munebox | Life in the Apocalypse

[Six months had passed since a hunter from the Water Tribe and a princess from the Fire Nation crossed paths in the ruins of what was once among the greatest cities in the world. In a a small house, not far from where the palace once stood, they had made their home. It was the princess's home, to be precise. That had never changed. The first few months, Sokka had lived miles away on the outskirts of the city, visiting a few days a week to share meals and pass on his survival skills. Over time, he made his camp closer and closer to the small house.

But even the Fire Nation had its winters and enough time had passed that the two had agreed to share the house. They were both highly useful to each other. And enough time had passed for old hatred to fade.

On such a day, in the evening, Sokka returned to the small house with a bundle of wood under his arm. He wasn't sure where Azula was, nor had he checked yet. His priority at the moment was to add the wood to the fire. Or rather, try and star the firebender. Even with a firebending prodigy around, some habits died hard. And with a pair of flint stones, he tried to get it going himself with the pieces of wood that weren't damp from the recent rainfall.]

You could have waited for me to come home, you know.

[ The princess stepped through the door, pushing it shut once she was inside. She pulled the red hood from her head, fluffing out dark hair before she tosses the cloak over the back of a chair. Azula glided over to him, crouching down beside him to see his work. Or lake thereof, really.

She clicked her tongue against her teeth, brushing warm hands over her arms to try and heat herself up a bit faster. Her body temperature may have been higher than most, permitting her to deal with colder weather far longer than others-- but she still loathed it. ]

Would you like me to do it or are you determined to start it without my help?

[Well, she was back before he expected her to be. It's not that he felt useless around here. Far from it. But this was still Azula's home, in his mind. And he wanted to be able to pull his own weight and then some.

But he was not so prideful as to overlook the help of someone who could start a fire with her fingertips. So without protest, he moved to the side.]

No no, have at it. The wood's too damp anyway.

[ Azula brushed the tips of her fingertips against the wood, looking for the pieces that would be easiest to burn. She broke off a dryer piece, rubbing it together in her hands before she blows on it. It burns almost instantaneously and she buries it beneath dryer pieces of the wood. ]

Not too damp for me.

[Standing up, he brushes off the debris onto the side of his pants. He shakes his head a little, amusement showing on his face.]

Because you're a show off. I would have got it eventually.

I'm not a show off.

[ She gives him a look, pushing herself up out of her crouching position. The princess places her hands on her hips for a moment before brushing past him, grinning. ]

I'm just a firebender.

Benders. Show offs. Same difference.

[With the fire started, he's going to go warm his hands. He can't just firebend them warm like her.]

[ Azula pours herself a glass of water before she goes to sit beside the fire, kicking her shoes off. Relaxing. Because that's something she actually gets to do now-- not worry about anything but herself. And sometimes Sokka when she was feeling particularly generous. ]

I saved you a lot of time and a lot of potential frustration. You should be thanking me.

And I provided the wood so we didn't have to keep you running all night as a furnace. I think we're about even.

[Feeling a little life return to his fingers, Sokka is able to finally start shrugging off his coat. Settle in for the evening. He'd brought down a zebra deer earlier that week, which had given them enough meat to last them a good while. It wasn't started on the stove yet, but he'd brought some in from where he'd been storing it, sitting in a pan for when they felt hungry.]

[ She sets the glass on the floor before she sprawls out, folding her arms beneath her head to use as a makeshift pillow. ]

I could have helped fetch the wood, you know. You didn't have to do it by yourself.

[After slipping off his boots beside the door, he's going to flop on the ground far less gracefully than she did. Rather than stay on his back, he rolls to his side, supporting his head on his hand and elbow.]

But that's what I'm here for. Besides, you'd try to chop the wood with fire kicks or something.

I would not. You should have learned by now I'm not useless nor unintelligent.

[ The princess scoots closer to the fire so she can blow some sparks at him in retaliation for his words. Just a few. Not enough to do any damage, really. ]

Hey! [He waves the sparks away, sitting up a little to try and shield his face. It doesn't hurt, but it's the principle of the thing!]

Okay, you're not useless or unintelligent!

[ She lets out a chuckle, turning on her side properly so she can watch him. ]

I should punish you even more for taking this long to admit it. Good thing I have little desire to set you aflame.

[He resumes his previous position, inevitably matching hers.]

Yes, thank you Azula. I feel the love.

Ugh. If you're feeling love then I need to be a bit more mean.

So then what? Tough love. I'm not sure my heart can take it.

[ The princess lets out a laugh before she sits up, smoothing out her hair with her fingers. ] Go cook dinner before I'm tempted to hit you.

[Smirking, he gets to his feet. Once standing, he holds up his hands in a surrendering pose.]

Okay, okay! I'd try to surprise you, but it won't be very surprising. It's the same thing as yesterday.

Maybe we can spice it a little differently.

[ Which inspires her to get up as well, gliding over to the kitchen to go through what they have to cook with the meat. ]

We never have to eat the same thing as yesterday.

[He uncovers the meat he brought in, preparing to cut it up to go into a pot. She can dig for her spices to her heart's content.]

Really? Because that was Water Tribe tradition. Weeks of the same thing. Months, really.

And we're not in the Water Tribe, are we? [ They have the entire city to explore for things to make their food taste way better, thanks to half the citizens here living much more wealthy than the inhabitants of his. And, since it's just the two of them, they'll never run out of ingredients. Even after months. Hopefully not, anyway. She sets two ceramic containers on the counter, scooting them his way. Those should work well together. ] Though I honestly have no idea how you ever were able to survive such a tradition. Ugh.

Well, it was less 'tradition' and more 'living in the South Pole'. [Sokka opens one of the urns and takes a whiff of it. Wow, powerful, better not put too much in it.] But I have come to love your national past time of spicy foods. This should do the trick.

[ The princess runs a hand over his back before she moves to the counter, pushing herself onto it. She crosses one leg over the other, turning to watch him. ] Spicy? Nothing we eat is that spicy at all.

[Oh. Oh. That felt nice. He falls into a sort of dreamy looking smile before remembering that it's Azula. They may be living here together, but she's still. Azula.]

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