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seyaryminamoto · 1 year

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Leap of Faith: Sokkla Saturdays 2022

Day 7: Flustered Azula

On FF.net//On AO3

And here's my second and last sequel this year. I really had a lot of stories I wished to expand on, but unfortunately the prompts didn't really allow for it in most cases. As I was a bit honor-bound to write this for the person who first encouraged me with this AU, here's the conclusion to Antarctica AU from last year. I actually had meant for all this to be a single story, but it was clear last year that I couldn't go all the way with it because I wouldn't have the time (And it would have been ridiculously long, too). Even now, I feel like I may have had to skim over a lot of things rather than going fully in-depth with everything... but I still hope that the people who enjoyed this story last year will be happy to see its continuation.

Here goes!

"Is it working? Can you hear us?"

"Yes, Father. Loud and clear."

"Good, then. How have you been, Azula?"

"Perfectly fine."

"I have read some scientific reports that say it's very unhealthy on the mind to be in the South Pole during the winter period: Azula, please tell me you'll have therapy services if you need them?"

"We do have them, but I said I'm fine so far, Mother…"

"Oh, this is madness. Why did we let you talk us into this?"

"I didn't talk either of you into this: you two were the ones who decided this was the perfect way for me to fulfill my calling…"

"And has it been? Surely after two weeks of no sunlight and near social isolation, you've thought differently of the matter, Azula…"

"I… can't say I do, Mother. Truthfully, I'm not feeling all that isolated so far. I'm getting along quite well with everyone who stayed in the station, so…"

"Are you? Are you friends with those girls Aang spoke about, then?"

"Indeed, Father…"

"And the boy? The winterover? That's the term, isn't it, Ursa?"

"Yes, I believe so…"

"Then? The Canadian, was it?"

"The Canadian, Sokka, is a perfectly agreeable co-worker, yes."

"Is he? Even if he's a total stranger?"

"Mother… he's not a total stranger anymore, hasn't been one for over three months. He was even more helpful to me than Aang back when I arrived, so…"

"I asked Aang about him, in fact. He says the boy has been… well, successful in his field, for his age. He rambled over something about a prediction of…"

"The neutrino background, yes. His predictions were the most accurate ones to what was genuinely observed, so…"

"Do you actually understand any of what that means by now, Azula?"

"More than you might have expected, Father. I've learned a lot here."

"Well… now you realize that a life in science is much more work than you used to think it was, I'm sure."

"I've always understood it entails much work, I simply hadn't experienced it myself. And honestly? A lot of actual people who worked very hard and have been studying for years would have done just about anything to get my current job, but they didn't get the chance to put their training to good use… all because you intervened and got me the position instead. So…"

"Azula, please, it's for your own good…!"

"We did this to teach you responsibility, to ensure you were aware of the path ahead of you. And if you claim to be fine with it…"

"If I do, then it's proof that you were wrong to hope I might be talked out of it, isn't it?"

"Azula… you needn't be so stubborn, dear. We've seen your Instagram posts…"

"O-oh. You have, have you?"

"I understand you may be getting used to that life by now after all these months, but please don't lie to your mother, will you? Putting on a strong front just to prove some sort of point… it's not going to work. You'll only make yourself more miserable if you've already understood that this isn't the kind of life you're prepared for."

A heavy sigh and a glower. Those were Azula's responses to that line of reasoning.

She sat in the conference room, during the satellite hours that she would have sooner spent doing anything other than this. Her parents sat together at the other side of the screen, watching her with apparent concern – or with disapproval, either way. She wasn't quite sure what their expression really conveyed, for the bandwidth wasn't all that powerful, and they were terribly pixelated.

Thus, she hoped they wouldn't be able to see her properly, either. That they wouldn't be able to pick up on the light nuances of her expressions, or the marks on her neck…

"Please, Azula… you won't be coming home for the next six months, or however long it will be," Ursa continued, ever trying to appeal to her emotions. "We needn't have more conflicts over your future once you do. We may have been too harsh…"

"We weren't harsh," Ozai huffed. "We were teaching her a lesson…"

"And I'm sure she has learned it by now, Ozai," Ursa said, bluntly. "Oh, honestly… this has escalated too much. And with Aang being home instead of there with you…"

"I thought you were happy that I've made new friends," Azula said, with a dry grin. "I really have, Mother. And Sokka is a perfect gentleman, too…"

"I certainly hope so. A good Canadian boy?" Ursa said, breathing deeply and nodding. "Better than an American, it's true. All I hear about Americans is that they're… oh, their manners are as good as non-existent."

"Mother…" Azula said, smirking slightly at her mother's concern. Ozai cleared his throat.

"Either way… your struggles in the South Pole should have taught you not to be so impulsive and to take your future seriously. The choices you make cannot be made lightly. The future of Burma, your nation, rides on the shoulders of all your generation, no matter if you're from a secondary branch of the Royal Family…"

"I know, I know…" Azula sighed, rolling her eyes: the door opened then, and she glanced in its direction.

He was far more confident these days. The tension between them had crumbled… and it had been replaced by a comfort, an ease that she feared might manifest itself plainly on her face even if the feed from her video wasn't of the highest quality. Even so, she failed to repress a smile as he gestured at her about something she didn't understand right away. She raised an eyebrow, and he offered her a weak smile before she focused on her parents again.

"Something's happening," Azula said, giving them a dry grin. "I suppose you'll be calling on occasion, going forward?"

"We might, as long as your meager Internet allows it and we are not otherwise engaged," Ozai said, bluntly. Azula sighed and shrugged.

"If so… I'll speak with the two of you later? I can't mess up my duties, whole institutes of science all across the world are counting on me, so…"

"Oh, Azula, please be careful! And if anything happens with your friends or that boy…!"

Azula smiled: the boy in question raised an eyebrow as she met his eyes.

"I will let you know at once," Azula lied, tapping the button to end the call quickly and ensuring her parents wouldn't get a single more word in.

Resting against the doorframe now, Sokka smirked and raised an eyebrow as Azula imitated his expression, pushing herself up to her feet and closing her laptop's lid unceremoniously.

"You'll let them know, will you?" Sokka asked. "I didn't realize you and your parents were so close…"

"Ah, you know how it is, we're always in touch! It's not like this is the first time they've called since I first got here, of course not…" Azula said, rolling her eyes and speaking as dramatically as possible as she approached him. "Evidently, they're well aware of the fact that… that my roommate is my boyfriend now. Of course they are."

"Do they even know I'm your roommate, to begin with?" Sokka asked, with a smirk: he cupped her face when she reached him, and their lips joined in a gentle, quick kiss.

"Evidently not. Had they known that, you can be certain they would've intervened at once during the summer months," Azula smirked. "And nowadays? They'd likely say that we don't need roommates at all, since most the station is empty and there's lots of available rooms…"

"Ah, but this way we'll be more economic about the heating, won't we?" Sokka smirked, wrapping his arms around her waist. Azula snorted, shaking her head as she kissed him again.

"Sure, that's what's on our mind constantly when we go to bed together. We're just doing it to save energy, absolutely," she said, mockingly. Sokka laughed wonderfully, pulling her closer.

She should have asked him what had happened, why he had interrupted the meeting when he had… though she was grateful for it, of course. She had outright told him that any excuse to call her back from the conference room would be agreeable, for the less time she spent speaking with her parents, the more likely she was to succeed at convincing them that she was still miserable, that she wasn't adapting right, that her false posts and stories from Instagram were entirely accurate, instead… but it seemed her parents had finally decided they'd relent on her punishment. Ironic that they'd do so just when they weren't bound to be able to do anything to bring her back home…

For it was winter in Antarctica. The last plane had left the station over a month ago and the sunlight was gone. Perhaps it was true that the psychological toll it might take on all of them would be severe eventually… but for now, Azula was rather delighted to share all those nights with the man whose hands caressed her intimately right now, down to even cupping her rear as she grinded her body against his, keeping him pressed to that doorframe while kissing him deeply.

So far, their relationship was a wonderful secret kept by the winterovers in the Amundsen-Scott Station. They had been teased relentlessly over their 'honeymoon period' after being caught kissing furtively numerous times by now, and today, of course, would be no different…

"Heh! No wonder you're late!"

Azula smirked even before pulling away from Sokka's lips. His enthusiasm dwindled, and she wasn't surprised at all to look up at his handsome face to find it entirely flushed: his hand had left her rear nervously, and she groaned in disappointment for it, pressing her brow to his.

"I liked feeling your hand there…" she said, softly. Sokka chuckled shyly, dropping his head on her shoulder as Azula rolled her eyes and glanced out at the corridor: "To what do we owe this terribly inopportune interruption?"

"To the fact that you two lovebirds ought to get your extreme weather gear on right now," Korra responded down the hallway, smirking back at Azula. "Took a while… but our first official auroras are finally here!"

Azula's eyes widened. Sokka smiled weakly as he pulled back, smiling sadly at Azula, who gaped at him in surprise.

"Nothing was up in the lab, if you thought that was it," he said. "I was just coming to get you because of the auroras, but… well, you know."

"Oh, I do know. I'm terribly distracting, aren't I?" Azula smiled, pressing a kiss to his cheek before glancing at Korra, who continued to smirk judgmentally at them from further down the corridor. "We'll be there, go on first…"

"Yeah, bet you're going to be like two hours late, like you were for the sunset dinner, aren't you?"

"We might be. What about it?" Azula said, with a smug smirk. Korra chuckled as she walked away, right back to the coat room to prepare herself for the outing.

Azula sighed, glancing at Sokka again… to find him deeply flustered and utterly red in the face. She chuckled, shaking her head as she caressed his hair gently.

"For someone who's gotten so good at the naughty things we do in private, you're still insanely shy about public displays of affection, aren't you?" she asked. Sokka grimaced, covering his face with his hands.

"I'm an idiot for that, aren't I? I just… get so self-aware. It's not the same if it's just you, you know?" Sokka sighed, shaking his head. "Ugh, anyway. Let's get going, the auroras will be great! I caught a glimpse of one just before I came to get you, and I figured it might cheer you up after talking with your parents. I kind of overheard some of that and… they're sure you're miserable, still?"

"I haven't really shown evidence of the opposite, so of course they are," Azula shrugged.

She clasped Sokka's hand, guiding him to the stairs Korra had taken off through. Her fingers slid through his… and once they reached the lower floor, Azula knew that his hand would tremble lightly upon being seen by the rest of the group over holding hers. His nervousness about his first genuine relationship was certainly endearing, though Azula hoped she'd find a way to help him get over it sooner than later.

"I honestly don't know what I'm going to do in the future," Azula said. "Tricking them was effective for the time being, but I fear they're going to be a pain about how I've just suffered here and how that proves I'm not ready for a life in STEM and whatnot…"

"Guess you'll have to come clean eventually, right?" Sokka said. Azula grimaced.

"I should, but I fear they won't believe me. It's convenient for them to believe the pretense of misery… if just for now," she said. "Like I told you, my father is reckless and rich enough to demand that an airplane is sent in the middle of winter to retrieve me and get me out of here if he starts to believe that I'm enjoying it… so, for the sake of our relationship, I guess I'm better off pretending I really am miserable. And of course, telling them there's a relationship is…"

"Off the table," Sokka said, with a sad smile. "Guess so."

"They're going to be a pain as soon as they know," Azula sighed.

"Would they pressure you to dump me?" Sokka asked. Azula scowled.

"And I would ignore them if they did. Much as I've ignored them about giving up my hopes for a career in science, too," she said, stubbornly. Sokka smiled warmly at her.

"It's crazy to think I'm with you most days… crazier still to think you're willing to fight your family this hard to make sure we'll stay together even if they don't like it," he said. Azula smirked.

"I suppose you'd be too flustered to do so if our roles were reversed, huh?" she said: his hand had started to tremble already, just as Suki shot them a teasing, knowing grin once they reached the lower floor. Sokka pouted, cheeks red as he glanced at Azula.

"I… well, I don't think so. I mean, I might be blushing the whole time, but I'd fight for you too…" he huffed. Azula chuckled, squeezing his hand gently as she led him towards the coat room.

"What a dashing, blushing fairytale prince you are," she said. Sokka's cheeks reddened further: most their friends were within earshot by then. They'd heard those words and chuckled, and his self-awareness only built up further because of it.

It wasn't like he was genuinely uncomfortable… he just didn't know how to relax yet. He kept thinking that maybe once their relationship wasn't something as new as it was right now, he'd feel and act differently… but for now, he couldn't help but think everyone was judging him constantly. That if he wasn't on his best behavior, he would prove himself unworthy of his beautiful, wonderful, high-class girlfriend… where she could tease him for being a fairytale prince, the truth was that she was a modern princess from the Kingdom of Burma, herself. And he was a simple guy from Canada who happened to get a few scholarships that helped him progress in academia, all the way to landing his dream job for the IceCube experiment. That opportunity had already promised to shape into the greatest highlight of his career so far… then, Azula had showed up in his life and she had cemented that certainty for him.

His crush on her had been virtually immediate, but in the time since he first met her his feelings for her had deepened rather quickly, far more than he had expected. Where he had misunderstood her flirting as something playful and meaningless for her, though, she had been just as smitten with him as he had been with her, it seemed. When Aang, her initial winterover partner, had no choice but to return home after his grandfather's health had taken a turn for the worse, Sokka had stepped up and ensured to take Aang's place… he would have never left Azula to face the difficulties of winter in the Station alone. At first, he had simply wanted to help her at all costs…

Now, he certainly wanted to help her still while also basking in the wonders of being in a fulfilling relationship with the girl he liked.

Clad fully in their extreme weather gear, though, romance seemed to be in short supply, since moving around was quite difficult with multiple layers of clothes wrapped around their bodies. Even holding hands was strange, and the thick protections didn't stop the cold from nipping away at them, threatening to slip through any gaps in their clothes if they had been careless in any way. Still, they could enjoy the sight of those beautiful, glorious lights that brightened the world around them, and as clunky as movement might be, it didn't dampen the excitement of the many winterovers who had looked forward to this moment for a long time.

"How do you plan to spin this one into a story of your misery on Instagram, huh?" Sokka teased Azula, an arm around her waist as she raised her phone, snapping numerous pictures of the aurora above them.

"Uh…" she bit her lip, smirking slightly – Sokka wouldn't be able to notice her facial expression right now, but he could guess at it anyway from her voice's tone. "I don't know. How about saying I'm very lonely and that only the lights keep me company, or so?"

"So tragic," Sokka sighed dramatically. Azula chuckled, dropping her head on his shoulder.

"We'll probably have to take some group photos too… but I want one of the two of us first," Azula decided. "Or several, anyway."

