honey [azula]

already dead

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

it's a shame i couldn't have killed him myself

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AIRI was not pleased when she heard Azula tell Mai that an admiral of the Fire Nation army would be joining them on their search for the Avatar. Immediately, her thoughts went to Zhao, who had disappeared during her fight with him at the Northern Water tribe. Rage and the itching desire for vengeance burned like wildfire inside of her. She couldn't help but interrupt their conversation.

"An admiral?" Airi asked sharply. "Which one?"

"Why do you ask?" Azula retorted smoothly, her curiosity only just hidden beneath her tone.

"I..." Airi stumbled over her thoughts as she tried to put them into words. "Admiral Zhao and I have not gotten along well in the past. I apologize for being outspoken. It does not matter which admiral joins us, I will be honored no matter what."

Azula rolled her eyes fondly. "Airi, you don't have to pretend to be sorry, I see how upset you are. And Admiral Zhao was killed during the failed invasion of the Northern Water Tribe."

Airi froze. There was a part of her that was placated by his death, pleased that the vile excuse of a man was dead. But the darker parts of her roared in anguish at the thought that someone had stolen a kill that should have been hers.

Azula watched her carefully. "It seems you and Zhao did more than just not get along," Azula prompted, curiosity alight in her golden eyes at Airi's reaction.

Airi's expression darkened quickly. "You could say that."

"Tell me," Azula demanded, forgetting that Mai was still in the room. The older girl seemed to take the hint, though and mumbled something about saying goodbye to her mother before darting out of the room.

Airi sighed. Why did it matter what had happened to her, Zhao was already dead. There was no revenge Azula could seek against him anymore, and it would just end up making the both of them upset. But Azula had asked in that dark, commanding tone that always made Airi's will crumble. It was a reminder that the princess would burn worlds just to see her serving girl happy and there was no way that Airi could say no to it.

"He asked what my parents had planned for me," Airi began, not knowing which of Zhao's offenses to start with. Azula scowled immediately, more than aware of what a sore subject Airi's parents were to the girl. "He... he wanted them to sell me to a concubine."

"What?" Azula asked, her voice dangerously low. "He said that to you?"

"You're a smart girl, Airi," Zhao said, his tone patronizing. "Surely you know what happens to the pretty ones who don't have the status to get married?" 

Airi let out a shaky breath, her throat closing off. "He asked if I knew what happened to the pretty ones who couldn't get married," she whispered, her voice barely audible. Suddenly, every hungry glance he had given her, every comment, every nauseating touch of his hands on her skin all flooded her at once. She couldn't breathe, her lungs desperately gasping for air that they couldn't have. Her hands shook violently as she stared at them, only able to picture Zhao's strong grip on her, freezing her in place so his eyes and hands might wander across her body.

Azula slipped her hands into Airi's gently, desperately trying to conceal her fury for Airi's sake. "It's okay, Airi," she said, her voice shaking slightly from anger. "He's dead, he can't hurt you."

Airi managed to take a deep breath in and the shaking in her hands calmed, her erratic heart rate calming. She nodded, acknowledging what Azula said. "He's dead," she repeated, reminding the mistrustful parts of herself. Anger quickly replaced her fear as the longing for revenge she could not have filled her once again. 

Azula released Airi's hands and stared off into the distance. "It's a shame I couldn't have killed him myself," Azula said, her tone low and yearning for vengeance. "I should have like to have watched him scream until the life left his eyes."

"Come on," Airi said, smiling slightly. A spark lit deep inside of her at Azula's willingness to enact vengeance on Airi's behalf. She felt safe with Azula, no matter where they were or what was happening. "We have an avatar to catch."

Azula's lips twitched in return to Airi's smile. A pale hand reached up to tuck Airi's hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry I ever sent you away," Azula murmured, sounding truly remorseful. "If I had known..."

"You didn't," Airi said softly. "You couldn't have known. And if it makes you feel better, I singed off those stupid mutton chops of his before he died."

"That does make me feel better," Azula said, truly smiling again. "And I will never let another man even look at you after that. I will never let you leave my side again."

"As you wish, Princess," Airi smiled. "Come on, Mai and Ty Lee are waiting." Airi briefly wondered if it would be inappropriate for her to kiss the princess now. They had not discussed their kiss the night before at all, and Airi couldn't help but wonder whether or not Azula regretted it this morning when she had woken up.

The pair left to go find Mai and Ty Lee in silence, leaving Airi to her thoughts. She swallowed thickly, hoping her insecurities had gone down with the action, but she doubted it. Putting a smile on her face, she followed Azula out to meet the Admiral who would be accompanying them. Her purpose there was not to spend time with Azula, to kiss her beneath the stars and then worry about whether or not she had liked it. She was there for a purpose, a mission. She was there to help Azula capture the Avatar, as well as Zuko and Iroh. She couldn't afford any distractions from that. And there was no distraction greater than Azula.

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

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written: 3/26
edited:-
word count: 1030

an: hello everyone! sorry this chapter is a bit late and sort of short, I was travelling recently to go back home and visit my parents and after that I had a ton of exams. not a lot of time to write there, but I'm almost done with school :D so hopefully I'll have much more time to write when I don't have 12 page papers due every week. hope you enjoyed and (hopefully) see you all next week!
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