would at least ensure they would cover up or hide away before she could catch them red-handed in her kitchen:
"I thought I'd told you…" she said, her voice stronger than even Song had expected it to be "That the kitchen was absolutely off-limits for you two!"
The puzzled stares she got from the two perpetrators were confusing enough, but the drowsy Song had to blink her drowsiness away, in the dark of the night, to realize that it wasn't Haru and Ty Lee standing by the counters.
"W-woah. Seems like you've become real strict over this week, huh, Song?" Sokka said, amused as Azula as well smiled, though sympathetically: she certainly could imagine why the young woman seemed to be on edge about whatever was happening in her kitchen. If only the two of them hadn't actually been guilty of desecrating it some time ago…
"Wait… what?" Song said, rubbing her eyes in surprise. Her annoyance faded away, replaced by a delighted smile "You're back! Ah, I thought you'd arrive so much later…! Sorry, I was sure you were, w-well…!"
"Yeah, I think we can fill the blanks" Azula said, raising her eyebrows as Song approached them, hugging Sokka gently, still laughing in relief.
"I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have been so harsh without knowing who it was…" she smiled apologetically at them "It's just… w-well, those two are… they're…"
"No need to describe it" Sokka said, grimacing "If you've put up with the two of us without complaint for so long, I can imagine whatever they were up to this week was no good if you're blowing up like this"
"You have no idea" sighed Song, dropping her head before raising it again, with a weak grin "I missed you guys, though. It's good to see you again. Did you have a good trip?"
"So good we wish we didn't have to come back" Sokka chuckled "But I guess, if just to alleviate your troubles, it's good that we did…"
"Yeah, I'm grateful for it" Song laughed "Oh, goodness, but you really arrived early…"
"It was the best way to proceed" Azula whispered, with a shrug "I couldn't drop off Sokka in broad daylight, for the same reasons I couldn't stop by here to pick him up when I first took off…"
"Yeah, it's the only way to mislead anyone who might have kept an eye on us. And speaking of which… has anyone asked for me?" Sokka asked, and Song stiffened "Oh? That doesn't look promising…"
"I… I'm sorry" Song said, huffing and shaking her head "That's probably why I got much stricter, really, even if they hardly paid me attention. Someone did come visit you, and… w-well, simply put, Haru was in no condition to talk to them"
"Uh-oh" Sokka grimaced, as Azula breathed deeply, rolling her eyes at the reality she hadn't wanted to return to.
"Who was it?" she asked "Anyone dangerous?"
"Well, maybe… it was a woman, the Captain of the Enforcers?" Song said, biting her lip. Azula gritted her teeth and huffed, shaking her head promptly.
"Did you tell her Sokka wasn't home, or…?"
"N-no. I tried to use the actual cover story we'd worked on, that he was so very miserable, but she certainly didn't believe me when she overheard, well… whatever they were doing in your room, Sokka" Song said, grimacing. The gladiator shuddered, a grimace of disgust on his face.
"Wait just a moment… she thought I was sleeping around with someone else while Azula was on the road?!" he exclaimed, raising his voice more than he should have, but by now neither Azula nor Song seemed to be all that concerned about keeping quiet.
"Uh, yeah. Pretty much" said Song, and Sokka yelped in horror.
"No!"
"Yep"
"That's horrible! Unacceptable!" Sokka continued, his hands reaching for his hair as he looked at Azula in dread. Naturally, the Princess hadn't reacted remotely as explosively as he had "W-why aren't you freaking out?! Azula, by now the entire city will think I was whoring myself out while you were gone!"
"It's not true, though" Azula smiled at him sympathetically "We're both well aware of where you were and what you were up to. Calm down…"
"B-but it's terrible! Everyone knows I'm in love with you!" Sokka squeaked "They don't know we're together, obviously not, but…! But now I'll look like some dishonorable idiot who sleeps around when the woman he wants is out of sight?!"
"Yeah, well, I didn't say it'd do your reputation any favors" Azula smiled sadly now, reaching to caress his arm reassuringly "But you can relax, Sokka. Granted, I wish they hadn't been so reckless and hadn't dishonored you as they did… but heh, this way you have a stronger alibi than you would have if Mei Xun had noticed Haru wasn't you, which she might have if she'd talked directly to him, right?"
"M-maybe? Ugh, but it sounds dreadful… that's the worst alibi ever" Sokka groaned, throwing his arms around Azula and hugging her tightly. She laughed and patted his back, knowing, without even looking at him, that he was pouting in frustration, his head resting on her shoulder.
