+Princess's Gambit+

Azula wakes up in the morning to deep pink, orange and light blue skies, tinting the grey clouds with the hues of sunrise. She lies there in bed with her wife beside her, gazing at the window.

"I love the beginning of autumn," muses Ty Lee, and Azula urns over to face her wife. "It's almost as pretty as you."

"That pretty?"

"Well, you're the prettiest girl I've ever known."

"You say that every day and for the life of me, I have no idea what you want."

"I want to be honest."

"Oh, don't be coy."

"I'm not, princess. I promise. I just like being really straightforward. I like saying really reckless things to people I love and telling those people I love hem and telling people they're like absolutely magical humans and I can't believe they're real. I like asking people to kiss me and telling good people hey're good people and telling people if they brighten my day. 'Cause you never know when that person is gonna die. I never know when I'm gonna die. When you're a kid growing up in the middle of a war, there's nothing more risky than pretending not to care. You never know when you're gonna lose the things and people you love most."

"I never knew you could speak so poetically," remarks Azula, ignoring any and all sentiment of what Ty Lee said.

"I'm full of surprises," says Ty Lee with a smile.

"No, really," Azula dryly demands, sitting up and stretching.

"I practiced the speech," admits Ty Lee, staring up at Azula. "You tell me like every time I compliment you that I say it too much so I had to figure out a reply other than 'sorry,' y'know?"

"That severely detracts from the poignance of your speech."

"Does it?"

"Yes."

"Well, uh, do you want to go to that new Pai Sho bar in the Gozu District? I know you loeve strategy games and I love alcohol and it is your birthday."

"Mention that it is my birthday again and I will throw you into the pier."

"Uhm, it's a normal day and it might be fun to go to that bar."

"As long as you never convince me to drink that pink sake again, I suppose I can indulge your request," purrs Azula as she stands up.

. "I promise!" Ty Lee hops to her feet and kisses Azula.

They linger in the light of the sunrise for a few moments before going their separate ways.

Azula refuses to admit she likes this bar. Ty Lee will not stop going on and on about how everything there is perfect and thrilling. It is no surprise to either princess that the place is packed, so much that they walk side by side to the back, and find only one table open; an opponent rises just as they arrive.

The man there comments, "Come have a seat and play, sweet thing."

"Call either of us sweet thing again and you'll be picking your scorched teeth up off of the floor," snarls Azula and Ty Lee almost swoons.

The man clears his throat. Ty ee softly wraps her arm around Azula, mostly admiringly, almost protectively.

"If you don't want to play—"

"Oh," says Azula intensely, sitting down. "I want to play."

She already successfully intimidated her opponent, at least. Azula is never one to shy away from a satisfying fight and Ty Lee is never one o shy away from eagerly cheering her true love on.

"My wife is gonna kick your ass," y Lee chirps, smiling and clinging to Azula's shoulders.

A mood ruining voice inquires from behind the wo princesses, "I have never known Pai Sho to be so aggressive."

Without looking up, Azula states, "I have literally watched my brother smash a Pai Sho board into a wall while you just laughed. Or do you find it appropriate for strange men to call women demeaning and overtly sexual pet names?"

"He did what?" Iroh demands coldly.

"He, uh, he has to go," stammers the half-drunk man in question.

Iroh's hand twitches to grab him by the shirt, but he restrains himself. The sexist stranger escapes, and Iroh steps in front of Azula and Ty Lee.

"I was unaware that you were in the Fire Nation," says Azula.

"I came for your birth—" Iroh stops talking when he sees Ty Lee's face. "I just came to visit. I reserve the right to do that. Is this seat taken?"

Azula huffs. Ty Lee softly squeezes her wife's shoulder. "Look, on my birthday, I want to have a chance at winning a game." Azula stands up. "I am going to go get more drinks."

"I'll just have a tea," Iroh chimes.

"I am going to get more drinks for myself and my wife," Azula bitterly corrects before disappearing into the smoky crowd.

Ty Lee gives Iroh the well-practiced 'I-apologize-for-Azula- smile. She sits down, picks up a ile and stares at it uncomfortably.

"I can let her win," says Iroh.

"As long as you don't let her know," replies Ty Lee.

"I am excellent at keeping secrets. My family's native tongue is deception," Iroh remarks.

Ty Lee sets down the tile and looks up. "That's like super sad… but super true."

Azula returns, ending the conversation. Ty Lee stands up gracefully and gives her seat to her wife with a swift passing kiss.

"I imagine this will be painful. At least make it short," bitterly says Azula. "I only entertain this because you are getting very old, and one never knows when their relatives will die."

Ty Lee cannot help but smile faintly, remembering her speech in the morning. It always makes her very happy when Azula pays attention.

"Who knows? Each game is a surprise," says Iroh.

Azula rolls her eyes.

Ty Lee leans forward, resting her hands on Azula's shoulders.

"General Iroh, sir, my wife is going to kick your ass."