A/N: Inspired by an "imagine your OTP" on Tumblr.
MAKING THE MOST OF THE DARK
(one: drinking)
The air was smoky, but not from the impending comet that would scorch the world into nothingness.
All the movies were about people surviving the apocalypse. People would fight the zombies or rebuild after every country was nuked to bits. Guys saved the day when asteroids hurtled at the Earth. No one would survive this apocalypse, and no one could save them.
There was only one thing people could do.
They could either spend time with their loved ones or party like there was no tomorrow.
It was the last evening there ever would be for the human race and Azula walked into that smoky room that smelled of liquor, perfume and sweat. The huge mansion was packed from the kitchens to the lagoon style pool.
Azula never did shots or drank heavily—she liked being in control too much—but she poured a shot into a disposable cup and downed it without much of a struggle. She thought it would be harder. Maybe the end of the world just made her care less about the burning.
After she did another, she looked up and saw someone else in the kitchen. The rest of the party disappeared and all Azula could see was the woman in front of her, giggling with her arm set on the muscular arm of some pretty boy. Ty Lee. Azula's ex-girlfriend that she never quite got over. Ty Lee was the only woman she felt more than lust towards, even if she considered it more of an infatuation than love.
(Azula did not love; everyone knew that.)
Ty Lee looked up from the guy she was flirting with and her eyes met Azula's.
She patted him on the shoulder and walked away to pour herself another drink.
Ty Lee sipped from it and tried not to stare at Azula, who was having another too.
(two: talking)
Azula sat on the couch and watched the people try to forget their troubles. It was almost painful to watch, but she was rather numb. Someone was suddenly beside her and she turned to face her ex-girlfriend.
"I know we promised not to ever talk to each other again, but it's the end of the world," Ty Lee said, looking into Azula's eyes. They were so beautiful and golden. Ty Lee wanted them to be the last thing she ever saw. "I'm sorry I betrayed you."
Months ago, Azula was breaking apart and Mai got into a fight with her over Zuko in the middle of prom. Azula almost killed Mai when a catfight in gossamer dresses got physical. Ty Lee pulled them apart and, instead of backing Azula, her girlfriend, as she should have, Ty Lee said that Azula was being irrational, that she would never let Azula hurt Mai or Zuko.
Ty Lee said she loved them too.
Ty Lee said she was sorry but Azula simmered with rage when it happened.
Ty Lee asked Azula to dance that night and when Azula said no and left the dance, Ty Lee knew it was too late to repair what she had done.
Azula then knew her friends were not friends, like she thought they were. Everyone did say that they were just loyal underlings who were too afraid to stand up to her and her mistreatment of them. Azula never believed those people, and, after all, fear was not necessarily a bad thing when keeping your friends and girlfriend in line.
Azula was alone. Her father was detached. Her mother ran off years ago to live with her new boyfriend. Ty Lee never even texted Azula after that.
She was supposed to come crawling back, groveling and apologizing and begging for Azula's attention again, but she did not.
"You did more than betray me," Azula began, but she regretted her words. She would not say that Ty Lee broke her heart when she chose Mai and Zuko over Azula. She left Azula alone, abandoned her when she was falling apart at the seams.
Azula told her she never wanted to look at her again.
Yet, here they were, unable to pry their eyes away from each others' faces.
"I'm sorry. I just didn't want to lose either of them and I didn't think you loved me. If I thought you loved me, I would've chosen you," Ty Lee whispered. "I was being petty, I guess. Or maybe I just was worried that people were right when they said you were just using us. Using me."
"You cannot believe everything you hear," Azula said.
"I can't believe everything I hear from you either," Ty Lee said, bowing her head.
Azula appreciated that expression of shame. "Look, the world is ending in a few hours," Azula said. "It was foolish and devastating that you betrayed me and manipulated my tenuous trust in you, but it would be lovely to spend my last night with a hot girl fawning over me."
"I'm that hot girl," Ty Lee said, beaming. "But I bet everybody fawns over you."
"Oh, they do," Azula replied, smirking. "But I like your attention more than theirs. Looking at you is good for morale at such a dark time."
"Do you forgive me?" Ty Lee whispered.
"No," Azula replied without hesitation or thought. "I don't forgive you, but do you remember when we would watch The Notebook every Valentine's Day and one time you said you wanted to grow old and die in my arms? Well, we might as well spend our last day alive together, even if it is not exactly the same."
"I didn't know you remembered that."
