Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"OK, I'll go first. Let me say, we don't really need to be here.” He said leaning back in his chair. “See, we've been married five years.” “Six.” She adds. Sitting in plush designer Lounge chair identical to Sokka´s next to hers.

“Five, six years. And this is like a check-up for us.” He acquiesces. “Chance to poke around the engine, maybe change the oil. Replace a seal or two. Yeah, that's it.”

“Very well, then. Let's pop the hood.” Remarks the overpriced couple’s therapist. “On a scale of one to ten, how happy a couple are you?”

“Eight!” Azula says with showing neither any contemplation nor emotion. “Wait. Ten being perfectly happy and one being totally miserable, or...” Interjects Sokka.

“Just respond instinctively. Ready?”

This time they both say “Eight.” showing no contemplation.

………

“How often do you have sex?”

Azula fidgets with her fingers “I don't understand the question.” “Yeah, I'm lost. Is this a one to ten thing?” asked Sokka. “But, because, is, like, one very little, or is one nothing? Because...” “You know, technically speaking, the zero would be nothing.”

"How about this week?"

Sokka questions thoughtfully “Including the weekend?” “Sure.”

………

“Describe how you first met.”

“It was in the Su Wong Desert. Misty Palms City. Five years ago.”

“Six.” Azula interjects again. “Right. Five or six years ago.”

……… in Misty Palms City, Su Wong six (or five) years ago ………

Sokka sits at a bar reading a book. In a hotel that looks like it was luxurious a decade ago. Now it is just fancy and old, hopefully clean. Though who is he to complain. He´d take this over some ditch in the jungle everyday.

Contemplating if ordering another martini will be worth it, he smiles at the bartender. In that moment armed men storm the lobby. Sokka focuses on them putting on a shocked face, which wasn’t all too hard since he was indeed fairly surprised. Not shocked but unexpected.

A few armed soldiers, private police, who knows what those different earth kingdom provinces call their own fighters. To be fair some provinces are great places to live, even if you were not born rich. Most are not. For example, Su Wong is not.

Since most of its landscape was desert with no viable agriculture, they made their main income by mining for their natural resources and fossil fuels. The leader Su Kong was elected 17 years ago and for random reasons elections were postponed ever since.

The soldiers, Sokka settles on calling them soldiers’ yell: “no one moves until we checked your papers and searched you.” Sokka discreetly drops his gun and knives in a flower pot. They split up heading towards tourists, demanding to see their passports and asking whether they are traveling solo. The group heading in his direction spot another man before coming to him. Asking the poor, obviously Fire Nation man if he´s traveling alone. When this is confirmed, they drag him away for further questioning.

Dragging away solo travelers. Sokka judges this as stupid. Because like… who thinks that people who did whatever they did couldn’t operate in groups. He thought Su Kong was smarter than that, but who knows what is going on in that man’s head.

In that moment a stunning woman enters the Lobby. She has deep brown hair and fiery orange eyes. The soldiers gang up on her. Pressuring her, asking if she is a solo traveler. Sokka worries about whether if they drag her in for questioning that’s all they will do to her. Her eyes find his, a surprising lack of panic visible in them. After a soft smile of his she makes her way towards him. He protectively hugs her putting himself between her and the soldiers.

They back off slightly. Sokka is a big man, just standing up tall apparently did the trick for the soldiers to approach him slower with more respect. These rural earth kingdom provinces are nearly as sexist as the north pole. If they don’t respect her, they will respect him. He speaks towards the beauty in his arms: “dear, where do you have your papers?” “Forgot them in my bag” she told him putting on an innocent show. “You know how annoying that shit is?” Sokka exclaims exaggerated in a thick rough northern water tribe accent “women right? She took so long to pack that damn bag and then she can´t remember to unpack it properly.” “Your Papers will do, Sir… ?” demands the soldiers. “Sokka Hakutotota” he says handing over his passport. When the soldier looks up at him, Sokka just says “I can´t wait to get married and get my future wives last name.”

After the Soldiers leave Sokka finds the women staring at him madly like he killed her puppy. He backs up shrugging his shoulders. “Would you like a drink?” He says the first thing that pops up in his head. Throwing her hair back she smiles “You pay”. “Huh?” “You pay.” “Alright he says turning to the bar where the bartender is nowhere to be seen. “Not here, I know a place uptown.” The Lady says, later she introduces herself as Azula Sozin.

…………

The rude bastard from earlier who admittedly had good timing. He proves himself to be a good dinner companion. “Do you have any idea what this was about?” he asks her. “Su Kong is dead.” “Huh, that makes sense” he answers. “How come?” Azula asks raising an eyebrow. “The soldiers were very disorganized” Sokka replies. “They ran around like headless chickens. Which makes sense if the head is missing. Do you have any more details?” “No” She replies. The smallest hint of a smirk hushes over her face.

To distract him she walks onto the dance floor. Sokka is a good dancer. She is better. It´s fun keeping him on his toes. Always just the smallest beat of the music ahead of him.

………

The next morning Azula awakes to an empty bed. The side next to her is cool. Looking around she spots Sokka “Hiya, stranger.” “Hiya back.”

“I think room service fled. I did what I could.” Sokka places a tray of traditional east earth kingdom breakfast in front of her. “Thank you.” Trying the drink she praises “Oh, that's good.” “I hope so. I had to milk a goat to get it.” Sokka awkwardly smiles. “Would you like me to bring you breakfast to bed again?” “Where do you live?” she asks. “Republic City” Sokka admits truthfully. “That’s good” Azula smiles.

…………

Sokka asked Azula to meet at a carnival out of all places after they both came back to republic city. She was slowly more and more enjoying it. But don’t tell Sokka that.

“Hey, step right up, ladies and gentlemen. Try your luck.” Baits the stall owner of a shooting game. “How about you, little lady? Wanna try your luck? Win a prize?” Azula gives her usual slightly evil smile. “Yeah, all right.”

