I liked what it said about Azula, but I think it was totally in character that she doesn't know how to deal with people who don't know who she is.

Yes...if she can't order them around, she really doesn't know what to do. She's used to relating to people as a princess who can have people killed on a whim, not as a human being on equal footing.

Yeah, I think this might be a pairing I enjoy more in fanfic than on the show itself.

Try looking for stuff written before S3 premiered, basically...check for postings in maizuko from before September 2007. MayFlyer's unfinished Maiko story was a lot of fun, and I know I've seen some really nice dark, dark, angsty Maiko written back around Season Two, although it would take a bit of work to track it back down again.