This oneshot is written for the #TyzulaTuesday prompt "murder".
Today, Tomorrow and Forever
Their romance started when Ty Lee snuck away from her hotel and went to go rescue Azula from her disgusting obedience. Life wasn't worth it if you just followed the rules and didn't ever break something as silly as house arrest.
But Azula was disinterested to the fullest extent. "I don't have the energy to do juvenile things like that. I do have at least one thing to lose. Clearly, you see my life as so terrible that I can do reckless things like run off with you – who I don't even like a present – but I really do like my bending and living in a prison that offers manicures."
"I'm you out so we can go get a drink."
"Mhm. No. I give you points for perseverance."
"You don't want to leave? The outside world has changed so much in the past year; you won't believe it. But I heard that Mingmei's is still exactly the same as when we were young and I broke you out of here. Your father never caught us."
"Well, if my father didn't, Zuko probably couldn't either. Your powers of persuasion are slightly above average. I'm very impressed."
"Let's go." Ty Lee unlatched the window again.
Azula cleared her throat. "If anyone finds out, I will murder you."
"I know, I know," Ty Lee said.
They had those drinks at Mingmei's. Ty Lee wasn't lying; the bar hadn't changed a bit. The same glass was stuck to a table, for Agni's sake.
Princess Azula secretly loved it.
.
Azula and Ty Lee stood on the Fire Nation docks. The princess knew she had to do what she was planning to do but it was even more daunting than conquering Ba Sing Se.
Princess Azula took Ty Lee by the wrist and held her. Ty Lee was not getting on the metal ship that was waiting for her. "If you don't stay I'll be forced to kill you."
"That's so creepy but kind of romantic." Ty Lee smiled.
"I get that a lot."
"From who? What other girls are you being creepy but kind of romantic with?" Ty Lee shrilly demanded. She couldn't do it with a straight face, and so she was laughing like a crazy.
"Well, a thousand of them if you get on that boat," Azula said.
Ty Lee looked at her and rubbed her lips together. "How long?"
"I was thinking today, probably tomorrow and possibly forever."
"You're asking me to move in." Ty Lee hugged her with such velocity that they almost fell in the ocean.
"I suppose you could call it that," Azula was forced to admit.
.
Zuko was polite to Ty Lee when she said she was staying for an indefinite amount of time. He was, however, confused as to why. Azula would have to say it eventually, so she cornered him.
"Ty Lee and I have been seeing each other. She is moving in. You will be okay with that," Azula said in her kindest tone (which wasn't very kind).
"I'm very okay with that, but I had no idea about you two. Is that…? Did you two even date?" Zuko asked, his eyes wide and his face ruddy.
Azula rolled her eyes like a teenager. "That is the definition of seeing each other, but you wouldn't know. The loneliest Fire Lord in history…"
"I have a girlfriend," Zuko sternly protested and Azula rolled her eyes yet again. He did not think she was going to be capable of a serious relationship.
"I've never met her," Azula said.
Zuko cocked his eyebrow. "Yeah, you're not the first person I introduce to girls I want to sleep with."
.
It took two weeks before they threw together an insane last minute wedding. Ty Lee would have liked a big, royal affair, but she knew Azula might change her mind, so she sealed the deal as fast as she could get the beautiful dresses and invitations in the mail.
Ty Lee leaned against the wall that Azula pinned herself to an hour ago.
"Mai and Zuko are kissing," Ty Lee whispered, an excited glint in her eyes.
"We should put them to death. They're ruining your wedding. How dare they steal the attention from you," Azula replied.
Princess Ty Lee sighed and crossed her arms. "Everybody's watching you anyway."
And, a jaded Azula answered, "Everyone is watching me because I am crazy."
Ty Lee inexplicably smiled. She leaned in closer to her wife.
"No. It's 'cause you look so good in that wedding dress. Way better than me. You always were hotter than me and if you had just dressed more appetizingly…"
Azula stepped away from Ty Lee. "Shut up before I murder you."
Ty Lee kissed her on the lips. "I'm just being nice. This is my day and I am the glowing bride everyone wants to see."
Azula smirked. Ty Lee was attractive when she lied.
.
They were on the beach. Traditional Fire Nation honeymoon. It did not excite Azula at all, but Ty Lee was like a kid in a candy store.
Begging for Azula to make a…
"We're so alone. You can make a sandcastle and no one will have to know." Ty Lee clasped her hands and adjusted her posture so the sun made her eyes glitter.
Azula was not swayed by such maneuvers.
"I'm not making a sandcastle. Aren't people supposed to… do adult things on their honeymoons?"
Ty Lee grinned. "You can destroy it."
"I'm not a vindictive child," Azula said, turning to go back inside.
"No. You have no inner child at all and it makes my heart hurt for you." Ty Lee seized her arm and squeezed it tightly.
Azula pushed away and rubbed her arm. That would bruise; she decided that she should make the sandcastle for her own safety.
"I will murder you if anyone ever finds out I made a sandcastle."
"Yeah, yeah. I know it, baby."
"Not hot. Not at all hot."
.
Ty Lee. "Do you ever see Izumi and just think—"
Azula. "That babies are easy to murder?"
Ty Lee. "Hmm. I'm going to reconsider what I was about to say.
.
Their anniversary started when Ty Lee snuck away from her responsibilities in order to rescue Azula from her own. Life wasn't worth it if you spent it all working.
She stood in front of her wife and tried over and over to convince her to drop the scrolls and sneak out.
But Azula was disinterested to the fullest extent. "I'm too old to sneak out. My bones hurt and I'm tired…"
"I'm taking you out so we can go get a drink in order of our tenth anniversary."
Azula's eyes flashed. "Our what?"
"Yeah. I knew you forgot about something that important. Zuko never caught us before!"
"Your powers of persuasion have improved lately. I liked it when you yelled at the tailor's shop yesterday. I'm very impressed."
"Let's go." Ty Lee unlatched the window. It took more brute force than it did when they were young.
Azula cleared her throat. "If anyone finds out, I will murder you."
"I know, I know," Ty Lee said.
They arrived at Mingmei's and went to the same table they always went to.
.
"Five years is so long. It's like ten years in my-time!" Ty Lee shouted over the live music.
"It is longer than I think anyone expected we would last," Azula said earnestly. Ty Lee couldn't disagree with her.
Her smile disappeared. "I'm sad."
"Why?"
Ty Lee blinked back her tears. "They changed the curtains. I love Mingmei's because it never changes. But they changed the curtains."
"Would you like me to murder them for you?" Azula sweetly offered.
Ty Lee grinned from ear to ear. "Yes, yes please."
Azula tapped her pointer finger on her lips three times. "Unfortunately, I think that breaks the terms of my casual imprisonment."
Ty Lee could only laugh.
"Aww. I think there might be a loophole about killing people for good reasons."
"Like changing their curtains?"
"That is a despicable act."
"You're right. I'm certain I could defend that in court."
"I just hope you know I'll have to divorce you if you don't get revenge for me. Violent revenge is so romantic." Ty Lee looked about to swoon. She was the right fit for Azula.
"Good. I don't have an anniversary gift, so I'll get you the head of whoever decided to change those curtains."
"You're so good at romance."
"I know." Azula waved her hand.
Ty Lee smiled because this moment could not have been more perfect.
The curtains changed, like everything always did. She couldn't say that Azula was a constant, or even that Azula improved herself, but Ty Lee didn't work on her flaws either. She couldn't say that she embraced change and thought it was a good symbol.
They were just ugly curtains.
Good thing she had a beautiful woman to look at instead.
A beautiful woman to look at today, probably tomorrow and possibly forever.