TEMPEST
Azula's anger is a tempest, a hurricane, a wildfire, erupting all at once to destroy everything in her presence. And today it is triggered by Ty Lee's reveal of a secret.
What Ty Lee tells her sets her off more violently than few things have in a long, long while.
"How… how can you do this? Why would you tell me this? Do you even want me to trust you!" The glass Azula holds shatters in her hand and she throws the broken glass and remaining alcohol loosely at the wall. Ty Lee flinches, but manages desperately to stand her ground.
"We need to be honest with each other if this marriage is going to work out. We need to trust each other," says Ty Lee, her head slightly bowed as if ignoring eye contact can protect her from the wrath of a thousand suns.
"You have done an excellent job by easily shattering my trust in you tonight! Don't you dare ever tell me again that you are still afraid of me! You don't need to be!" screams Azula, standing up and kicking her chair at the table aside.
Ty Lee remains seated, forgetting to breathe for a moment. This is exactly what she meant when she confessed she was still scared of her wife, but it is not the time to speak that aloud. Maybe it would never again be the time to speak that allowed.
Azula storms out of the room, burning tapestries in her wake.
Ty Lee steels herself and runs after her. She grabs Azula by the arms to hold her in place and Azula instinctively throws her against the wall. Ty Lee gasps as she hits it and cringes as Azula runs to her. But Azula takes her gently by the arms and sinks to her knees.
She rests her head against Ty Lee's lower stomach and holds back tears. Ty Lee helps her to her feet and Azula cups Ty Lee's face in her hands.
"Are you hurt?" whispers Azula, brushing Ty Lee's hair from her face.
"No." Ty Lee averts her eyes.
"I think I understand. I just… I don't want you to be afraid of me. I thought you were the only person in my life who wasn't." Azula rubs her lips together to stop tears from flowing.
"Maybe I can be. Maybe it just takes time."
Ty Lee kisses her, pretending that can amend tonight.
Azula pretends too.
They pretend it did not happen, and resume dinner in the destroyed dining room.