"I am attentive," Azula said. "Most of the time, at least. Often you talk a lot but don't say anything."
Ty Lee did not understand, but she was too focused on Azula remembering that moment.
She never seemed to care about their love.
(three: kissing)
It took three more drinks before Ty Lee said, "Please kiss me, my Princess Charming."
Azula laughed. She wanted to tease Ty Lee and prolong the begging for her back, but they did not have much time.
And so, Azula leaned in and kissed her passionately on the lips.
Ty Lee asked, "What's your worst fear? Mine's alligators."
Azula shook her head. "I fear nothing."
"You have a worst fear. Everybody does," Ty Lee said.
"Maybe I don't; maybe you'll find out one day."
"But there's only one day left."
"Then maybe you'll find out today."
Azula kissed her again.
Their tongues warred in plain sight of everyone.
(four: screwing)
Azula and Ty Lee found the only empty room. It was an old office forgotten on the third floor of the mansion. Most people were screaming excitedly by the pool or drunkenly slurring propositions at each other on the downstairs floor. The seven bedrooms were taken and Azula and Ty Lee had no desire to interrupt.
They locked the door behind them and sat down on the floor, beneath the towering bookshelves built into the walls. There were records among the law volumes and priceless copies of famous literature. A player was over in the corner, but Azula did not have too much time to look at it.
Azula saw Ty Lee and felt her breath. She reached out and grabbed the back of Ty Lee's head, her fingers tangling in her hair as she pulled her forward for another fierce kiss. As their tongues slid against each other Azula's hand crept up her waist to palm her breasts over her shirt, running a thumb over her rapidly hardening nipple.
"Why aren't you wearing a bra?" Azula whispered.
"It's the end of the world. I want to be comfortable," Ty Lee replied with a twinkle in her eye.
Ty Lee still smiled as Azula continued kissing her. Azula felt a tug at her waist as Ty Lee undid her skirt, the button popping out and flying onto the floor. Azula wondered if she was purposely trying to destroy the expensive designer clothing, but money did not matter when there was less than an hour left until the end of the world.
The window already revealed an unusually colored sky.
Ty Lee tore the skirt off of her. Her eyes widened slightly and she smiled as she much more gently helped Azula out of her underwear. Ty Lee removed her own clothes and Azula peeled off her own shirt. Ty Lee unsnapped her bra without much trouble.
Ty Lee resumed their kiss as she slipped her thigh between Azula's legs, her smooth skin rubbing against Azula's bare center. All thoughts of a tomorrow surfaced but Azula pushed them away. It did not matter anymore.
Azula lost track of the end of the world as Ty Lee pushed her thig into her with a steady rhythm. Softly, Azula's hand massaged Ty Lee's breast. She bit down on one of her nipples but she released quickly when the thrusting into her already brought her into an orgasm.
They kept going until they both were at four and the time was almost up.
(five: dancing)
Azula and Ty Lee put on their intact clothes, even though they had nowhere to go. Both of them stayed in this isolated office.
They had fourteen minutes until the end of the world. The sky already was turning brilliant shades of orange. Fires probably were always lighting but no one at the party cared. Azula and Ty Lee certainly did not care.
Azula found the records and ran the palm of her hand over one to remove the dust that had settled. She set it on the record player and started it.
Madonna. "Crazy for You".
It was their song. Even Azula admitted that and she always refused to accept anything normal. She never wanted a song or a meet-cute or a glamorous wedding, but she did want Ty Lee.
"You promised to tell me your worst fear," Ty Lee said.
Azula glanced out of the window. Yes, Sozin's Comet was beginning to set the world on fire and she had no reason to hold back now.
"Love," Azula replied. Ty Lee certainly believed her.
Warmly smiling, Ty Lee held out her hand. "Will you dance with me?"
Azula remembered prom and then saw the ominous orange light on the walls. It was such a little, petty thing that she let ruin a relationship. How could they be so caught in something so small?
"Just this once," Azula said, walking over and slowly becoming closer and closer to Ty Lee as they rotated and swayed and occasionally spun.
They were close together as they danced and Azula was finally romantic. All it took was the literal end of the world.
How was she finally romantic?
She leaned in, her lips nearly touching Ty Lee's ear, and she softly—very softly—sung the lyrics there. They remained entranced with each other after the music faded away and the whispered words became kisses.
They were still dancing, and dancing, and dancing as the world burned around them and their last day alive came to a close.