The best summer she ever spent, was the one she had with TyLee. The girl's parents owned a resort chain one seemed to pop up on every island. And she had given Azula her pick of them. She had narrowed it down to a few, though there were many different islands that had drawn her attention. In the end, with some healthy input form TyLee she and picked Aitutaki Island. She wasn't one for water but the turquoise hue she'd seen in the pictures had enchanted her. She had wondered if the water would be that pristine in person.
It was another week before TyLee was free from her summer classes. A week spent texting by the poolside and longing for the next one.
A week spent convincing her father that letting her travel so far abroad on such short notice was a good idea. She was almost certain that he was going to say no, especially since she had no good grades to charm him with. Instead, she compiled a list displaying where she'd be staying and for how long, some activities they planned to do, and her outline of predicted expenses. If she could give him a more solid picture, he would be more inclined to let her take her vacation. That sort of trick usually worked.
And it continued to do so.
She was unpacking her suitcase as a balmy breeze fluttered through the bungalow rustling the curtains. The wind carried the scent of mango and banana with what might have been a tinge of coconut.
She watched TyLee flop onto the bed.
"You already unpacked?" Azula asked.
"I packed less than you." She shrugged. It was a fair point, Azula had a habit of over-packing–God forbid she forget something she needed. "Hurry up and finish! I have so much I want to do."
"We have the whole week." Azula pointed out. Even so, the other girl was ridiculously eager. Before she could even find a suitable pair of sunglasses, TyLee had her around the wrist and was dragging her onto the patio. This resort in particular offered over the water bungalows, the pair could jump off of the patio and be in decently deep water. Already Azula could see a turtle swimming by amid clusters of coral and anemone. All in all, they had a pretty decent view of the reef. TyLee was correct in noting that Aitutaki was a sound location for snorkeling.
"Come on!" TyLee gave a cheerful smile and with it she was already in the water, picking her way carefully around the coral. She hadn't even shed her sundress.
Azula took the care to drape hers over the railing before dipping into the water. The water was cooler than she preferred, it would take some getting used to especially after allowing the sun to seep into her bare skin. She ought to go fetch some sunscreen, but TyLee's eager face coaxed her further from the bungalow. She could already foresee a sunburn to match all sunburns on her skin. Still she met TyLee a few feet away.
"Look at this." TyLee pointed. Azula was expecting another turtle, but instead she found herself face to face with a stingray. Before she could protest, TyLee began stroking it. "Come over and pet him, he's friendly."
Azula hesitated, she was a little wary of the ocean and marine life. She had been since her father had taken the family to Cancun some summers back when she was eleven years old. She and ZuZu had gotten a little brave–too brave–and she had a scar to show for it. They both did; the pair had gone cliff diving (her choice of activity, of course) and had landed right on the reef. Zuko had nearly lost his eye and she had jagged and deep scratches on her right thigh and up her ribcage.
Even so, she wasn't about to let TyLee put on a display of more courage than she. As long as she kept her distance from the coral and urchins, she should be fine. The stingray was a good distance from the sea plants anyhow. Taking the care to avoid its tail, Azula carefully stroked its pectoral fins. They had an almost slimy feel that she shivered at, at first.
"Cute isn't it?" TyLee remarked
Azula hummed to herself for a moment, "I guess so." It was a rather majestic creature, she decided as she watched it flap away.
No longer having the stingray to occupy her, TyLee made her way closer to the reef. Azula had never been prone to fearing for another person, but the closer TyLee got to the reef, the more she squirmed on the inside. Absently her fingers fell to her scarred thigh. "TyLee, get over here."
The girl looked back. "But the seashells and clams are over here." She argued.
"I'm sure there are plenty of seashells on the shore." Azula countered.
"Are there clams on the shore?"
"Probably not." Azula grumbled.
As if that settled things, TyLee continued on her course until she came to the edge of the reef. It left Azula divided between wanting to maintain her distance from the reef and wanting to swim over and physically drag the daring girl away from it. "Do you think this one has a pearl in it?" TyLee inquired.
"I don't know." Repeating her prior statement she added, "probably not." She couldn't imagine that pearls were easy to come by.
"You need to be more optimistic." TyLee declared.
"And you need to get away from that reef." Azula snapped back. Finally she braved it out and moved closer.
Undeterred, TyLee carelessly surrounded her arm up to the elbow with jagged blade-sharp coral as she attempted to snatch the clam. Again, Azula was cringing and this time the cringe reached her face. The girl was going to shred her arm at this rate. "Here, let me get it." She offered before she realized just what she was proposing.
Having struggled with it for a good three or so minutes TyLee surrendered and huffed a quick, "okay."
Azula bit the inside of her cheek. Just lovely, now she was going to have to risk her own arm. She was already scarred from her thigh to her ribcage, she might as well get a matching set for her arm. Reluctantly, she reached for that stupid clam, thinking that it was anything but worth the struggle. She could already see a fine trickle of blood running down her arm and attracting sharks. She had the clam in her hand and detached from the reef. She might have gotten away unscathed had it not been for the crab. The critter itself hadn't done her much damage. It's pinch however caused an reflexive jerk that sent her arm into the nearest coral. She hissed, almost dropping the clam altogether, but she clung to it; she hadn't just gashed her elbow for nothing. It was a struggle to keep her composure as she was very nearly catapulted back to the day she'd almost died on the reef. TyLee's expression was the picture of terror, terror and guilt. Azula took a few shaky steps towards her and pressed the clam into her hand. She couldn't tell how deep the slash dug, but the blood flow was much too steady.
