Chapter Seventeen: The Prom Part II
Azula stands in Ty Lee's kitchen as she applies the finishing touches of her prom outfit. She and her best friend look stunning and they will light up the night with their beauty.
"I never noticed that your parents keep lotion by the dish soap," comments Azula as Ty Lee slides the last pin into her raven hair. "Why do people do that? Is… washing dishes rough on the skin or something? I wouldn't know; I have never done it."
"Well, I've got soft skin," chirps Ty Lee, offering a sweet, sultry smile.
"I will be the judge of that," purrs Azula, and she brushes her fingertips across Ty Lee's arm. They both try to ignore the electric jolt.
"Is it soft?" Ty Lee pleads.
"Yes. It is so soft that it is like you murdered a baby and stole its skin and are wearing its skin," Azula says, wondering if this is how flirting works.
Ty Lee blushes, so, yes, it must be how flirting works.
A man Azula does not recognize walks into the kitchen, and Ty Lee hastily says, "This is my Uncle Ren. He's really cool and he's visiting."
Azula turns around and seizes his hand.
He remarks in utter earnest, "You have an excellent handshake."
"I know," purrs Azula with a flutter of her thick eyelashes. "My grandfather taught me that bad handshakes are for weak men and communists. He hates both."
He smiles and turns to his niece. "Well done, Ty Lee."
"Oh. I'm…" Ty Lee blushes. "She's going with somebody else."
"I just assumed you two were together. The chemistry is hard to miss."
Ty Lee's mother gently punches her brother's shoulder. "They're both girls."
"Doesn't mean they can't be together," he retorts.
She scowls. "Well, I suppose Azula is very rich."
Her brother prods, "I suppose you love money more than your alleged moral values."
"I do," says Ty Lee's mother.
Ty Lee turns to Azula. "Please don't think my mom is a bigot. She's just a redneck."
"I figured that out. Everyone does call your family the Beverly Hillbillies after all." Azula smirks. "And, it doesn't matter, since we are not together anyway."
"Right." Ty Lee cannot help but sound as crestfallen as she is.
Azula is too oblivious to notice it.
[X]
Mai's mother takes pictures of the teenagers outside on the sunny day before they take the limousine to the country club for prom. Azula leans against June, whose tattoos look sexy contrasted with her bold black dress, and Zuko wraps his arm around an apathetic Mai. He gives her flowers and she pays them little mind. Ty Lee stands alone but looks radiant nonetheless.
After that torture, Ozai escorts his son to the car he begrudgingly shall allow him to borrow, because he loves Azula and wants her to have a perfect night.
"This is the best one," says Zuko, running his hand across the car.
"Zuko," growls Ozai, seizing his son's wrist and yanking it away from the beautiful machine, "I promised your sister you would drive her to the prom, and drive her to the movie after. You will not harm my car, and you will not get your date pregnant in my car."
"Can I get my date pregnant somewhere other than the car?"
"If your uncle pays for the abortion," snaps Ozai. "Now watch your sister and make sure nothing bad happens to her. If anyone hassles her—"
"Smash them into a statue of St. Agnes, breaking their limbs."
"Something like that. If you scratch the car or your sister, I will burn you alive," Ozai growls, tossing Zuko the keys. With ease, Zuko snags them out of the air. "I'm amazed you caught those. I honestly thought that would hit you in the face. Azula always was better at sports."
"I won't disappoint you, dad," Zuko states, and before Ozai can say something scathing, he gets into the car and drives up to the girls, all waiting on the emerald lawn.
They get in, Zuko cranks up the music to nip conversation in the bud, and they drive through the city to the country club hosting the prom.
As soon as the two couples and Ty Lee arrive, Zuko parks and the teenagers get out. The hot sunlight beats down on the parking lot where the many students at Diamonte gather, snap photos and laugh as they catch up. A few sneak kisses.
Staring at the countless people she loathes, Mai opens her purse.
"I have drugs if anyone needs them. Which we probably will because I literally hate everyone at this horrible school. Ugh," Mai says. "Why do I always go to prom?"
Azula primly snaps, "I don't do drugs, and you shouldn't either."
Mai sarcastically drawls, "Thanks, Woodsy Owl."
Azula narrows her eyes and smugly corrects, "Woodsy Owl is a PSA for keeping forests pristine. What does that have to do with it?"
Mai dryly corrects, "Woodsy Owl is an anti-drug owl."
Azula clears her throat and insists, "No, he's—he says 'Give a hoot, don't pollute.'"
