the avatar, and that one good firebender, lee

fire, end

"let me read it," azula urges, reaching for the paper.

zuko grounds his palms against it, holding it to the table with a tired yawn, "no, i'm not done." azula persists, snagging the corner of the page. "i'll read it out later, just wait."

"don't let her read it, she might sabotage your plans," katara warns, standing and attempting to look over the prince's shoulder to read his notes. to no avail, with the prince flipping the paper over, she falls back into her seat with a huffed fine .

"nobody gets to read it yet, i'm not done writing," zuko responds and they all protest with disappointed groans as he yawns. leaning his chin against his palm, he turns the paper over and scans his scrawled notes with tired eyes, murmuring under his breath about bosco and reparations and tea.

then, after another painstaking moment of silence, sokka rises from his seat with a brisk call, "that's it! time's up, you've been writing it for the past three days."

past three days indeed. sokka snatches the paper from the prince's weak hands, and before he can read it aloud, azula raises a testing hand. and sokka, with an exasperated sigh, hands her the paper, not bothering to try her threat. clearing her throat, the princess reads, as sokka sits back down with a huff, "okay, let's see...discussions to include princess yue of the northern water tribe and earth king kuei--oh, i wonder how he is these days--about ceasing all conquered territories, releasing hostages and displaced refugees, and paying reparations...and...that's it?"

"that sounds very...thought out," sokka muses, but azula slams the paper back on the table with a tsk .

"it sounds unrealistic ," azula says, much to sokka's annoyance. the avatar and co sit on their couches, awaiting more of azula's shrewd jabs and jeers, something of the young avatar, of zuko's sailor hair, of the homemade meals. "ceasing all conquered territories--what about the fire nation colonies that are as old as the war? what of the fire nation families that have to leave behind their home and family history? releasing hostages and paying costs--fine, sure, go ahead, but have you paid a thought to how many people in your own nation would rather have you off the throne than live under you?"

and katara crosses her arms. "see, she's trying to sabotage--"

"hold on," zuko says, scanning over his paper once more. "she points out something right, actually." and katara sits back, narrowing her eyes at the agreement. "the fire nation colonies are certainly a place for conflict and opposition when it comes to ceasing territories. some have been settled there for as long as the war itself, and, as much as i'd hate to say it, they've made a life for themselves there."

"yes, but a life based on stolen land," aang points out.

"true, but we have to tell it to children and kids' faces, who had no part in the violence, that they're losing their homes," zuko interjects. "and that'll lead to parents complaining, too, about where they can take their families. you add that in with people who believe the colony is theirs, and those who want fire nation off their land, and you'll have a mass protest. quite possibly, the start of another war." azula shoots them a smug shake of her head. "there'll be more problems like this when it comes to settling debt."

"okay, fine, i rest my case," sokka says. "maybe she's not trying to sabotage your plan." and the princess settles with a satisfied hm . "but, i admit, i'm surprised she even cared to bring it up. you'd think she wouldn't bother warning you just so you lose your public appeal."

at that, azula's complacency cuts short with a scowl, cursing the watertribe boy for his share of unwanted honesty. "well," she grumbles. "it's practically unbearable to watch my idiot brother not know how to lead."