She takes the air pistol. Smiling at the lightweight of the harmless gun. “You know how to hold it?” asked Sokka pretending to be a gentleman. “You´ve gotta aim it.”

Azula halfheartedly shot 2 targets with 10 shots. “Don't laugh, I'll kill you.” She admonishes Sokka. Who takes the gun just to hit 9 Targets.

“You didn't blink.” Azula comments. Sokka just smiles “Beginners luck.” He turns towards the man. “Do we still get something?” He gets offered a stuffed small turtle duck.

“I want to go again.” Taking the newly loaded gun from the stall owner. Azula shoots 10 out of 10 Targets. Out of the many dangling prizes she picks a giant Polarbearpub.

Impressed Sokka asks “Where'd you learn to shoot like that?” “Beginner's luck.”

…………

“Stop. Stop, you've only known the girl for six weeks.” Yells Toph. She is observing his training. Don´t ask him how she does that. The observing part. Considering she is blind. But she still gives the best pointers towards improvement and wipes the floor with him during mock battles.

“I'm in love. She's smart, sexy.” He gushes, while blocking an oncoming fist with his face. “She's uninhibited, spontaneous, complicated. She's the sweetest thing I've ever seen.”

Toph gives him a blank stare. “You don’t know her, also duck” After he does not duck and stumbles over from getting punched on the head again. Toph admonishes “Told you so. And also once this relationship fails. I´ll tell you I told you so again.”

…………

“So you don't think this is all happening a little fast?” Asks Ty Lee pulling herself up the cliff.

“You know I never do anything without thinking it through.” Azula tells her. Halfway up the hill towards the western air temple.

“What does he do?” Ty Lee doesn’t need any focus at all climbing at a relaxed speed so that she can keep up. “He's in construction. Big-time contractor. He's gone as much as I am, so it's perfect.”

…………

“A server goes down on Wall Street. She's there, anytime, day or night.”

Sokka yells towards Toph managing to get a hit on his opponent. “She's like Batman for computers.”

“I give the whole thing six months, tops.”

“Toph?” Sokka gets her attention “I asked her to marry me.”

“What?” Toph replies over the noise from the gym.

“I'm getting married!” shouts Sokka during a grunt from a hit to the stomach. “What? I can't hear you.” “Getting married.” “I can't hear.” Toph focuses on Sokkas opponent in the boxing ring. “Stop hitting him, he said something crazy.” “I'm getting married.”

Chapter Text

Sokka clutches his cooling mug of coffee while walking down the lawn. They live in a house in a wealthy area near Republic City. Sokka considers the house unnecessarily big. But Azula picked it out after they agreed on the area where to live.

All of neighbors own nearly identical buildings with identical lawns. Tyro stands opposite the road from him. A nice but predictable man who works in the logistics business regarding the import of coal from the earth kingdom. He looks tired but that’s expected since him and his wive Maiko have a newborn baby boy.

The newspaper delivery brat throws the newspaper into the puddle in front of Sokkas feet. He shakes the water of and heads back inside. He needs another cup of coffee.

…………

Brushing his teeth while Azula is putting creams onto her face. He turns to her and asks, “What did you think of Therapist Pathik?”

“His questions were a bit wishy-washy.” States Azula. “Not the most insightful.” Adds Sokka.  “And his office is clear across town.” She continues. “Well, you know the four o'clock means we hit rush hour. Not crazy about that.” He reminds her. “So that's settled then, yeah?” Sokka just nods at her.

“Dinner's at seven.” Azula reminds him. “Yup. I'll be there. Here.” He confirms as he does most days.  

…………

Jet marches along the long corridor. “Anybody calls, I'm in with the boss. OK?” He looks down upon the other new guys and the people who even after years in the white Lotus never managed to significantly advance their careers. In just a few years they will bow to him. Treat him with the respect he deserves instead of their silent ridicule.

He made his way all the way to the reception and stops in front of the elevator. He annoyed glances at the secretary. “Hey there.” Joo Dee smiles at him “And where do you think you're going?” Jet hates her smile which is the same worn by so many other women here. And if that’s not creepy enough, someone decided they shall all be named Joo Dee. “Well, I was... The boss wants to see me.”

“Well, he sees you.” Her smile widens ”Look, kid, people who've been working here for 25 years have never seen inside of that elevator.”

Joo Dee passes him an envelope. Jack can´t help but ask “This is the assignment?” Joo Dees smile settles into a stern façade “Now get outta here. Boy”

…………

Sokka enters home through the garage door. Slunking through the house he sees Azula in the sitting room. “Hey, babe.” “Perfect timing.” She flashes a smile at him.

 “It's pissing rain out there.” Sokka continues, resigned to going out into the bad weather “Gardener left the lawnmower out. How was work?”

“Ah, so-so.” Azula replies “I got new curtains.” “Did you?” Sokka finally actually looks at her.  “Well?” she waits “What do you think? There was a struggle over the material. This tea sandwich of a man smeling like cabbage, he got his hands on them first. Didn’t want to let them go. But I won.” Instead of looking proudly impressed or at least interested Sokka just sighs “Of course you did.”

“They're a bit green, so we have to reupholster the sofas and get a new rug. Maybe a Persian.”  She throws at him challengingly.

“Yeah, or hear me out. We can just keep the old ones, then we don't have to change a thing.” Sokka really didn’t want to put the effort of remodeling again. The endless tasks of going to stores, contemplating over color theories (which he can´t even fucking see) and getting nagged at for making the wrong decision or not making enough decisions.  

“We talked about this. You remember?” Azula stares at him raising an eyebrow. “I remember. I remember because we said we'd wait.”

“If you don't like the curtains, we can take them back.” She offers “OK. I don't like 'em.” “You'll get used to them.” “Yeah.” Sokka deadpans going to grab his raincoat to bring the lawnmower into the shed. 

