No ownership of ATLA. Enjoy!
"So…speaking of love interests. How's it going with your leader's boyfriend?"
Ty Lee nearly choked on her green tea. A smirk crossed Mai's face as the eighteen year old strained to swallow the liquid instead of spewing it on the table separating them.
"Mai! Stop, that was forever ago!" Gasped the acrobat.
Leaning back slightly in the booth, Mai crossed her arms. "Aww, don't tell me you've lost your infamous charms?" She teased.
Ty Lee refused to look her in the eye. Instead, she found herself gazing out the window at the night sky. "Romance has been an epic fail lately," she half-muttered, her fingers tightening around the cup.
The gesture was not lost to the knife wielder, however. She rarely saw her friend truly bothered by much other than their psychotic mutual, ex-friend at the height of her reign of lunacy.
"Hey," called Mai, reaching out to touch the acrobat's strong fingers with her arm. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you were serious about anyone. It's been a while since we've talked, ya' know?"
Ty Lee bit her bottom lip to stop its quivering. "Yeah," she spoke softly, staring now at the green liquid in her mug. "It has. But there's nothing to be sorry for. So much has changed".
"True," said Mai. "And if Azula does ever come back from whatever depth of Agni's Hell she's surely in, don't worry, we can take her down again".
"Right," muttered Ty Lee, not lifting her eyelids from the cup. "Hey, it's getting kind of late. I kind of need to leave".
Mai grinned deviously. "Hmm…must not be too bad of a love life. Where are, you hurrying off to at midnight?" She asked.
Ty Lee gave a soft smile. "Just home. I'm tired".
Mai shrugged. The two left a generous tip for the barista of the teashop and exited. The two exchanged a quick hug and Mai watched Ty Lee leave down an alleyway. Her eyebrow raised in sudden suspicion. Huh? Curiosity getting the better of her, she followed her best friend, staying at a safe distance.
Ty Lee walked towards a looming figure shrouded by the darkness. Mai's eyes stayed on the acrobat as she neared the figure. Ty Lee had to look up as whoever it was sat atop a tall wooden gate. Her breath catching, Mai listened for the figure's voice.
"You should leave". Mai was surprised by the hurt in Ty Lee's voice. The figure, however, remained silent. "For your safety and mine. We can't do this anymore. Someone will find out".
A small, pale hand reached down to the acrobat though Mai could not make out the face of the figure. She did see from a distance that it was a woman's hand reaching for her best friend. As if fighting with herself, Ty Lee reluctantly grasped the hand and allowed herself to be pulled up and over the wooden gate.
Mai quickly, but cautiously approached the gate, peering through a small opening. Ty Lee was atop the figure, straddling her and gasping as manicured hands caressed her exposed midsection.
"We can't…I can't, please," the acrobat begged as if entranced from the touch of hands around her side and lower back. "You will leave me, again".
Mai's eyes widened as she stifled her own gasp as Princess Azula's face met Ty Lee's midsection, her hands making short work of the acrobat's cropped top, tossing it to the side. The girl shivered when Azula's lips met the sensitive area of her body and kissed softly along her abdominals. The knife wielder's shock was definitely not directed at the acrobat as the girl was known to have a fondness for "beautiful women". Yet the fact that Ty Lee was wrapped around the girl that Mai had confirmed as a grade A lunatic was daunting.
"Azula, please," pleaded Ty Lee. "My heart can't…"
The words barely escaped before their lips met as moans filled the abandoned alleyway. Mai could not tear her eyes from her best friend and former friend's passion. A sick feeling threatened to rip her apart from watching, yet she could almost feel the radiant thrusts of passion from them on the opposite side of the gate.
The midnight's full moon revealed tears in both girls' closed eyes.
"You hurt me," moaned Ty Lee as she was laid on her back, Azula's lips kissing lower and lower. "You hurt me so…good. I need you. I-I'll never leave," her words increased in volume as Azula pleasured her. "Come home". GASP. "To me". MOAN.
Mai finally turned away to give the girls privacy. She blushed at Ty Lee's high pitched shrills, yelps and intermittent obscenities. This was obviously not the girls' first time indulging themselves, though, it had completely shocked Mai. She had never expected either girl to fall for anyone, let alone one another.
Obviously from Ty Lee's shrills; it was quite an experience. Mai shuffled away, thinking of how to approach Ty Lee about it later.
#
Ty Lee turned over to lay her arm across her princess. When she felt air in the space, she was not surprised. Half-asleep, she could not stop the tears from flowing down her cheeks.
I knew it was too good to be true. She thought. Her dream had been vivid. She had Azula and all of the power of the dragon only to awaken alone.
"Do you do this, Azula?" She asked herself. "Do you wake up reaching for me?"
"She had better".
Ty Lee nearly fell from her bed. "Agni M-Mai, what are you doing here?" She screeched. "I think I pissed myself!"
Mai chuckled. "Not on your wedding day, I hope".
Ty Lee's eyes widened. "M-My wedding…day?"
"Ok, wedding night, whatever. Come on, Lady Shang is waiting. You're supposed to be dressed and on the aisle by 11:30. You sleep like the dead".
Ty Lee was waiting for the pinch that never came. "Huh? Wedding?" Sudden realization hit her. "Oh, Mai! She's mine!"
Mai stiffened in time as Ty Lee rushed to her, wrapping her in a gut-wrenching hug.
"Just go, Circus Freak," she mumbled.
The acrobat zoomed from her bridal chambers. Startled servants grasped her, pushing her into the washroom. She closed her eyes as she was lathered with lavender and fed pomegranate seeds. Her hair was done in an elaborate updo at the same time her white gold dress was laced and formed around her curves. She felt purple high heels slip unto her freshly pedicured feet and puckered her lips for the makeup to be applied to her face.