"Guess you won't be posting those, huh?" Sokka smiled. Azula shook her head.

"Afraid not. Otherwise, like I said…"

"Your father will decide to come here and get you out of my wicked arms…" Sokka growled playfully, hugging Azula tightly.

She laughed, raising her camera and awkwardly tapping the frontal camera option with her mittens… only to find that they were utterly undistinguishable. Under all those layers of clothes, they could be literally anyone.

"Well, that's sad," Azula sighed, but she snapped a few pictures anyway. "Hmm. We'll have to think of something more artistic, I think. Like… our hands linked, right before the aurora."

"Oh?" Sokka smiled, as Azula bit her lip and dragged him towards their friends.

He was trembling again when his hand held hers before the others, and not because of the cold. The rest of the winterovers laughed at his tension, telling him he was blushing so brightly it glowed out of his balaclava as they took pictures of the full group. Oh, but if enduring that teasing was the price for being with Azula, he paid it gladly…

Hours later, once the whole group had returned to the warmth of the station's dining area, the galley, Azula beamed as she showed Sokka the many pictures they'd taken outside the station: the silhouettes of their hands linked, right before the glowing lights of the auroras, was a beautiful sight to behold.

"I'm almost tempted to make it my profile picture," Azula confessed, laughing as she clasped Sokka's hand over the table. He smiled gently at her… before blushing when someone else responded to Azula, reminding him again that they weren't alone.

"You should!" Yue said, smiling cheerfully. "It's a great picture. I'm making the group one mine, though…"

"We'll have lots of chances to take good pictures over the next months. It's going to stop being such a novelty before you know it," Suki smiled, and Yue huffed before making her point by posting the picture indeed.

"Doesn't matter. It's worth cherishing while it's happening," she decided, smiling brightly at her girlfriend.

"It is… it really is," Azula said: her family's circumstances were no secret for the others, though she had never gone in-depth about them with anyone other than Sokka.

She wished she could be so bold, so open about how much fun she was having, about how much she was learning and enjoying while in Antarctica. But the awareness of what her father was likely to react like if he realized she wasn't miserable at all… that was already worrisome enough, worse yet if he learned that her relationship with Sokka wasn't strictly professional. It was why Azula had impressed upon everyone to keep quiet about their relationship and not tell Aang about it, for he'd likely spill the truth to her brother in a matter of instants after learning of it. And Ozai was certain to find out soon after that…

Though truthfully, Ozai would find out eventually. Azula had no intentions of breaking up with Sokka after their period as winterovers ended. Yet the very immediate challenges of their stay in Antarctica had completely swept aside her vision of the future beyond this, it seemed… until this sudden clarity had struck her.

What would happen after this ended? For now, it was fun to enjoy the commodities and possibilities of the station… but no one could stay in Antarctica forever. Especially not princesses of the Burmese Royal Family…

"… I'm just saying, you're too shy for someone who was that quick to grope his girlfriend's ass earlier," Korra's voice broke into Azula's train of thought, and she frowned upon realizing she was speaking to Sokka.

A very flustered Sokka, of course, whose face was beet red as he held Azula's hand nervously. Korra, naturally, smirked deviously at him while Asami elbowed her gently in the ribs.

"He's allowed to be shy, don't pick on him," she said. Korra snorted.

"I don't think he's shy at all, honestly. This is just a cutesy act, but deep down…" Korra smirked, before focusing on her meal. Sokka grimaced, shaking his head as he tried to focus on his, too. Azula smiled at him as he pouted slightly.

"Well, I'm pretty sure none of you would be any better if you were in my shoes…" he grumbled. The girls at the table whistled and gasped in surprise at his remark, and his embarrassment increased further.

"Well, that's not entirely right, because we're all dating the girls of our dreams… save for Azula, who's dating the guy of hers, I suppose," Suki chuckled. Azula smirked at her response. "It's kind of funny that you're so shy about it, though. Seems like the norm, huh? Korra and Asami are kind of like that too: Korra's shameless, Asami isn't…"

"Asami was never as shy as Sokka, though," Korra said, smirking at him again. "Come on, honestly, what do you have to hide anymore? We've told you both a million things about our relationships, what's so wrong about sharing stuff about yours?"

"Well… Sokka is uncomfortable with it, I suppose," Azula said, smiling as Sokka eyed her helplessly. "I suppose he and I are simply more private than all of you. To a fault, anyway."

"But you wouldn't mind talking about things if only he didn't mind, either," said Suki, with a lop-sided grin. "You haven't been flustered easily ever since you two got serious about each other, Azula."

"Heh, compared to Sokka, I suppose not," Azula smiled. Sokka pouted.

"Don't join them, they're tormenting me enough as it is…" he said, and Azula laughed as she rubbed the back of his hand affectionately with her thumb.

"Nah, not just compared to Sokka, just in general," Korra said. "You were very much shameless about how desperate you were about getting his attention before, after all."

"You were…?" Sokka said, raising his eyebrows and smiling at Azula. She blinked blankly before returning his stare.

"I was. You were impossibly dense," she responded, bluntly: even now, when Sokka had a potential opportunity to make Azula blush, it was him who wound up red in the face anew while the others laughed at his embarrassment. "Admittedly, the more innocent and gentlemanly you were, the more appealing I found you, but still…"

"We can tell you all about how frustrated she was, if you really want to know," Asami smiled at Sokka. "But frankly, I don't think you'll succeed at making her blush as much as she makes you blush, so…"

"I suppose it's not likely, but still… worth a shot," Sokka pouted. Azula smirked at him.

"Now, come on. You seriously want to embarrass me?" she asked. Sokka stared at her intently. "What could you possibly hope to gain from that? We'd simply be two blushing idiots rather than one blushing idiot and one non-blushing idiot, so…"

"Well…! It's just awkward being so awkward," Sokka groaned, burying his face in his hand. "I feel like a dumbass for, well… reacting like this to everything. But it's okay! I'll work on it!"

"You will? Well, that'll be a shame. You're very cute when you're embarrassed," Azula grinned deviously: her words of course caused Sokka to grimace, face flushed while the rest of their friends laughed at his reaction.

He was a lot less uptight when they were alone, of course: his revenge for Azula's teasing took a most agreeable form in passionate lovemaking that night. Azula couldn't stop smiling as she collapsed on the mattress, with Sokka lying beside her and pressing numerous kisses to her neck, shoulder and collarbone.

"Not so shy now, are we?" Azula asked, smiling at him. Sokka scoffed, pouting.

"It's way easier when we're alone," he said. "I'm not worried about… uh, I don't even know what I'm worried about. Guess it's… being judged. Being mocked? Being… told that I'm not good enough for you? Pick your poison, I suppose…"

"Nobody else gets to decide if you are or aren't," Azula said, cupping his face delicately. "But I suppose this is all too new for you, huh? And… the rest of them love to poke fun at us."

"Which never seems to bother you," Sokka said, eyeing her helplessly. "How do you do it? Is there some secret that's only accessed by people with prior experience in genuine relationships, or…?"

"No," Azula chuckled. "Though I guess it might seem like it to you. But honestly, Sokka, you haven't been a virgin for a couple of weeks now. I make sure to remind you of it as often as possible too, so… what do you have to be so worried about? Our friends only make fun of us because you make it too easy for them. Once you get used to it, everything will be perfectly normal again. Life hasn't changed that much, honestly… you just get laid nowadays and get away with kissing me if you feel like it."

"I always feel like it," Sokka said, diving quickly for a peck. Azula smiled in response to it. "But… well, I suppose I've just been waiting for something like this all my life. Wondering if I'd ever find someone… thinking I might not, too. I guess I was ready to live out my life without ever finding actual love… and then you came along. And not only are you pretty much everything I never knew I was dreaming of, but you like me, too. So… if I were lukewarm about you, I'd probably be less flustered than I am. I like you too much, I suppose, and I keep thinking I'm the luckiest asshole there is because… because I get to be with you. And that's why I end up as flustered as I am, heh…"

"You're ridiculously sweet," Azula whispered, cupping his face gently and kissing his lips. Sokka hummed, hugging her closely. "I admit I kind of like that you're so giddy and so nervous about being with me in public… it's endearing. But I suppose you'll just get used to it, to us, sooner than later. Maybe… maybe we can help you grow more comfortable with it, little by little?"

"How?" Sokka asked, his hand gliding gently over Azula's flank.

"Well, clearly getting caught while we're kissing isn't working," Azula chuckled, and Sokka smiled awkwardly. "So maybe… smaller things. You still get flustered over holding hands, but…"

"But I want to hold your hand," Sokka mumbled. "Even if I do get flustered about it."

"See? You're endearing," Azula sighed. "I'm thinking, though… maybe it'd be easier for you if we just do fun things together. If maybe… you coach me at the weight gym? How does that sound?"

"Huh. Interesting, I guess," Sokka said, raising his eyebrows. Azula smiled. "Didn't know you wanted me to coach you…"

"Well, I do admire you plenty when you're in that gym, might as well give you something to admire too, once in a while," Azula said. Sokka scoffed.

"I always admire you. Whether you notice it or not," Sokka smirked. "I look very respectfully… and sometimes not that respectfully at all."

His eyes drifted down over her bare body, a teasing smirk on his lips. Azula huffed, tickling his flanks lightly.

"So very shy and innocent indeed, maybe Korra's right to say you make no sense," Azula said, and Sokka chuckled in response. "Though, before you get self-aware, I want to state, for the record, that I certainly enjoy the lustful stares just as much as the sweet and tender ones. So yes, the gym idea isn't bad, is it? Ah, and we could do some basketball too, maybe we could play with the others even if we'd only be able to play three-on-three…"

"Not a bad idea either," Sokka smiled.

"There's the music room… you don't know how to play any instruments, right?" Azula asked. "I know the basics for some, so I could teach you what I know. We wouldn't have to be holding hands constantly while we do this, but we can talk the whole time and simply be us in public. If you want to kiss me then, you'll be perfectly free to do so… and I'll welcome it gladly, just so you know."

"I suppose you would," Sokka smiled, pressing his brow to hers. "I'll welcome it gladly too, if you ever feel the urge to kiss me all of sudden."

"Great. Lots of surprise kisses will be had, if so," Azula smirked. Sokka chuckled. "This might not work perfectly, but easing you into getting used to having a girlfriend will take time, I suspect. Fortunately, we have around eight months left of being here… so that means you have plenty of time to get used to it after all."

"And I'm very grateful for that," Sokka admitted, with a sad smile. "Eight months, though… it sounds like a lot, but it's freaky to think about anyway. I don't really want those eight months to end, even if I know they have to…"

"I don't want them to end either," Azula confessed, caressing his chest gently. "It's too soon to tell what's going to happen eventually, I know that, but… I don't want things to end between us once our time here is over. You'll have to go back to Canada, and I to Burma, so… I don't know how we'll handle that mess. But…"

"Well… I have thought about it a little," Sokka admitted. Azula raised her eyebrows. "You know, you want to study physics properly, right? And as you are right now, you'd absolutely ace an entrance exam. You've learned a lot, way more than most students get to learn before starting their university careers, and you've experienced a life in science, so… I'd think you could apply to universities outside of Burma, maybe even in Canada…?"

He smiled awkwardly and Azula's eyes widened. The notion of living with Sokka shouldn't have been so surprising – they had been living together for the past three months as it was, and quite physically at that during the last two weeks. Still… that he would offer that opportunity so readily surprised her. It brought a smile to her face, just as well…

"That would be… well, ideal, but my parents aren't bound to be thrilled about it," Azula admitted, with a sad smile. "They will be particularly annoying once they learn we're together… which they'll discover eventually. We can't hide what we are forever, after all."

"I guess not," Sokka said, swallowing hard. "Do you think I could do something to win them over? I know Burma's twitchy about foreigners but… I've read about it again, and it seems that, if permission is granted legally, I could marry you eventually? Not saying I'll jump right away to do that, I mean, not unless you want me to…"

"Oh, I want you to," Azula said, bluntly, and Sokka snorted and laughed at her declaration. "What?"

"Well… guess Korra has a point about you being completely shameless," Sokka chuckled. Azula smiled deviously at him. "This wasn't my proposal, alright? I… will make a better one once I'm ready."

"Huh… I'll look forward to it, then. Though, unfortunately, you already know what I'll answer," Azula said, frowning. "I suppose that was a spoiler, huh?"

"Spoilers for my eventual, future proposal?" Sokka repeated, with a chuckle. "The way your mind works is glorious to me. But anyway, I… I just wanted to be sure that possibility is on the table."

"Well… it is, but my grandfather literally controls Burma, remember?" Azula said. "And my father has enough sway in courts to demand that they refuse your request to marry me at all, if he feels like it. So…"

"So, I have to convince them that I'm good for you?" Sokka asked. Azula shrugged. "Well… heh. I'll definitely do my best, but they sound like they'll never want to accept me, huh? Especially as you're royal…"

"Royalty has been known to marry foreigners for political alliances," Azula sighed, smiling at Sokka with helplessness. "You're not the heir to some sort of secret royal family in Canada, are you?"

"Eh, no," Sokka smiled awkwardly, and Azula chuckled.

"Worth a shot," she said. "Is your father a big businessman?"

"Nope," Sokka shook his head. Azula bit her lip.

"Then yeah, they're bound to say you're not on my social level or whatever… and then I'll remind them I'm perfectly willing to abandon my claim to the throne, and they'll ignore me. As always," she sighed. "My family is nothing if not predictable."

"No wonder you don't get along with them, because you're pretty much the exact opposite thing," Sokka smiled. "We're stuck, though, aren't we? If you insist on being with me, they'll likely just try harder to destroy your future in science too, to ensure that I won't continue to steer you away from your homeland…"

"That's a possibility, yes," Azula acknowledged, disheartened. Sokka gritted his teeth.

"I don't want to be an ass, but… your family sucks," he said. Azula actually smiled at that.

"You're not an ass for telling the truth," Azula said, inching closer to him and hugging him tightly. "I'm sorry I'm putting you in such an awkward situation. I really wish I could just… break free, I guess. I don't want to abandon my nation for good or so… but with a family like mine, the temptation to do exactly that gets stronger every day."

"I guess so," Sokka whispered, pressing his brow to hers. "I suppose we'll have the rest of the year to come up with ideas to figure this out, though. Right?"

"Who knows? Maybe by the time we're close to finished here, you'll be sick of me and looking forward to running away from me at once," Azula smirked up at him, and Sokka gasped, affronted.

"How dare you!" he huffed, hugging her tightly as she laughed at his silly behavior. "If anything, you'll likely realize that I have some habit you consider gross and dump me for that…"

"Really? You eat your nails, do you?" Azula asked. Sokka chuckled.

