The Homeland

48. Glimpses

Ty Lee has made a decision, after her kiss with Azula.

She really, really, really wants Azula to look at her boobs. It is an insanely petty decision, especially when they are currently busy trying to figure out a way into Ba Sing Se. They have at last arrived in the Fire Nation, and Azula is kind of looking through everyone, and not at them.

So, it's a totally ridiculous desire. But Ty Lee is going to get it to happen, no matter what the cost. Probably.

Azula did keep exchanging those glances. Those little looks that Ty Lee thinks might be romantic. They must be romantic, actually. Because Azula looks at everyone with either disdain or intrigue, and she looks at Ty Lee in this inexplicable way during those shared moments.

But the only easy conclusion to if Azula is attracted to Ty Lee or not, is to get her to... leer and not quickly glimpse.

Ty Lee is excellent at that. She always goes into shops and feels super flattered when she gets stared at by the boys who work there. It should be able to work on Azula, right?

She doesn't see why not.

The acrobat sets out to accomplish her task as soon as she possibly can. She must admit that the thrill and excitement of it is nearly overwhelming.

Ty Lee begins her excited attempt with the proper attire.

And for the next several days, does everything she can to attract Azula's gaze without going overboard.

It does not work. And does not work.

Then Ty Lee sees it. Oh, the inevitable. Alright, granted, Ty Lee is currently quite naked after asking Azula if she could borrow her nightdress.

But Azula is totally staring.

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49. Decay

"This place is not in as good of shape as we left it," Ty Lee admits, not able to be very optimistic after nearly cutting herself on the rusty handle of the door.

It is their hiding place; the old bunker at the edge of the palace grounds. Azula took her down here again because Ty Lee begged. And it did seem like a little quiet, away from all else that could disturb them.

"Did you never go back down here?" Ty Lee asks, tilting her head to the side.

"No," Azula admits as she manages to locate their old secret place.

They are a little too tall to get in properly, but they are both small enough to fit inside. Azula ignores the skeletons of elephant rats, and the crumbling leaves stuck in stagnant puddles. She manages to find a dry enough place to sit down.

"Why not?" Ty Lee asks quite sweetly and Azula shrugs in response.

"It didn't come across my mind," Azula lies. Ty Lee thinks that she knows Azula is lying, but she does not say anything about it.

Ty Lee feels a tad uneasy as she sits in the dilapidated room. Azula makes her a bit uncomfortable, of course. But the thing about Mai and Ty Lee is that they are the perfect team and friends. While everyone else, even Fire Lord Ozai, is horrified, Ty Lee is certain that she and Mai know Azula on another level.

Or maybe it is just Ty Lee and the fact that since she was a little girl who played the Floor is Lava, she has been certain that Azula just needs to be loved.

"You probably need some alone time," Ty Lee says honestly. "We could play a game."

Azula is very quiet. "I would rather not. Talk to me about all those ridiculous and trivial things you seem to care about."

Ty Lee smiles and complies.

And Azula is relaxed by the mindless gossip and gasps as Ty Lee remembers other things, and distracted tangents. She sounds like a hummingbird-bee, and, oddly enough, Azula is able to shut off the spiraling thoughts of inadequacy as she listens.

.

50. Who Are You?

Princess Azula lingers at the Boiling Rock more than she needs to. The idea of that makes Ty Lee concerned, or maybe jealous. Not that Ty Lee wants to be tortured by Azula, but it seemed like things were going to be super awesome and fun between them now that they had a little break before the Kyoshi Warrior infiltration.

Ty Lee does manage to catch Azula alone, and the two of them have a sleepover. They try to talk like they used to do, but Ty Lee wants Azula to talk with her like lovers do, and so it winds up going terribly. Azula wonders why Ty Lee is now so insistent on sleeping on the floor, because she does truly want to lie very close to her old friend.

Nothing is the same, and Ty Lee thinks the thing that is most odd is Princess Azula.

Azula is now some kind of warlord, or machine, and she treats Ty Lee just like it. Not that their childhood friendship wasn't ever filled with Ty Lee's tears and Azula's indifference, but now Azula gives Ty Lee chills.

All the same, as Ty Lee lies on the floor, she really does want Azula in her life.

The first time Ty Lee is woken in the night, Azula is talking in her sleep.

In fact, the princess sits straight up and gasps out, "I didn't, I didn't mean to, I thought I was... I didn't lose. Did I lose?"

"Azula?" Ty Lee asks very softly, but the princess has already fallen back, and is, again, fast asleep.

Ty Lee does not know what that is, or why Azula sleeps so fitfully, or why Azula is constantly distant and so biting when Ty Lee tries to spend time with her. Azula always seems like she has someplace she would rather be.

Maybe, Ty Lee worries, the Azula she remembers is one she just invented in her head.

In the night, Ty Lee is woken by Azula's foot landing on her arm in the darkness. The princess sees that Ty Lee has woken, but she does not apologize as she walks out of her bedroom door, leaving it ajar. Ty Lee hesitates, wondering if she should follow.

Azula is in her bathroom, and Ty Lee knocks on the door despite the fact that it is open. The princess looks up and then looks away.

"I don't even know why you're here," Azula says coldly, tearing a red towel from the wall and drying her soaked skin.

Ty Lee cannot understand what is different. She doesn't get why they aren't how they used to be.

"Azula," Ty Lee whispers as she looks at the girl in front of her. "Azula, who are you?"