INDEPENDENCE

Ty Lee is her bodyguard. Well, the bodyguard for the people around her. Chi blocking abilities made Ty Lee desirable for the job of watching over Azula as she slowly takes steps towards some form of independence.

When she enters the princess's room in the morning to report, she at first feels a strike of terror when she finds it empty. But then she sees the door to the balcony open, and walks out to see Azula meditating in the sunlight.

Ty Lee starts to creep away, but Azula's golden eyes flash open.

"I'm sorry," says Ty Lee hastily. "I didn't mean to disturb you."

"Don't leave. I like having you here."

They fall into silence for a moment.

Ty Lee tries to break the tension by saying, "Remember when I used to sneak in from this balcony when we were kids?"

Azula ignores her, of course. She talks little of the past anymore.

"Bring me a drink," orders Azula.

Ty Lee mumbles, albeit afraid, "I'm actually your bodyguard not…"

Sharply, Azula interrupts, "I never ask for anything twice, Ty Lee."

Ty Lee swallows her pride that she worked so hard to build in her time apart from Azula and pours a drink from the princess's cabinet. She walks back out and sees Azula leaning over the balcony and gazing out at the city she so rarely is allowed to see.

She barely has the independence to leave her room. And she is not even permitted to do that without Ty Lee's company.

Azula takes the drink without saying thank you, but Ty Lee did not expect her to.

"Stand with me for a while," says Azula. She wordlessly offers Ty Lee a sip and Ty Lee takes one obediently.

"Being around you like this is hard," admits Ty Lee thoughtlessly.

"You don't like spending time with me?"

"No…" Ty Lee hesitates. "I like spending time with you too much. I'm starting… I'm starting to get my feelings tangled up in this job. I promised myself I would never love you again. I think I'm breaking that promise more and more every day."

"Don't."

Ty Lee touches Azula's hand. Azula pulls away.

"I think we need to talk about this."

"It is better left unsaid. If we ignore it long enough, it will cease to be a problem."

Ty Lee tentatively slips her fingertips up beyond the straps of Azula's backless dress and onto the skin of her shoulder blades.

Azula turns and gazes at her, eyes drifting to Ty Lee's lips. She lingers like that for a moment before Ty Lee takes a risk and initiates the kiss, leaning forward and crushing her lips against Azula's with a soft but fervent passion.

Azula pulls away. "Do that again, and I will kill you. I have the power here, not you."

Ty Lee looks down at her feet, and then back up at Azula.

"I'm not afraid of you killing me, even though I know you really would. I've been dying inside a little every day ever since you came back into my life."

"If we give into this, it will destroy us again. It always does."

"But maybe not this time. We're different. Things are different."

Azula bites her lower lip, struggling not to crumble. She wants this more than anything in the world, but she never expected Ty Lee to be bold and brave enough to speak so openly and defiantly like this.

"The independence you had on Kyoshi Island did not serve you well. I'm not attracted to someone who is so overbold."

"If I can have you back, I'd throw all that away. I'd do whatever you tell me to do. Ask me to jump, and I'll ask how high."

Azula walks inside. Ty Lee knows she should not, but she follows her.

Finally, Azula turns around.

"Get on the bed," she commands.

Ty Lee immediately obeys.

"Take off your clothes," she commands.

Ty Lee immediately obeys.

Azula walks forward, kisses Ty Lee on the lips, and then on the shoulder, and then on the breast.

She straddles Ty Lee and pins her to the bed, grinding against her.

And they both give in, whether it will destroy them or not.