…………

“So, part two. Here we are.” Chirps the Therapist. “Only this time, you came back alone. Why did you come back?”

“I'm not sure, really.” Sokka admits “Let me clarify, I love my wife. I want her to be happy. I want good things for her. But there are times...”

…………

“There's this huge space between us.” Azula admits to him while sitting in these stupid chairs, alone this time. “And it just keeps filling up with everything that we don't say to each other. What is that called?” “Marriage.”

The man opposite of her asks “What don't you say to each other?” Then he has the guts to look disappointed at admittedly vague answers. “How honest are you with him?”

“Pretty honest.” She throws her most innocent smile at overpriced jerk. “I mean... It's not like I lie to him or anything. We just... I have little secrets. Everybody has secrets.”

…………

The couple’s therapist smiles in the typical therapist way. Just a little bit too much observant to come across as genuinely nice. “It probably feels like you're the only people going through this, but there are millions of couples that are experiencing the same problems.”

…………

“Jesus! Honey, you scared me.” Sokka jumped when Azula entered their suite. “I'm sorry, hon. I was looking for the...”

“You going out?” he interrupts gently.

“Yes. Some clown crashed a server in a law firm downtown and ended the world, so yes.” Azula sounded annoyed. Sokkas sure this time he is not the one to blame. He thinks amusedly about the poor fool that attracted her ire.

“We promised the Colemans to join their evening get together.” He reminds her while Azula is picking out her purse. “I know.”

While leaving Azula gives him a fleeting kiss on the lips “I'll be there. In and out. Just a quickie.”

………

Sokka enters a dingy earth kingdom bar. He walks in tumbling over his own steps. But sure enough that no one stops him while making his way towards a door in the back of the establishment.

The room he enters is filled with an order that is unique and still so common in these backrooms. It smells like cheap booze and smoke, just a small hint of booze and the window has certainly never been emptied. The air is heavy in a way that only a ventilator not cleaned for decades can produce.

He loudly stumbles to a small table hosting three cliché smalltime gangsters.
“Take a... Hey, you guys playing poker?” He mutters, looking lost.

“Private game. Piss off.” Sokka ignores the rejection. “Could I sit in? You think I could...”

“Which fucking part of "piss off' do you not understand?” Sokka understands it. He understands it well. The men are just not very intimating. When three cockroaches try to stare you down it´s hard to laugh and ignore them. Unfortunately underestimating a weak enemy can still be quite deadly. It was a painful and embarrassing lesson that thought him that, when the pudgy side piece of a mark shot him in the ass with a goddamn Ruger SR22.
“Guys... Whoa, be a little friendly. I got the cash...” he calmed then “Easy, big feller. This... Look, see? You see what I'm saying?       “ He flashes a loosely tied up grand. “Anyone interested?”

The man do still not look amused “Here's an empty chair. I could sit here...” He blubbers while slurring his words. He is using his original southern watertribe accent. The northern one sound rough and hard, putting a lot of focus on the consonants. The southern watertribe also puts focus on the vocals. After he left home Sokka soon learned that most people make fun of his native accent. That’s why he had Yue teach him how to speak like a northerner. (Tough she used to say that she loves his southern drawl”). Long story short, when Sokka pretends to be drunk, he only needs to talk the way that comes natural to him. Needless to say those kind of missions are the only times he is using his native dialect.

“That is Lucky's chair.” The fat one tells him. “Where's Lucky? I don't see Lucky.” Sokka is looking around like an idiot. “Lucky's not back yet.” The man solves Sokkas apparent mystery. “Then I'll sit here.” He chirps. “Unless... I'm too hot for you.”

…………

Sokka loughs out loud while he just lost another 100 bucks. When the cards are distributed the rat looking man looks happy. He throws money into the middle “In the pot. Put it in the pot.” “Oh, he's pulled something.” “You're in trouble now.” The man are openly laughing at him. “$60, eh? In.” Sokka shrugs and loosely counts the money he is throwing at the table.
“Look at the big man over there!” To be fair Sokka is big. He even towers his father now.

“Fives. He's got 14 different tells!” Sokka looks not amused. The fat one that made fun of his again lost round. Sokka has been showing 20 tells at least. Reading others and pretending comes with his job. But counting cards is a skill he perfected well before that. “You are bleeding William Tell.”

“What the hell is this?” Shouts a man that just entered the room. “Sorry, Lucky.” Cowers the rat one.

“You're done, pal. Thanks for the memories.” The fat man is shooing Sokka away.

“Oh, you Lucky?” Sokka perks up. “What is it, kid? You looking for a job or something?” Lucky musters him up and down. Before he comes to a conclusion Sokkas corrects him “You are the job.”             

A small shoot out later Sokka grabs the money on the table and heads home.

 ………

“We got a plane in an hour. All right.” The guard tell Azula as she enters the entrance Room of the suite. She highly doubts that the task will take an hour. She also doubts that they will catch the plane. It´s not even Azula’s first job in the presidential suite of the Four Nations Grand Hotel. Azula enters the Bedroom.

General Zhao is facing her wearing a loose bathrobe.  Looking at him Azula drops her coat. Slowly adjusting her black leather, fishnet outfit. She pulls out her hair pin and lets her hair fall down her shoulders sensually.  

“Have you been a bad boy?”

“Yes.” Zhao drawls. Azula swallows her disgust and focuses it into a mean smile. “You know what happens to bad boys? They get punished.”

“Ooh, yeah. Punish me.” Pants Zhao. When you asked her mother she would probably believe that Azula is whoring herself out as a dominatorix. Excluding a live in crime. Her mother never had high hopes for her. Her father, well he expected her to become a criminal. Considering he was a criminal and picked her as a successor. But there is nothing to succeed when the Fire Bureau of Investigation crashes your operation.

Azula is using a paddle on Zhao. The pig for all the masochistic scum that he is doesn’t even have a high pain tolerance. “Have you been selling big g*ns to bad people?” Azula can feel the confusion turning into fear as she twists his neck.