"Yeah," agrees June. "If he was a drug owl he'd probably be named Toasty Owl or something."
The three other adolescents laugh at her joke, and collect their folded names on placemarks. Azula takes hers, her date takes hers, and Ty Lee, Zuko and Mai do the same. All five of them walk and find a table by the sunniest window.
At first, they set up their names. Azula then slides hers onto Ty Lee's dress.
"Azula Shinohai now owns you," purrs Azula.
Ty Lee blushes bright red.
She does not take the nametag off, letting it press against her cleavage all night.
It feels damned good.
[X]
After the bubbles of boring small talk between students burst and the adolescents disperse, uncomfortable and tired waiters serve salad. Azula stares out at the flower garden where many students gather, ignoring their meals. She, however, sits at her table with the two other most popular girls in school, her hot date and her ugly older brother.
Picking at the salad with heavy disinterest, "So, you're doing a ballet performance later this month?" asks June. Her interest startles Ty Lee; she does not strike her as the kind of person who pays attention to her girlfriend.
"Yes," purrs Azula. "The Rite of Spring. Ty Lee and Mai are in it."
Mai adds, "Regrettably. At least in my case."
June shoots Mai a smirk. Azula thinks they would probably get along well as friends, if Mai put any effort into having friends.
"We're not actually going to see the Star Trek premiere, are we?" June demands, glancing around the table. "We're just gonna show our faces then go out into the night?"
Azula smirks. "We do all have driver's licenses officially."
Zuko interjects, "But no one is driving that car, because my dad loves it more than he loves me. No one can damage it. Understood?"
"He won't mind if I damage it," purrs Azula. "I am the good child. He could not stay mad at me if he tried, ZuZu."
"I'm babysitting you tonight. It's my responsibility," says Zuko. "He'll blame me if you do anything stupid so don't do anything stupid."
"Anything stupid like…?" Azula asks, drawing out each syllable with a gleam in her golden eyes.
Ty Lee summons all of the courage in her chest and says, "Like dancing with me!"
Azula looks up, then looks to June. She decides she does not need permission and rises, taking Ty Lee by the hand and dragging her onto the dance floor.
It is what women like, she thinks.
[X]
As then night goes on, Azula does not leave the dance floor. Party music, slow dances, now a burst of Disney playing from the DJ's station. She leads Ty Lee then secretly follows Ty Lee's lead and they are only focused on each other in the night.
"This slow dance is for the couples," seductively drawls the hot DJ.
Azula takes Ty Lee and whispers to cover her tracks, "My date is still in the bathroom and honestly, I guess we could pretend to be a couple."
"Yeah," Ty Lee breathes back, trying to hide her excitement.
They spin in circles, a dance so small it could be done on a plate. Both girls may be talented dancers but right now they seem unable to be anything but close together.
And so, they sway, spinning around a thousand stars to the tune of a song from Aladdin. And slowly, like the silly girl she is, Ty Lee brushes her lips against Azula's. But, despite how much she enjoys it, Azula steps back and away.
"I'm with someone else," says Azula, her heart in her throbbing throat. You will hurt me, she thinks. You will hurt me like no one else in the world as the power to do.
"Right. I got caught up in the moment," half-truthfully replies Ty Lee, her heart in her fluttering stomach. God made foolish girls like me to have something to play with, she thinks.
They break apart and Azula pursues her date into the ladies' room.
Ty Lee gazes after her.
[X]
After leaving the prom and entering the cold, perfumey air, Azula and crew arrive at the movie theatre. They ride down the escalator in the nigh silent mall and two kids crow from below, "Did you guys just get back from prom?"
"Yes," Zuko replies, making Azula want to slap him.
"That's so cute!" cries one of the two strangers.
He kisses Mai on the cheek. She does not react and he wonders if he is dating her or only hallucinated her interest in him. Azula keeps her eyes on Ty Lee even though June has a romantic hold on her body.
The coolest kids in school gather in the sleepy movie theatre in the closed mall, blathering.
[X]
Halfway into the confusing film, seated in the dark, tense cinema, Azula cannot understand for the life of her, the Shinohai girl leans over to her not-date, Ty Lee. "Do you have any idea what is going on in this movie?" she whispers, heart pounding like a hammer.
"No," Ty Lee replies. Her knees tremble when she adds, "M-meet me in the bathroom?"
They get up, snatching their purses but leaving their treats and drinks. The girls end up in a bathroom fill with black stalls painted with white dots that look like stars in a lazily rendered sky.