Footsteps on the stairs alerted them that the culprits for Sokka's current crisis had woken up, too. Without letting go of Azula, Sokka turned them in place so he could shoot a deadly glare at Ty Lee and Haru – the former showed up at the kitchen's entrance while fastening her loosely tied robe, the latter shirtless, holding up his trousers with a hand. Their eyes were squinted as they tried to figure out the reason why they'd heard conversations in the night, especially the latest loud cries by Sokka…
"You two! How dare you smear my good name as you have?!" he squeaked, prompting Azula to laugh even louder than she had before, reaching with her hand to cup his cheek reassuringly.
"W-what?! You're back already?!" Ty Lee exclaimed, eyes wide now as she seemed to come awake with just that realization "Goodness, I thought you'd arrive later today…! Oh, wait, Song, you already told them about…?"
"Yeah, I did" Song declared immediately, and Ty Lee grimaced painfully.
"W-why…?" she said, her voice unexpectedly weak as Haru stepped forward, looking at Sokka apologetically.
"I'm so sorry, Sokka! I know I had one job, b-but…!"
"Yeah, yeah, you did it anyhow, you just did it the worst possible way you could" Sokka pouted, shaking his head before burying his face in Azula's shoulder again "Ugh, hide me away from the rest of the world for a couple of years, maybe by then they'll have forgotten I'm some sort of disloyal manwhore…"
"There, there… no one will judge you half as much as you think they will, Sokka" Azula said, rubbing his back gently.
"I'm judging myself enough already and I didn't even do anything…" Sokka pouted, before breaking their embrace and shooting a nasty glare at Ty Lee "And you should be worried too! You'll get married soon, people might think you were sleeping around!"
"Uh, w-well, sure, but I have a terrible reputation anyhow and I'm sure Haru forgives me for cheating on him with… him" Ty Lee said, grinning at the earthbender, who smiled back guiltily.
"Yeah, you're forgiven" he said, before breathing deeply and looking at the new arrivals again "I'm so sorry, truly… but welcome back. You had a good trip?"
"Must have been good if Azula's taking this so well…" Ty Lee said, raising her eyebrows suggestively, and Azula sighed.
"Either the trip was good, or I'm too tired after that last flight, or I think this will amount to an inconsequential problem in the end… any of those reasons, or perhaps all three of them, are responsible for me acting like this" she said, with a dry grin.
"Inconsequential…?" Sokka pouted, and Azula smiled reassuringly again.
"People may talk about it for a while, but they'll forget it all later. Besides… as horrible as it may be, it helps keep suspicions at bay anyhow" she said, shrugging. Sokka groaned, his head hung.
"I'd rather keep them at bay through any other means…" he grumbled, but he turned quickly towards the stove moments later, realizing the rice he had been cooking needed his attention.
"Uh, wait, you were cooking?" Ty Lee said, eyes wide.
"You don't have to, I can finish that for you…" said Song, but Sokka shook his head proudly.
"No need! As hard to believe as it may be, we actually cooked for ourselves quite a bit while we were on the road" Sokka smiled at Song "Your recipe book sure helped out"
"Really?" Song said, happily surprised "Well, I did try to write all instructions with as much detail as possible, but I wasn't sure even that would be enough…"
"We were careful, mostly" said Azula, smiling "When we weren't poking fun at each other by reading aloud the wrong recipes, that is…"
"It speaks well of our common sense that we could tell those ingredients didn't match the dish we were cooking before we made any serious blunders, though" Sokka smirked, before grinning at Song "So yeah! We survived on our own, in Shu Jing, for almost a full week, so you should be proud of your book. We probably wouldn't have made it without it"
"Almost a full week?" Ty Lee repeated, glancing at Azula "Wasn't that where you were headed all along?"
"We ended up spending two days at a small town, Firelight Town" Azula said "It was a nice place…"
"And we took up a Spicy Ramen Challenge there!" Sokka announced proudly, prompting their three friends to stare at them in disbelief.
"You… wow" said Song, snorting before laughing freely "Well, that suits you both just fine"
"I thought it did, too" Sokka grinned.