"Nope."

"Your toenails…?"

"Ew!"

"Well, I suppose there are other gross habits, but it's good that you don't do either of those," Azula laughed, hugging the revolted Sokka tightly too.

"I'll try not to do anything on that level anyway," Sokka said, caressing her back gently. "I didn't really get to say it before, but… it's pretty unreal for me to be here still. I mean, as a winterover, since I wasn't supposed to be one…"

"It's unreal for me too, though in a good way," Azula said, smiling and prodding his nose with hers. Sokka cupped her cheek, kissing her softly.

"I just wish… I wish we could've kissed under the aurora, heh," he chuckled. Azula sighed but smiled fondly at him. "That'd have been one hell of a picture too, right?"

"And one hell of a hypothermia," Azula said. Sokka laughed, biting his lip.

"Speaking of hypothermia…"

"What…?" Azula blinked blankly before staring at him pointedly. "Sokka? Why do we need to speak of hypothermia?"

"Uh, well, you see… do you remember what we talked about, that first time we were in the sauna together?" Sokka asked, nervously. Azula's eyes narrowed. "I mean, you were very drowsy, so I guess maybe you don't remember. But… the 300 Club?"

"The… wait, that thing about running outside in the ice after cranking up the heat in the sauna?" Azula asked, eyes wide. "The nonsense of going through three hundred degrees of temperature at once?"

"Yeah?" Sokka smiled awkwardly. Azula's amusement was well and truly gone by now as she stared at him in wary disbelief.

"I'm not going to…"

"Oh, no. You don't have to do it. I'm just saying, I… wouldn't mind trying it?" Sokka said, with an awkward smile. Azula gasped. "Look, it's ridiculous, but…"

"Sokka, you can't even hold my hand in public without trembling, but you're going to run into the ice naked, do a lap around the Ceremonial Pole and return to the station?" Azula said, staring at him sternly. Sokka grimaced.

"W-well, when you put it that way…" Sokka said, but he pouted. "Still, it's kind of a waste to have a chance to do it and not do it, you know?"

"You're mad," Azula said, shaking her head as Sokka grinned awkwardly. "I'm reluctant to freeze by kissing you under the aurora, and you're willing to do something as insane as that challenge?"

"There's a lot of things we should do, Azula," Sokka chuckled. "Including, of course, your design for the pole marker…"

"Yep, and I really should focus more on that," Azula said, grimacing.

"And we can go through the underground… uh, underice tunnels?" Sokka laughed. "Korra said she could give us a tour if we really wanted to check them out. And there's also the big events like… the Polympics!"

"You mean, Olympics for the South Pole?"

"Technically, most of us are from different countries so I think it's a pretty weird way to go about holding our own Olympics," Sokka chuckled. "Also, the race around the world? Have you heard of that one?"

"I think I did," Azula said. "Some ridiculous race around the Geographic Pole, where we'd do a lap around it and go through every time zone, right?"

"Exactly," Sokka grinned. Azula chuckled, shaking her head.

"It sounds like you really wanted to do a lot of winterover things while not being one," she said. "I suppose we can try to do as many of those as we can, but… I'm not joining your crazy 300-degree adventure. I'll wait for you in the station, at best, to yell at you for being so reckless. How about it?"

"Perfect," Sokka grinned. Azula laughed, kissing him softly. "Honestly… I don't know if we'll ever get to do this again. I hope we do, but with your family being as it is… maybe they'll think you can't come back if you say you want to, right?"

"Knowing them… yes," Azula sighed.

"So… it might be our only chance to pull off all these crazy things, you know?" Sokka said, his fingers trailing over her brow, through her dark tresses. "Not trying to be a downer here, but…"

"It is kind of a downer to think about it that way," Azula acknowledged: her grip around him tightened as she pressed her face to his chest. "I really shouldn't like you as much as I do. The very notion of… of not being able to be with you after this is terrifying, Sokka."

"It is for me too," Sokka sighed. "I guess… it's further reason to make as many fun memories and enjoy all the experiences we can before it ends?"

"How depressing," Azula sighed. "I suppose we'll have to take pictures of everything to make sure we don't forget anything at all, and not just to send them back to the IceCube people so they can post them online…"

"You keep posting pictures of your own in your Instagram anyway," Sokka said, smiling fondly at her. Azula sighed.

"Not the ones I wish I could," she said. "It's not fair having to hide what we mean to each other…"

"Maybe we don't have to," Sokka said. Azula raised an eyebrow, glancing at him in confusion. "I mean… we would be hiding, in a sense, even if we did what I just thought of. But how about if I post them?"

"You…?" Azula blinked blankly. Sokka grinned.

"If I simply post them on my account, where I only have one follower… as in, you," Sokka said. "I wouldn't tag anything, I wouldn't link anything back to you, so people wouldn't be able to see those pictures easily…"

"Well, if someone goes through the list of people I follow, they might…" Azula said, though she frowned: how likely was that? She hoped her parents weren't that obsessed with monitoring her entire life… "But then… we'd post all the good stuff on your account?"

"At least, it's a way to go about it," Sokka said, smiling and shrugging. To his delight, she smiled too.

"You know… that brings thoughts to mind. Thoughts…" Azula said, as a hint of malice took hold of her while she rolled on her back, eyes drifting towards the ceiling. "Thoughts of revenge."

Sokka blinked blankly. Azula's devious smirk widened further.

"Well. That escalated quickly," he said. "Revenge on… what? Why? Huh?"

"My parents, of course," Azula said, glancing at him deviously. Sokka raised an eyebrow. "They think I'm miserable… because, of course, I've given them reason to think so. But if I gradually start to change the kind of things I post on my personal account, by showing some of the more fun side of working and living here, they'll be in denial at first, assuming I'm just doing it to piss them off… and then, slowly, doubt will creep in. Little by little, they'll begin to realize that maybe I am having fun… that maybe I'm learning important things, things that could help me get accepted in university if I try to enroll in one. That maybe I confirmed my calling is indeed my calling… and, who knows? That maybe I found the man of my dreams here, why not?"

"Y-you… you think you'd go for it?" Sokka said, cheeks flushing. "You'd reveal our relationship…?"

"Once we're almost done here, I think I might be ready to. Maybe I could tag your account when I do the full reveal post," Azula smirked. "Then, my parents and every stalking lurker would go into your account… to find months' worth of content they never knew existed. And yes, well, they may go ballistic about it, but at that point, we would have already spent almost the full year together, right?"

"And I could help you with university," Sokka said, rubbing his chin slowly. "Maybe… maybe we could settle that before our time here ends, too. I could reach out to my old university and ask them to hold your entrance exam remotely. Then, once your parents show up…"

"I could show them my acceptance letter… if I pass, of course," Azula said, biting her lip. "Heh. Here I thought we'd spend the rest of our stay here working in the lab and then jumping into bed together, but from the sound of it, we have a lot of work to do."

"And a lot of fun things to share," Sokka smiled, kissing her again. "We… should make a schedule."

"A schedule?" Azula raised her eyebrows, amused. "Well, now… I'm all ears."

"Great," Sokka snickered. "We'll organize it in the… uh, well, morning. Whatever counts as morning, you know…"

"I do know," Azula laughed: Sokka smiled as he cradled her in his arms. "What a strange future awaits us, huh?"

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Sokka whispered, kissing her brow. "I'll tutor you further, make sure you can handle anything they throw at you in an entrance exam… and you'll train me into letting go of my ridiculous self-awareness every time we're in public together. And we'll do as many fun events in the South Pole as possible in the process…"

"And we'll take as many pictures as we can so we can build up our Instagram accounts too," Azula smiled. "It sounds like a lot… but I can't wait to get started."

"Me neither," Sokka grinned, pressing his brow to hers.

After two weeks of mostly focusing on each other and work, starting a new routine was rather curious for Sokka and Azula: they enjoyed each other's company properly upon waking up, then they sat together, huddled in comfort and enjoying hot chocolate while organizing their duties, studies and leisure time properly on a virtual schedule. Most of it was subject to change since the IceCube Lab might require emergency visits due to equipment malfunctions, but so far, everything had moved along safely. Before long, the happy pair had a full schedule they hoped to rely on for the next months.

First, Azula would have around three hours of studying, tutored by Sokka. The more they worked together, the better a teacher he became: he rewarded Azula whenever she answered a question properly, finished an operation successfully or investigated correctly anything he asked her to look up. Sometimes, the reward would be a simple kiss. Sometimes, it would be a much more complicated one between her legs. Sometimes, she'd have a random food craving, and Sokka would dutifully take off to find popcorn, ice cream or whatever snack she wanted to enjoy. And sometimes, she'd ask him to do something utterly embarrassing as a punishment if he teased her too much while she was working on solving the exercises he set for her: some of those punishments required form him to march up to Korra and acknowledge she was the superior athlete, something that of course never failed to make him pout while Korra laughed it off, well aware of what was going on thanks to Azula's echoing laughter. Other times, she'd send him running a lap on the station while wearing one of his boxers on his head. And sometimes she'd ask him to write utterly gushy, embarrassingly fluffy poems on his Instagram posts, and he'd comply while blushing madly still.

The punishments, of course, served a deeper purpose too: Sokka slowly grew more comfortable with making a fool of himself in public thanks to Azula's antics. It wasn't simply a matter of being comfortable by holding her hand, but of relaxing around people who meant them no harm, who were perfectly supportive of their relationship and who would eventually stop teasing them for it, provided they stopped giving them reason to be teased.

After Azula's classes ended, they would perform all maintenance and checkup duties that were necessary in the IceCube Lab. They wouldn't visit it every day, but they had to be thorough during each of those visits, ensuring to replace anything that required replacements, running tests that might have been requested by headquarters up north, and generally keeping the place clean, orderly and safe.

As long as that didn't take too long, they would return to the Station at a reasonable hour and train in the weight gym. It was always much easier whenever they were alone, of course, and they had even engaged in some rather inappropriate dalliances there precisely because of that… but they had fun when others were working out too, especially once Sokka succeeded at setting aside his embarrassment and focused on helping Azula work out before doing his own rounds – she, of course, was keen on ogling him constantly while he did that, but he blushed less intensely after the first few weeks of her shamelessness.

Once their daily workout was done, they would spend time with everyone else, and that was the optimal moment for them to make their Instagram posts once the station connected to the satellite's Internet. If there was an event in the station, they'd happily join it: if there was none, they would simply play games with their friends or watch movies with them, provided they were free to do so, too. Occasional grand projections of movies would be held in the gym often, though depending on their interest in them, it was possible that either or both Sokka and Azula would doze off while cuddled together on the same couch as the movie progressed.

Azula's initial sketches and concepts for the pole marker were quite interesting to the Mechanist, who encouraged her to continue developing the direction she was taking them in. Sokka helped her with ideas often, though he'd take to building his own strange works of art, many of them based on cable wires without insulation, unconventional material that, nonetheless, he succeeded at sculpting into strange but amusing shapes that even inspired Azula further in her designs for the marker.

Once they returned to their room, though, they would jump into bed – which was effectively as good as a single bed by now, since they had pushed them together – either to enjoy each other's company as thoroughly as possible, or to watch TV shows or movies. They would take turns choosing the content they'd enjoy each night, and Sokka was rather nervous upon introducing Azula to a particular, rare favorite TV show of his own… one that had shaped his life in ways that hadn't been apparent until he rewatched it now.

"Guess I really got into science because of this show, come to think of it," Sokka chuckled, with a small smile. Azula hummed.

"I suppose I can believe that, but… that's not all I'm getting from this," Azula said, raising her eyebrows as she pointed at a female character onscreen. "She has dark hair, a mean streak, clever, stuck in a place where her people say she doesn't belong… and her name also starts with an 'a'. Do tell, Sokka… have you spent your whole life hoping to find the Aeryn Sun to your John Crichton?"

Sokka snorted and laughed, cheeks flushing as Azula smirked knowingly at him.

"Because, well, I can't quite unsee the potential similarities," she chuckled, stroking his hand as he threw his head back. "Not saying you're only with me because I resemble Aeryn in some way or another, though, but still…"

"Honestly, if you hadn't brought it up now, I might not have made a connection there," Sokka chuckled. "I mean, let's be real here, Azula: do you think I ever expected to get this lucky in life? You remember what I was like when we first met…"

"True," Azula smiled, watching the final minutes of the show absent-mindedly now as she listened to Sokka instead.

"If I'd wound up halfway across the galaxy like Crichton, I probably would've been stuck with… I don't know, six Rygels or so, and no Aeryns whatsoever," Sokka said, gesturing at the unpleasant, toad-like muppet character on the show. Azula chuckled, shaking her head.

"Well, good thing you didn't have to go halfway across the galaxy to find one, then," she said, leaning in to kiss his cheek softly. "Well, that is, if I'm not misreading things."

"You only are in the sense that… that I actually like you way more than I liked Aeryn, no matter if I was a pubescent teenager when I first saw her," Sokka chuckled, pressing his brow to hers as the credits rolled. "I'm a hormonal adult now, and apparently that makes me even more susceptible to your charms."

"Good. That's how I want it to be," Azula said, deviously. Sokka chuckled, prodding her nose with his.

"So? What did you think of the life-defining TV show of my teenage years?" he asked. Azula huffed.

"I can't give a proper verdict like this. One episode only? I'm afraid you'll have to ask me again after we watch five, at least. Maybe more than that," Azula said, smirking at him. Sokka's watery smile preceded a spree of enthusiastic kisses that brought Azula to laughter as she caressed his cheek gently. "You're so silly…"

"Most people I show Farscape to don't notice it's got potential right away," Sokka said, with a relieved grin. "Oh, Azula. You really may be…"

"The Aeryn to your Crichton?" Azula finished. Sokka chuckled and nodded… before shaking his head.

"Nah. If we were like those two, we'd be dancing around each other for eons, getting together, then winding up in fucked up situations like, well, me getting twinned, and…"

"What?" Azula said, with an awkward smile. "What does that mean, getting twinned…?"

"Uh… you know what? I can't tell you. Spoilers," Sokka said. Azula scoffed, bumping his shoulder lightly as he chuckled at her. "Anyway, I'm just saying… we were a mess in getting to this point, but it didn't take me that long to realize that I…"

"That you…?" Azula said, eyeing him intently when he fell silent.

Sokka bit his lip as he glanced at her with uncertainty. Azula blinked blankly, waiting for him to speak… and then she froze as his smile gained tenderness. As his fingers trailed over her features gently. As his eyes gleamed with resolve before he spoke words he hadn't yet realized he was ready to say, but even so…

"I'm sorry if this isn't the right way, or the right time. If maybe I shouldn't be this stupid about this, too, but I…" Sokka said, smiling gently: the reality of what he was about to say struck her moments before he spoke the words. "I love you, Azula."