"I cannot believe we agreed to go to this," says Azula, leaning against the sinks. She does not care that her back becomes slightly damp.
Ty Lee stares at her for a moment. "We've been together all night, even though you brought somebody else. I just…"
"You just…?" Azula's heart vanishes, her head spins, she feels a surge of fear that she has never known before in her life.
Ty Lee fixes her hair in the mirrors for a painful stretch of time. Then she decides to be brave.
"Azula," murmurs Ty Lee, turning away from the mirror. "I'm in love with you. I've been in love with you since we were little kids. I'm in love with you."
At first, Azula wants to bolt from the bathroom. Then, she takes a few cautious steps forward and lingers close to Ty Lee. She stares at her lips for a moment and then decides to dive in and fiercely kiss her.
Ty Lee sinks into the heavenly touch. Then she takes Azula's hand.
"Do you want to get out of here?" she asks softly.
Azula smirks and says, "Yes."
Their night is only just beginning.
Chapter Seventeen: The Wedding Part II
In the Brimstone Resort, Azula sips a blackberry martini and stares at her brother. He and his pregnant girlfriend stand in the Sunrise Lounge—Sozin hated sunsets—and look around at the sea of guests. Azula does not know how Ty Lee even meets this many people.
"You look… fine," says Zuko, deciding to swallow his pride and talk to his sister. He does not want to compliment her too much.
"And you look like you got your suit at Build-a-Bear," replies Azula with a lovely soft smile.
"I don't know why I interact with you," Zuko says with a sigh. "Why?"
"Because you love me," purrs Azula, smirking and winking at her brother.
Ozai and Mai approach Zuko and Katara. Zuko sighs when his father examines Katara's visible pregnant belly.
"Do you know what kind of baby it is yet?" asks Ozai, feigning interest.
"We're having a daughter," says Zuko, speaking for Katara.
"That's good for you," replies Ozai, which prompts Zuko to give him a quizzical expression. "All a man really wants in life is his daughter's love. A son is just a disappointing photocopy of himself. Also, when Katara inevitably leaves you, you won't end up with a son raised as a woman."
Zuko declares, "Well, Azula was raised as a man. She's marrying a girl tomorrow."
"A lesbian is not the same thing as a man. You should learn that, because Katara will probably eventually leave you for a woman," says Ozai.
Katara replies, "Yeah. I definitely will if you keep saying ignorant and sexist things."
"Thank you, father," growls Zuko.
Azula snickers and sips her martini.
[X]
That evening, before the wedding rehearsal, Azula at last lays eyes on her grandparents. They are well dressed and she makes a point compliment them. Ty Lee holds onto her arm and blushes as she greets her soon-to-be grandparents-in-law.
"We're late, I know," says Ilah, patting the side of Ty Lee's face.
Ilah doubles over coughing, then sneezes and Azulon scowls.
Azulon grumbles, "I apologize for our tardiness; your grandmother is ill. Then she decided to ignore proper dose recommendations, drank the entire bottle of cough syrup and passed out. I had to hold a mirror to her face to make sure she was alive."
Ilah states coldly, "Because I would never let myself feel sick on the happiest day of my life. My beautiful granddaughter is having a gay wedding. It's a dream come true."
Ty Lee croons, "My dream come true too."
Ilah smiles at her. "Such a sweet girl."
Mai approaches. Ty Lee hugs her tightly and Mai sighs.
"Azula, I have your bachelorette party planned. June and me and Katara are taking you to the Voodoo Lounge tonight."
Sarcastically, Azula sneers, "Oh, my brother's pregnant girlfriend who I hate, my ex-girlfriend I haven't seen since high school and my stepmother. What a lovely guest list."
"You don't have a lotta friends," is Mai's reply.
And then they must get down to business.
[X]
At the rehearsal dinner, the entire extended Shinohai family sits together.
Interrupting Katara's rant about saving seals or something along those lines, "You must tell a funny story, father," purrs Azula, although she knows Ozai has never done such a thing. He likes people to be afraid of him, not to make them laugh.
Mai, surprisingly, makes a request.
"Tell them the adultery story," Mai says, a faint flicker of a smile creeping onto her face.
"No," growls Ozai, his eyes flashing. These people ought to live in terror of him.
Mai pleads, "Oh, come on. It's the only funny story you know."
"I know plenty of funny stories, but I am not the type of person who tells them. I have a reputation to protect," growls Ozai, sipping his wine with an expression of pure dignity.
Mai gently slaps his shoulder and hisses, "Please."
He shrugs and decides he does not care much what present company thinks of him.