"So you're saying, instead of rushing off to do actual romantic things, you just… ate a ton of spices?" Ty Lee said, before laughing too "Oh, Song's right, that's typical from the two of you…"
Azula smiled warmly at Sokka, who chuckled proudly and shrugged before returning to his rice. The gentle expression on the Princess's face didn't go ignored by the others, though: something was different about her after this trip. She seemed gentler, more mature, perhaps, and she appeared to be incapable of taking her eyes off Sokka for more than five seconds. That she eventually helped him with the rice he was cooking was all the more perplexing, and the lack of explosive bashfulness at Ty Lee's teasing didn't go unnoticed either, even when her friend began pestering her about revealing whether the spiciest thing in their travels had been the ramen or something quite different.
"Come on, what else happened?! You two couldn't possibly have spent a whole week on your own just eating spicy ramen all the time!" Ty Lee complained, as the pair shared a bowl of rice, merely smiling at Ty Lee's words "Like… that necklace! That's new, Azula, isn't it?"
If she hadn't pointed it out, neither Azula nor Sokka would have realized she was still wearing it, fully accustomed as she was to carrying its weight on her neck. They shared a quick but sad glance before Azula reached back to unfasten it: Sokka helped her by raising her long hair, allowing her to remove the necklace and hand it to him.
"It's not that new, not really…" she answered Ty Lee "But I shouldn't wear it in public anyhow"
"What? Why?! Hey! You can't say that and not explain anything right afterwards! What's the story behind that necklace?!"
"Well, you see… I might have been inclined to answer your questions, if only you hadn't destroyed Sokka's reputation as you have" Azula said, dramatically, prompting Sokka to snicker: obviously she wouldn't have shared any details of what had transpired during their trip, but having an excuse not to was only going to exasperate Ty Lee further.
"B-but you said earlier that…! Ack, fine then! Keep your spicy secrets to yourselves, as far as I'm concerned you just ate a lot and put on a ton of weight!" she declared, proudly: the only reaction by Azula and Sokka was laughter, the pair sitting together by the kitchen table. As much as they couldn't have the same intimacy they'd shared in Shu Jing, they reached for each other's hand constantly over the table, legs brushing together, eyes meeting on occasion with gentle smiles on their faces.
Talking with their friends was enjoyable, though, and before long Azula and Sokka were sharing the less intimate of details about their journey: they spoke about riding waves with Xin Long, Sokka's sailing skills and Azula's final swordsmanship lessons, as well as the failed attempts to teach Sokka how to sing while they were on their way back home. Many of their stories brought the others to laugh, but all of them were acutely aware that the blissful pair was hiding something, or many things, about what had transpired during the trip.
Before they could question them, though, the relaxed smile on Azula's face vanished: Xin Long was letting her know dawn would arrive soon, and they had to take off before then. The Princess's heart clenched at the realization, having wished the dark blanket of nighttime might protect them from the real world if just for a little longer…
"As much fun as it is to talk about all this, though… I should get going" she announced, begrudgingly. Sokka's eyes widened.
"What, already?" he asked "It can't be that late yet…"
"Xin Long seems to think it is, though" Azula said, eyeing him remorsefully.
Sokka's heart sank visibly, as the smile he'd kept on his face for most of the conversation faded. Ty Lee was tempted to lighten the mood by reminding them that they had been together for a whole week with no interruptions already… but her common sense held her back, not to mention she dreaded the pair before her had forgotten they were no longer alone, lost in each other's eyes as they were.
"Oh, well…" Sokka finally sighed, shaking his head and standing up, offering Azula his hand as she stood up too "My horrible alibi will fail if you stay, it's true. People might start thinking you went nowhere through the week and just stayed with me at my house…"
"And that'd be pretty catastrophic" Azula smiled sadly at him before glancing at the other pair "I'll probably be back later, but in case you guys are already gone by then, thanks for your help. Granted, you didn't do things exactly the way we would have wanted you to, but…"
"Hopefully it'll help you guys more than it might harm you, right…?" said Haru, with a grimace, and Azula laughed softly.
"Yeah, that's the only hope we can cling to" she said, nodding in their direction before glancing at Song "And I'll most likely see you later, right?"
"I'm not going anywhere, as far as I know" Song smiled "Welcome home, Azula"
"Thank you" Azula smiled gently too, before guiding Sokka by the hand towards the backyard, where Xin Long waited.
The three that lagged behind in the kitchen watched them walk away, all of them silent as the Princess and her gladiator faded from view. By then Ty Lee turned to the others again, eyes wide with confusion.
"I'm not the only one who thinks those two aren't acting the same as always, am I?" she asked. Song snorted, shaking her head.
