Azula wakes, gasping for breath. It feels surreal at first, the room around her alien although it has been hers for her entire life. Not real. Not real. Not real. The nightmare she lived in that felt more vivid and palpable than her life is not real. Not real. Not real. Not real.
She claws at the bed and tries to fathom where she is. When hands rest on her she feels her father and panics, but then she realizes the hands are soft and female. Ty Lee is beside her, in her bed in the palace and Azula tries to remember how she got there.
Ty Lee drags Azula to her and holds her in her arms. Azula still gasps, still tries to control herself. The nightmare feels real and it squeezes tears from her eyes that she tries to hide. But they fall on Ty Lee's bare shoulder and leave her skin damp. Ty Lee holds Azula more tightly as Azula gasps for breath and still tries to figure out where she is.
So many nights like these, and Ty Lee never tires of them. She will hold Azula and she will never let her go if she has to. She clings to her, desperately, hopefully, knowing that someday it will be okay. Someday it will be okay.
"It's not real," Ty Lee murmurs in her ear and Azula believes her. Everyone around Azula is as much a liar as her, but she tries to trust Ty Lee. Trust is for the weak and Azula knows it, but as she breathes in Ty Lee's calming scent in the night, she feels like she can trust her. "It's not real."
Azula pulls away slowly, lying down and catching her breath. Ty Lee strokes her neck and brushes her hair from her face.
"I don't know why you put up with this," Azula murmurs and Ty Lee shrugs with a small smile.
"It's not a problem. I... I'm glad to," Ty Lee says and Azula does not know what to make of it. Her eyes still glitter with fear and pain and Ty Lee wants to steal it away. If she could take Azula's pain and feel it for her, she would be content.
"Please don't leave," Azula chokes and Ty Lee is stunned. Azula tends to shrug it off when Ty Lee consoles her, to pretend it does not happen, or that she does not need someone to take her away from the nightmares she inhabits when she closes her eyes.
"I am never leaving you again. Never," Ty Lee murmurs and Azula sits up slowly. Her heart still pounding in her chest, she kisses Ty Lee. It is warm and consoling, and Ty Lee feels better even though Azula is hurting.
"Don't ever leave," Azula says, more like herself, a strict and regal order.
"I wouldn't dream of it." Ty Lee takes her in her arms again and lies with her on the bed. Azula sinks into the mattress as Ty Lee holds onto her.
Azula presses her lips to Ty Lee's lips again. Her lips are sweet like cherry wine and Ty Lee closes her eyes in utter bliss. Azula feels numb when she kisses Ty Lee, but numb is better than the excruciating pain that stalks her at night.
There are no handcuffs. There is no lingerie forced into her hands by her father. There are only lips as sweet as cherry wine.
And they are united in the night as Ty Lee tries to lull Azula to sleep.