The small noise from the admittedly short struggle alerts the guards. “Mister Zhao? Mister Zhao! You OK!?” The guard from earlier shouts.

Azula looks at the watch and thinks “Oh, the Colemans.” While the guars break down the door. She jumps out of the window, using the special mechanism in her bag, to glide down the side of the tower.

…………

“Hey, hon.” Sokka greats her. Surprising Azula standing in their wardrobe. Since he didn’t enter it, she quickly puts on her wedding ring and a tame pink dress. “I didn’t see you downstairs when I came home.”

“Yeah, I went to the sports bar. Put some money on the game.” Explains Sokka smelling the part. “Yeah? How'd you do?” She asks. “I got lucky” Sokka flashes her his dork smirk.

…………

“Welcome, neighbors!” Tyro and Maiko greet them at the door.

“Hi, Maiko” greets Sokka smiles at her like a perfect gentleman. “Good to see you, Sokka” loughs Maiko. “There you go.” Sokka gifts her a huge bouquet of seasonal flowers. “Oh, this is wonderful.” Gushes Maiko.

Maiko leads Azula to the sitting Area. “What a lovely dress.” She compliments the pink abomination.  “Thank you very much. So is yours.” At the purple dress in the close to identical stile.

Sitting down Azula pulls her dress down. Because she didn’t have the time to pull out of her fishnet sockings and black heels. The women surrounding her are either pregnant or balancing a toddler.

“Can I get you a drink?” offers Maiko. Azula accepts internally begging for the salvation answers. “Yes. Chardonnay, please.”

“So, Tyro got the promotion.” Maiko announces proudly. “Oh, my God, that is so great.” The women cheer. Azula joins in because she is genuinely happy Tyro and Maiko are doing well.While busy chattering Maikos new Baby Haku pukes up some weird fluid. “Oh, shit. Not again.” Curses Maiko “Shoulda worn a raincoat. You know what? Would... Can you hold her for a second?” She turns to Azula. “What? No...”

“It's all over the appliqué.” Maiko begs Azula “Oh, no, I... No,” “please, just...” Azula gives in “Sure.” That’s how she got saddled with holding a baby for the next couple of minutes. Not moving afraid she is going to break anything on the weird bundle that can´t even control its own bodily functions. While Azula is still scared to be the next victim of small Haru the lady from down the road coos “Aw, he likes you.”        

…………

Sokka gets pulled towards the other man.

The corner where the man stand around a shelf hosting a bottle of scotch and some cigars he hears the chatter “- ...stock's getting butchered. Hey, boys. Scotch?”
“Yes, sir. It's a bloodbath over there.”

“Hey Sokka. How'd you make out last quarter? Take a beating?” Asks Li. As if he didn’t lose any money this time around. The unsuccessful investor is only doing well thanks to his daddy’s money.

 “Actually, I got all my dough buried under the tool shed.” Deflects Sokka. He glances around the room and nearly giggles when he sees Azula uncomfortably struggling with a toddler. Tyro follows his eyes and spots Haru. “We have done well for ourselves, didn’t we?” Sokka just nods, turning away before the Ladies spot them staring.

Chapter Text

Sokka heads into the shed, before leaving for work. His shed robust. Four walls made from cement and steel. It has a basement that can function as a bunker with a tunnel connecting it to the basement of the main building.

As far as Sokka is sure he and the gardener are the only ones that ever entered the tiny garden house. And Sokka is the only one that knows about the basement. Well… him and badgermole constructions. Toph recommended them.

He might only be a construction consultant as a cover. But just because it’s a cover doesn’t mean he doesn’t have to put in the hours. He has never studied anything regarding constructions. All he does is asking people about deadlines and organizing additional labor when needed. Most times he is only comparing whether what is written in the reports is actually what is happening on site. This is more unpredictable than his actual job.

Today he is going to work for his main job. So, he picks Barrett .50 caliber rifle and a HK MP5SD with a suppresser. In the shed he only keeps weapons he legally owns. He will get the actual job specific equipment at the office, after they coach him on what the job is.

…………

Before leaving for work Azula heads into the kitchen. She puts her cup of coffee into the sink. It´s filled with the dishes from dinner.

Sokka has been in the kitchen plenty of times. His targets are either the fridge or the snack cabinet. Sokka can devour a whole bag of nuts while watching TV and he always drinks premade protein shakes for breakfast.

Azula is responsible for cleaning, for laundry, cooking and home management. Despite working the same hours Sokka does. She never asked him to do more. He never offered to do more.

She does not plan on telling Sokka that she is not doing anything at all too. She knows that Sokka is aware that some temporary help is cleaning parts of the house. He is not aware that Jin is not temporary. She has been managing this house on her own for years. Sokka still believes Azula actually cooks. She certainly does not. Jin cleans the house, does the laundry, cooks and occasionally flirts with their gardener. Azula likes Jin´s work and Jin likes her job. It´s perfect.

Opening the stove she hits sets it on circulation mode, puts on 700°F and a timer for 8.37 hours. A few trays move up and expose a collection of weapons. Azula picks some throwing knifes and a Colt .45 1911. She looks forward to her workday.

………

Sokkas office is in the middle of the industrial area close to the port. It´s for his official and unofficial job. The building is a simple two-story office building. It was old and not well insulated.

Entering the foyer he can hear the AC blasting. “Good morning, Mr. Sozin. There's trouble again.” Greets him Joo Dee. Their Joo Dee is on the older site. Usually, an older Joo Dee spells trouble because people get wiser with age. Luckily their Joo Dee also got hard of hearing. No clue how she is hiding this in her checkups.  
“That's what I hear. What you got?” “I've got your boarding pass, taxi receipts...” She answers knowing very well this is not what he wants to hear. “And your hotel bill.” She smiles her Joo Dee smile at him. Sokka believes himself as good at mimicking others. But he still can´t smile like her. He tries anyway “Thanks.” “Don't lose those. Keep them in the envelope.” Joo Dee knows him to well.