"Maybe it's not that apparent with him, he's a goofball…" she smiled "But Azula is… well, I don't know. Something big must have changed while they were off together like that"
"What could have changed, though?" Ty Lee said, skeptically.
"Might be they eloped for real?" Haru suggested "If something really did change…"
"They couldn't have!" Ty Lee said, skeptical, though her eyes widened moments later "Or… wait, could they have?!"
Song laughed again, dropping her face in her hands. If she had learned something about the couple in the backyard right now, it was to never underestimate them or the wild decisions they could make when guided by nothing but their hearts…
They had relieved Xin Long from the load of their bags earlier, but they had to strap Azula's back on the saddle by then, even if she carried less of them than Sokka had. The dragon was unusually serious now, almost as though he were nostalgic as well, longing for the freedom of flying without a care with his two favorite humans across the whole world, if possible. Sokka smiled at him, reaching to pet his head.
"I don't think I've seen you so stern ever before, buddy. What's wrong?"
"He's as sad as we are, looks like" Azula smiled sadly, patting Xin Long's armor "He misses Shu Jing, and he's going to miss you too"
"Heh, well I'll miss you even more, buddy" Sokka smiled, wrapping an arm around the dragon's head: Xin Long pressed it to his chest, prodding him gently as he groaned pleasantly "We'll fly off together again like that one day, all three of us. And we'll go surfing again, how about it?"
The idea brought a happy glint to Xin Long's eyes, and Sokka messed his mane as much as he could with the armor's plates in the way. That promise seemed to excite Xin Long and his brooding decreased for it. If only it were just as easy for Azula to feel less apprehensive about leaving, though… the Princess was smiling sadly, unwilling to climb on the saddle just yet, and Sokka reached to cup her face in his hands.
"Hey, now… you said you'll come back later, right?" he asked, and she nodded promptly.
"I'll have to check on my gladiator, of course. I left you unattended for a whole week and it seems you got far too busy in my absence for my liking…" she said, smiling sadly. Sokka grinned too, pressing his brow to hers.
"Don't be too desperate, I suppose, or your father's bound to suspect… but as soon as you think it's safe for you to come, I'll be right here waiting for you, love. I promise"
"I know you will be" Azula smiled, reaching for his lips with her own "I'd rather not have to leave at all, we both know that, but… I can at least look forward to seeing you again. And that's usually enough to get me through the day"
"I hope it is this time too" Sokka whispered, his fingers caressing her face gracefully "Thank you for the best week of my life"
"It was my pleasure, in every way" Azula smiled "It was the best of mine, too, husband"
Sokka chuckled, leaning closer to kiss her again. Their wild hearts still would beat faster when they kissed, even after all these years: the yearning in Azula's chest only intensified along with the deepening of the kiss, the last thorough one they would be able to share for the next few hours. They wouldn't be waking up together anymore, or dancing around fireplaces, or making love underneath the stars… but the passion that burned between them was brighter than ever after the magical experiences they had shared over these days.
"I love you, Sokka" Azula gasped once they parted, sliding her hands into his hair, trailing his scalp as her eyes as well conveyed the words she'd just spoken "I'll see you in no time, okay?"
"And I'll see you all the time" he smiled "I'll just close my eyes and think of you, of your smile, your laughter… and that's how I'll survive this wretched ordeal of waiting until I can be with you again"
"Sounds like a fine plan. I'll have to do the same with you" Azula laughed, pressing her brow to his.
Sokka pecked her lips one more time before lifting her in his arms, effortlessly, and carrying her carefully to set her on Xin Long's saddle. The dragon had been about to warn Azula that he could sense the sun was going to begin rising soon, and they had to slip out of the crater unnoticed before it did… but fortunately, Sokka's initiative meant he'd be able to take off sooner than later.
"I love you too, Azula" Sokka whispered, stroking her face as she leaned down from the saddle, seeking to steal as many quick kisses as she could from him before Xin Long took off "Don't take too long, okay…?"
"I won't. I promise" she cupped his cheek, her golden eyes sincere and breathtaking "Get some rest, though. We didn't sleep at all through the night…"
"I know, I know…" Sokka smiled, and Azula stole one final kiss before Xin Long stood up fully, the impending threat of dawn driving him forward.
Even so, Azula reached out for Sokka with a hand, and he held onto it for a few seconds before the dragon took off, sprinting quickly into the darker sky to the west. Sokka's breath caught as he watched them fly away, his chest constrained… it was over now, then. They were back in the real world, and his birthday week was over.
