CLARITY

Maybe she has to say it. Maybe she has no other choice.

Maybe she has to admit to herself and to Ty Lee that she is in love, because it has never been clearer to her than it is in this moment.

Azula stands watching Ty Lee, in common clothes rather than her ridiculous new uniform. She has tried to avoid her, but she watches her.

Now she stands in the doorway, Ty Lee unaware of her as she goes through her lengthy morning stretching routine.

Once upon a time Azula secretly, internally named her best friend as queen one day.

No one saw clearly the crystal crown but Azula, and she kept it to herself.

And now she sees something else.

A feeling she has hidden for so long that it no longer eats her alive, just lingers in the pit of her stomach when Ty Lee is around.

Azula considers grabbing her and kissing her and telling her.

She does not.

She walks away.