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"Can we speak?"

Aang found her walking down the open corridors. Shadows of the pillars flickered over her body. She wore an emerald dragon brooch that completed the red and green brocade cheongsam hugging her body.

"No, we can't speak. Not here."

Azula slowed her steps - mostly because she knew passing him wouldn't do them any good. He's scoured the palace for days trying to track her down after their outburst in the gardens.

"Then where can we?" he asked.

"If it is about last week, no."

"Why couldn't you say no, you won't marry me?" Aang stepped close enough to get a whiff of wisteria. The week before their heated exchange visited him again. They were at the Southern Air Temple - in the quarters he had built for both of them since they traveled so much. "If you don't want to mention it again, just say no, you do not want to marry me. It did not need to turn into a fight."

"Do you understand what you're asking me to do?"

"Yes. I do."

"Do you know what your people will say?"

Aang furrowed his brows, spotting a few guards eyeing them and servants scurrying away anytime they passed them. "The people are not my concern - and since when did they have anything to do with who I marry-"

"I am not ready to be gutted by the public - and this will not look good on your reputation," Azula said. "You should know that better than I do, Avatar."

He saw it. Azula's eyes were gold - the molten sun on the tip of the sunrise, overwatching everyone. She came a long way, from being Ozai's greatest weapon to leading the imposters under the Kemurikage fiasco - these very people followed her and joined the military because they refused to leave when Azula decided to leave the throne to her brother.

Overtime Aang got to know her - he spoke to her - and only realized one thing. Azula could be the deadliest opponent in a political regime, and she could let him drown in the way she looked at him when she rode him in their chambers, but when she was angry, her eyes screamed.

Aang stepped closer.

"Look at me." She snatched her gaze away to stare at the small patch of gardens, folding her arms. "I'm making you my wife, whether you agree or not."

She glared, "Not if I can help it."

"Azula-"

"No!"

He shrunk, walking until he was up close. Aang leaned down to turn her gently towards him. She did not pull away. "So you don't want to get married?"

"Stop doing that."

"Doing what?"

"Rubbing my back while you wait for me to say no again."

Aang ignored the fact that his hands moved on their own. He let them go to the small of her back and tugged until she grew too close to keep looking away. When she relented and stared back, he took sent her the saddest gaze he could craft. "So no?"

"Yes," she lied.

"Yes?"

"I meant yes, it's a no."

"Azula," he said. "If you say no again, I'm not going to be happy."

"Happiness has nothing to do with this."

The puppy eyes were not working. He had to intensify the situation. "Look at how heartbroken I am."

She glared. "I am. It doesn't look good-"

"I love you."

Azula scoffed, "I know and you should know I love you-"

She stopped. Aang grinned as she closed her eyes and realized what she just said. She cursed before sighing. Her breath gushed against his lips.

"Yes."

"Yes?"

"Yes! Stop asking before I say no again."

Aang smiled. "I'll make you happy like you make me happy."

Azula froze before she relaxed, touched his cheeks and said, "You already do..."