Ozai begins, everyone turning their attention to the commanding man, "When I was younger, my parents made us go to church. My mother would tell my brother and I about every three weeks that we needed to go to confession, and, my brother and I would walk from school to the church and we would swap sins on the way since we never wanted to confess our real ones. Those are personal.
"Now, I was trying to think of the mildest ones I could, and I thought, well, I swear often. We struggled to figure out which of the Ten Commandments to put that under. At last, he said to me that adults swear frequently—our parents certainly did after a few martinis—and we should put it under adultery. I agreed with him, a rare feat.
"We got to the church and looked for the longest line. The shortest was Father Gideon's and he would always shout at you when you told him your sins. He would actually find kids in the bushes outside of the school—I went to a Catholic school, of course, like my children—who were smoking or making out and he would grab the kids and beat them up. I was frequently one of those kids, but I never told my parents because these were older times and they also would want to know why I was in the bushes smoking or making out and I might be written out of the will.
"I was stuck by grand mistake with Father Gideon, although I didn't know at first. I told him that I had disobeyed my parents several times and had meat on a Friday and then I told him that I had committed adultery twenty-seven times. He shouted, 'Ozai Shinohai, you did what?' and—firstly, I thought confessionals were confidential—and secondly I had no clue why swearing was so terrible.
"When I went to school the next day, one of the nuns pulled me aside and said out of the corner of her mouth, 'Ozai, adultery isn't swearing,' and— for the record I again, thought confessionals were confidential—she didn't tell me what it meant, but she did tell me that.
"To tell the truth, with my first wife, I probably committed adultery more than twenty-seven times so thank God I stopped going to church in college."
The conversation continues after the uproarious laughter.
Azula overhears Zuko. He gestures at his teeth while he says, "I wanted to get a grill a while back but the doctor said my teeth were too messed up."
Later on, Katara says, "I never saw my Gran-Gran cry."
Zuko turns and looks at Ilah. "Grandmother, have you ever cried?"
"Only once," says the prim woman.
"Did you spill your drink?" asks Katara mockingly.
Ilah locks eyes with her. "President Kennedy was assassinated."
Katara's eyes widen and she sucks in her cheeks. Zuko wraps his arm around her.
Azula snickers. Ty Lee rests her head on her fiancee's shoulder.
Tonight could not be lovelier.
[X]
Katara grumbles obscenities to herself as she tries on different combinations of clothing. She cannot believe she agreed to join Azula's bridal party and go out to the Voodoo Lounge.
"I don't know how to deal with your sister," Katara snaps as she finally settles and begins selecting the right jewelry.
"I have no suggestions. How about you?" Zuko offers, tugging at his collar.
Katara hums to herself and then says, "We could drown her."
Zuko, bewildered, inquires, "How?"
"We lure her somewhere with water, like a swimming pool or lake or sewer or a bathtub or even a sink, and then I act scared and pathetic while you go after her, once she knocks you out, I sneak up on her and hold her under while she trashes and fights and claws my face probably but I'll stay strong, hold her under for about four minutes and then I take you to a hospital."
"Why do you assume I get knocked out?"
Katara just kisses him and grabs her purse.
"I'm off to have a horrible night out. See ya." Katara vanishes out of the door to go meet up with June and Mai.
Why did she ever agree to attend this wedding in the first place?
[X]
Azula stands on the balcony of her hotel room. Ty Lee sits inside, reading to Bunny and trying to get her to settle down to go to sleep. Of course, Ty Lee looks gorgeous for her bachelorette party that will be hosted by strippers and other trashy women. Azula's guest list is even more disappointing. Slowly, Azula slips her pack of cigarettes out of her sparkly purse.
June turns to Azula and asks, "Can I bum a cigarette?"
Azula gives a sharp nod and hands one over.
As June smokes, Azula walks inside of the hotel room and glances at Ty Lee. Her fiancée rises and slides on her shoes, ready to go meet up with her friends and have a night on the town.
"I'll uh…" Ty Lee blushes, uncertain of the proper goodbye.
"Wedding in the morning," murmurs Azula. "Bachelorette party now."
"Mhm." Ty Lee smiles. "Don't have too much fun, my love."
"I suppose I'll see you in the morning."
"Okay," Ty Lee whispers, and she easily breaks apart for the first time.
Azula walks to meet her motley crew of bachelorette party guests.
Her night has only just begun.
A/N: One or two more parts should cover the wedding and prom night. I got some questions about if the story continues past this point, and, yes, it does. It's going to be a long epic, I promise.