In his own office Sokka locks all doors and windows. He starts the computer. And searches through his files. In a shared cloud called building_isolation_old_regulations_47859 he finds the actual one he is looking for. In between controlled_sample_overviuw_88937.xlsm and corrosive_meterial_ios_report_3948.pdf he spots control_widespread_94948984.pdf. 94948984 is the number on his Taxi recite.

The system is boring but works well. What did you imagine? A high-tech hidden superpowered computer that can talk to him? That would be kind of cool but also so easy to spot if someone comes looking for it. 

On page 345 there is one paragraph that interrupts the string of boring civil engineering paperwork that is so out of date Sokka would laugh out loud if one of his employees presented him with that. But well the White Lotus can´t do everything to perfection.
The Paragraph states Priority 1, the tank, alias Benjamin Danz in Dai Li custody. Objective: kill. Place: 8 miles south of the Great Divide. Procedure…

………

Azula takes the elevator up to the 44^th floor of a Republic City sky scraper. The entire floor is part of the Fire Bureau of Investigation. It´s high up so that minimal damage will be done when evacuating because of detonation if their base is compromised.

When walking into the employee entry she is scanned to confirm her identity and lack of listening devices on her person.

The Office is stuffed with high tech spy devices. All around the clock personal is checking surveillance and analyzing data. Azula only accepts the best equipment. The last things she wants is for the old farts to stop taking her seriously. And a huge part of her power demonstration is that new expensive equipment goes to her first. Even if many of her coworkers have a higher rank. If she advances her career any further she will no longer have field assignments.

Mai walks up to her. “Sorry to interrupt, but we have a situation. You know the competition would love to see us burn. I need you to handle this personally.” Well Azula is the best. “Target?” “Benjamin Danz.” Mai answers passing her a printed file folder and a cup of black coffee. Sokka is the only that knows she prefers it with caramel sirup. Azula retreats into hre office to form a plan of action.

…………

Sokkas boarding pass handed to him by Joo Dee is a boarding pass. Just not for a plane but for a tourism transport vehicle, a bus. It´s a 4-hour ride until they reach the Great Divide. Thanks to it being off-season it´s empty. This could have been worse.

Just before leaving three people run towards the Bus, three hippies. The Bus drivers lets them in. It delays them leaving by 10 minutes. The man with an ukulele sits down next to him. “Nice shirt man. So flunky, love the turtelducks.”

Sokka picked it as his work outfit for the day, along with cargo shorts. The make-Ba-Sing-Se-great-again cap is still hidden in his duffle bag. No way he is wearing that anywhere near Republic City.

“So, my name is Chuck, my best Buddy Moku is over there and this lovely dear is Lily my wife. Say do you have a special some one?” The hippy itches closer. “Yes, I have. And I´m not in the mood for talking” Sokka tries to shoo him away.

“I don’t really want to talk either.” Sokka let´s out a relieved sigh “How about we pass the time indulging in the oldest art.” `Let it be silence, silence, silence …´ Sokka prays. “Musik!”

…………

Jet sits in a car guarded by stone faced Dai Li agents. They have been driving for hours. The only time he got a reaction from them was when begging for a bottle of water.

Doesn’t stop him from trying though. He figures he is lucky they are not allowed to injure him.

…………

Sokka arrives at the tourist town Zhang Gin next to the great divide. Instead of walking around he walks to a truck. Putting on his make-Ba-Sing-Se-great-again cap and undressing his blue turtle duck shirt so that he only wears a wife beater he figures he got the trucker style down well enough. Putting on his sunglasses he starts driving towards his next destination.  

In the back of the truck is a dune buggy. He also is transporting a rocket launcher. When he arrives, he is going for a fun ride. He even packed a shirt printed with flying lemures driving desert buggies for the occasion. It´s a shame he is going to throw it away after but when will he get a better opportunity to wear it?

…………

Azula is hiding in a small shed facing over the valley. The dry air tastes like blood, because of the iron oxide dust carried to her from the mountains.

She is conducting last minute checks on the set up. They set up trap which will explode automatically 5 seconds after the sensors are disturbed. Then the truck is in the blast radius.

Setting it up by herself was a pain in the ass. But what can you do. There is nothing better than a huge explosion when wanting to guarantee a hit with minimal work.

Her sensors are going off, but the convoy has not yet arrived. Looking around she sees a desert buggy driving around like a stupid Idiot. After she quickly stops the explosion on her laptop. She can see that the driver is indeed a stupid civilian tourist idiot. Tourists are the worst kind of civilians, if you ask Azula.
 She focuses back onto the coming convoy and settles that if she stays in the shed until the civilian runs away after the bomb goes off. He will not see her. And as such he will not need to be killed.
The civilian just unpacked a rocket launcher. Shit, not a civilian.   

Azula grasps her riffle and quickly shoots the stranger. She only graces him. After he hid she runs because he decides to aim the launcher at her. After the explosion of the shed Azula rides away on a motorcycle.

The convoy does not get blown to bits because the detonator was in the shed. As such Jet lives to see another day.

………

Sokka meats Toph in a parking lot. They are sitting down on some branches. In order to get Toph in a good mood he brought some take out.  

Sokka doesn’t bother with Smalltalk “I think I got ID'd on that hit.  You ever been ID'd on a hit?”
Looking at him in an odd way, very close to concern but not quite there yet. “Not that I'm aware of, no.” Sokka slumps down on the bench “Right. I'm in trouble.”
All business Toph asks “You get a look at him?” “Little thing. Buck ten, buck fifteen tops. I´m not even sure it was him.” “You saying that you had your ass handed to you by some girl?” asks Toph clearly remembering all the time that Sokka got his ass handed to him by a woman. Since he first arrived on Kiyoshi Iland, he had an unlucky streak regarding that.
By now Toph just looks smug. “Well, it shouldn't be that difficult. I mean, how many chicks are hitters out there? other details besides her weight class?”

