It is two weeks after the announcement of Zuko and Azula's return to the Fire Nation. Azula is growing re-accustomed to royal luxuries and is trying to sort out her feelings for her brother, her future throne, and a certain circus freak who crosses her mind too often.
On her mind is how awkward her attempts and efforts to initiate a romantic relationship have been. Of all of the things Azula has been trained in, despite all of her poise and ability to manipulate even strong minds, she cannot manage to ask a girl out. Ty Lee seems better at it, but also reasonably terrified of what would happen if Azula did not reciprocate. It mostly ends in swift changes of subject and blushes she cannot manage to conceal, as well as once peeling Ty Lee's arms off of her when she tried to make a move out of sheer panic, and then feeling ridiculous.
If only she could trick Ty Lee into dating her. Azula could probably manage that. Tricking people is her specialty.
Azula is trying to sleep as a storm rages over Caldera. She almost drifts off when she hears the door open. She lights two fingers in the shadows but she sees in the corner of her eye that it is Ty Lee in a light pink nightgown that caresses her form perfectly.
"After all of these years, you're still afraid of a thunderstorm," Azula murmurs with a twitch of her lips.
She has just been woken by someone crawling into her bed, attempting not to wake her but wincing and stepping on Azula's body multiple times. Ty Lee's strong suit has never been stealth, simply raw, unadulterated power. Like the lightning outside.
"I'm not scared," Ty Lee protests, wriggling under the blankets. Azula raises one of her eyebrows in disbelief. "Okay, I'm a little scared. I saw it hit a tree outside of my window, Azula. It was coming for me."
Azula clamps her lips together to keep from laughing. Ty Lee always was afraid of thunder and lightning. Most people are, Azula supposes.
"You know what I like about thunderstorms?" Azula asks and Ty Lee makes a little squeaking sound of assent. Azula licks her lips and says, "They are really one of the only things that are as beautiful as they are terrifying."
"So you're scared too?" Ty Lee asks, completely missing the poignancy of Azula's words. The princess tries not to be disappointed.
"No. There's a reason people say 'it's as unlikely as being hit by lightning'. Unless you piss me off, then there's essentially a one hundred percent chance you will be hit by lightning," Azula replies with a small smile.
"I really don't ever want to get on your bad side," Ty Lee says earnestly before thunder crashes and she shrieks.
She leaps into Azula's arms and the princess gasps in, surprised. Azula tries to cover her shock, and shrug off the unwelcome human contact. Princess Azula does not hold people. Even when their bodies feel so nice.
"Easy," Azula says, awkwardly patting Ty Lee's neck and pushing her off. Her body screams at her for doing that, but her brilliant mind congratulates her for resisting. "If you count the seconds between the thunder and lightning, you can tell how close it is."
Ty Lee waits, her eyes glued to Azula's window. She waits for the flashes that bathe the dark palace in light. And waits for the thunder that seems to be the force of Ba Sing Se's walls falling, but from the angry grey clouds.
"There's only like one second between them," Ty Lee hisses, her eyes even wider than usual. Azula blinks twice. She is not very good at comforting people; she is far better at scaring them. "Azula. Azula."
"Just go to sleep. You will be fine," Azula says, her patience tried. Her eyes fall on Ty Lee's lips, examining them for too long before she quickly looks away.
"What if the palace catches on fire?" Ty Lee whispers as the room is bathed in white again. It illuminates the two girls and displays that they are edging closer to each other in the darkness.
"Well, there are three firebenders living here. I think we're okay," Azula says, and she is starting to wonder if Ty Lee is afraid or not. The circus freak's hand slips to Azula's wrist and holds it. Her knee nearly touching Azula's navel.
She thinks she is so clever. It entertains Azula, like when animals do people things. But she caves in. It is far more interesting than another insomniac night with her thoughts churning about the Invasion and the strategy for securing her father's favor over Zuko.
"I will protect you from the lightning for a reasonable price," Azula says, smirking. The lightning flashes and Ty Lee can see the sparkling amusement in her gold eyes.
"Okay, okay, a trade," Ty Lee suggests and Azula is not even offended that she was interrupted. "I will protect you from any large wild animal or assassin. Really, Azula, I would fight a huge like platypus-bear or komodo-rhino for you."
Azula closes her eyes and suppresses laughter. "Good to know."
"That's not the very reasonable price, is it?" Ty Lee asks skeptically, narrowing her eyes at Azula.
"No. But... good guess?" Azula seems as snobbish as ever and Ty Lee cannot believe that she enjoys it, much less tolerates it. "I will protect you from the lightning for a kiss on my lips."
Well played, Azula, the princess thinks as Ty Lee looks deeply intrigued. She has been nothing but awkward when she is around Ty Lee. But perhaps the lightning is on her side when she finally makes a move that is not more awkward than Zuko.
"That's an extremely reasonable price," Ty Lee whispers.
She brushes her lips against Azula's before applying pressure.
The kiss lingers for a moment. A long, drawn out moment.
Azula does not know what to do next, she realizes. She might as well have walked into the middle of a battle with no plan and no army. But Ty Lee does, as her hand starts to slip up Azula's shirt.
Yes, the lightning is definitely on Azula's side.