Her inability to speak afterwards took him by surprise… though he smiled awkwardly, shyly, and returned to handling his laptop: he closed the programs as Azula gaped at him in disbelief and confusion, watching wordlessly as he powered it down.

"S-Sokka…" she said, breathlessly. "Sokka, I… wait. What are you…?"

"I'm… putting away my laptop?" Sokka answered, with a gentle smile, setting down the device on his nightstand. "Don't think we'll watch another one, it's getting late, so…"

"I meant… what you just said. You… you said you love me?" Azula repeated, eyes wide. Sokka smiled weakly.

"Well… yeah. Call me crazy, I guess, since we haven't been together that long, but… it kind of felt right to say it. And it still does, but… if you're not ready to hear it, that's fine too. I mean… as long as you're not completely grossed out by how fast I'm moving, of course. Then it's not fine," Sokka said, eyeing her warily now. "I'm not trying to force my feelings on you or anything, okay? It's… it's fine if you don't feel the same way…"

"I didn't… didn't say that," Azula responded, eyeing him warily. Sokka blinked blankly.

"But you look like…" he said, narrowing his eyes. "Wait. Wait a minute. Azula…"

"I… Sokka, this isn't something that's ever happened to me before?" she said, looking at him in disbelief. "I mean, I've had a few relationships but nothing ever got serious enough for 'I love you's and… I mean, three words, eight letters? Say them and I'm yours? I never thought my life would come to that, but…"

"What?"

"A… quote. From another TV show. I should make you watch that one since I'll watch Farscape… show exchange," Azula said: she had pressed her face to the pillow, a rarity considering she usually picked Sokka's chest as her pillow, rather than anything else.

"Okay?" Sokka smiled, raising a hand and caressing her hair gently. "Azula… are you flustered?"

"I…!"

She raised her head again, meeting his eyes… and he had a perfect chance to pick up on how flushed her cheeks were. A wicked grin spread over his face as Azula huffed in outrage.

"W-what are you looking at me like that for?!" she asked, utterly self-aware… while Sokka snickered, dropping on the pillow as well, beaming brightly.

"I bet it's a little weird to be happy that you can be embarrassed by things too, but I am," he chuckled.

"Oh, please…" Azula huffed, pouting and turning her face away from him as Sokka chuckled, caressing her hair gently still.

"I seriously thought you were shameless and would only blush because of excessive physical strain," he said. "And I seriously thought I was a weirdo for blushing that much, but…"

"You are one. One thing doesn't negate the other," Azula huffed. Sokka chuckled.

"And you… are a tsundere, apparently," he teased her. Azula gasped, affronted. "If you say I'm an idiot, or that you hate me, you'll just wind up proving my point."

"Oh, yeah? That's how this works?" Azula asked, with a dangerous smile. Sokka chuckled, hands behind his head as he beamed proudly. "You… you're going to get it. You're really asking for it now."

"For what, exactly?" Sokka chuckled, as Azula sat up on the bed, cheeks still red as she glared at him intently…

Then she picked up the pillow and smacked Sokka with it.

He gasped. She raised her eyebrows defiantly. He bit his lip and shook his head as he glared at her in disbelief.

"That's how it is, then? This great betrayal… a pillow fight? We've been sharing rooms for months… and now you've chosen violence?" Sokka asked. Azula glared at him pointedly… then he pushed himself up, glaring at her defiantly. "So be it."

He grabbed his own pillow, and he struck Azula's flank lightly with it. She gasped, outraged by his retaliation, and she leapt forward to attack him too. The pillows bounced painlessly off each other, and before long, the room rang with laughter, made all the louder when Sokka decided to escalate matters further with a dangerous tickle fight: Azula struggled, writhing out of his grasp, trying to return the favor… but failing to do so after he overpowered her. His finishing move, of course was to cover her face with kisses as he pinned her on the joined beds, and Azula laughed, still blushing crimson, as their fingers intertwined slowly.

"There. You appear to have been defeated," Sokka said, smirking smugly. She shook her head, raising her chin proudly.

"I never said I surrendered," she stated. Sokka chuckled, nudging her gently with his nose. "But you… you're not even worried that I didn't say it back?"

"Uh… I wasn't all that worried because I figured you'll say it when you want to say it?" Sokka said, though his eyes widened as he stared at her warily. "Should I be worried?"

"No, it's just…!" Azula said, biting her lip as she tightened her grip on his hands. Sokka raised an eyebrow questioningly. "I've never really… never said these words properly before. Not while meaning them, anyway. The way I'd mean them if… if I say them to you."

"I… I get that," Sokka said, nodding gently.

"So…" Azula said, breathing deeply and staring at him anxiously. "I guess you broke me, huh? Shamelessness… all gone now. I hope you didn't particularly love that about me, but…"

"You can't be shameless with me anymore? Really?" Sokka asked, amused. Azula chuckled.

"I probably can, just… you've thrown a wrench in this situation," she said. "Now I can't just focus on the physical, fun aspect of everything. Now it's… very serious. Extremely serious. Now… now I genuinely am pondering how I'll marry you while avoiding Burmese law. Actually, there's some weird super-expensive marriage services in Antarctica, you know? Though much closer to the shore, of course, probably in McMurdo, and admittedly I'd rather not get married in McMurdo, I didn't really like that place, but…"

"Marriage?" Sokka smiled. Azula winced.

"Did I just… get extremely ahead of myself?"

"In a wonderful way, but yeah, possibly," Sokka chuckled. Azula sighed, shaking her head.

"Telling me you love me kind of… translates into 'we're in this together forever' in my head. Maybe I'm crazy, I just…"

"You're not," Sokka said, kissing her brow sweetly. "I love you… and I would love to spend the rest of my life with you. I'm just aware of how hard that'll be… and that we still have a lot to learn about each other. But the more time I spend with you, the more I'm convinced that I want to spend all that time learning more about you. So… marriage doesn't sound like a bad idea, alright? I didn't enter this relationship assuming it would have to end eventually… I did it by hoping we'd find a solution that allowed us to have a future together. Even if that's crazy of me… it's still what happened."

"It is crazy," Azula said, with a tender smile. Her cheeks were still red as she slipped her hands out of his, raising them to cup his face. "You're utterly mad. But… I guess I'm not one to talk. Because I… I feel the same way. I… I love you. I love you too. I…"

Sokka grinned, and Azula laughed, tears blinking in her eyes before he dove in for a heartfelt kiss… one that soon gave way to enthusiastic, passionate lovemaking through which they reaffirmed the commitment they had reached so smoothly that night. They would wake up in a tangle of limbs when their alarms woke them around six hours later, and Sokka's gentle smile, ever a source of quickened heartbeats for Azula, suddenly seemed to stir even more pleasant emotions in the depths of her soul: she wanted to say it again, fool that she was. He already knew, she'd told him that night, she didn't have to repeat she loved him constantly…

But these were uncharted waters for her. Technically, a lot about her relationship with Sokka had been uncharted waters, for they were as good as living together by now, virtually engaged if just because they hoped they might be able to marry one day. The vertigo of such a strange sensation was oddly addictive: it was akin to falling with no notion of where was up or down, with a strange feeling deep in her gut that suggested she'd be able to land on her feet regardless of how wildly the wind might blow. She'd be okay, no matter if being near the man who had triggered all such emotions in her heart was driving her into a strange frenzy of excitement and fluster, even if they were simply sitting together at the galley, enjoying their breakfast.

"And good morning!" Yue's enthusiastic voice reached them, and Sokka smiled as he waved in her direction: she marched up to their table, taking her seat across them as she readied herself to enjoy her own breakfast. "I hope you had a less hectic morning than Suki, she's dealing with some problems with BICEP right now…"

"Damn. I hope she can sort it out," Sokka said. "Can you give her a hand with it?"

"I planned to, once I was done eating. I'll bring her something to snack on before dragging her back to the galley and ensuring she gets a proper meal," Yue said, with a gentle smile. Her eyes flickered between Sokka and Azula as he nodded approvingly at her idea. "Are you two alright? Didn't, uh, spend all night awake, did you?"

"Well, not all night, but…" Sokka said, with a slightly shy smile… Yue frowned, eyes shifting towards Azula.

"Why are you so quiet?" she asked. Azula winced.

"I… sorry. I guess I spaced out for a moment," Azula said, with a weak smile. Yue raised an eyebrow.

"Must have been one very intense night, then," she said, smiling with a hint of unusual malice… Azula gasped at her words, glancing at Sokka in surprise as her cheeks flushed. He raised an eyebrow.

"Did you tell her…?"

"Did I… what?" Sokka said, once she stopped talking. "You okay, Azula…?"

"I…!" she said, huffing and shaking her head before focusing on her meal. "I'm going mad. That's all. That's… all."

Yue blinked blankly, eyeing the pair across her with unabashed curiosity. She bit her lip before long, running a hand through her white hair.

"Do I dare ask…?" she said. "This is really weird, you know? It's usually Sokka who's blushing every time someone makes any reference to your intimate times together, and it's usually Azula who's shameless…"

"I'm not… being shameless," Sokka said, pouting slightly. Azula blinked blankly.

"Then you were just talking about…?" Azula said. Yue raised her eyebrows.

"Sex?" she said. Azula closed her eyes, her fluster increasing further. "Did you think I was talking about something else? It almost looks like you…"

Yue fell silent then, scrutinizing Azula's expressions and reactions gradually… then shifting her focus to Sokka instead. He offered her a guilty grin and a shrug that Yue gasped at.

"No. You did not… you did!" Yue said, covering her mouth with her hands. Sokka scoffed.

"You're not going to pretend that you figured it out just like that, are you?" he said. "I haven't even given you a hint of…"

"You told her you loved her!"

Azula's face flushed even further, and Sokka's own cheeks lit up at Yue's accurate guess. The scientist before them gasped, eyes flickering between the two with astonishment, though she mostly focused on him.

"Sokka… it's too soon for that!" she said. "And you…! With how nervous you are, that's a very dangerous choice to make! Goodness, at least you're with Azula… if you were with anyone else, she might have bolted out the door right away out of fear of commitment."

"Well, I didn't say it so she'd feel she had to commit more than she already has," Sokka said, with a slight pout. "She didn't have to say it back at all, all that mattered to me was saying it, simple as that."

"Really? You had no expectations?" Yue said, raising an eyebrow. "You just wanted her to know someone loves her?"

"What's wrong with that?" Sokka huffed.

"Nothing. Just… you two continue to be a Hallmark movie," Yue said, with a fond smile. Sokka huffed, cheeks tinged red once more. "Well… I'm glad you didn't pressure her or anything. And I won't either, I won't tell Suki or the others about this, I probably shouldn't have pried to begin with… so you really don't have to worry, Azula. Take your time to figure out how to answer him properly, okay?"

"Uh…" Sokka said, with a weak grin as he glanced at Azula: her cheeks were even redder as she covered her face with her hands.

Her reaction to Yue's reassuring words, though, spoke for itself. The white-haired woman's jaw dropped as, yet again, she read through the couple without needing further explanations:

"You said it back?! You already said it back! Oh, goodness, you…!"

"She, uh, may have…?" Sokka said, smiling weakly at Azula, who shot him a reproachful glare from between her spread fingers.

"Least you could do is not look that proud of it, damn it…" Azula huffed, and Sokka chuckled before caressing her hair gently.

"Sorry, sorry. I'll shut my mouth now, I will…" he said – though his promise was bound to be entirely meaningless, for two more people were ready to join their table.

"Morning, every-… uh, Sokka? Azula? Did you two switch bodies last night or something?" Korra asked, as Asami smiled at them too. "It's usually her who's up to PDA while he's blushing crimson the whole time…"

"Maybe we did switch bodies. How about that?" Azula said, grumpily, prompting Korra and Asami to laugh as they took their seats with them, too.

She didn't even know why she was in such a strange mood… she wasn't unhappy, not at all. But somehow, she didn't want their friends around right now. She only wanted to be with him, to talk to him, to kiss him, to wrap her arms around him as though to never let him go. Something she had never really recognized for what it was had broken inside her last night… a strange dam, she guessed, that she couldn't seem to plug anymore. Where Sokka appeared to have gained some confidence upon Azula's acceptance and reciprocation of his feelings, Azula had lost some of her own confidence, somehow… for she didn't know how to control the feelings inside her. It was so much easier before saying she loved him… for now her heart ached with need, with hope, with every bit of despair that gnawed at her with fear that their relationship wasn't set in stone, and that, without a strong plan, her family would destroy it for sure…

And all such fears and uncertainties would fall to the wayside simply by being near him. By looking at him as he worked in the IceCube Lab, carefully welding material he was repairing for a computer that was causing some trouble as of late. She had a few basic check-ups to run in the network, maintenance of servers to worry about… and she simply watched him as the computer did its work. Eventually, he raised an eyebrow and glanced back at her, smiling weakly.

"Something wrong?" he asked. Azula shook her head… then shrugged. "Still bothered by how the others acted earlier? Or…?"

"I… guess? Guess not. Maybe… maybe I finally understand what bothered you so much before," Azula said, with a sigh. "Just when it looks like it's not a problem for you anymore…"

"You think I'm not that nervous anymore?" Sokka asked, raising his eyebrows. "Heh, I beg to differ… but honestly, I'm probably an asshole to be relieved that you can be flustered too sometimes, aren't I?"

"I've been flustered around you several times as it is," Azula said, pouting slightly. "But I suppose… things feel a little different now. I'd rather just forget about everyone else and stay locked away with you for good… like in this lab. There's a bed and everything…"

"I'm aware," Sokka smirked. Azula shot him a knowing grin. "You don't actually intend for us to make use of it, or do you?"

"Well, if we finish our work quickly…"

"Heh? Sounds like you're not that flustered after all," Sokka chuckled. Azula shrugged.

"If it's just you, I guess… I feel safe. And that's a very strange feeling, mind you," she said, with a sad smile. "If I'm with you, I have nothing to be afraid of… be it entrance exams, designing pole markers, not botching things up in this lab, or even fighting my own family. I feel like… like you'll always be by my side, even when I know that there's nothing that guarantees that. And it just… messed with my head, somewhat. I'd never felt like this before, alright? So…"

"So, you don't know what to do with yourself?" Sokka asked, with a gentle smile. "Well… yeah, I guess you get me now. Because I've been feeling that way since you first kissed me, heh."

"Then I'm sorry for tormenting you by not staying locked up with you in our room constantly," Azula sighed. "But as we're on the same page now… guess we could just very well do that here, right? Surely we could…"

"Azula…" Sokka said, eyeing her skeptically. She smiled innocently as he raised a hand, taking his sweet time to say… "After all our work here's done, like you said. Alright?"

