Tightrope
Warning: character death
Ty Lee gets paid in sweets, silver and admiration. Paper wrappers and peanut shells crackle under her feet/hands when she walks. She has to be careful stretching lest the frayed costume splits like the skin of a too ripe fruit. Fat, shiny cockroaches stare at her and Sokka in the morning while they kiss in her narrow bed, Ty Lee's ankle curled around the back of Sokka's neck, keeping him close.
She loves it in the circus.
Sokka's all delicious skin and lean, touchable muscle. He has two older brothers and a younger sister. He is one of Piandao's best students, even if he uses his skills mostly as a simple knife-thrower. He loves her.
He could've fallen in love with any other beautiful warrior girl who gave him the time of day, it's only by chance that it's her, but now that she has him she knows it's forever. He's loyal to a fault, a character trait that Ty Lee recognizes easily – she has it too.
She says yes to the mission, no hesitation, anything to keep Azula away from Sokka. It's only for a while anyway.
They find the Avatar quickly, then lose him just as fast. His waterbender companion is not so lucky. Water tribe like Sokka, pretty blue eyes open in death.
Ty Lee's sad that the girl had to die but she doesn't regret her part in it. She has something good with Sokka, something just for her.
She's going to keep it at any cost.