“Laptop.” He murmurs. “Sorry? You're in a whole zone right now. Having trouble talking to you.” Toph answers while digging in the takeout back to find some desert.

…………

By Azula’s desk Ty Lee and Mai are standing next to her “I want to know who that b*tch is. Get me that tape.” She demands. Still enraged after running away and failing her first mission in years. Mai tries to get her attention. “It´s form caldera.”
Azula grabs the phone from her. “The Dai Li secured the package. The window's closed, sir. There was another player.”

Disapproval seeps through the connection. “We told you we couldn't afford mistakes. We do not leave witnesses. If this player ID'd you... You know the rules. You have 48 hours to clean the scene, Azula.”

“Looking forward to it, sir.” She turns to Ty Lee and Mai “All right, we have a new target. Let's find out who he is.”

…………

Sokka enters Aangs office. The small monk smiles brightly at him. The White Lotus is sponsored from the air temples and the southern pole. The north and south pole refused to work together, so the less populated south decided to ally with the air nomads.
Aang is well known for being able to repair almost everything. His hacking skills are also very valuable. In the agency his codename is Avatar. Sokka only knows his real name is Aang since the little Vegan invited him and Toph for Dinner a couple of months ago. They regularly met up since then, but Aang has yet to meet Azula. 

When Sokka gives him the Computer, Aang is impressed by the damage “A. Jesus... What did you do to it? Put a campfire out with it? Buy a new one.”

Since buying a new one would defeat the purpose, he replies. “This one has sentimental value for its owner.” Surprised Aang looks up. “Whose computer is this, your wife’s?”

“No, Aang, I'm just hoping you can tell me.” He discloses.

Sensing it´s not private business but for work Aang starts salvaging the peace of technic.

As always he starts rambling “Here we go. Upgraded RAM module. Chip's Chinese. Imported by Dynamix. Retailed by... You know, I might be able to get you a billing address. All right? No name, just an address. 570 Lexington Avenue, Suite 5003. New York. You know the place?”

Sokka knows the place. Knows the address very well. It´s Azula’s office. Fuck maybe Aang was right.

…………

Azula can´t stop watching the surveillance videos from the cameras that didn’t get blown up in the valley. Something is of. The shirt seems familiar. Like the one Sokka hides in his closet and never wears. When she sees the man impatiently tap his feet on the ground she is developing disturbing impossible theory.

When Ty Lee can´t stop her exited babbling, Azula snaps at her and Mai “Why don't you both go make some coffee?” She continues watching the video from all sorts of Angles until Mai comes back. Instead of coffee she is carrying a phone. “Azula it's your husband. He's back from his trip and he wants to know about dinner.” Emotionless she replies “Tell him... Dinner's at seven.”

………

When Sokka enters the living room he sees Azula went all out on dinner. She even out their gold plates, he has no clue why they even have those.

“Perfect timing” Azula greets him carrying a plate with a whole turkey. “You are home early” “I missed you” he reasons. “I missed you, too. Shall we?” Azula asks sitting down.

The atmosphere in the room is so thick you can taste it. Sokka doesn’t want to believe that his wife in anyway or form could be involved with a rival agency. When Azula takes out the large knife to cut meat from the bird he stands up to take the pointy object from her. Even if he doesn’t want to believe something he is not a beginner.

Azula takes another knife to cut the bread. The way they mirror each other carefully is like animals before a fight. Always careful, full of instinct and always ready to strike and defend.

Azula has not been this weary of him for years. Only one time Sokka had shouted at her in a disagreement. She had shouted first that day. When he screamed back, she had straightened herself, like the disagreement was going to be physical in any second. Later he realized that she had fever that day and felt even worse. Sokka never wanted to see it again.

And now Azula is in an even more careful, calculating setting.

When they set down to eat, he notices the way Azula places the knife down next to herself.

“So, how's work?” he asks her. “Actually, we had a little trouble with a commission.” She flashes her fake smile at him. “Well, I hope everything worked out.” The smile he flashes back is just as fake. “It hasn't yet. But it will. How was your trip?” She questions back.
“Had a few problems ourselves. Some figures didn't add up.” Azula looks at him “Big deal?”

“Life or death.” Sokka jokes. “Wine?” After she accepts his offer he grabs the bottle and walks around the table. After filling her glass, Sokka drops the bottle. Azula instinctually catches it for not even a second before letting it drop. This leaves little doubts in Sokkas mind.  

“I'll get a towel” Azula hurries in the direction of the kitchen. Sokka rushes into the foyer and fishes his gun out of his coat.

………

Azula jumps into her car and speeds up. As she looks back, she sees Sokka running after her.

How could she be so stupid. What had she done to deserve a happy life? She should have known that being happy, having a normal life and a loving husband was something she will never get.

During the last six years Azula dared to dream that she wouldn’t end up dying in a ditch. She even hoped that when she finally left someone would miss her. She should have known better.

Her view becomes clouded with tears. She hasn’t cried in years. She hasn’t cried since her mother took her older brother and run. Left her with the monster she used to call father.

Distracted she didn’t see Sokka catching up to her by running through their neighbors’ gardens.

While running into her way he stumbles. He shoots a bullet through the car’s front window.

She hears him scream her name while she speeds up running him over. Running over her husband, her husband who shot at her.

Sokka manages to grab onto the roof of the car. He is screaming but it doesn’t register. Something something like stop, stop Zula, accident we need to talk, you're overreacting. 

When Sokka smashes the window on the back and crawls into the car she jumps out. Just in time that the car drives of the road falling down the hill.

Her fingers shake while she runs away to hide and calls Ty Lee to come and pick her up.