"Wait, really?" Azula smirked. Sokka snorted, shrugging.

"Hey, beds are made for sleeping on them…" he chuckled, and Azula laughed as she blushed again at their shared shamelessness.

They had already become near inseparable since they'd first consummated their relationship, but it was even harder to pry them off each other following the mutual love confession they shared that night. Their work in the lab and station continued to flow peacefully for the next weeks, including plenty of private fun when they had time to spare for it, as well as some exercising in preparation for the upcoming Polympics – the sporting event held in the station halfway through the winter that always lifted everyone's spirits. They also tried their luck with music, pool games and with further viewing sessions of movies and shows – though they held several of those in private, too, by continuing to watch Sokka's favorite TV show.

Azula's designs for the pole marker were coming along smoothly: Sokka taught her how to create the virtual design through mechanical drawing programs she had never used before. The Mechanist found her ideas quite intriguing once she presented them to him, and around six weeks into winter, their proposal was sent to the National Science Foundation for their approval…

"Princess Azula? Princess Azula!" The Mechanist called for her, just as she was in the middle of a pool match against Asami, Yue and Sokka.

"Did you get a response?" Azula asked, eyes wide as she set down her cue stick: everything faded from view as anxiety gnawed at her. She had done her best, but this was no meaningless work, not a simple homework assignment where passing grades would be enough to appease her family… no, she wanted to get it right. She wanted to get this right, to do her absolute best at it…

"Your proposal for the Pole Marker… has been accepted," the Mechanist said, smiling brightly at her.

Azula gasped: the rest of the occupants of the room let out cheerful exclamations, and before she knew it, a pair of familiar arms had wrapped around her from behind as she laughed in relieved disbelief.

"You did it! Ha! I told you it'd be the best marker ever!" Sokka declared, spinning in place with her in his arms: Azula covered her face with her hands, tears of relief spilling from her eyes as she nearly faltered in Sokka's embrace.

She wound up hugging him back eventually, laughing intimately with him in a corner while the others waited patiently – at first – for their brief celebration to end before their game could continue: afterwards, though, their whole group gathered at the galley to celebrate Azula's grand success far more enthusiastically, with a few drinks and the best food they could get their hands on – mainly, leftovers the kitchen staff always stashed in one of the secondary fridges, in case anyone needed a quick meal.

It was halfway through that night, finished off by an unsettling karaoke contest where many winterovers appeared eager to make fools of themselves, that Azula noticed something rather curious while she held Sokka's hand. He raised an eyebrow and she smiled, squeezing his fingers gently.

"Looks like we've made a lot of progress," she said. "My marker design will be crafted… and you're not trembling."

Sokka's eyes widened at her assessment. He glanced down at their hands as though to confirm her words, and Azula laughed as she pressed a kiss to his shoulder. His lips curved into a gentle smile, and he took her into his arms fully, relishing in their embrace while someone butchered a ballad by singing it entirely off-tune.

The preparations for Azula's entrance exam also took up a lot of her time: in the weeks leading to the Polympics, Azula worked harder than ever to prepare for the complicated test she'd be taking up soon. Sokka's lessons were paying off: even when they were up to anything else, she answered his impromptu questions about physics concepts, math problems and logic questions without fail, to his utter delight. Sokka had taken care of contacting his university, explaining Azula's circumstances and requesting for her exam to be held remotely, about a month before the station opened anew: with that settled and arranged, Azula focused on studying for it as best as possible.

Once the Polympics arrived, Azula knew she was due for a large distraction: instead of teaming up over their regions or countries – for that would have landed several people, Azula included, in a considerable disadvantage due to being the only representatives of their countries –, the teams for the Polympics were established through their departments instead. Thus, the science researchers had a team of their own, the engineers and supervisors of the tunnels were in another team, and the cooks and janitors worked together in another team. The disciplines, naturally, were much more complicated than regular Olympic ones: basketball was one of the easiest choices, given that there was a court in the station, but playing small-scale soccer was a possibility, too. Then, they had winter-based sports too, such as curling and a slightly chaotic attempt at ice-skating that was suspended quickly, for the ice near the station wasn't smooth enough for the competition to be held. After one stormy day, however, they had a chance to do a snowmen building contest with the resulting snow, even if its outcome was still rather mediocre and clunky, leading to a lot of amusement for all the competitors.

Races were held too, whether by groups or individuals, whether by running across the station or on a jogging machine, and while scores were being kept in all the sporting disciplines they were competing at, victory appeared a secondary matter for most everyone… except in the final discipline: weightlifting.

Korra roared proudly as she dropped the heavy weights she had managed to raise over her head. Her form wasn't perfect, but she had succeeded at outdoing her previous record and all winterovers witnessing her achievement clapped at her, even hooting in congratulations.

"Damn right!" Korra laughed, hugging Asami. "Didn't even pull a muscle! Maybe I could go for heavier…"

"Korra! You just said you didn't pull a muscle, don't go tempting fate now," Asami scolded her, and Korra grinned guiltily. "What you did was plenty as it is, okay?"

"Fine, fine, geez…"

Her eyes, however, drifted towards the man who had stepped up next: her only remaining competitor, her greatest rival in the weight gym to date. She smirked, nodding in his direction as he rubbed his hands in preparation for picking up the heavy weight.

"Sure you've got what it takes?" she asked. Sokka scoffed, shaking his head and taking his position behind the weights before him.

A wicked thought occured to him over Korra's words: with a glint of cleverness shining in his eyes, he turned to the weight racks and found a simple pair of single-pound weights. The entire crowd watching him gasped in shock as he leaned down to adjust his barbell…

"Sokka!" Azula gasped, stepping up to him just as he finished securing the two extra weights. "Sokka, you have nothing to prove, don't be crazy…"

"I've had enough of being second to her," Sokka said, glaring at Korra playfully. She snickered devilishly at him. "Look, if it's too much I'll just drop the weights and nothing will happen…"

"And what about if you don't realize it's too much and you keep lifting until you get injured?" Azula asked, skeptical. Sokka grinned awkwardly.

"I… will have to hope you'll be a very sweet nurse in that case."

"That's not likely. Especially considering I'd be saying 'I told you so' through the entire recovery process," Azula said, eyeing him reproachfully. "Seriously, Sokka? Do you have to do this?"

"I've been training for well over nine months now," Sokka said, eyes aglow with determination. "I do think I can do it… but if you encourage me, I'll probably do better at it, yet."

"Oh, really?" Azula asked. "You're blackmailing me into supporting you even though you know I don't want you to do this?"

"Uh… basically?" Sokka smiled awkwardly. Azula scoffed, but she smiled too.

"You're an idiot," she said, stepping up and cupping his face. "Be careful. The minute something feels weird, you'll stop. Okay?"

"Okay," he said, smiling shyly: everyone was watching them, but he wouldn't hide or pull away from her, even so.

It was Azula who stepped back, then, and Sokka ensured to prepare himself, rubbing the magnesium powder on his hands before stepping up to the weights: he leaned down, setting his hands in place… he let out one deep breath, and he hoisted the barbell.

He struggled slightly with the first movements, until he finally had the bar safely on his collarbone level. His balance wasn't the finest, but he kept going nonetheless, flowing through each stage to the next while trying not to falter, even if the weight was indeed almost overwhelming…

But his eyes fell upon her. She seemed so insecure, so nervous, so worried for his wellbeing that he knew he had to go forward. If just to give her a reason to smile, to relax, to enjoy the crazy competitions that were finally drawing to a close…

His voice broke out in a war cry as he pushed higher: finally, he stood fully upright, and he hoisted the weights over his head. The whole crowd in the gym broke out in cheers, and Sokka sustained his position for a moment longer before dropping the heavy weights and letting out a relieved sigh: Azula was in his arms a moment later, laughing while scolding him for his recklessness, covering his face with numerous kisses as everyone else congratulated him for dethroning Korra, something everyone had thought was entirely unlikely until he had boldly dared to go further than anyone else ever had gone before.

The closing ceremony and feast for the Polympics was another great highlight of the whole event, a much better reward than any medals – though the Mechanist still took his time to design some small copper medals that read 'I survived the Polympics in the Amundsen-Scott Station' rather than anything with more grandeur than that. But as enjoyable as the meal might be, the main thing on Azula's mind, after posting enthusiastic pictures about the Polympics on her Instagram account, was taking Sokka to their room, and either catching up on sleep – something they both needed direly – or celebrating his great success much more intimately. They were intercepted by someone on their way there, however:

"Polympics may be done… but that's not the final challenge we've got going, Sokka. I don't need to remind you, do I?" Korra had told him, just before they exited the galley. Sokka raised an eyebrow.

"Are the conditions met yet…?" he asked. Korra smirked and nodded.

"All predictions say the temperatures will drop appropriately for it in the next week. So… get ready for it, I guess. I'll make sure to message you when the time comes," she said, nodding at him before rushing after Asami, who was halfway down the corridor with Suki and Yue by then.

"What… was that?" Azula asked. Sokka winced, eyeing her warily… the guilt in his complexion spoke for itself, and the Princess stared at him in disbelieve "And here I thought you'd have enough by competing with her at weightlifting."

"Well, I don't think this is a competition, to be fair? It's just two friends doing something… kind of very stupid," Sokka admitted, with a guilty chuckle. Azula shook her head. "Look, it might not even be possible. If the atmospheric conditions don't happen, we won't be able to try it. But if they did… wouldn't you have a great argument to convince your parents that I'm a good match for you if you can tell them that I'm part of the most exclusive club in the history of humanity? No?"

"That…would only work until they learn about what that club actually entails," Azula said. Sokka huffed.

"Well then, we don't tell them what it entails and we'll keep them guessing," Sokka smirked. Azula laughed, shaking her head.

"You're seriously going to go for it, then? A two-hundred degree stay in the sauna, followed by a minus a hundred degree walk in the ice?" she asked. "Do you know the right way to go about it? Like… all the details? How to avoid frostbite? How to ensure you don't die of temperature shock?"

"I've looked into it…" Sokka pouted slightly, and Azula raised an eyebrow judgmentally. "I really have! You're not supposed to walk too fast, not supposed to breathe too heavily, you just go out and go back, that's how it works. No big deal, right?"

Azula eyed him skeptically, regardless of his innocent smile: she was utterly mad for wanting to protect him from himself, wasn't she? Sokka seemed to be becoming an adrenaline junkie of some sort as of late… and a stupid part of her found that rather appealing about him, as of late. A very stupid part of her, she supposed.

"If you do this," Azula said, raising a hand towards Sokka, her index finger outstretched. Sokka whimpered giddily at the possibility that she would acquiesce at last… "You'll need training. A lot of training. Also… as far as I understand, you have to do it naked?"

"Uh, yeah, I kind of have to, it's more dangerous otherwise…"

"So, you don't mind running around the station naked, do you?" Azula asked, amused. Sokka's cheeks flushed.

"Wouldn't be around the station altogether… you leave from the sauna and go to the Ceremonial Pole, then you go back," Sokka said, pouting. "It's not like I'll walk the whole station naked anyhow… and I'll cover up with a hand, if that worries you."

"Yes, it worries me," Azula said, shaking her head. "Ugh, I… I'll have to be there to make sure you survive this madness, won't I?"

"Well, yeah, but you don't have to do it too…"

"Oh, believe me, I won't: I'll just be dressed up in my proper extreme cold weather gear in case you faint halfway through your silly stunt," Azula said. Sokka chuckled.

"Well, I suppose it's fair to be a non-believer… but you won't have to come to my rescue. I'll have it covered," Sokka said. "As for that training… what exactly do you have in mind?"

Azula sighed, but she smirked at him before long: he knew that look on her face all too well, and his heart tingled happily at the sight of it…

While the temptation had been strong for months, neither of them had dared desecrate the sauna until then… but this opportunity provided them plenty of chances to do exactly that. They weren't supposed to use the sauna without clothes… but being fully naked was a requisite for the 300 Club's challenge. Sokka was self-aware about sitting fully bare in the sauna at first, but a few devious caresses from his lover saw to soothing him into relaxation quickly.

"It's late…" Azula whispered, sitting on his lap as she pressed her lips to his cheek. "Most everyone is in bed by now, and I've made sure to lock the doors safely. The way is clear."

"Good…" Sokka groaned, burying his face in her chest. Azula smirked for it, lightly swaying her hips so her pelvis would brush fully against his abdomen. "But… are we up to the two-hundred degrees already?"

"Nope. This, like I said, is training. We're starting with a hundred and fifty degrees, and we'll crank it up higher as the week progresses," Azula said, leaning down and kissing his lips softly. Sokka snorted.

"Well, considering how hot you are… maybe you make up for the missing fifty degrees by yourself," Sokka said. Azula chuckled, shaking her head dismissively.

"You're such a flatterer… but if that's so, I suppose we can make up for the fifty degrees and then some, can't we?" she said, raising her eyebrows suggestively. Sokka chuckled as she kissed him fiercely again.

They fulfilled their training goals on a daily basis, rising ten degrees each day. By the time they reached the necessary two-hundred degrees, though, the heat overwhelmed them too much for any sexual antics: five minutes of sitting in the sauna had sent both of them running out into the refreshing cold of the station, laughing at their inability to handle the hellish temperature. Even so, they tried again on the next day, and the next, until they gradually grew accustomed to the temperature – not enough to engage in full-blown sex, but the occasional kisses and caresses while enjoying each other's sweaty bodies proved feasible by then.

Thus, when the polar temperature dropped just enough, Sokka was ready.

Unfortunate work timing on Korra's end resulted in Sokka being the first to take up the challenge – she would follow as soon as she was able. All his friends were ready to encourage him and help open the doors to the exterior of the station: Azula sat with him inside the sauna for a short time, pressing quick kisses to his lips and bringing their brows together.

"You can do this. You're utterly insane for choosing to do it, that's for sure… but you can, Sokka. I believe you can," she said, firmly. Sokka chuckled. "Now, then… I'll be ready to run to your rescue if you need me to. But try not to make me do that, alright?"

"I'll do my best," Sokka confirmed, kissing her quickly. "Though… c-can you ask the others not to look?"

"Certainly not," Azula said, smirking. Sokka huffed. "You made up your mind to run naked in the ice? Face the consequences for it, then."

"Meanie," he smiled, shaking his head. "Oh, fine. I'll try not to… get too self-aware. But heh, I've gotten better at that, so…"

"After this, I accept no more self-awareness excuses from you. Regarding anything," Azula laughed, kissing his lips softly one more time as she rose to her feet, stepping up to the sauna's door. "Your boots are ready. Just put them on, cover up with your hands whatever you think you should cover up… and go for it."