"Beautiful," opening her eyes, she brought her hands to her face as her favorite platypus bear from the circus bowed before her. A white gold ribbon matching her wedding gown was tied around his neck.
She was lifted by her father unto the bear with both legs on one side of the animal.
"You're so beautiful, Sweetheart!" Her mother managed to say through her tears.
Ty Lee blinked to capture her own tears forming. She could not mess up her makeup. Nearing the entrance of the temple, she waved to happy wedding guests which included Team Avatar, the Kyoshi Warriors and her own huge family amongst others. Her sisters stuck out their tongues simultaneously, at which Ty Lee blew a kiss at them.
The night was lit beautifully under bright golden glows, everything was perfect. She was riding elegantly atop her platypus bear when suddenly her dress was struck and fire emitted from its seams. The acrobat began to panic at the azul heat emitting from the white gold gown. She gasped. This was not supposed to happen on her wedding day! The crowd's eyes were fearful as they looked past her towards the night sky.
"She's on fire!" Screamed someone in the crowd.
Ty Lee turned to meet Azula's gaze atop a formidable dragon as blue as the girl's signature fire. "Azula," she gasped.
The girl careened the dragon above the crowd, emitting its fire towards the heavens. Ty Lee felt sick. No. She thought. This has to be a dream.
Just as she thought her life was over, Azula settled the dragon next to her platypus bear. A smirk spread across the princess's face that made Ty Lee instantly think very inappropriate thoughts of skipping the reception and rushing their consummation scheduled for the morning.
"Your dress is fire proof, of course". Azula whispered.
Ty Lee smiled sheepishly at her own unnecessary panicking.
"Do you really think I'd hurt you?"
"No," Ty Lee half-lied. "Though if I did go, it would be in your flame forever, remember?"
Azula extended her hand. "Are you ready to be a princess?"
"I've waited a thousand years," said Ty Lee, taking her lover's soft hand as she hopped from her platypus bear.
The hem of her dress still burned though she could not feel anything, except the pounding of her heart beat as Azula led her into the chapel.
"Ahem, it is almost midnight," rushed the man of honor, Fire Lord Zuko once the couple reached the alter. "Though, I must admit, she's perfect for you, Azula".
Turning to face her betrothed, Azula nodded. "Yes, I couldn't have chosen a more perfect partner. I have been waiting all of my life for this".
Ty Lee wanted to melt as she watched Azula's eyes glow from gazing at her own. They had chosen to say their own vows. Ty Lee choked most of hers out, of course her eloquent princess stole the show with her own words.
"I, Princess Azula of the Fire Nation, am about to put into words how I feel for you, My Princess". She spoke as if it were just them sitting by the pond as children, conspiring an elaborate new scheme for Mai and Zuko. "In all of creation, all things great and small, you are the one that surpasses them all". Turning to the full, captivated audience, she spoke as a general addressing her soldiers. "My life was complete. I was whole and perfect, yet I, Princess Azula, lost control. I was searching for the missing pieces. It led me home to the heart of a child. Someone I never deserved. Someone who is more than amazing. The platypus bear who tamed the dragon's flame". Zuko coughed behind her, yet Azula continued, unfazed as she gazed at her soon to be wife. "Ty Lee of the Shang Family, I ask that you allow me the honor of spending the remainder of my life with you as my wife".
The room gasped as Azula bowed to Ty Lee. Even Ozai from the very back of the room, wrists chained to a nearby post was stirred at the gesture. She really does have a soft spot. He thought. Hmm, that Circus Freak must be one powerful witch.
Ty Lee could not stop the tears now. She wanted to break protocol and kiss her beautiful princess right there, dressed in an impeccably white-gold gown of Fire Nation royalty with a purple broach.
"I love you, Azula," she whispered.
The officiate hurried through his lines and the Fire Sages declared them as one. Ty Lee felt as though she was floating as Azula reeled her in like a fish on a hook. Their lips met as the crowd exploded in applause and cheers.
"You're finally mine," gasped Ty Lee between kisses.
"Yours to drown". KISS. "Just in the nick of time".
#
"Oh my, that-that was the creepiest, most beautiful thing ever," said Katara as Mai snorted the glass of wine she had just inhaled.
"Yeah, I can't believe the world's worst relationship beat me to the alter". She was watching the girls, well mainly Ty Lee, twirl on the dance floor.
Removing herself when Zuko's hand fell on her shoulder, Mai approached them when the first dance was over.
"Well, no more alleyway fucking at midnight, huh?"
Ty Lee tripped, Azula coughed, Mai smirked.
"Mai!" Squealed Ty Lee.
"If my wife had fallen, your miserable cunt was going to clean the make-up off the floor, that is if it even gets wet enough anymore".
Ty Lee snorted, Azula smirked, Mai scoffed.
"Fuck you, Azula".
"I am preoccupied, sorry. You should have caught me when I was single. Zu Zu on the otherhand-"
"Oh just shut the fuck up and come here. Both of you!"
Opening her arms wide, Mai grasped both girls in a hug as tears ruined all of their faces.
What an interesting life together they would have.
FIN
Author's note: And we have reached the end of Work of Art. I hope you all enjoyed all of the sappiness I managed to muster into this ending prompt. Thanks everyone for reading and reviewing. I feel satisfied to finish a story, though I did enjoy every second of writing this! Several lyrics to the sappiest songs I know are sprinkled here and there. If you catch it, cool. If not, cool.