Normal Life
37. Under Pressure
A baby screams hysterically.
A child tugs against her mother on the street.
A little girl throws a tantrum in plain view of the entire city.
Noticing them all is difficult to avoid. In fact, Azula cannot stop seeing what horrors await her everywhere she looks and everywhere she goes.
"You're just under pressure," Ty Lee says, touching Azula's hand while she visibly reaches the verge of crumbling. A small boy of about one or two makes a screeching sound that no human should be able to produce. "It's all really stressful. Coming home when you're kind of a criminal and having a baby on the way and…"
Azula stops listening. She always appreciates Ty Lee's gushing about how wonderful she is, but right now she does not want to hear it.
She does not want to hear anything.
All she wants is to crawl into a dark enclosed space and never come out.
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38. Love Hurts
Ty Lee tries not to look at Zuko. She does not want to prompt conversation right now. She would leave the room if she were not so strangely comfortable on the palace floor in a shady corner.
"Why are you being quiet? You're never quiet," Zuko says. Ty Lee grimaces; she really thought she could avoid it.
"Azula told me she hates me and never wants to see me again." Ty Lee has tears swelling in her eyes but she holds them back. It takes all of her might to avoid bursting into subs.
"She doesn't mean that. You know that she doesn't mean that, right?" Zuko says.
Ty Lee drums her fingers on the stone floor. It hurts, but love hurts too.
"Yeah. She's…" Ty Lee grasps around in her head for the right words. "She's gonna have to try harder than that to get rid of me."
Zuko smiles.
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39. Faded Love
Ty Lee is still sitting in that corner, thinking about everything and nothing, when Azula walks out. She looms above her, which probably will do the conversation good, with her arms crossed.
"I knew you wouldn't leave," she says. At least she sounds happy about that. "You love me too much to listen."
"That's true," Ty Lee says, topping her sweet words with a sweeter smile.
"Things never faded for you, did they?" Azula asks.
"Did they fade for you?" Ty Lee asks.
"I asked you first."
"No. What about you?"
"I have no need to answer you."
Ty Lee looks away, blushing behind her messy, stray hair.
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40. So Hard to Say
Azula thinks about saying something when she sits on her bed and Ty Lee tells her about her boring day.
She maybe wants to express the fact that she does not want to be so wrathful and unstable. She maybe wants to thank Ty Lee for sticking around, or maybe tell her that she must be incredibly stupid to stand by the princess's side.
It is so hard to say. It is too hard to say.
Azula remains silent and lets Ty Lee finish the boring story she is not listening to.
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41. Fall to Pieces
Azula is sobbing, lying down on the floor. Ty Lee tip-toes into the room. She does not feel like acquiring third degree burns or making this situation worse.
"You're just pregnant. That's why you're crying," Ty Lee says.
Azula glares at her, but does stop sobbing. Probably out of spite, but that is better than nothing.
"I hate you," Azula snarls.
"I know," Ty Lee replies.
It makes the princess's eyes flash molten gold from rage. She stays still though, her hands resting on her stomach.
Ty Lee sits down and makes herself small.
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42. Don't Be Cruel
Ty Lee stands up and throws the centerpiece on the table to the floor. Zuko flinches but Mai does not.
"Don't be cruel! You're mean!" she screams at a reactionless old friend. "You're so mean!" Ty Lee turns to walk away, but turns around again. "But you're still my best friend and I love you." She turns to leave again but then turns back. "But you should ne nicer about Azula because you still love her and I know it, even if it's not the same way or as much as me."
Ty Lee storms out of the dining room.
Mai and Zuko exchange a glance.
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43. Sweet Dreams
"Goodnight, Azula," Ty Lee says softly. She lies beside her, which she loves.
"Go to sleep, Ty Lee."
"Sweet dreams, Azula."
"Go to sleep, Ty Lee."