Chapter Text
The sun was peaking through the curtains, robes on the floor and two entangled forms under the bed cover. Katara’s eyes fluttered open as she took a look at the woman next to her. It was a rare sight, as the fire bender rarely slept past sunrise. They had come a long way since the day of the Black Sun. Shivering, she shook her head, trying to suppress the bad memories from her mind. Azula looked so peaceful, no longer tormented by her past. Her harsh mask discarded in the safety of their room. They had decided at the start of their relationship that they would not choose to live in one place, rather moving between the South Pole and the Fire Kingdom. For Katara it meant seeing her family and her people whereas for Azula it was more of an escape from her duties at the palace. She had been reinstalled by Zuko as his right hand and was crawling under work.
The last 3 months had been spent in the South. Snuggling under the furs when they were not busy helping the people. Katara was training some kids and helping with healing and Azula was enjoying the hunting and some diplomatic relations. It was the first time she had met her girlfriend's family and was scared to mess up. She was so anxious that Katara had to help through multiple panic attacks – something that hadn't happened in a long time. But in the end they had all been very nice and welcomed her as long as she made Katara happy. But all good things came to an end and they had to go back to the Fire Nation, the place Azula both loved and hated at the same time. The place where Katara had to worry about her girlfriend constantly, because she never had the time to eat, sleep or spend time with her.
Lost in her mind Katara was brought back to reality by Azula stretching and waking up. The last reminiscences of their sleepless night still making her muscles ache. Her gold eyes roamed the bedroom before settling on the waterbender.
“Were you watching me sleep you weirdo?” Azula smirked her voice thick with sleep.
“Shut up” Katara smiled and throwed the pillow at her. She was ready to get out of bed when suddenly Azula circled her waist with her arm forcing her to sink on top of her. Their bare skins touching, the princess started to nibble on the shoulder offered to her.
“Stop it we need to get ready for breakfast, let me go or we’ll be late” Katara weakly grumbled.
“Who cares, I can make my maids bring it here if you wish”
“Do not think about it, it’s been days since we last had one with Zuko and Mai. We’re being bad friends, come on”
Azula sighed and buried her head in the mattress. “All he’s going to do is speak about the last case in the colonies anyway…”
Her rambling came out muffled as Katara rolled her eyes and kissed her temple. She got up, heading to the bathroom to get ready. If Azula’s eyes lingered on her naked body like a teenager she was never going to admit it.
Aang was tense his entire ride from the Earth Kingdom to the palace. He couldn’t believe Katara ignored him. He told her how dangerous Azula could be, how she could be manipulating her with the only goal to hurt her. Still she decided to continue this nonsense and blatantly ignored him. After wrapping up some issues in Ba Sing Se he didn’t waste time and headed to Zuko’s home with the intention to put an end to whatever it was. He was not jealous, he and Katara’s breakup had been mutual. Well, she was the one to bring it up and he couldn’t refuse. But he was still hopeful that one day when he was ready to settle they could still have a chance. So no, he was not jealous, just worried. Azula might have fooled everyone but she was not going to achieve that with him. He would show them that she was not who they thought she was. Even if he had to show it by force.
“Ip, ip Appa! Faster! We have business to deal with”
The doors slammed into the walls, a maid running after the man that had just emerged from the commotion. “M-my king, the Avatar h-has arrived” breathless, she bowed.
“Aang what a surprise! You didn’t tell us you were coming. I would have had the maids prepare you a room. We were in the middle of breakfast, join us!” Zuko stood up smiling.
“I’m sorry Zuko, it was kind of unexpected. I am good, I’m here for something in particular actually”
Azula squinted, “And to whom do we owe the honor, oh dear Avatar?” she asked sarcastically.
“Azula.” Both Katara and Zuko interjected, trying to avoid having her pushing his buttons.
“I do not wish to speak to you, for all I know you should be in the asylum where you belong” He hissed, approaching her.
“Aang wh-”
“Sorry next time I’ll ask you, a specialised psychologist and healer if my mental state allows me to get out. Even better I’ll ask you for everything even if I need to wipe my a-”
“ENOUGH” Katara stood up. “Azula it’s enough no more from you I swear. And you Aang how dare you, we need to have a talk. Outside now. Azula. Sit. Down.” Azula swallowed hard as the waterbender smacked her hands against the table and stormed her way out all the way to the garden.
“Whipped” Zuko coughed in his cup of tea, while Mai hit his arm.
“At least I’m not the one who’s gonna have his ear talked off” She relaxed in her chair thinking about the first time Aang had made Katara angry in front of her, through a letter mind you – this was going to be funny and not for him.