Chapter Text

Toph slouches towards her door. Whoever wakes her up this late has another thing coming. People usually don’t come to her house at night. Her neighbors learned that lesson early on. The salesmen and preachers haven’t been here in ages.

She hopes it’s someone out to get her. She could give them the basement treatment. In front of her door, she has the Lotus install a trapdoor—straight into a locked room in her basement, where she can release sleeping gas. She would have to move afterward, but at least she’d get some fun out of being woken up in the middle of the night.

“Open up,” grunts Sokka from the other side. It’s hard to decide whether to throw him into the basement or not. On one hand he brought her take out earlier on the other he didn’t add onion rings.

Sokka smells like he dug his way through a swamp with a hint of motor oil, she couldn’t smell blood. To make sure she grunts “First aid kit is in the kitchen, what the hell happened to you?”. In the tone just between beaten and pissed he snarls “My wife, she tried to kill me.” “I did, too. Get to the point” Toph snarls back. If he wants her to be nice, he sure as hell should watch his tone.

Sitting on the couch Sokka ate the chocolate chip cookie ice cream he stole from her fridge. Toph has spent the last hour or so bitching at him in order to distract him. “If she lied about that, what else has she lied about? I mean, her job is a spy, to get information from people. French Riviera. A yacht. An Iranian prince. She's supposed to get close to him and gain his trust. It's disgusting.” Toph even gave a blanket to Sokka and later she is going to get him in the gym part of the basement and nag at his punches until he can´t think anymore. She figures, damn she is a pretty great friend.

“This was probably planned from the beginning. Operation Stakeout Sokka.” Toph tries to put things into perspective for him.

“A six-year stakeout to get information from you. Mission accomplished. Look at it, I know you're embarrassed, but it's Toph you're talking to. The guys we work with, they don't know, I'm never going to tell them. The people she works with probably got a big laugh over this, but that's not important. It's like 150 pages of a book have been written. In the first 150 pages, Johnny's been a clown. Well, you can write the last ten pages. You been smoked, but you can write the last ten.” Damn she is a really good motivational speaker. Should definitely keep that in mind for possible career changes, if the secret spy gig ever gets boring.

When Sokka turns to leave she shouts at him “Great talk, man. We should do it more often.
It was great, I'm proud of you.” She really is proud he is not being more of a whiny bitch about it, but don’t tell Sokka that.

While he leaves he grabs her Desert Eagle “I'm gonna borrow this.” As encouragement she bellows after him “I like where your head's at, man.” Then she goes back to bed to get at least one more hour of sleep, before the clusterfuck that work is going to be tomorrow.

………

Ty Lee picked Azula up at a gas station. She is standing in the dark, hands quivering while trying to light a cigarette with an old lighter. It gives tiny sparks of blue flames but not enough to light the cigarette in her mouth in the humid night air.

She plans to take Azula back to her apartment so that she can rest before whatever this is continues tomorrow. Maybe she had a quarrel with Sokka. Azula has a few bruises and scratches on her left side. If Sokka pushed or punched her she is going to kill him. Or encourage Azula to do it herself.

After driving back to her place Azula starts pouring herself shot. Ty Lee asked to clarify the shitshow of a story Azula just told her, “What? What are you saying? Your husband is the shooter? That's impossible. Really?” When Azula nods she stares her straight into the eyes to catch her attention “OK. Here's the upside. You don't love him.” When Azula nods again she continues “You'll kill him, and nobody's better at that than you are. And then it'll be over.”

………

The next morning Azula is standing on her front door. The bomb squad had declared the area as clean. Her colleagues have already started tearing her home apart. She walks through the now crime scene. Nothing has actually happened in here and still it is treated the as high risk and priority. Seeing as a women so low under her she doesn’t even remember her name is tearing apart the Polarbearcub is killing a part inside of her she didn’t know existed.

In the scattered remains of her home she spots a handful of women watching her wedding tape. On her TV. In her home. The invasion of privacy is justifiable. The drastic lack of common sense and laciness, standing around in a group of three like there is nothing better to do is not. Once admonished they scatter, leaving the tape in the DVD player. That way its not going to be filed into evidence those goddamn beginners. For whatever reason she doesn’t remind anyone about this.

The tape shows her and Sokka during the ceremony. They had very few guests. Sokka brought his father and sister. Their accent didn’t sound like his but they didn’t speak a lot. The girl seemed to dislike her and the man was busy talking to ´her side of the family´. The whole day was rather awkward. They didn’t do a lot of planning so everything was basic and low budget. Azula wore a white dress she took from the FBI. They´re costume department had made one for her during a mission. No need to get another one.

Still, even if it was very simple it was one of the best days of her live. After the reception they travelled into central republic city and booked the honeymoon suite in a sky scraper. It was on the penthouse level and had a balcony. The air was humid and hot. After the air conditioner failed due to a power outage they moved to the outside and covered themselves into blankets on the hammock while looking into starts you could not usually see in the city. Until the sun arose from the fire nation side of the ocean, glittering and hopeful. 

………

Tyron is surprised that Sokka is ringing on his door, even more surprised when he sees Sokka holding a gun. “Howdy neighbour, is everything alright man? Can I do anything to help you?” “Actually, yes.” Sokka smiles uncomfortably with a hint of fear or shame. “Last night someone broke into our house. I´d be more comfortable if you joined me. While I figure out what was taken.” “Sure man no Problem just let me get my shoes and coat.”

“Wow. I can't believe I've never been in here before. This is great.” Sokka is giving Tyron a room tour while he is at it. “I love the floors. What are they, teak?” Taking Tyron along has the advantage that Azula has less ways to get him while he is home. “Red oak, Tyron. Red oak.” It has the disadvantage of taking Tyron along.

The FBI has done some admirable work on the search. Some Beginners mistakes here and there. Not properly fixed furniture, tussled clothes in the closet and their wedding tape left in the DVD Player. He takes the tape and tells Tyron he is just quickly going to check their shed on his own.

