+Rings of Fire+

Princess Azula cracks her knuckles one by one, her fresh manicure glittering in the overly lit meeting room. She, Ty Lee and Planner Number Whatever are discussing the extreme importance of the First Ring of Fire, which is of course the most lavish party.

There are technically three weddings on the same rushed day. The first is shared with as many people as possible, and celebrates the spark of love at first sight. The second is usually focused on dancing and dated sexual symbols that have lost most meaning. Vows are said and speeches are given. The third is the real bonding, and is only amongst friends and family. It's a small but legal ceremony, with the most absurd traditions.

The first takes place at dawn, the second takes place at midday, and the final one takes place at dusk. Then the newlyweds…spend the night together.

"I suggest," the wedding planner says as soon as it is appropriate to speak, "that you make the First Ring of Fire into a charity affair here at the Four Nations Embassy. I want to make your bond glow."

"A charity for what?" Azula scoffs.

"Whatever pleases you both. It should be personal to you." The wedding planner clasps her hands and smiles.

"I'm not one for charity, and Ty Lee is the shallowest, most materialistic person I have ever met," Azula says coldly. "Give us the royal party she wants."

Ty Lee glares and becomes strangely silent. Usually she talks through every single wedding meeting that they have, unable to shut up or stop giving orders that put Ozai to shame.

The journal of smooth mongoose-dragon leather and flawless parchment is growing thicker and thicker, but Azula honestly does not care so long as this somehow manages to work out.

Quickly, the wedding planner says, "We have a huge charity ball and we have all of the requests you desire, hold it somewhere fun and have a party everyone remembers. I might suggest that, since you're aiming for memorable, classy but nontraditional we do something a little... sexier and more dangerous, while of course retaining the dignity of your royal status."

Azula very slowly looks up at Ty Lee. It is obvious that she is not used to waiting for someone else to make decisions, because her fingers twitch, and she tears off yet another chunk of her lip stopping herself from declaring the answer. But ever since Ty Lee started making her wedding demands, Azula has decided that playing nice has been working neatly in her favor.

"I like it," Ty Lee says with a smile. "We'll be exhausted anyway, Azula."

"We'll be the most awake at this one," Azula complains and Ty Lee glares at her.

"Stop bitching and let me be a princess," Ty Lee snarls and Azula has officially had it.

"I suggest you shut your mouth and never dare speak to me in that way again. I can still leave you now," Azula says so carelessly that Ty Lee's jaw drops.

Ty Lee stands up, snatches her planner and leaves without another word.

Azula leans back in her chair.

Katara is sitting down on top of her suitcase that she packed until it bulged before leaving her home. She cannot believe she is attending Azula's wedding, but she could not help herself. And she, at the time, thought that if Suki's rumors were true, Zuko would need help. They are true. Ty Lee is scary and Katara is absolutely not throwing her a bachelorette party.

"Not for Ty Lee. For Azula. It's traditional for the brother to bring his brother to a party between the Second Ring of Fire and the Third. Azula is way more tolerable than you would think – oh Agni, did I just say that out loud?" Zuko's neck muscles tense.

"Why can't you just go with Miri?" Katara inquires, cocking an eyebrow.

"Meng, actually was the ─ no, this is about the fact that I'm thinking it will be a way more comfortable preparation drinks-dinner even if I have a friend there," Zuko says, swallowing. He sighs. "You might have noticed that this is a nightmare of a dream wedding."

Katara shrugs and sits down. He does have a point. "Ty Lee is the absolute worst bride I have ever met. I mean, Azula is selfish and cruel, but that's..."

"I also am made extremely uncomfortable by her mania, and by the fact that it seems to make everybody around her lose it too. But don't all girls want their weddings to be important?" Zuko suggests, turning up his palms.

And Katara grimaces. "No. Not at all. But, I will ignore your sexism and say honestly that Ty Lee is definitely that type. I'm pretty amazed Azula is putting up with it. You don't think maybe Ty Lee is drugging her? Not that I'm complaining, but..."

Zuko clears her throat.

"Please, can you come or not? It's only a couple of hours between ceremonies. You'll need a break. I'll need a break. No…not like that. Not that kind of break. Not that kind ever again." Zuko asks and Katara groans and slumps.

Katara pretends, like always, that that night did not exist and moves on with the conversation.

"I will," Katara says. "Drugging Azula or not, I think that Ty Lee's tyranny completely rivals her fiancée's and I'm pretty interested in what happens next."

"I'm not," Zuko mutters, but he'll take Katara.

At least he will have the classiest date in the bar.

While doing very not-classy things in the name of tradition and brotherly honor.

Ty Lee is too excited to sleep; her wedding is in two days. She cannot believe it. Just two more restless nights before one more restless night with Azula.

Azula is awake too, but ignoring Ty Lee. But then, she throws herself at her fiancée.

Ty Lee pushes her away. "I'm still mad at you. You said an awful thing to me and I can't have you talk to me like that."

"I talk how I please. You may have noticed that I am a princess as well," Azula says and Ty Lee hates that she has a slight point. A slight one.

"Don't hurt me. Don't ever hurt me, you understand?" Ty Lee whispers.

Azula kisses her and steps back. She respects Ty Lee's loathing and insecurity about her princess and is tired anyway.

But Ty Lee grabs Azula by the wrist and welcomes the collision of their lips. It makes her tingle, burn and develop a fever of arousal she cannot shake. She eagerly welcomes her lips, her tongue, her heated skin and the control she takes that makes Ty Lee feel beyond desired.

And soon this will be hers, theirs, forever and ever because weddings.

Azula is still standing as she slips onto Ty Lee, straddling her. They are intertwined together for breathless, forceful moments, their tongues warring and lips pressing against each other over and over and over, hips grinding against each other to a certain rhythm that is both familiar and alien. Azula steps back for a moment to remove her nightdress and shove her empty suitcase off of the burgundy bed. Ty Lee's eyes glitter with a hunger as she reaches for her own light pink nightgow, but Azula seizes it and removes it violently. Ty Lee gasps and moans but is silenced by Azula on top of her again.

Not at all the Azula who is trying to keep calm and acquiesce to her tyrannous bride. No, this Azula is the tyrant that Ty Lee loves.

Azula sucks on Ty Lee's lower lip without bothering with cute kisses. The palm of her hand forces the arc of the acrobat's back as they tear at each other, clinging as if they would drown if they did not. Maybe they would.

Like when they fell into a lake during their proposal.

Ty Lee moans but it fades into Azula's forceful kiss, teeth and lips grazing against each other. This is possibly the messiest sex either of them have ever had but they both love it. Love it with frantic, palpitating hearts.

Their bare breasts press together as their bodies become so close they might as well be united as one person, like the wedding vows always go on and on about. Ty Lee has the sudden compulsion to gently push Azula onto her back. Azula might have surrendered in the past, but now she refuses and pushes Ty Lee down.

She can only handle so much. Her teeth bite into Ty Lee's skin and Ty Lee enjoys the pain.

Azula thinks having control over Ty Lee's beautiful body is much more fun than control over a color coded wedding planner.

"I still hate you. I just like having sex with you," Ty Lee whispers before they break apart.

"I know." Azula smirks into her pillow.

Ty Lee will forgive too easily.

She always does.