"Okay… okay," Sokka nodded, biting his lip.

"Good luck," Azula said, her heart pounding before saying: "I love you."

"I… I love you too," Sokka grinned in a most heartfelt, innocent way, and Azula's cheeks flushed as she stepped outside the sauna.

She dressed in her extreme cold weather gear right away, and she joined the rest of Sokka's support group quickly.

"Is he ready?" Asami asked. "Korra says she might be done in about half an hour, so…"

"Well, hopefully Sokka will have recovered from the temperature shock by then," Azula said, with a weak smile – he was going to get this right. He had to. Even entertaining the notion that he might fail was impossible right now. She couldn't let herself do so.

"How much longer now?" Yue asked.

"About four minutes," Azula said, breathing deeply. "Which, admittedly, is also madness. I don't know who was the mad fool who came up with this concept, but…"

"Nobody really knows, but it's credited to Howard Redifer? A meteorologist," Suki explained. Azula huffed. "It was back in the fifties, I think."

"Too bad. If his grand idea got Sokka killed or sick, I could've very well just flown over to give him a piece of my mind for it, but I suppose he's likely to be dead by now," Azula said, and the others chuckled.

"A lot of people tend to take this challenge, from what Korra said," Asami mentioned. "But I guess most of us are not that bold this year…"

"Not that crazy, you'll mean," Azula said, bluntly, shaking her head.

She shouldn't be anxious: she should be supportive. He would be fine… he had to be fine. He needed to be fine…

One minute left. Azula breathed deeply as she picked up a flashlight: she checked for the umpteenth time that it was functional, and she readied herself as she waited for the sauna's door to open…

It did a moment later, and she glanced over her shoulder as her naked lover crossed the door in a rush.

"Slow! Don't run!" Azula reminded him. Sokka slowed down and nodded: his body was covered in sweat, and the shift of temperature between the sauna and the general station was already making him uncomfortable…

"Doors opening… now!" Yue exclaimed once Sokka was a few steps away from the door: she and Suki pushed them open together.

Azula braced herself for the cold, pointing her flashlight towards the frigid, still night beyond them: Sokka rushed past her wordlessly, following the beam of light… though the green glow of auroras above them helped him find his way too, as his boots stepped out into the frozen surface of the South Pole.

He didn't hesitate: if anything, it seemed he was moments away from starting to run impulsively. A hand covered his mouth, ensuring his breathing would remain warm and even, while the other covered his privates, not simply out of bashfulness but out of highly necessary protection: ice began crusting around his body as he marched outside, but it melted quickly due to the mesh of extreme temperatures battling over his skin.

He kept going, trying to breathe evenly: the ceremonial pole marker was close, and he looped around it without touching it, for even daring do something so stupid would have heinous consequences. Being out in the cold right now felt surreal… he wondered if space would feel this way, too. Everything was strangely silent, his body seemed to fail to react to it properly… he ground his teeth tightly as he kept moving, making the most of the heat he still had, of his remaining energy, to return to the beam of light that guided him through the ice first, and that would continue to guide him back to the station now.

He thought he heard the girls screaming to encourage him – someone even poked out through the upper observation deck and shouted at him too – but he truly couldn't make out what they were saying. His ears were as good as closed and nothing mattered as much as reaching Azula again: there she stood, with the flashlight, urging him to keep going and to return to her safely…

He nearly stumbled into her arms, and the others closed the doors behind him at once.

"There! It's done!" Asami exclaimed, smiling at Sokka: he trembled violently, and Azula helped him march quickly to the sauna again.

"Okay, just… just keep moving. Just keep moving. Oh, you're insane but you did it, damn you…!" Azula laughed: her anxiety for the past week and a half finally receded as she led her boyfriend to the safety and warmth of the sauna for the second time that day.

"Mmm… hmmm," Sokka smiled awkwardly: ice crystals had formed over him, even if they were mostly small, and his breathing was heavy and labored…

His breathing pattern eased up once he was sitting inside the sauna again. It got even better once Azula shed her extreme weather gear and joined him: the girls outside were still chanting a celebratory song for him, and he and Azula laughed together as they gazed at each other with heartfelt smiles.

"Now you'll be able to leave the Pole with no regrets?" Azula asked. Sokka chuckled, shaking his head.

"Not sure the 300 Club had anything to do with that, but… heh. I really did it. Now your mom and dad will be impressed, without a doubt," Sokka said: Azula laughed, shaking her head as she kissed his brow, fingers brushing his moist hair once more.

"You're mad… but you're amazing, Sokka."

"A mad scientist, am I?"

"That… that makes perfect sense, come to think of it," Azula chuckled, hugging him to her chest as he relaxed in her arms.

He was in no condition to help Korra once her own turn arrived, but he and Azula lingered nearby nonetheless, once their friend's run arrived. A member of the meteorologists joined her, too, and the awkward man struggled to pull off a proper run while Korra seemed to know exactly what to expect – it was, after all, her second time doing the legendary stunt that had allowed her to join the 300 Club during her previous stay as a winterover. Proper celebration would be held for all the successful takers of the challenge eventually, but they had to recover from the strain first, and that was exactly what they did.

Even though he hadn't pushed himself into running, Sokka's body resented him for his recklessness for about a week, with a cough that lightened every day. Fortunately, their work for the IceCube Lab wasn't too demanding during those days, and they had many opportunities to allow Sokka to rest and recover while Azula continued to study for her approaching entrance exam. It was their next big highlight, along with the slow construction of the Pole Marker, which was well on its way to completion by now…

The darkest days of polar winter were slowly falling behind them. The best period of time for the 300 Club challenge had already come to an end. And while fun events were held – like a masquerade ball, and talent competitions –, Azula's mind was progressively consumed by her focus on the exam that might change her life, if she could succeed at it…

She was nervous but she tried not to let it affect her performance when the day arrived: the satellite went up, and for once, she didn't focus on communicating with the outside world, posting anything to Instagram or reassuring her parents through videocalls about anything. Instead, her video feed was live, and the exam's instructors shared the website they had prepared for her to begin answering the questions for her exam.

Sokka waited right outside, anxiously, nervously. He had gotten her up to this, and he would see this adventure through to the very end. He could have been working at his own special project in the Mechanist's workshop right now… but he didn't want to do that until Azula was done with the test. Once that was over…

He paced by the room, greeted people who passed him by, he even found a cup of hot chocolate and snuck into the room quietly to set it down by her desk before leaving again – she shot him a grateful smile before returning to work. His anxiety, he knew, was probably nothing compared to hers, but how he hoped she'd be handling this better than he was.

After three hours, the door swung open and Sokka jumped to his feet: Azula looked tired, but she offered him a weak smile nonetheless.

"My head hurts," she said, simply. Sokka grimaced as he cupped her cheeks between his hands.

"We'll get you some painkillers," he said, kissing her brow softly. "It's done now?"

"Yep. Just in time before the satellite went down," Azula admitted, with a sad smile. Sokka sighed. "What?"

"I kind of wanted to post a picture of us hugging in celebration now that you finished the exam…?" Sokka said, and Azula scoffed.

"Save it for when I learn whether I passed or failed," she suggested, groaning as she dropped her head on his shoulder. "Thank you for all the training, but… I'm about to pass out of sheer exhaustion."

"That's okay. I'll just carry you to the galley for lunch, and you can nap after that's done," Sokka said: Azula gasped when he genuinely hoisted her into his arms, with a proud smile. "See?"

"You… you really got all that embarrassment of yours cured by walking into the frigid winter, did you?" Azula laughed. Sokka grinned and kissed her lips quickly.

"For what it's worth… I'm really proud that you've come this far," Sokka said. "You should be the one to be proud, of course, because you've done your best, Azula. Most people would've faltered ages ago and begged to go home…"

"Especially if they had my family's resources?" Azula asked. Sokka nodded.

"That you didn't do it is honestly really awesome," he smiled. "Shows you've got the determination to choose your own path in life, no matter if your parents can't handle it."

"I… suppose I do," Azula smiled, gazing at him with a heartfelt smile: a career in physics wasn't the only path she had chosen, as of late…

Their arrival in the galley wasn't that triumphant, as most people who knew them weren't around right now. Still, a toast was held in Azula's honor that night, and in order to relax after her nap, Azula convinced the others to join her and Sokka in watching Farscape in the B-1 lounge's TV room. Their friends seemed to find the first episode intriguing enough to watch more, too, and Sokka was deeply relieved by that… though he was caught by surprise when he noticed Azula was quite preoccupied by taking a picture of the screen. He raised an eyebrow, and she smirked as she tapped the button, immortalizing the image.

"What are you doing, exactly?" Sokka asked, amused. "You already watched these episodes, so you're bored and taking pictures instead, or…?"

"I'm taking a picture of you… with the episode, of course," Azula said. Sokka's cheeks flushed. "Is that a problem?"

"Are you… going to post that?" he asked. Azula shrugged enigmatically. "Azula…"

"I think… we're about a month away from sunrise," she said, gazing at him intently. "And that means that, while my posts have been growing much more positive, they might need… a little push lately."

"Woah. What's your plan?" Sokka asked, eyes wide. Azula smiled before showing him exactly what she intended… and his cheeks were no less red once she tapped the button to post the picture, with its description and tags, just as she had intended.

...

Wanna be the Crichton to my Aeryn? Jk jk… unless?

The wording of that sentence, if he even deigned to call it that, made no sense whatsoever to Ozai, especially with that strange emote of two eyes glancing sideways. He frowned as he read it over and over… as he looked at the picture of who he could only guess was Azula's IceCube Canadian co-worker. He was smiling slightly at the camera while a couple – if it was that, they seemed somewhat hostile to each other – stared at one another on a TV screen on the back of the picture. None of which actually told Ozai anything other than the fact that Azula, it seemed, was socializing more. He had guessed as much already, considering many of her previous posts had been far too cheerful for her standards. A part of him thought she was simply messing with him… that she was pretending to enjoy herself in some childish, inverse psychology gambit.

But this? This was strange. It was confusing, perhaps alarming… for he didn't understand it at all.

"I have no idea what she means by that," Ursa said, once he asked her. She shrugged, and Ozai scowled. "Maybe ask Zuko?"

The suggestion was likely Ozai's sole solution for now… but Zuko, of course, appeared to be as ignorant as Ozai expected him to be. He smiled awkwardly, shrugging at his father.

"I have no idea what a Crichton or an Aeryn might be. Could be some science term, I don't know," he said. Ozai scoffed. "But, uh, don't worry too much, Father. I'm sure what you believe is still true. She's just… trying to guilt you into bringing her back here as soon as possible. That has to be it."

"I shall certainly hope so," Ozai huffed: he left Zuko alone in his room again…

And the younger prince panicked as he pulled up his phone quickly, searching for the terms Crichton and Aeryn at once. He had seen the wording of that specific meme countless times by now. Pretending to be ignorant was easy with his father, for Ozai was always ready to underestimate him, but his heart twisted unto itself as he feared what his father's outrage might shape into, once he understood the likely truth…

The answer he found caused his jaw to drop, no matter if he had expected it: the two terms were the names of characters from a TV show, characters who got married and had a child in a sequel movie, no less.

He closed the browser, and he dialed Aang.

...

The sunrise was as momentous as the sunset, it turned out: while no one would deem it genuinely warm, the rise in temperature in the pole was very much tangible after so long of being used to the winter's worst. The equinox brought back the sun, and with it, the auroras would be gone, as well as the bright stars. Strangely, as depressing as perpetual night could be, Azula had grown fond of it by then. Thus, she toasted the night away with Sokka right outside the station, as did many other winterovers eager for the first sight of the sunrise in the horizon…

"It's coming!" exclaimed Korra, once the first sliver of brightness rose in the distance.

"Okay… once about half the sun emerges, we're snapping the right picture. But first…" Azula said, raising her phone and tapping the camera, her glass of champagne angled towards the slowly rising sun.

"Still getting wild reactions to your other post?" Sokka asked, holding her from behind. Azula smiled and shrugged.

"A few, here and there. Nothing alarming so far. My parents don't seem to have known what was going on at all," Azula chuckled. "So, I'm thinking we could, maybe, make another mischief picture now. Both our glasses, what do you say?"

"I have no issue with that, but… we're getting a proper one of the two of us next. My turn," Sokka smiled. Azula chuckled and nodded.

They were used to the picture sessions by now, often enjoying themselves as they playfully posed for them – after all these months, Sokka's Instagram was full of pictures that nobody had seen so far. Azula hadn't liked them yet, let alone interacted them visibly… but she would soon, once their plan worked out as intended. Once the satellite was up, they'd post their best pictures from that morning on his account, including one of a joyful kiss they shared while the sun rose behind them…

What a beautiful day it had been. What a glorious new morning.

The satellite connection activated hours later, and Azula frowned upon noticing she had a confusing number of notifications popping up in her phone.

"Something up?" Sokka asked – they were resting in the B-3 lounge by then, cuddling in a couch while the others played some game or another. Azula frowned, tapping across her phone quickly.

"I don't know… but it better be important. I wanted to post what we…" she started, only to frown in confusion at a flurry of messages by both her brother and Aang. "The hell?"

"Aang?" Sokka read quickly. Azula blinked blankly as she opened the messaging thread…

To find messages that left her floored on the spot, and Sokka as well, once he read them along with her:

Heeeeey! I hope everything's going well in the station!

Look… Zuko kind of freaked out because he thinks you're dating Sokka. I told him that wasn't possible, but I just wanted to warn you because maybe your parents are going to ask you about that next chance they get?

I mean, I saw your post and I thought it was pretty funny, but you didn't mean anything by it, right?

So yeah, anyway, I hope you're having fun! Answer when the satellite comes back up!

Azula snapped her tongue as she read the fourth message in a row by her childhood friend. Sokka eyed her warily, unsure of what her reaction meant yet…

"So… Zuko figured it out," she said. "That post really was too bold, huh?"

"Do you think he'd tell your parents?"

"He… hasn't," Azula concluded, checking her messaging threats with the rest of her family. "Otherwise, my father would have likely blown up my phone with all-caps messages while my mother would have been asking me to call her at once, so… if neither thing happened, he's kept his mouth shut. Which… is odd. Welcome, but odd."

"Guess he wants what's best for you?" Sokka said, with a careless grin. "I mean, he's your brother, so…"

"So, you expect he'd wish for my happiness, you think?" Azula smirked, glancing at him before squeezing his thigh suggestively. "Well, I certainly have what's best for me already, that's for sure…"

"What do you think we should do about this, though?" Sokka asked. Azula huffed.

