Not Right For Each Other

23. Control

They fight so viciously that they could have sold tickets. It lasts from sunset to sunrise, dusk until dawn. A waking nightmare for both women.

Azula loathes how bold Ty Lee has become.

"Don't be so desperate to control your life that you forget to enjoy it," says Ty Lee softly.

"Oh, behold the wisdom of the most airheaded person I have ever met," snarls Azula, still loaded with adrenaline from the fight.

The next morning, Azula wakes feeling bitter from the fight. She sets out to find Ty Lee and finds her having breakfast with Mai.

Azula wishes she were not doing this in front of such of an audience. Then again, perhaps that will sway things in her favor. "I realize, Ty Lee, that we may need to… figure things out. To talk this all over." Azula blinks and tightens her expression to be placid and emotionless once more as she orders, "Join me for a drink."

"I…" Ty Lee glances over at Izumi, playing contently with her toys on the floor. She has one of them in her mouth.

Mai interjects, "Me and Zuko can watch Izumi if you two need to…"

"Yes. That would be appreciated," crisply says Azula.

Mai shrugs and picks up the small princess.

24. Apology

"Can't you just admit you screwed up?" begs Ty Lee, her heart racing as she dares to stand up to Azula.

Azula scoffs. "What would be the point of that?"

"Please, just apologize." Ty Lee's voice shrinks more and more with each syllable.

"Fine. I'm sorry you think you deserve an apology." Azula glowers. "None of this was what I meant when I offered to take you out for this drink."

Ty Lee stares at Azula for the longest time before she simply gives up.

She did choose who she married; she knew what she was getting herself into from the start.

25. Evil

"You knew what you were getting into," protests Azula. "You knew what you were getting into when you married me."

Zuko and Mai stare at them. Azula holds Izumi, Ty Lee holds her fists clenched like she wants to punch everyone in the room. They just were in a wretched row and now they look on the verge of laughter.

"Well, you are known as the evil princess," says Ty Lee, a small smile creeping up on her.

"Yeah, yeah, evil princess. I know. I would kick a puppy if one danced by." Azula smirks at her own joke. "Just kidding. Puppies don't dance."

Ty Lee laughs so hard that she snorts. Zuko cocks an eyebrow, utterly puzzled by it. He just decides he is happy that his sister's marriage appears to be improving and that she is in the state of mind to make jokes.

26. Smoke

Azula and Ty Lee have a soft night, not an angry night, not a night of Ty Lee being overbold and Azula being overbearing and overdramatic.

Sitting on their bed in peaceful silence, they sink into a deep kiss.

Suddenly, smoke fills the room.

"Candle sputtering! Candle sputtering!" exclaims Ty Lee, leaping to her feet in a sudden panic.

Azula silences the dying candle on the bedside table with one motion of her hand. It stops making the dreadful noise and popping like a bonfire and exhales a huge flume of smoke that suffocates the room. A tiny wick should not be capable of so much. It truly should not.

27. Liar

In the Throne Room, before the first hearing of the day, Zuko shakes his head and explains, "You liked her when she was submissive and she liked you because she idolized you and now you both are on equal footing. You're lying to yourself and lying to her if you think this marriage can last."

Azula just coldly says, "I like lying. Who doesn't?"

"Most normal, sane people," says Zuko.

"Who says I don't know exactly what I'm doing in this marriage?" Azula demands, lying through her teeth. Because she doesn't, oh Agni, she doesn't. "It's like a game. A very fun one, at that."

Zuko just huffs and shrugs. "Yeah, well, people aren't dolls. You can't just mess around with them and then shove them back into the toybox."

"You are right," purrs Azula. "People are not dolls. People are much more fun to play with."

Azula winks.

Zuko bitterly frowns and averts his eyes.