"Oh, this is all my fault." TyLee mumbled. "I should have just left the clam alone." To that Azula couldn't argue. She made her way back onto the patio. "Can I see your hand. Oh gosh, you're shaking." The girl looked like she was going to cry.
"I am not." Azula insisted and held out her arm.
With diligent hands, TyLee tied her hair scrunchies above and below the cut. With even more care she dabbed at it with a clean towel. "I don't think it's as deep as it looks." There was an abundant sparkle of relief in her eyes.
Azula released a still semi-shaky breath. "No, it isn't." She removed the scrunchies and watched TyLee retreat into the bungalow to fetch a some gauze. With the initial shock out of the equation, her breathing began to level. It was just a scratch, a large one, but still just a scratch.
"I'm so sorry." TyLee babbled. "I should have just stayed away from the reef like you said…"
Azula sighed, any animosity the situation had put between the pair was fading fast. She wasn't about to let the reef ruin another perfectly good vacation. "Forget it. Let's just finish dressing the cut and find something to do. I think I saw a tiki bar worth checking out."
"I could go for a pina colada." TyLee agreed. After fully wrapping Azula's elbow she patted her hand affectionately. "There, all set."
Sharp pangs were still shooting up and down her arm but she would ignore them. A drink or two would probably take the edge off anyways.
.oOo.
It was sundown by the time they reached the line of bungalows again. As they walked the deck connecting all of the bungalows, Azula listened to TyLee prattle on and on about pointless things. "That Chan guy was kind of cute." She commented.
Azula rolled her eyes, "I suppose if you're into tan, muscular, and dull in the head."
TyLee cocked her head, she very nearly came to a hault, trying to figure out Azula's type was like prying that clam for its spot. "Then what are you into."
Azula shrugged.
Whether she realized it or not, wide-eyed and happy-go-lucky might be two such traits.
Island sunsets were infinitely better than any other, Azula decided to herself as she sat cross-legged on the bungalow deck. TyLee was undoing her braid and squeezing the water out. In the background shades of pink, orange, and purple were rippling in the water–a liquid mirror of the display in the sky. With chirpy and excited remarks from TyLee, Azula came to spy families of turtles coming and going. "I'd love to be a turtle." TyLee piped up.
"You would." Azula replied. She removed her sandals and set them aside before dipping her feet into the water. Every now and then a turtle shell would brush against her toes. Though she had to admit it might be a serene life to just follow the crowd and ride the current.
The sky was displaying shades of navy now, the last figments of daylight were falling away. In the distance Azula could hear the sound of traditional drums and a few cheers and claps. But she had no interest in the more touristy of the attractions. She liked the peaceful quiet. The sound of waves lapping against the posts holding the bungalow up.
A cloud of stingray drifted by, all too quickly, disappearing under the deck. Now there's a creature she'd like to be, if she had to be any animal anyhow. They were graceful things, fluid, but with a dangerous edge to them. It was almost ethereal to see them pass by under a surface that reflected so many glimmering stars.
Azula yawned, such silent calmness always seemed to lull her into a more sleepy mood.
"Are you already ready for bed?" TyLee asked. "You promised me that we'd be going to one of those candle light dinners."
She did say as much. It would be a few hours later, but she still fancied sitting under a beach canopy with white curtains and the petals of tropical flora scattered about the sand. "Yes, and we will. Just let me lay down for a few minutes."
.oOo.
TyLee dropped an armful of seashells onto the deck. Azula couldn't fathom why the girl needed so many. After a whole day of searching them out, they all started to look the same to her. And TyLee had been picking them up for five or so days. One thing she wouldn't miss when going home was the unlimited supply of sea shells.
"I'm really happy you decided to come with me this week." TyLee said as she dangled her legs off of the deck.
Frankly Azula felt like there would have been countless more productive ways to spend an entire week. Even so she found herself nodding and replying, "I am too." Save for her second mishap with the reefs, the holiday had treated her well. "We never opened that clam." She noted. Somehow it felt right to be opening it as their last day on the island came to a close. She pushed it towards TyLee.
"You want me to open it?"
Azula rolled her eyes, "it's a clam, Ty, nothing to special."
"Sure it is." TyLee disagreed as she pulled the clam open. Azula didn't think that the girl could grin any wider. Yet her smile widened as she withdrew the teeniest pearl Azula had ever seen. "I told you there'd be one!"
"I suppose you did."
"Here." She set the pearl in Azula's hand. "You got cut on the coral so I think you earned it."
If she were being honest, it was that TyLee was the one giving it to her that had more value than the pearl itself. "Thanks, Ty."
She was supposed to be a summer fling but Azula had a feeling that putting TyLee out of her head wasn't going to be that easy. In fact, she felt that she was lucky to have found TyLee. As lucky as finding a pearl in a clam.