"I… will tell Aang thanks for the heads up," she said, with a bright grin. Sokka's jaw dropped. "I mean, he's just saying I should be careful since my parents are being nosey, right? Totally reasonable response to that…"

"He's also asking if it's true, though…" Sokka pointed out. Azula chuckled.

"Well, now… that's none of his business, is it?" she said, simply. Sokka snorted, shaking his head and pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"You're so dangerous," he smiled. "Still going to post the pictures of today?"

"Oh, absolutely," Azula grinned deviously. "Final big reveal will happen right before we go home, too. If that's alright with you, of course…"

"Sounds perfect," Sokka nodded, hugging Azula tightly before he, too, took to posting to his Instagram next.

About a week later, the Pole Marker was finished: the entire group of winterovers gaped at the finished piece in wonderment as Azula smiled proudly at her homage to her experience in the South Pole Station: the marker was shaped as a DOM, the devices through which IceCube detected the neutrinos. The near-translucent crystal of the upper half of the marker allowed strings of small LED lights to light up, as they would when a neutrino crossed a certain path. But the DOM itself was also a relief of the world map: the LED lights were distributed across the nations and continents that each winterover hailed from, the list of which comprised the base of the marker. Hugging the center of the marker were the traditional words: "Geographic South Pole – Latitude 90° South", along with the date and the initials for the National Science Foundation.

"It lights up?! It seriously lights up! Holy crap, this is the coolest thing, Azula!" exclaimed Suki, smiling brightly as she eyed the marker with delight.

"The materials of the dome and the LED's insulation should keep the little lights fully functional through the summer months, at least," the Mechanist explained. "They might not be so strong in the winter ones, but I suppose we'll see! Either way… it was ambitious and challenging, but I'm very pleased and proud of what we've accomplished, Princess Azula!"

"I suppose I did go overboard with my ideas," Azula laughed. "I'm glad you could pull it off, though."

"It's so amazing! And here's our names too, look!" Yue exclaimed, beaming brightly as she read the base of the Marker, too.

Azula smiled as everyone rejoiced in her design: her eyes found Sokka's, who smiled fondly at her as well. He had been there throughout the design process, suggesting occasional modifications to ensure Azula's work would be doable, as ambitious as it was. Her success thrilled him too, but he had stepped back to ensure the others could revel in the beautiful marker they'd leave behind once they returned north, in a matter of a few months…

But he had something in mind too. Something he hadn't told Azula about before… something he had kept to himself and worked on quietly while she was studying. And that night, he finally dared offer it to her.

"Sokka? W-what is… what is this?"

Azula's eyes widened: her boyfriend sat with her on an insulating fabric he'd set down by the flags of the Ceremonial South Pole, their faces exposed as they enjoyed the sunlight as best they could, in the South Pole. Sokka seemed determined to make that location a most special place to push their relationship forward…

The ring he showed her wasn't crowned by a large diamond, or by any sort of jewel. It was, however, quite beautiful in its own way: Sokka bit his lip as he raised the ring and smiled at her.

"It's… a sillier ring than you think. Not silver or gold or anything like that," he laughed. "More of a… wire ring. Coil ring? Whatever you'd like to call it, the truth is… it's made of translucent resin rather than metal and the point is that it's actually a ring that reacts to electromagnetic fields? Your ideas with the Marker inspired me to make it. I know it's not that impressive, doesn't even look all that pretty, but…"

"But you wanted to give me a ring?" Azula asked, raising her eyebrows. Sokka smiled awkwardly.

"I… couldn't really get you a traditional engagement ring while we're here, never imagined I'd ever be so lucky as to find someone I'd like to marry while I was in the South Pole, heh. But I… I kind of hoped you'd keep it, even if you don't want it as your engagement ring? At least… it could be a small piece of your time here, a little light inspired by your work and what you achieved here, to remind you that you left a wonderful mark in this station. I don't know if we'll ever come back, but… even if we don't, your marker's joining the others in the display cases, and our time here will be immortalized because of that. So… I figured it would be nice for you to go back north with something that reminded you of that. It's not nearly as pretty as what you and the Mechanist did with the marker, but… I'm not that good at handiwork like this, I guess."

He chuckled softly, still holding out the ring for Azula to take if she felt like it. She swallowed hard, eyeing him somewhat reproachfully, though.

"So… it's not an engagement ring?"

Sokka froze on the spot, his jaw dropping as Azula smiled slightly at his reaction.

"I… k-kind of figured you'd rather have a really good one?" he said, cheeks flushing: to his surprise, hers did, too. "It's not like I wouldn't want to ask, I just…!"

"Then you should ask," Azula said, simply, smiling deviously at him. Sokka scoffed, chuckling and covering his face with a hand.

"You're unreal. And I'm still in a really weird Hallmark movie," he said. Azula laughed, leaning closer to hug his arm. "Would you go for it, then? Would you actually marry me with this engagement ring?"

"Hmm… I would," Azula said, closing her eyes as she hugged his arm, squeezing the many layers of protective clothing. "My parents are the problem, obviously, but… if I'm accepted in your school and I convince them to let me go, I might be able to go all the way to Canada with you. And if they don't want me marrying you in Burma, then… I'll just marry you in Canada."

"Would that count in Burma?" Sokka asked. Azula shrugged carelessly. "Goodness…"

"I don't know, and I don't really care," she said, leaning close to kiss his cheek. "I'm not living my life without you if I can help it. This wasn't a… winter romance, I suppose. I'm serious about you, and I know you are about me too, so…"

"We always said we'd figure it out," Sokka said. Azula nodded. "Well, then… if you would marry me, I'll still try to get you a proper ring in the future but for now…"

"I don't think you have to," Azula laughed, taking the ring in her mitten: it didn't look as smooth as other rings might, but Sokka had done a better job with the crafting than he was willing to admit. "I think this one will be better, honestly. Way better than other rings I've seen… though I want to test it now. Electromagnetic fields, then?"

"Uh, yeah…" Sokka smiled: Azula grinned as she rose to her feet, pulling him up with her.

"Let's go see how it responds to everything electromagnetic in the station, shall we?" she said, clasping his hand firmly, her new ring held tightly in her other hand.

The rest of their evening was spent testing the ring – it had two different lights, one that lit up in red, the other in blue. The girls were quick to poke fun at Sokka for his gift to Azula, and as much as he blushed, he still laughed along with them, gazing at Azula with heartfelt delight as she continued to rejoice whenever she found another magnetic field that caused her new ring to react accordingly. It was simply black coil wrapped smoothly unto itself within the translucent resin, offering it a dark look that Azula already had found interesting, but the lights appeared to amuse her with childlike wonderment. She knew she was making a fool of herself by being so thrilled by the ring's reactions, but she couldn't stop appreciating the surprising, wonderful gift Sokka had crafted for her.

The first planes were set to start arriving soon: some winterovers would leave quickly, though Sokka and Azula hoped to stay for as long as possible. All the winterovers for scientific experiments would usually need to remain in the Pole for another month or so, in order to train the next year's winterovers… so Azula and Sokka would get away with their hopes of ignoring the world beyond Antarctica for a little longer. Their last solo inspections of the IceCube Lab went smoothly, even if a light snowstorm happened to start while they were there on the last days before the station reopened: the bed in the facility offered them plenty of opportunities to relax together after the work was done, and to enjoy themselves thoroughly as they waited for the weather to calm down.

"I really wish I could stay here with you forever," Azula whispered, hugging Sokka snugly, her face buried in his chest. He pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head. "I mean… I'll love being with you anywhere else, but this year has been incredible. Definitely the best one of my life."

"And you're royal. That's saying something," Sokka chuckled. "Honestly… life outside isn't as smooth as this all the time, I guess, even if there's drawbacks to living here too. But going back to reality after this won't be easy. My family's not that well-off, even if we can make ends meet. I didn't have to cook or clean a lot here, but… I'm not exactly great at it, I have to admit."

"Ah? Are you scared of domesticity with the princess who never cleaned up after herself?"

"I didn't say that…"

"Well, you should be," Azula said. Sokka snorted and laughed, kissing her lips quickly. "I mean it: you'll have to bear with me when it comes to all such things, Sokka. I barely even learned how a pizza is made the other day when the firefighting crew took over the kitchen to make some. And I only know the theory, so…"

"Well, I knew the theory of sex and you taught me how to put it into practice," Sokka smiled, prodding her nose with his. "Guess the same will happen with cooking and cleaning for you, huh?"

"Guess so," Azula smiled, caressing his chest gently. "But still… I really am going to miss this place. It's amazing. Better than a palace… more real than a palace, I guess, no matter how unreal it feels. I know you said I'd left my mark here, literally with the marker, but…"

"But… you want to leave an even bigger one?" Sokka asked. Azula shrugged. "Hmm… there's one thing we haven't done yet, come to think of it."

"Oh?" Azula raised an eyebrow. Sokka grinned.

"Well… we'll get to it when the snow stops, how about that?" he said, grinning deviously and climbing over her again. Azula chuckled, wrapping her arms and legs around him and encouraging him to go for another round of lovemaking quickly, for they had the leisure time to do exactly that.

His plan was a rather wild one: finally, they would take Korra up on her offer to show them the freezing tunnels within the ice, right below the station. Numerous shrines, jokes and fun messages had been left in them across the decades of human presence in the South Pole… and there was still room for them to leave some of their own, too.

"Say… you were working on wire art over the last months," Azula told Sokka, as they slowed by an empty spot in the tunnels' walls. "Maybe… maybe we could make something of the sort and leave it here for good. I mean, we could also etch 'Sokka and Azula fucked here' in the wall, if you'd like…"

"Though we didn't fuck in here, that'd be very ill-advised considering how cold it is down in the tunnels," Sokka said, with an awkward smile. Azula rolled her eyes.

"You know what I mean," she said, simply. Sokka chuckled.

"Well… it doesn't sound like a bad idea. Do you mind bringing us back in here in, uh, a couple of hours?" Sokka asked Korra, who sighed and shrugged.

"You science kids think I have all day, huh?" she said, though she smirked and shook her head. "Better make it quick. First plane's landing tomorrow and I'm going to be busy as hell with the summer crew, so get that wire art of yours done fast."

"We'll try," Sokka smiled awkwardly, clasping Azula's hand and guiding her back to the station.

They worked together all day to build a homage to their relationship: it wasn't perfect, but Sokka, skilled by now at working with wire, managed to craft a small peacock while Azula crafted a maple leaf, herself. Korra led them into the tunnels anew, and after they found an empty space, they deposited the linked symbols of both their countries on it. Their creations would lie safely in the tunnels together, yet another mark, much more intimate and simpler, of a memorable year spent in the South Pole Station.

And so, they readied themselves for a new beginning once the station was slowly crowded by the newcomers, all of whom were thrilled to revisit the station – for it was the recurrent summer crew, ready to relieve the winterovers from their heavier management work in the station, if just for a few months. Yet there was one familiar face for Sokka and Azula among the many new arrivals…

"Guys!" Aang whimpered, running towards them down the hallway, several bags of luggage on his shoulders.

He dropped the luggage before wrapping an arm around each Sokka and Azula, both of whom were genuinely shocked to see Aang again. They exchanged confused glances over the scientist's bald head while he held them tightly.

"I'm so glad you could handle everything yourselves! I'm so sorry I had to make a mess of things, though, but I'm glad anyway…!" he rambled as he ever did. Azula sighed, patting his back and smiling awkwardly.

"We took care of things indeed, so there's no need to be so weepy," she said. Aang sniffed, pulling back and smiling. "Your grandfather…?"

"Still recovering, but… well, I'm not staying the winter again because of him. I just needed to come by and check for myself that everything's okay with you two," Aang said, eyes flittering between them both. "I also wanted to offer to train the next winterovers, especially for you, Sokka. You had all those big opportunities coming up and I'm sure you're dying to get to that…"

"Oh… uh, nah. They said they'd wait for me, so I'm not worried," Sokka smiled, with a shrug. "Everything's good, Aang. I'll stay until Azula's ready to go."

"Uh… well, I thought she would be ready to go, too," Aang said, glancing at her. Azula blew out a breath and shrugged.

"I thought I would be, too… but this place isn't so bad, is it?" Azula smiled, eyes flickering towards Sokka knowingly. He chuckled as Aang blinked blankly.

"Huh… I guess you weren't kidding with the Instagram stuff?" he said. Azula's heart sped up upon hearing those words. "That you're having a better time here lately, I mean…?"

"I… uh, got used to it, you could say," Azula said, with a shrug. "Though it's not like I have no plans for the future. In fact…"

"The satellite should be about to…" Sokka remarked, glancing around himself as Azula pulled up her phone slowly…

It rang moments after she pulled it from her pocket, and without further ado, Azula broke into a sprint. Sokka didn't waste a moment before following her, and they both left the newly arrived Aang frozen on the spot.

"G-guys…?" he blinked blankly.

Well… they were getting along great. That was nice. Zuko would be happy to know his sister had a friend… a friend Zuko suspected was her boyfriend, instead. Aang had told him that wasn't likely, Sokka seemed to be a perfectly reasonable guy, and Azula wasn't so reckless as to jump into a relationship with her roommate, was she?

But they had spent well over six months of isolation in the station. And while Aang hadn't heard news from any of the other winterovers regarding Azula and Sokka's potential relationship, it didn't mean that nothing had happened between them…

He swallowed hard as he followed them to where they'd gone: the quiet reading room had been entirely empty until they had marched inside it in a rush. It was certainly a good place for privacy, Aang supposed, as he stepped through the open door slowly.

"YES! YES! OH, FUCK YES!"

"No way…! I did it? I did it? I'm in?!"

"Azula!"

The Quiet Reading room usually wasn't a place for such noise and revelry, but the two IceCube winterovers laughed quite loudly: Aang peeked at them with curiosity, watching in surprise as Sokka hoisted Azula in his arms with absolute comfort and ease, and Azula even seemed close to tears of relief. From this angle, Aang could see the computer's screen… and after taking a few steps closer, he couldn't fail to notice that it was the layout of a university website: the words 'Accepted' were easy to read on a document that confirmed, it seemed, that someone had passed an entrance exam…

Aang's eyes widened as he glanced to his side: had Azula taken an entrance exam to a university? Had she…?

All such intellectual questions fell to the wayside when his jaw dropped at the sight of Azula and Sokka kissing recklessly, deeply, in thorough celebration of her grand achievement.

"Oh," he blurted out, unthinking: he had never been someone of heavy footsteps, so the other pair had no warning that he was there, right next to them.

"Aang…?!" Sokka nearly shrieked, jumping out of the kiss suddenly as he lowered Azula nervously. "Aah… I thought you'd stayed behind. Uh. Huh… hey?"

