Chapter I: Anxiety

Azula stared up fixated at the dark ceiling, sleepless. Although she was wrapped securely in Sokka's arms, she remained distant. The memories of her childhood were flooding back to her, one after another, reminding her of why she was so much closer – if you can call it that – to her father than she was to her mother. Some memories were fuzzy; however, other memories were so vivid they seemed like they happened only moments earlier.

"I love you, Azula…"

Azula replayed those words said by her mother so many times, and the memory still made her feel disgusted.

"You do not know love, Mother," even the word "mother" made her anxious.

"What kind of mother abandons her children?!"

Tears started to form in Azula's eyes – afraid of turning into her mother and being abandoned again.

Thankfully, Sokka was still sleeping. Azula loathed talking about her mother – she did not like the feeling of being vulnerable no matter how much she trusted Sokka with her darkest secrets.

A part of her still believes that complete trust is, in fact, for fools. Reasonably, loyalties do have the potential to waver and shift when danger is imminent or if the right incentive is promised. These underlying fears, therefore, are what makes her insecure in her relationship with Sokka.

Her head turned to the side, looking longingly at Sokka's peaceful expression as he was sleeping as if these were the last moments they were going to share together. "Please don't ever leave me, Sokka," she managed to plead desperately.

Sokka's hold on Azula was snug; yet Azula inched closer, pressing their bodies closer together. Azula's hands slithered around Sokka's waist, and she wrapped herself around him – clinging to his body.

"He's going to leave you!"

"Who would fall in love with such an arrogant girl anyway?"

"You're a monster, remember?"

"There's something wrong with you!"

"No wonder your Mother left you. She thinks you're a monster!"

"He thinks you're a monster!"

"Don't trust him!"

"He'll leave you like all the rest!"

"Don't tell him anything!"

"Sokka will betray you!"

The tears that formed in Azula's eyes evolved into cascading tears. Plagued by anxiety, Azula could not silence the inner critic mocking her every move.

"You are a burden to him."

"He's just using you."

"You don't deserve him!"

"He never loved you!"

Those thoughts only made Azula cling harder to Sokka, needing something to silence the voice nourishing her fears and strengthening them to become much stronger than they were before.

Waking up to feel a firm hold on his body, Sokka heard Azula whispering something indecipherable in between stifled sobs.

"Please don't leave…"

That is what Sokka finally managed to put together while Azula's head remained buried inside of his chest.

Sokka tightened his hold on Azula, holding onto her body the same way she was clinging onto his. "I'm not going to leave you, Azula. I'm staying right here." With a kiss on her forehead, Sokka effectively managed to silence the inner voice in Azula's head for the time being. "I love you, Azula…"

{Author's Note: It's a rare sight to actually see me post something, huh? I wanted to give something for people who suffer from anxiety and/or insecurities regarding relationships, especially, something to relate to; but I am in no way giving justice to the actual severity of these problems. I also appreciate any and all feedback given to me. If you think this story is complete garbage (it probably is), let me know. Thanks for sticking with me, guys! }