Note: Ty Lee is my favorite character. There are so many different facets to her character and she's so bubbly and charming I just had to write about her. I'm pretty sure I'm the only ZuTy shipper here. -crickets-

Also because I don't understand the Zuko & Mai relationship at all. I'm probably going to get a lot of shit for saying that but I don't care :D

Scarface

Ty Lee doesn't know. It might be the good half of his face that isn't burned. Zuko is pretty handsome once you take away that scar.

She figures it might also have to do with the whole rebel thing he has practiced down to an art form. The whole betrayal path he's taken must only look good in retrospect and she won't blame him if he regrets it. She's had her own fair of rebellion in a family of six identical twins. The thought tickles her fancy because, let's face it: she's the one who decided to become a circus freak, in the end. She and Zuko have more in common then either of them would like to think and they'd be hypocrites if they didn't acknowledge that otherwise.

So she stares at the lining of his shoulder and the good half his face while he stares pensively into the fire between them. She wonders what it is that's making her so—well…

It might be the romantic setting. They're sitting on a beach in Ember Islands in the middle of no-freaking-where and the sun is dipping over the horizon of the water's edge at the perfect angle while the reflection blushes virgin pink like the sky. The bonfire Zuko forms with a nonchalant snap of his fingers doesn't help because it only illuminates the good half of his face that isn't burned with a scar, and the shadows do something weird to his shoulders that make Ty Lee sit up a little bit straighter.

It might also be the circumstantial separation from the pack. She's not sure what it is that draws all these guys towards her at the party and she's had more than enough flirting and Azula calling her a tease. She doesn't know what to do so she shoots those limbs out carelessly (gracefully—tacitly) and makes her escape. This coincides with Zuko's platonic and rigid relationship with Mai that ultimately culminates into a fight that neither will ever concede defeat in.

Zuko isn't good at sorry, let alone when the word is genuinely sincere, and he's much more knowledgeable in the art of storming off so that's exactly what he does.

Ty Lee's mother once told her that there is a fate—it's what people create.

She didn't really have to take off towards the same direction as Zuko. But she figured at the time—he's a friend of hers, and she's a friend of his so he could eventually use some overdue company. So she followed him to the beach and now they're sitting here next to each other in front of a bonfire while the sun is setting overhead.

It might or might not be the sexual tension. She knows Zuko has always been Mai's and she knows exactly where her loyalties lie and where they belong. But Ty Lee is only human so when Zuko down to meet her gaze, her face flushes pink and she wonders why something like this was happening to somebody like her. And suddenly, betrayal doesn't seem like such a bad word anymore.

She would know. (He would know better)

"What're you looking at?" he snaps offhandedly.

If it were any other girl, they'd probably retreat. But this is Ty Lee and she practically exhales sunshine and optimism to a fault. It helps that she's his childhood friend because she knows if Zuko were really angry, he'd be breathing animosity; but right now, with the fire, with the ocean, with the sun setting over the horizon (with the oh gee would you look at that—lining of his shoulders), she thinks he's passing this off as indifferent.

Or maybe even contentment.

"Are you okay?" she asks him.

Her name is Ty Lee and his name is Zuko. She is agile and carefree while he is fire and ambitious. The crown belongs to him and he has a destiny to complete (and what's that thing about making your own fate? He wouldn't know. He's been a victim of it time and time again so he doesn't think he'll take his chances). Ty Lee has her own fate—right hand to Azula, always and forever. That's what being a best friend means.

But Ty Lee asks the question that nobody dares to ask and it changes everything.

So he meets her gaze and she stares right back inquisitively with that same blush over her cheeks and wonders what he's thinking. His stare lasts a little longer and extends past comfort so Ty Lee begins to shift in her seat uncomfortably, (which is just so uncharacteristic of her).

"What'd you ask?" he means for this to come off soft—but he forgets that he has conditioned himself to sound like an arrogant asshole almost all his life and it comes off as a demand instead.

But Ty Lee understands and stares at the good half of his face again, unburned and pristine, for a little while more than she should before meeting his gaze, "I asked if you were okay," she tells him as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "you seem kind of tense and you don't really look happy to be here."

He stares, "Why?"

"Why, what?" she asks, eyes wide in curiosity; she doesn't really understand what he's trying to achieve with his one word questions but she decides to try her luck and see if she can answer right, "I mean, it's like when you came back home, you weren't really home. Like—you're here, but your heart isn't really here."

The next six words change how he sees of her completely.

"It makes me sad for you."

One.

Two.

It takes her a moment to process the next second that transpires.

Because oh my god, this is not happening, I didn't mean for it to be like this—just doesn't quite work out when Zuko has his lips pressed against hers. Because oh no, oh no, oh no—this is her first kiss, and she's still a virgin in every way and oh my god she thinks about Mai and all those promises they made together about being best friends forever.

Whatever forever means, anyway.

But for a few moments of ecstasy and bliss, neither of them care. They're both rebels and regrets are not their forte. Not Ty Lee. Definitely not Zuko's.

But the problem with the whole you only live once thing is it never lasts for long because Ty Lee is the first to pull back. There are too many things running through her head (Azula, Mai—and oh my god what was I thinking?) but all she can think about is the good half of his face and the lining of his shoulders and how good it looks with the shadows rippling from the bonfire in front of them.

"This meant nothing," he tells her dryly before standing up from where he sits.

But what he really means to say to Ty Lee is: No one has ever asked me that before and maybe even thank you but he doesn't and the silence becomes somewhat unbearable.

He does what exactly what he's good at and storms off in a huff.

Ty Lee just smiles sadly and watches as he takes off back towards the house.

He doesn't have to say it out loud because she already knows.

And for once—just for once—she thinks she might prefer the scar on his face instead.