"Y-you guys. Hehe. You guys… y-you really… wow. Hah. Wow," Aang swallowed hard, cheeks flushing red slowly. "I-I thought Zuko was misunderstanding, but heh…"

"Wait. Aang…" Azula said, raising a hand in his direction. "Zuko didn't… tell any of his suspicions to our parents, did he?"

"No? B-but I mean, he wasn't sure, so…" Aang smiled awkwardly. "Wow. Huh. Well, congrats! For the relationship! A-and the… entrance exam? Is that what this is? Azula, did you…?"

"Did I apply to college without my parents knowing? Yes, I did," Azula said, with a slow smile. "And I got in through my own merits, too. I mean, Sokka did pull some strings to make sure I could apply, but not so I'd be given any leniency or anything, so…"

"And she pulled it off," Sokka smiled fondly at her, clasping her hand firmly: she couldn't help but smile back at him.

"Wait, but… what does that mean for your future?" Aang asked. Azula shrugged.

"Guess time will tell… but I may be able to fulfill my dreams after all. Very Hallmark movie of me, isn't it?" Azula winked at Sokka, who chuckled and nodded in agreement.

"We should get out of here, though. Got to celebrate this!" Sokka grinned, hugging Azula quickly before stepping up to the computer and logging out of her account in his university's site. "Everyone's going to be over the moon about this, Azula… you just keep giving us a thousand excuses to celebrate things lately, don't you?"

"I suppose?" Azula chuckled, smiling warmly at him… though the grin waned at the sight of Aang's tense, uncertain smile. "What?"

"I… uh, just, congratulations on your first boyfriend, haha," he said. Azula raised an eyebrow.

"Thanks… but he's not the first," Azula said, bluntly. Aang's jaw dropped. "What part of our relationship ever made you think that you knew everything about me, Aang?"

"I…! I…! W-what is… going on?!" he said, hands on his head. "It's like you're both wholly different people than when I was here last, and…! When did this even start between you two?!"

"Right after you left, I suppose," Sokka admittedly, powering off the computer with a chuckle. Azula raised an eyebrow, glancing at her boyfriend.

"Though if we get technical, probably from the moment we first met," she said, with a smirk. Aang yelped. "Not very observant, are you, Aang?"

"Azula…" Sokka chuckled, hugging her to his chest again before urging Aang to leave the room with them too. "Come on. Let's tell everyone and… ah, let's show Aang the marker! He has to see it too!"

"The… Pole Marker? Really? I-it's already done and everything?" Aang asked, astounded. Azula grinned brightly.

"And we should tell him about your victory in the Polympics… as well as your grand entrance into the 300 Club?" Azula teased Sokka, poking Sokka's ribs. Aang gasped.

"What?! No! You guys, I missed all that stuff?! I did?! Noooo…!"

They laughed as they progressed out of the room with Aang, briefly recounting some of their adventures… knowing, too, that they still had a few more left to live in the coming months.

While some of their friends left relatively fast, Sokka and Azula remained in the station long enough to partake in the Race Around the World, as well as the unveiling of the Pole Marker. Azula was quick to upload pictures of the ceremony: everyone rejoiced in the beautifully crafted device, especially the two new winterovers for IceCube, who cherished the DOM-like design more than anyone else in the station. Briefly afterwards, though, it was time for them to swap into the strange outfits they'd wear for the Race Around the World: as it was often ran in costumes, Sokka and Azula put together the most similar outfits they could to Sokka's favorite characters from Farscape, and yet again, Azula ensured to post pictures alluding to the true nature of their relationship in connection to the show. Their final days in the slowly busier station were immensely fun… but while they basked in every moment they could enjoy, the time to go back north was right around the corner, difficult as it might be to accept it.

Their bags were packed eventually, loaded with numerous gifts and beautiful mementos of their time in the South Pole. The airplane that would take them back awaited them, the flight conditions were optimal… and it was finally time for them to leave Antarctica.

"Well… this is it," Azula said, breathing deeply and turning towards Sokka. "Satellite's still up… so I think it's time for the last stage of our plan."

"The big reveal?" Sokka smiled. Azula nodded slowly.

"And for that…" she said, stepping closer to him as the stood in the snow: she pushed off his cold gear's hood and balaclava, and Sokka did the same for her. "Time for our final picture."

"Alright," Sokka grinned brightly: their faces were uncovered now…

They shared a warm, blissful kiss on the ice, and Azula extended her phone as they did so, snapping the most blatant picture she could have chosen for their grand revelation. They laughed together, taking multiple pictures as they kissed until the cold got to them… and before leaving, Azula made use of the satellite's network one last time, uploading the final post that needed to go live before they departed to McMurdo Station, and from there to New Zealand. It would be a post featuring two pictures: the aurora photo of their hands linked, as well as her favorite of their final session of photographs in the South Pole…

The night tends to hide away secrets until they're ready to come to light: the last year was the most fulfilling period of my life. I've grown well past my roots, becoming so much closer to the person I always hoped I could be… and I owe so much of it to my greatest inspiration and biggest supporter, always there for me just as I hope to always be there for him: thank you for everything you've done for me, and for loving me just as much as I love you, @neutrinoboy.

...

They were waiting for her in New Zealand. Of course they were. Publishing that post couldn't have resulted in another outcome… she breathed out slowly as her eyes fell upon her father's disgruntled features, made much worse when he caught sight of the tall, dark-skinned man standing beside her.

"Wow. I think your dad's really going to kill me," Sokka said: he didn't even need to ask who her parents were, for the security detail around them gave away their identities quickly… as did the hostility, of course.

"I'll keep them focused on me, okay?" Azula said, glancing at him quickly. Sokka pouted. "You don't know what they're like, alright? This isn't going to be easy… and I think I'll have a better chance at success, if just because I know them as well as I do."

"I guess I get that, but… damn, this is stressful," Sokka sighed, following her as they approached Azula's parents.

It seemed Zuko wasn't around… that was good, then. Azula didn't expect him to be much help with this situation, frankly: if he tried to support her, chances were her father would double down on dismissing her relationship with Sokka all the more, just as some manner of power flex on his son. So it was only Ozai and Ursa… and their bodyguards, all of whom stared at Sokka as if he were some manner of criminal. Which, Azula guessed, was exactly what they meant to treat him as.

"Stop here," Azula told Sokka once they were right by immigration's gates: even though their checks had been finished by then, the barrier would keep him safe from them until she had settled matters for at least a diplomatic conversation.

"Azula…"

"I'll call you once I've convinced them to stand down," she said: she squeezed his hand gently before stepping past those doors, firmly walking towards her overbearing parents.

After about five minutes of quiet discussion, Azula called Sokka: instead of leaving the airport, her parents had agreed to discuss the situation by going to a private meeting room within the airport. Sokka's anxiety didn't recede at all – he had the feeling these rooms were used for actual lawbreakers, usually…

"Sit, both of you," Ozai commanded once they were inside the meeting room. Azula sighed, following suit with her father's order. Sokka did the same, deliberately choosing to sit beside her: Ozai's eyebrow twitched for it. "Not there."

"Why not?" Sokka asked, bluntly. Azula's eyes widened as she glanced at Sokka. "We're in this together, so…"

"You… are committing a heinous offense to Burmese royalty, boy, so tread carefully," Ozai hissed. Sokka breathed out slowly, but he didn't change seats regardless of the threat. "Whatever this play of yours may be, this pretense of a love affair, you'd best withdraw it quickly, Azula. I'm in no mood for games like these, and you already have played this one for a whole year, longer than that, considering when you started with your whim of studying physics…"

"Have you ever considered that maybe, just maybe, it's not a whim? That it's not a game?" Azula asked, skeptical: she pulled up her phone, drawing up the document of her acceptance letter into Sokka's university: both Ozai and Ursa's eyes widened slowly as they read the content slowly. "I took an entrance exam for university and got accepted: I can do it. I survived almost a full year in the South Pole without losing my mind, in fact, it did wonders for me to live away from the Royal Family! And after this? I think it's clear I can have a future without King Azulon's fame and fortune keeping me afloat. I'm not joking, Father: either you support me in my career, or I'll give up my royal title and you won't need to concern yourself with me any longer. That's all there is to this situation, just as it was before you sent me to the South Pole, intent on teaching me a lesson. And what was that lesson, exactly? That I could work and do it right? That I actually love science more than I realized I did? If so… grand job, because that's what you pulled off."

"Azula…!" Ozai said, staring at her in horror: he could tell she wasn't joking, even if he wanted her to be. It was so much easier to think she was, and yet…

"Azula, please be reasonable," Ursa said, eyes wide, reaching for her daughter's hand: she withdrew it quickly, unwilling to allow them to manipulate her into making the choices they wanted her to make. "You're part of this family…!"

"I am, until I choose not to be," Azula said. "And I'd choose that if I feel my family is holding me back, controlling my life for no reason and keeping me from reaching my full potential. I'm sorry, Mother… but I'm not living my life by your rules anymore. I can't see why I should if you cannot respect my choices."

"And what choices are these? Running off to college with this… this commoner? Abandoning us over some foolish, short-lived affair? Azula…!" Ozai huffed, glaring at Sokka. Sokka smiled and shook his head.

"Sir, if I may…"

"You may not!"

"Father!" Azula growled: Ursa raised a hand to calm her down, but she turned to Ozai too.

"Darling… let the boy speak," she said. Sokka huffed.

"I'm about two years older than your daughter… but sure, call me what you will," he said, breathing deeply as he set his hands on the table. "Look, I'm not going to hide the truth from either of you: I love Azula."

"Y-you…!" Ozai huffed. Ursa's eyes widened at the sudden, easy admission… even Azula's cheeks flushed upon realizing Sokka had blurted out those words so easily to her parents. The bashful man who had trembled while holding her hand in public was nowhere to be found anymore, it seemed…

"I don't love her because she's a princess, even if I've never had a problem with that, either," Sokka continued. "Your daughter is brilliant. In a matter of a year, she's understood physics concepts I took twice or thrice as long to grasp. She'll go on and say, as she always does, that I'm a good teacher? But the truth is she's amazing. She has every right, every reason, to choose a life of science even if I'm not involved in it. My relationship with her… that's not part of this. Yes, I offered her a chance to apply to my university in Canada… but if you'd rather she studies closer to home, you can very well let her apply to a school there, too. I assure you, they'll accept her in a heartbeat.

"But as I've mentioned our relationship… yes, like I said, I love her. I want to be with her. If she can go study in Canada, it means we'll have better chances to be together, right? But even if she doesn't, our relationship wouldn't end just because she went home instead. And maybe she does have to go home… and if she does, she could even reform and strengthen Burma into, I don't know, a scientific powerhouse on a global scale. Being a leading country in those regards might be amazing for you, right? And Azula can make that a reality. I love her… but I don't want to make her cut ties with her family, with her culture or her people. I believe she can be a strong voice in the growth in your nation. Giving her a chance to reach her full potential… it might mean that, with her help and her hard work, there could be someone from Burma every year in the South Pole, in the future. Why not?"

"What are you… what are you trying to say?" Ozai frowned: his hostility had frozen over, replaced by utter confusion, if wary confusion.

"I'm saying… that I'm looking at the bigger picture here," Sokka said, breathing deeply. "A scientific coalition, a big initiative to promote science across the world. There's many such initiatives, of course… and your country could even join them, if you'd want that. But what I mean is… I believe we can strengthen Burma's scientific presence. Azula could learn everything she needs to learn abroad and then come back to Burma and offer your country the results of her hard work. And I… I would be thrilled to come with her. I would help her, every step of the way, to ensure this initiative pays off. I'm not saying any of this lightly, I know it would be a huge investment… but it can be done. I know it can. This way… you wouldn't have an estranged daughter, and she wouldn't feel the need to cut ties with her family solely because they won't let her live the life she wants. This way, I can prove myself to the both of you and make it clear that my interest in Azula is not short-lived, it's not fickle, it's not a whim: I love her, and if you and your nation allow it, I would gladly marry her as soon as I have your approval for it. I… I'm not saying I'm asking for the approval right now, of course. But… it's my hope to spend the rest of my life with her. And I'd rather not tear the woman I love away from her family. This… this is my proposal."

He bowed his head in a sign of respect, and nothing but silence spread in the meeting room now. Ursa was pale, utterly shocked, while Ozai stared at Sokka with utmost perplexity: that was better than hatred and skepticism, Sokka supposed…

One glance at Azula, though, caught Sokka by surprise: her face was fully flushed. She was astonished by his words… and she was blushing most profusely, lips parted as she failed to process his words. Sokka offered her a weak grin before turning towards Ozai and Ursa again.

"So…" he said, breathing out slowly, eyes aglow with determination. "That's what I want, and that's all I ask from you. Even if you decide you want me out of the picture, please… allow Azula to pursue a career in science. If you needed an external opinion, someone else to confirm she has what it takes… then you have mine. She's extraordinary… and she will still be, whether she's part of your family or not. What makes her incredible is… is innately part of her, and if I dare say it, it's not her royal blood."

Azula swallowed hard, covering her mouth with a hand, tears springing up in her eyes as her heart pounded at full speed: how was he doing this? After all that nervousness, all that insecurity…?

But he certainly had learned to leave those fears behind little by little. He had become so much stronger, to the point where he could face down a menacing prince and not shirk away at all… simply because he loved her. That was the reason why he was doing it. He loved her… and he wasn't afraid of saying it. He wasn't afraid at all…

To think she was the flustered fool now, a slow smile spreading across her face as Sokka glanced at her, with a gentle grin.

"I know I didn't really tell you I had all this in mind before," he said. "But I want… I want to do right by you. Whatever you choose, be it me or anything else… all I want is for you to be happy. To become everything you want to be. And… I simply hope your family feels the same way."

By then, Ozai had collapsed on another chair, eyes out of orbit: they slowed down, however, when Sokka's hand clasped Azula's over the table. His blushing daughter eyed the man beside her with genuine affection, and the feeling was clearly mutual… but the Canadian also displayed much more determination than the flustered Azula could right now. He glanced at Ozai again, at the also speechless Ursa, before speaking one more time:

"So… support her or not, I will be with her. I'll stay by her side as long as she wants me with her. All that remains is for us to decide the terms of how this will happen, so… let her study freely wherever she wants to, or have her attend a university closer to home, or try to stop her, in which case I'm sure she'll just break free from your control and abandon royalty for good. It's up to you to decide which of these paths we'll follow, so… what will it be, Prince Ozai?"

#sokkla #sokka #azula #sokkla saturdays 2022 #sokklasaturdays #I'm honestly... so insecure about this one #I've got no idea if I messed it up #but what can you do #if I did I'm sorry #*flings it out into the void*

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