Two months ago
“HOW DARE HIM. As if I was asking for his approval! He’s being ridiculous. Who does he think he is! Can you even believe it Azula, asking ME to reconsider our relationship!” Katara was screaming, throwing her hands in the air while Azula was lounging on the sofa looking unbothered, a book sitting on her face.
“Does it even affect you?? How can you be so calm? He’s insulting you!”
“I believe you are angry enough for both of us darling” Azula answered, taking the book off her face and standing up going in Katara’s direction. She delicately shook the letter from her girlfriend's grasp, putting it on the desk behind her.
“You should not worry, he doesn’t have any power on us. Even less on you. We don’t care what he thinks, the most important thing is us. And your dad of course, because I would hate for him to kill me” She said, hands stroking her neck while kissing her. She felt the waterbender body relax and her hands make her way to her waist.
“He just makes me so angry, he doesn’t understand that I don’t like him anymore. He goes around telling people we’re taking a break when he knows damn well it’s over. I’m with you now and everyone has been so kind and comprehensive, why can’t he act like this. He is my best friend, all I ask for is support.”
“He is an idiot. His baldness makes his brain exposed to the cold and it’s freezing him from the inside”
“Azula!” Katara laughed and smacked her arm gently. “Thank you” she whispered, kissing her again. She needed a distraction – and also to show to her beautiful girlfriend how amazing she was and how much she loved her – so she led her to their bed, closing the door behind them. Azula was more than happy to comply, “happy wife happy life” she thought as Karara pushed her on the bed taking off her top. And a happy Katara meant she was getting an amazing and sleepless night, she was certainly not going to turn down that opportunity.
Saying that Katara was fuming would be an understatement. She was livid. How dare he come here, in Azula’s home, and insult her in front of everyone. She was pacing in the training yard when he found her.
“Katara listen I’m-”
“No! You listen to me and I am not going to repeat myself Aang so I hope for you that you’ll be listening very carefully. You disapproved of Azula, I accepted it. It hurt me knowing my best friend didn’t like me enough to put aside his issues with my girlfriend but I moved on. Then you went even further, asking me to rethink my entire relationship. Do you have any idea what it’s like? No you don’t, don’t even think about talking right now! How dare you come here to her home and insult her! How dare you come here and insult me! Don’t you have any trust in my judgement? Any trust in me?”
“Katara I- I don’t know what went through my head okay. I’m sorry. It was not my place to speak to her like this, I just- I don’t know I guess I worry for you.” He scratched his neck trying to find the right words to appease his friend.
“There’s nothing to worry about Aang. You need to accept that me and Azula are together. It’s serious and neither you or anyone else will ever change that. She has been nothing but kind to me and she is not even near the person she was during the war. Even more than that, I will not let you hurt her.” Katara’s tone was final and her face expressionless. Apparently his words were not that successful.
“I’m just worried she’s manipulating you. I don’t doubt your judgement Katara but I love you and I worry about you that’s all. You can’t just forget everything she did to us during the war. People like her always have ulterior motives and it’s j-”
“Tui and La Aang stop talking! I can’t believe you, did you not listen to anything I told you? Are you even listening to yourself? She changed!” Katara was growing agitated and looked like she was pondering between hitting him or just leaving. She compromised and pushed her finger against his chest. “I am done with your bullshit Aang. Do not come close to Azula and leave us alone, do you understand? I love her and she loves me. If you’re going to question this we’re gonna have a problem. You either change your attitude or you leave but I’m not spending one more day putting up with your bulls-”
“Tara darling” Azula appeared behind her and put her hand on her lower back. “Let’s go, I heard some of the doctors needed help on a healing matter.” she said softly. Katara closed her eyes and sighed.
“You’re lucky Aang. We are done. Don’t make me have this discussion again.”
She turned around, took Azula’s hand and walked in the direction of their room. She knew that Azula had come up with an excuse to stop her from killing him.
She needed a bath and was pretty sure her wonderful lover already asked for one to be prepared. Opening the door of their bedroom she saw Koya, one of their maids, finishing the bath. She smiled.
“I thought you could use one to release any lingering tension this dumbass gave you” whispered Azula in her ear. Koya slipped away unnoticed.
“Thank you, I love you” she kissed her slowly while opening her robe. “I love you too” Azula mumbled through the kiss.
“Are you joining me?” she asked, smirking, while walking towards the bath.
Yeah, he needed to insult her more often. She would gladly take it if it made Katara that angry, she thought while undressing herself. Needless to say, they did not just bathe. And Katara didn’t hold back on her decibels, certainly not in the hope that a certain someone could hear them.