With teeth gritted and hands fisted, Sokka closed his eyes and breathed deeply, trying to ignore the pangs of solitude that now flooded him. One day, he knew, one way or another, for sure, he would be with her for good. They would no longer hide in shadows, no longer conceal the true nature of the bond that joined them: the betrothal necklace he held in his hands, after retrieving it from his pocket, wouldn't have to be kept safe in his house, and instead would claim its rightful place around Azula's neck for good.
And he would be waiting desperately, eagerly for that moment, more than ever before. However illegal their two marriages might have been, the ceremonies had unlocked their hearts further than ever before. One day, to be sure, he would be able to call her his wife before a world that would be ready to accept them as they were…
But until then, he had no choice but to stand strong, to hold onto his patience, and to fight to build that kind of world by Azula's side. And even if his loneliness hurt right now, he couldn't help but smile at the thought that a much brighter future would be within their reach eventually, a future where he could finally show the world he belonged with his beloved Princess…
The wilderness was more forgiving in some locations, less so in others. But at the base of tall mountains it seemed to be much more unpleasant than anywhere else they had traversed so far in their long, painful and seemingly pointless quest across misty marshes that stank of rot and death.
Five members of the group had already bailed. Six were left, one of them their resilient leader. He was unconventionally charismatic, otherwise he wouldn't have convinced even one of them to join him… but charisma couldn't make up for the lack of results. Either his vision was right or it was wrong, and if it was wrong, it meant they had traveled across the Earth Kingdom for nothing.
"You really think he knows what he's doing?" one of the men whispered, hoping the terrifying, tall man wouldn't hear them "Do spirits really guide him?"
"You know what they say about the swamp" shrugged the one he was speaking to "None of those visions happen for no reason"
"Okay, but what I saw was my parents, and they're dead, man. They're gone. I can't go on a goose chase to find them, can I?"
"Then leave"
Rhone's voice cut across the conversation, and fear rushed inside the two men as the ice-cold glare of the Water Tribesman fell upon them. They were silent immediately after that, and Rhone resumed his trek through the marshes at the base of the mountains.
His quest was no self-imposed whim: he had been chosen. The object of his search had been the one to seek him out, in the first place. His soul had rung against it in his dreams… and it had been so intense, so vivid, that he had known immediately this was his true calling.
He knew it was close now. It had to be. His entire body shuddered, his deadened heart racing in a way it hadn't in years.
His sharp eyes turned keener still at the sight that greeted them in the newest turn they took: decaying skeletons in tarnished yellow and orange robes. The rest of the group gasped at the sight of them: Rhone merely pressed onwards, striding towards the image, that one image he'd been sent in dreams, an image that had guided him to a place like this…
Old airbending staves, wooden relics and devices… they littered the ground, as nature grew around them, attempting to claim the remnants of lives lost during the previous century. All of them were innocuous, irrelevant, unnecessary, though… for only one thing demanded Rhone's attention.
And it stood at the top of a small hill, sunken halfway into the ground on its large blade.
The guandao was the only object in the area that hadn't been dulled with age or decayed under the elements. It stood in place, inviting, almost begging Rhone to finally take it: he was fated to wield it, like no one else ever had been. For his soul was dark, dark enough to match the spear's, and his lust for blood was certainly just as strong as the weapon's…
"That's… oh shit. It's real?!" he heard one of his companions gasping behind him.
"If you didn't think so, why the fuck did you even come along in the first place?!" retorted another one.
"I just didn't want to wait around doing nothing, but if it's real…!"
Rhone ignored them. He took a step forward, and the five men took a step back instead, cowering away from the weapon of wonder their leader had been seeking for months.
It was worthy of respect, this glorious spear. It was powerful, and capable of offering the most suitable solution to a war-torn world that would never see a brighter future. Why continue fighting, when their world was a living nightmare, just as the next stage of existence would be? Why delude themselves with the misguided belief that there could ever be a brighter, better future, when all that awaited them in the afterlife were horrors beyond compare?
There was no reason to want to fix or change anything, of course. Rhone had known it for years, and so did the spear. The solution was simple… and he longed to deliver it, especially to those who most deserved to know the suffering of death, and of what came afterwards as well.
His hands reached for the weapon, his dead-like eyes finally glowing with purpose as his skin came into contact with the beckoning, otherworldly spear…