They took all his weapons from his shed. Does this “Bitch” have any idea how much his equipment had cost. He will need to get more from his secret staches. Most of those the Lotus probably knows about, so he is ging to avoid them for now. They are not one hundred percent in the clear how much shit he is digging through right now and if you ask Sokka it´s going to stay this way. The noisy old fucks better stay out of his private life which includes his marriage.

………

Azula’s office is focused on finding out everything they can about Sokka. She has spent hours answering questions about him.

“What is his original last name?” “Horusososa, Gackutoro, Hasutotototi something like that.”

“Where did he go to university?” “On the north pole”

 “What did he study” “Civil engineering” “No Sokka has studied that there in the last 20 years.”

“What can you tell us about his family? What do they do for work?”

She knows nothing about him and what she knows is proven false. One thing after the other. After everyone gave up extracting information from her Azula turned the situation around. Hounding her colleges. “Target profile is our main priority. Utilize all means necessary. Phone taps. Credit cards. Audio scan civilian frequencies.” Mai looked up unimpressed “With what, Azula?” She presses their home telephone on the table “You've reached the Smiths. We can't take your call, but leave a message after the tone and we'll get back to you.” Sokka’s voice cheers through the office.

“I think I found him.” Ty Lee grabs her attention. “Where?” “Here, there is a heat sensor breach in the perimeter.” In that moment the sirens start ringing. Everyone is running and cleaning the perimeter. Documents get tossed into a stove and exploded, computers go into self-destruct mode and the room smells like burned rubber.

Azula grabs her phone to call Sokka. “I told you not to bother me at the office, honey.” “Well, you are still Mrs. Sozin.” In his background she can hear their own sirens. “Well, so are a lot of girls.” He warns her “Careful. I can push the button anytime, anywhere.” “Baby, you couldn't find the button with both hands and a map.” She will be damned if he thought she was intimidated.

“Last warning. You need to disappear.” Sokka repeats. “No.” “Now.” He starts to sound harsh. “You expect me to roll over and play dead?” “Should be used to it after five years.” That motherfucking bastard. “Six. And I'm not leaving.”

He is now standing in front of her, pointing his gun to her face. The destruction of documents, material and evidence is complete. Azula runs to the others down their escape route.

………

“You tell me you had a shot at her and you didn't take it? We got all this stuff here, and you're trying to tell me you couldn't take her out? Well, now she's a problem for both of us. Now my house is priority one.” By now Toph is seriously pissed at Sokka.

“Just gimme a hand, will you?” Sokka is digging through a bunch of ruffling paper pieces. It smells burned. “What do you want me to do? Read aloud to you? I think you´re forgetting something important there buddy”

He just continues digging through a mountain of burned trash in her living room. “You're driving me crazy. You're like an insane man. All right, they gave you 48 hours. What we got left here? 23? 22?” If the time runs out Toph could very well be the one tasked with the job of cleaning this mess up. “18 and change.”

Running on a lack of sleep by now she gruffs “I am so done playing games with this broad. You gotta take her out head-on.” “Don't tell me how to handle my wife.” “She's not your wife, she's the enemy. She could be outside now!” “Toph!” Now Sokka is pissed at her. “Got it,” She gives in. Sokka lets his shoulders fall. “Can you please call Aang for me? I´m going to need some technical support for this next part.”

………

Sokka made an appointment on a construction side the FBI had interest in. His appointment was made through his official work. When he enters the employees had the order to send the civil engineer up to the top floor.

Azula is in a trailer outside together with Mai and Ty Lee. All the elevators were rigged by them. A press of a Bottom and the wires would blow up.

Sokka entered the elevator. She turns on the voice modifier. “This is security. There's a problem with your elevator, sir. Do you want an engineer to come see what the problem is?” Sokka is standing in the elevator just like you would an experienced worker in construction. Getting stuck in elevators was pretty common as far as she knew from how often Sokka complaining about it. “Take your time, I'm really quite comfortable.” “Are you really comfortable?” Now he is turning towards the camera. “Azula? Is that you, sweetheart?”
First and last warning, John.
Get out of town.
You know I'm not going anywhere.
“Well, so you say. But right now, you're trapped in a steel box hanging 70 floors over nothing but air.” Ty Lee has just confirmed the elevator Sokka is occupying. “Oh, so this is a trap? It's never gonna work, honey.”

Now he is smirking at her, the way a cat smiles at a bird. “It's never gonna work, because you constantly underestimate me.” Brave words for a mouse caught in a trap. “Do I?” She asks him. “You have no idea who I am. You have no idea what I'm capable of.” “Well, back at you, babe.”

“Let me guess... Shaped charge on the counterbalance cable, two on the primary and secondary brakes?” He questions her. “Did you also get the base charge on the principle cable? Promise to leave town, or I'll blow it.”

“OK. I give up.” Sokka moves closer to the camera “Blow it.” “What?” Why can´t he just take her offer and run away. “Go on, blow it.” All he needs to do is run and then she will try to figure out how she can get out of this. “You think I won't?” Just be a good scared little man and leave. “I think you won't.”

She start to count down. “Five, four... Any last words?” “The new curtains are hideous.” Always quirky at the wrong times. “Goodbye, John.” The cable explodes into flames and the elevator drops. They can hear the crash outside.

“What the hell was that?” She turns to Mai sitting on the controls.  “What? You said goodbye.” Azula runs outside and sees the workers run to the crash site. One of them grabbed a first aid kit. She fears and knows it will not be necessary. She knows no one can survive that. They made sure. Sokka is dead. She killed her husband.

………

Aang had helped him with the software/hacking aspect of rewiring the cameras. The elevator blown up was currently out of order anyway so that no poor bastard would die instead of him.

Sokka doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He has work to do. She did it. She killed him or tried to at least. That just made it very easy for him to finish his job. Azula is going to be dead by the end of the day.